Nice park to hang out with a great monument to Cervantes and his number one muse - Don Quijote…read more While we were in the city, this place served as a landmark for me on my morning runs. The walking tours we were on stopped here, and it was well lit, between the ambient lighting and the Christmas lighting, for the kids to still want to hang out at the playground. Additionally, they had a small seasonal market there, an ice rink, and music. It remained busy well after sunset. It is surrounded by tall buildings that overlook the park and the surrounding trafficked streets, like Gran Via. It's clean. It's safe, and if you're into Cervantes, worth a stop.

Plaza de España marks the westernmost point of Calle Gran Via. It sits right across from Zara and…read morethe Plaza de España metro stop which actually connects to the Noviciado metro stop underground. There isn't much to the area besides the statue and there's some construction in the area, but I do appreciate the signage telling people how far the Palacio Real de Madrid & Temple Debod are. This is a location you check off your checklist for Madrid.

Being back in puerta del sol feels like home. Here's the deal- sol is like the central hub. From…read moresol, any direction you go, you'll find what you need! The metro station is sol connects to three lines making it one of the most accessible stops. The plaza area itself is always overrun with tourist and scammers, so beware and watch those pockets. But, the magic of sol is in the side streets that connect to it. Go north and you're in gran via or chueca. Take a step towards the irish pubs and grab a pint! Go north west in search of some churros at san gines. Sol is the connecting point to many notable places to visit! While I don't consider it a stop in itself, it is a great meeting point among groups to start your journey!

This is one of the busiest areas in Madrid, specially at nights when the weather gets nicer, during…read moresummertime. It's close to many shops, restaurants, and famous spots, so it's a great starting point for walking around the city centre. There's a lot happening here from street music and performance to groups gathering together and just enjoy their time.

When I traveled to Madrid, I stayed in this neighborhood, and loved it! It is very centrally…read morelocated, close to Plaza Mayor, the Palacio de Real and much more, and has a lot of colorful local flavor. There are plenty of shops, cafes, and winding tiny streets branching out from the main roads. There always seems to be something going on, but it still feels very quiet in many areas. As a female solo traveler, I am always very concerned with the safety of the neighborhoods that I stay in. I always felt safe here. I walked around at night every evening that I was in the city, and never had any problems of felt unsafe - that being said, of course you must take precautions and always use common sense. But in general, I felt quite safe. Great area!

this is a vibrant, colourful neighborhood in the southwestern part of madrid's city centre. as…read moresoon as i stepped out of the underground station, i immediately saw many colourful murals, painted on the sides of various buildings. there are plenty of plazas here to relax, play, stroll, jog, or play ball. just be careful in the evenings, as there are some questionable streets and alleys that aren't very well lit. personally, my favourite thing to do here was to eat! the street called "calle cava baja" is well known for their restaurants, cafes, and tapas bars, and you could actually go "tapas bar" hopping by having the "house tapas" and a drink at one bar, and moving on to a second, and a third, so on and so forth until your belly is full! most of the tapas bars are very reasonably priced and open quite late. accessible via the la latina and tirso de molina underground stations.

Didn't even know this place existed. A friend and I were traveling in Madrid and it was Sunday…read morewhich was a perfect time to visit this area because of 'Las Ramblas'. We sort of got lost and took a different way back... I was glad we did because we ran into this gem. We just sat on a makeshift chair and looked around at people playing soccer, building, studying, planting or just lounging. Its unlike any park I have ever seen. It doesn't feel like a public part as as much of a community project. Its is out of this world and just strait cool. Spent an hour just lounging and eating breakfast while a few people jammed on acoustic guitar.

This place took me completely by surprise. A construction site that has been turned from an ignored…read morederelict site into a community space, this is a great example of how people have responded to the recession. There is a cafe, a stage for concerts, a basketball/football court and regular film screenings. All provided by people who saw a failed property development and decided to use it for something better. An excellent example of community spirit.

puerta de toledo translates into "the gate of toledo." centuries ago, it used to lead travelers to…read morethe historical city of toledo, a city 70km southwest of madrid. completed in 1827, it is one of the many monumental gates in the city of madrid, and also the one that was most recently built. imagine how old some of the other gates in madrid are if this one is 188 years old! this gate features three arches and looks magnificent at nighttime as you can see the lights shining on either side of this light-coloured, granite structure. i passed by this structure many times during my stay in madrid since i stayed in the la latina district, just a few minutes away on foot. whether by day or by night, this tall gate helped me determine where i was and how to continue on my journey while touring madrid.

When i think about a vacation, Madrid is always one of the places that comes to mind. For a big…read morehistorical European city it is surprisingly affordable. It also has great museums, parks, architecture, food, shopping...the list goes on! Madrids Metro system is easy to get around on and not expensive, Though if like me you stay in the center, most of what you want to do and see is close enough to walk to. Not only that but it is a great walking city, fairly flat, well maintained sidewalks (walk early to see locals sweeping in front of their stores...) Some of my favorite things to do: Madrids big museums are either free in the evenings or have a free day each week. I can loose track of time in the Prado or Reina Sofia, the Thysen is a great place to get an overview of art history. Many of Madrid's small museums are free all the time though signage may not be in english. Tapas are a great way to get a fun and affordable meal (many bars have free tapas with drinks ask around (or better yet get a good guide book) Churros- try them and dunk them in the chocolate they serve with them! Don't forget to just get lost in the city a bit, walk outside the tourist zone and get a bite where ever, check out a grocery store (it is different, for example milk and eggs are on the shelfs not in a fringe.) Just see how the locals live! My favorite Guide book for Madrid is Rick Steve's enough information to have a great visit, but not so much that the best sites get buried.