Madrid

Spain

Things to do in Madrid:

View the Gallery Park Buen-Retiro

Madrid Restaurants

Cheap (48)

Orio

Fight your way to the counter to get your share of the authentic Basque tapas and snacks in this popular, informal restaurant. Choose from over 15 varieties including seafood, chorizo and veal.... read more
Affordable (50)

M�rim�e

This recently opened restaurant is already proving a big hit. The cocktail list is one of the best in Madrid while the menu features delectable dishes such as mini hamburgers with parmesan, risotto... read more
Good quality (50)

Loft 39

Sit back and enjoy the Mediterranean flavours in chic, designer surroundings. Starters include succulent octopus and crunchy asparagus tempura. Follow with seafood, rice dishes, steaks and baked... read more

Madrid Nightlife

Chilled (40)

Le Cabrera

With its cool tunes and retro decor, antique cocktail shakers and mirrors, the downstairs cocktail bar at Le Cabrera restaurant is a popular choice. The extensive list of cocktails includes many... read more
Live Music (28)

Siroco

A lively programme of local funk and rock bands is on offer at Siroco, which opens its doors to the city's young, cool 20-somethings around 10pm for gigs, before turning into a top nightclub after... read more
Clubbing (74)

Sky-Night Lounge

Move and groove with a stunning crowd in this open-air nightspot with decor by Philippe Starck. The extensive cocktail list has plenty�of�temptations including the summer favourite, passionfruit... read more

This Month in Madrid:

By Scott Adams

Shopping: On the buzzy Gran V�a, top brands vie for your attention and spending power. Wander into the small streets, branching off on either side, to discover shops boasting work by Spanish designers such as Dolores Promesas (22 Calle Desenga�o). Don't miss the new megastore by trendy Spanish label Desigual (Plaza Callao).

Sightseeing: It's a big month for art lovers. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (museothyssen.org) hosts a massive exhibition of works by Marc Chagall as well as a selection of exquisite Indian miniatures. Caixa Forum (obrasocial.lacaixa.es) is where to catch the stunning dance costumes, photos and set designs from the famed Ballets Russes.

Key areas: Take a stroll along the four kilometres of landscaped pathways in the Madrid Rio Park which follows the Manzanares River. There are play areas for the kids, great views and caf�s to refuel.

Day trips: Just 40 minutes by train from Madrid's Atocha train station, Aranjuez is a pretty, royal town with an impressive 17th-century palace, formal gardens, a river and a good selection of restaurants and bars.

Madrid News & Gossip

Network in Numbers

�25

MADRID
Cost of hiring an iPad for a day's sightseeing, thanks to PadInTheCity, a scheme unique to the Iberian capital. The tablets come stocked with apps, like Metro Madrid and iTranslate, but don't lose it: there's a hefty �390 deposit. padinthecity.com

166KG

JERSEY
Weight of an unexploded German Roll Mine, left over from World War II, that was found recently by staff at Gorey Castle in Jersey. The bomb was safely detonated with no loss of life or injury, leaving a 15ft-wide hole in the sand.

�11

PARIS
Fine that will be levied on those who fail to carry a breathalyser kit when driving through France after new legislation is introduced in July this year. The tests, which cost �2-�5, will be sold at ferry and tunnel terminals, and at French airports.

�2.2M

LIVERPOOL
Cost of turning a Liverpudlian landfill site into a new public park. The former Bromborough tip on the Wirral will be reclaimed and, over three years, turned into a public space named Port Sunlight River Park, complete with nature walks and interactive art.

Madrid Trivia

May: Today, Madrid's picturesque Plaza Mayor is filled with open-air restaurants, but during the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the scene of bloody bullfights and the gruesome burning of religious heretics at the stake by the Spanish Inquisition.
April: Madrid has, according to the last official count, 350,000 bars dotted around the city. Wetting your whistle could never be easier.
March: Around 1,000 years ago Madrid was a thriving Arab town with hundreds of mosques. The name Madrid comes from the Arab word "magerit", which means "place of many streams".