Madrid, Spain is a beautiful city rich in culture, art, and architecture. Even with limited time, it’s possible to enjoy the most interesting things that the city has to offer. Google maps, Google Earth, Rome to Rio, Spain’s official tourism website, and Facebook groups are valuable resources to get around the city since many locals can’t speak fluent English.

Museum Reina Sofia

Museum Prado

Rare art piece by Salvador Dali

We thought of visiting Las Ventas yet it was not the right season to do so. Thus, we decided to explore some of the popular museums in Madrid: Museo Nacional del Prado and Museo Reina Sofía. The Museo del Prado is considered the most important art museum in Madrid as it beholds precious art masterpieces in history with renowned old art masters like El Greco, Goya, Rubens. The Museo Reina Sofia housed a massive collection of 20th century and contemporary artworks, including rare pieces of Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miro.

A variety of churros

El Rastro Flea Market

El Rastro flea market is a popular Sunday attraction for tourists, but be careful of the pickpockets despite the presence of the police.

Botin Restaurant – the oldest restaurant in the world

Dining in the Botin Restaurant is an ultimate culinary experience not to be missed. Botin Restaurant is the world’s oldest restaurant according to the Guiness Book of records. The signature roast suckling pig and lamb here are a must-try and the venue itself is a historical gem.

Hop on hop off bus tour

To have a quick wrap up of the Madrid tour,  we opted for Madrid-Hop-On-Hop-Off bus service that covers all the top attractions in Madrid. It’s a good way to get a good view of the city, especially the rooftop architecture.

Since we had limited time, we decided to take a day trip to Valencia only. Euro train tickets were pre-booked via the Omio app. 

 Valencia’s Old Town

Valencia’ s city view

Valencia has an interesting cityscape with spectacular modern architecture, the old town, beaches, and the natural park. Valencia is also the home of Paella, ideal for strolling around, and having a good break.

The City of Arts and Sciences including Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe –  an interactive three-floor science museum that currently runs the exhibition of MARS expedition, L’Hemisfèric, and L’Oceanogràfic – the largest oceanographic aquarium in Europe. We tried Paella while having lunch at Submarino Restaurant in L’Oceanografic. The dining area is surrounded by an aquarium, but the food was overrated.

 L’Oceanogràfic

With only a week, we managed to enjoy most of Madrid’s exquisite attractions, including a fantastic day trip to Valencia.

Stunning architecture of La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias