This excerpt from Lonely Planet nails our sentiments down on Madrid. We barely had a week there, but thanks to friends and good tips, we enjoyed almost every bullet point about the city outlined below.

An Artistic City

Few cities can boast an artistic pedigree quite as pure as Madrid’s and many art lovers return here again and again, so rich is the city’s art collection. For centuries, Spanish royals showered praise and riches upon the great artists of the day, from home-grown talents such as Goya and Velázquez to a stunning pantheon of Flemish and Italian masters. Masterpieces by these and other Spanish masters such as Picasso, Dalí and Miró now adorn the walls of the city’s world-class galleries. Three in particular are giants – the Museo del Prado, Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza – but in Madrid these are merely good places to start.

Museo Del Prado

Las Meninas by Vasquez

The Descent from the Cross by Rogier van der Weyden

The Third of May: the Executions on Príncipe Pío by Goya.

The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymous Bosch

I so wanted to see the collections in Reina Sofia. It is often referred to as the MoMA of Madrid, in reference to NYC’s renowned Museum of Modern Art. It houses one of Europe’s finest collections of 20th century art and is an especially excellent place to explore the works of Spain’s contemporary artists, including Joan Miró, Salvador Dali, and Pablo Picasso. One of Picasso’s finest works, Guernica, can be found here.

Culinary Capital

Rising above the humble claims of its local cuisine, Madrid has evolved into one of the richest culinary capitals of Europe. This is a city that has wholeheartedly embraced all the creativity and innovation of Spain’s gastronomic revolution. But this acceptance of the new is wedded to a passion for the enduring traditions of Spanish cooking – it’s no coincidence that the world’s oldest restaurant is found here – for the conviviality of the eating experience and for showcasing the infinite variety of food from every Spanish region. From tapas in sleek temples to all that’s new to sit-down meals beneath centuries-old vaulted ceilings, eating in Madrid is a genuine pleasure.

Listed by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest restaurant, Botin has been turning out impeccably roasted meats from its original Castilian-style cast iron wood burning oven since 1725 – nearly three centuries. Guests have ranged from Hemingway to the painter Goya to countless European royalty, and it remains very popular with visitors, locals and especially Spanish politicians.

Another Favorite for Churros Con Chocolate! For those who prefer a sweeter chocolate blend.

Zonas Tapas La Latina – Enjoying our Tapas Crawl

Killing the Night

Madrid nights are the stuff of legend, and the perfect complement to the more sedate charms of fine arts and fine dining. The city may have more bars than any other city on earth, a collection of storied cocktail bars and nightclubs that combine a hint of glamour with non-stop marcha (action). But that only goes someway to explaining the appeal of after-dark Madrid. Step out into the night-time streets of many Madrid neighborhoods and you’ll find yourself swept along on a tide of people, accompanied by a happy crowd intent on dancing until dawn.

The Spanish tradition of tapas, or small plates of appetizers with a drink, is said to have started in the Middle Ages, and there is no better place to enjoy them in Madrid than in La Latina district. Dishes can include one of the many types of olives, with small portions of fish, cooked meats, sausage, cheese, ham or nuts, served in a variety of ingenious forms with an array of sauces. Wine, needless to say, is the traditional drink taken with tapas.

The general idea of tapas is a snack to bridge the long gap between main mealtimes in the Spanish day. It is said to have been started by King Alfonso X who was forced to take small bites of food with his wine during an illness. When he recovered, he decreed that no wine should be served in Castilian inns without food, and a tradition grew up of wine being served with a plate of tapas on top. It had the two-fold advantage of mitigating the effects of alcohol on drinkers, and keeping insects out of the wine on a hot summer’s day.

The Cosmopolitan M Hotel at Plaza Sta. Ana

Beautiful Architecture

Madrid may not have the architectural cachet of Paris, the monumental history of Rome, or Barcelona’s reputation for Modernista masterpieces. And no, there is no equivalent of the Eiffel Tower, Colosseum or La Sagrada Família that you can point to and say ‘this is Madrid’. But Madrid has nothing to be envious of when it comes to architecture. Instead, the broad sweep of architectural history provides a glorious backdrop to city life, from medieval mansions and royal palaces to the unimagined angles of Spanish contemporary architecture, from the sober brickwork and slate spires of Madrid baroque to the extravagant confections of the belle époque. Put simply, this is one beautiful city.

At Palacio Real De Madrid

Sabatini Gardens

The Plaza de Cibeles is a square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city of Madrid. It sits at the intersection of Calle de Alcalá, Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado.

Plaza de Colón. This plaza and its fountain commemorate the explorer Christopher Columbus, whose name in Spanish was Cristóbal Colón.

Breakfast for Champions at the Famous Mercado De San Miguel!

El Rastro is the most popular open air flea market in Madrid. It is held every Sunday and public holidays during the year and is located along Plaza de Cascorro and Ribera de Curtidores, between Calle Embajadores and the Ronda de Toledo.

No city on earth is more alive than Madrid, a beguiling place with vibrant energy.  It is a city that knows how to live. Madrid is reference to many categories: astonishing art galleries, stunning architecture, relentless nightlife, fine restaurants and tapas bars. Other cities have some of these things. Madrid has them all in loads.