The view here is amazing. We had awesome food and drinks but being able to really take in the city…read morewas one of the best parts! Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Gambas French toast Cocktail

Though I'm not a native Spaniard, I studied abroad here and visited too- this is one of the best…read morerooftop views in the city! Unless you make a dinner reservation (only way to get food too), tickets are 5 euro to enter the bar and you might wait around 10 min in line to enter. While cocktails are expensive by European standards at 10 euro, tinto de verano (a classic) isn't terrible at 5 euro. Even without drinks, definitely worth it just for the view! Sunsets are amazing. On a chilly evening, they have heaters over some of the lounge chairs. I'd highly recommend to get a great view of the city!

The last time Jamie W and I vacationed in Madrid over 15 years ago, we made the big mistake of…read moretrying to squeeze this museum and the Prado into the same afternoon. We had to race through the Reina Sofia without allowing the requisite time to appreciate the masterworks constantly hidden by the crowds. We didn't make the same mistake last week and decided to focus a full afternoon here. There was no avoiding the long line that snaked around the plaza even though we bought the 32,8€ Paseo del Arte passes which covers all three of Madrid's essential museums. We still had to redeem our passes to get our museum tickets. It only took about 25 minutes before we made the beeline to the museum's spotlight masterwork, Picasso's "Guernica" on the second floor. Viewing was packed and unmovable, but it's still the definitive visualization of the horrors of war made striking by the monochromatic palette (Video 1). The building was once an 18th-century hospital before it became an art museum as recently as 1988. It houses Spain's most significant collection of 20th-century art. Along with Picasso, other contemporary masters are also on display here. Artists represented include Salvador Dali (Photos 3 & 5), Joan Miro (Photo 2), and Rene Magritte (Photo 7). Up on the third floor is even more contemporary art dating back only to 1975 including works by Andy Warhol (Photo 6) and Robert Mapplethorpe (Photo 4). This was our favorite of Madrid's Golden Triangle which includes the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. Definitely take your time perusing. RELATED - Exploring Madrid? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/qwUK6nAE-z

If you're into 20th century art, pop by this famous art museum. Near many other sites in Madrid,…read morethis museum is big. It's 3-4 floors of exhibits with art from some famous artists like Picasso. On a Friday afternoon in September, I walked in, paid 12 Euros, and explored for 1.5 hours. The museum is easy to navigate with signs everywhere, elevators and stairs taking you up and down. Don't miss the courtyard in the middle. There are benches and more art there.

The palace is absolutely beautiful, but it's currently fully under construction. You aren't able to…read moreenter and there's a lot of scaffolding blocking the beautiful views of the large glass windows.

I walked here from the Museo Nacional del Prado on nice warm summer day. While it was a nice…read morestroll, it was long and it got hot! So, upon arrival to this crystal palace, we were already hot and when entering, it was even hotter! To be honest, was it worth the long walk? Probably not, but if your sole activity of the day is to just explore El Retiro Park, then definitely make your way here to enjoy it's beauty.

Another visit that was high on the list of things to do in Madrid…read more I bought passes that came with an English guide. I enjoyed having that, but you could easily come through on your own without a guide and be fine. Our guided tour was about 90 minutes, but you could also stay as long after as you desired. We ended up staying about another hour to catch some of the things the tour didn't stop at. Note that you cannot take photos inside. It also seems to get pretty busy early, so it might be a good idea to go fairly early or closer to closing. Would highly recommend the Prado.

If you ask for museum recommendations, Museo Nacional del Prado often pops up. Its iconic halls are…read morefilled with historic art from the royals and others. If you love art or architecture, it's worth going for 1-2 hours. I arrived at the museum on a Sunday at 5pm when the free hours start. (The last two hours each day is free.) The line was 45-60 minutes deep. I waited an hour and got a ticket right away. That left me an hour to explore. The free hours extend to the permanent collection only, but there's plenty to see across three floors and over 100 rooms. Signs clearly mark what kind of art it is from paintings to sculptures. The only thing going during the free hours is that it's crowded. Most restrooms have lines and the gift shop is packed. It's still worth it.

I have only had an opportunity to come to this theatre once to watch a Flamenco show by Sarah Baras…read more(One of Spain's most Famous!). The Theatre has that historic feeling that you are looking for when visiting Spain. The theatre has been well maintained and the service is very good (the lines moved quickly upon entrance). The only downside to Theatres in general is their lack of a decent selection of "Tapas" or foods during the intermission break. With that said, my first experience here was very good and would always be willing to watch a show in this theatre!

Saw the Hole Zero show. Spend the money and Go! If you don't speak Spanish I would still suggest…read morebased on the options I checked out to go... it is like cirque coupled with some good humor... about 10% I got as I don't speak Spanish but it was still funny! There is eye candy no matter your taste (men or women), and the acrobatics will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the 2 hours.

I love history and museums. However, I am not a huge fan of prehistory. I can't get fully onboard…read morewith the objectivity of such subjective items. Nevertheless, this was a good experience and our tour guide made it even better. The museum is packed with objects, most of which are authentic and not replicas. There are even some objects that are on display that are known fakes. There story behind them and how the museum acquired such objects is interesting. The best part was the digital display that overlays a topographical map of the Iberian peninsula. It tells the story of the Iberian migration of peoples over the centuries. Overall, not a bad museum, kind of boring in some areas but still a good experience.

One of the finest archeology museums anywhere. Every artificact here is from the Iberian…read morepenninsula or excavated by Spanish Archeologists. Good explanations from either physical or cultural anthropology, very up to date information on the evolution of humans. The descriptions and explanations are truly excellent. If you start downstairs you can work your way up in time from milliions of years ago to early modernity. Check for free concerts and lectures, I saw an interesting and talented saxophone quartet in the evening.

Retiro Park is like the Central Park of Madrid. This gigantic park has it all. Large grassy areas…read morefor a picnic or long pathways to run or walk. A big lake in the center to rent a row boat and ride around or a crystal palace to swoon over. Retiro is big and it can be hard to see everything on foot. There are lots of available rental bikes to make your trip throughout the park even easier.

Beautiful park ! Lots of space for kids to run and play ! Plenty of cafes to grab coffee before and…read moreevening stroll! Came in winter and still is stunning