Comment from Andrew
Date: May 7, 2008, 11:10 pm

- Spend a day walking/hiking around Cercedilla/Navacerrada/Cuenca Alta del Manzanares
- Malaspina, Calle Cadiz, 9. Nice atmosphere, cosy, good raciones, good value for money, smack bang in Sol.
- A night out in Huertas, has to be done
- Eat a menu del dia…anywhere. I havent had a bad one yet!
- Enjoy a cosy cocktail with your boyfriend/girlfriend in Areia, Calle Hortaleza, 92
- Fight for a drink and tapas at El Tigre – also has to be done for the experience
- Go indoor skiing at Xanadu

That’s all I can think of at the moment!

Comment from Andrew
Date: May 7, 2008, 11:13 pm

Oh also, I can’t recommend it personally, but I’ve been told by my Spanish collegues that I’m not allowed to leave Spain (the will physically restrain me) without eating the fish at Las Maceiras, Calle de las Huertas, 66.

Comment from Gary
Date: May 7, 2008, 11:25 pm

I had the octopus @ Maceiras – it was previously on my lisy of ‘dont eat this’ foods – it was wonderful. I enjoyed the qeimada immensely – the ‘ceremony’ and the resulting drink.

Plaza Santa Anna – nuf said

Taberna Almendro 13 or Taberna del Tirso de Molina for lunch

Also – go into la Venencia with a massive flashgun, take a photo and enjoy the torrent of abuse that results – nice dog though!!

Comment from bill
Date: May 8, 2008, 9:37 am

A summer evening curry on a terraza in Lavapies – and becoming part of as vibrant a mix of cultrures as anywhere you’ll find in London

Comment from Liesbeth
Date: May 8, 2008, 1:12 pm

i can recommend the menu del dia at the cafe Central (Plaza del Angel). Really great food for 10-12 euro.
And at a rainy day: go to a movie. There are a lot of cinemas with movies in the original language (spanish subtitles)- good for your spanish

Comment from ben
Date: May 9, 2008, 9:11 am

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, keep them coming!

Comment from Charisma
Date: May 9, 2008, 12:37 pm

I’ve taken a lot of folks to ZOE (M: Anton Martin). Lots of fresh ingredients turned into creative cuisine. The menús are not bad. Great stop-off after the Reina Sofía or CaixaForum. VEGAVIANA (M: Chueca) has really good seitan San J. And I really like the ice creams at both LOS ALPES (M: Arguelles) and Bajo Cero (M: Quevedo). DELIC (M: La Latina) is in all the guidebooks (it seems), but I’m glad to find a coffeeshop (non-Starbucks, not Gijon, Commercial or any of those other traditional palces) open before 2pm. For movies in V.O., I prefer the RENOIR chain (there’s a few around M: Pza de España) over YELMO.

That’s it…for now…

Comment from Chelsea
Date: May 21, 2008, 9:38 pm

I would recommend both Tupperware (M: Tribunal) and the Irish Rover/Moby Dick’s (M: Santiago Bernabeu) for a night out. Both have really great music and vibe! I am moving back to Madrid in September and I can’t wait to return to both. Also, in terms of eating, I would definitely recommend Casa Mingo (M: Principe Pio) to anyone wanting to try Asturian cider and pollo asado. Amazingly good and reasonably priced!

Comment from Aglie
Date: May 29, 2008, 1:57 pm

Parque de El Capricho (http://www.arturosoria.com/arturosoria/art/capricho.asp)

Comment from Jordan
Date: June 23, 2008, 10:18 am

You have to spend at least one day not doing much of anything. Sitting outside the Prado…strolling in Retiro…etc. Soak it in!

My favorite was to sit near the Puerta del Sol in the middle of the day and just watch all the tons of people walk by.