We are thinking about taking advantage of low fares to Madrid later this month. We’ve never been to Madrid so we don’t know what to expect.
What do posters think of spending 5-6 days in Madrid in January? If we go, is there a neighborhood that’s convenient to museums, cafes, etc? A (mid-range) quiet, clean and cosy hotel?
Any thoughts you’d like to share about winter in Madrid? Thanks for sharing.
I stayed at Hotel Catalonia Plaza Mayor this past November. We walked everywhere. Very convenient to the museums and close to the literary quarter and Lavapiés neighborhood, which we found interesting to stroll in. The windows were also soundproof so even though it's on a busy street the room was basically silent.
It’s an easy hop over from New York—in fact I just made the trip last night. Greetings from Madrid! January maybe isn’t the best time, but cheap flights could easily compensate and 5-6 days is about the right length for a good visit with maybe a day trip in there. With not a whole lot going on
Madrid is on about the same latitude as NYC, so daylight is about the same, but Spain’s displaced time-zone means sunrise and sunset are notably later. Historically, Madrid should be just a bit warmer than New York, but historic norms are out the window for both places (all places?), and the this winter the weather is more similar (and warmer than normal for both.)
The hotel Mary mentions above is in a great location—it’s the general area I always recommend. But the center is fairly compact and all very walkable, so it’s hard to go wrong.
Any place in central Madrid, within walking distance to Puerta del Sol, will put you in the middle of everything. Museums in one direction, the Palace in the other, and restaurants, shops and markets in the middle.
You could easily fill your time in Madrid, but a day trip to either Toledo or Segovia might be a nice mix.
