Madrid

While these places are visited by tourists, as are most places in Madrid, they are not "tourist attractions" in the purse sense of the word, and are all very interesting.
Museum Sorolla....set in a house in an exclusive area of the city, this is a great museum and art gallery of the painter, Sorolla. The house is a great example of the types of upper class houses of the time it was built. It is not as crowded as many of the other well known museums and the garden entrance is outstanding.

Museum of the History of Madrid. This is in a building dating from the 1700s that has been recently renovated and now is another first class exhibition hall. The history of the city is traced from its beginnings to the present day, starting in the basement level with a large model of the original city and progressing on each level to the current time. Fascinating architecture and the exhibits are well presented.

Calle Gran Via. Designed and constructed just over one hundred years ago as the major road going east to west, it is home to some of the outstanding belle epoch architecture to be found in the city. Walk it and see the architecture of that time which has survived war and destruction of the years.

Park Retiro....the green lungs of the city,...definitely on the tourist agenda, and definitely a place to see and encounter...be sure to see the Crystal Palace and the Valesquez museum located there as well s the lake with the row boats and all the mimes and street entertainers.

Enjoy your visit...it is a charming city with many attractions.

Thank you very much for your answer, H J, I had heard about Calle Gran Via and Park Retiro and these places will definitely be part of my trip; but I had not heard about all the other places you talk about and it would be so interesting to discover them so I'm going to tell my family about these places because I go to Madrid with them. I'm gonna do some research on on the internet about Museum Sorolla, Museum of the History of Madrid, Crystal Palace and the Valesquez Museum (for opening hours etc).

I never sure what someone wants to see when the want "to see the real xxxxxxx. " Just keep in mind that the touristy Madrid and the real Madrid can be the same. After all the real Madrid is where the locals like to go, do things, and see things.

I mean in a city there are so many small beautiful places that are hidden, that are away from the main streets, some very pretty parks where locals use to go, places that are not crowded, unknown places, some quiet places to eat or drink something, I just want to have another insight of Madrid than the basic touristic insight. But I totally understand what you mean, it's a hackneyed phrase but anyway.

One of my favorite things to do is to find out about open air food markets before I leave home, by using google, and visiting some while on holiday for picnic fare or snacks.

It is a good way to see how the real folks living there shop. Most often the food is excellent quality. Some markets have a variety of non-food items such as leather goods, scarves, hats and gloves, socks and underwear, who knows what. Wonderful people watching too.

I will be visiting Madrid next month. I will soon look for market information for that city.

Two of my favorite things in Madrid were the Naval Museum and the St Miguel Market. I also loved the art museums.

To visit the Naval Museum, I had to present my passport. I don't know what they require from EU citizens who are not Spanish. Most of the visitors when I was there were Spanish.

St. Miguel Market is a covered market where you can also buy tapas and drinks and eat there. Very tasty.

I like the Retiro Park. You can bring a picnic or take a boat ride in the lagoon.
Chocolateria San Gines, near the Plaza Mayor, is great to have churros and hot chocolate. You can go there for breakfast or a mid day snack.
The mercado San Miguel also near the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol is wonderful.

Be sure to walk around various neighborhoods. Salamanca is fancy and rich, Chueca is gay, and La Latina is Bangladeshi and hipster - just to list some of the ones I saw. In the center right near Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, you'll see LOTS of stuff for tourists - "free" walking tours, bus tours, etc. But outside this small area, and away from the main attractions (Prado, Royal Palace) you will be in non-touristed areas quickly - a long walk or short Metro ride gets you to the neighborhoods I mentioned.

I agree with above recommendations for Parque de Buen Retiro and Museo Sorolla. Again, Buen Retiro is right near the Prado, but a world away. And I loved the Mercado de San Miguel, also mentioned above; it's particularly good if you hungry outside of typical Spanish mealtimes (which are indeed as late as you've been told).

If you like squid, be sure to have a bocadillo de calamares - a roll stuffed with fresh-fried squid. It costs less than €3, if you buy it where the Madrilleños do (various bars near, but not on, the Plaza Mayor). And many restaurants do a menú del día for lunch, and a fair number do it for dinner. This is a great deal - starter, main course, dessert, and beverage, all for €10-12.

Thanks a lot for this valuable information.
I really like going to markets because they are enjoyable, lively and typical places and most of the time the food is very good. Last summer I was on holiday in Spain too, and I went to the market of the town and I found so many beautiful things.
It's a good idea to visit the Naval museum, it can be really interesting because I like history of navy, I visited the Vasa Museum in Stockholm for example and it was so interesting. I will look for information about what they require from EU citizens who are not Spanish in the Naval Museum. It's very nice from you Chani to tell me about this because it could have been a problem not to have the required documents to visit the museum.
San Miguel Market is very know and I think we will go there because it's an emblematic place in Madrid.
I think all my family will be okay about going to Chocolateria San Gines, my mum had already told me about this place she said she had read it was amazing so we will go there too.

Pauline, since you liked the Vasa Museum, I am sure you will like the Naval Museum too, if you have time to visit it. The 15th and 16th century explorers sailed from Spain and there are a lot of exhibits about them, especially Columbus. There are no full scale boats but many minature replicas.

I will try to have a look at all the districts you told me Harold.
I love bocadillos and tapas, the best places ever for tapas are San Sebastian and Bilbao but in Madrid they must be really good too.
And is there an army museum in Madrid for my father because he might be a little bit tired of art museums and touristic tours...?

I don't know about any army museum. There is an armory museum as part of the Royal Palace visit. The Palace itself is very beautiful, though not quite as much as Versailles, of course.

Lots of good suggestions here, so would only add that you might want to take a look at www.tripadvisor.com, and click on the "Things to do" icon to read reviews of most of the major (and not so major) attractions in the city. Might help you to prioritize with your family as well as familiarizing yourself by reading what others had to say about their experiences.
We very much enjoyed the Naval Museum. If you're at all interested in the Spanish Golden Age of Exploration there are artifacts and exhibits in there that could keep you fascinated for several hours.

Army museum....there is an excellent one in Toledo in the Alcazar 25 minute ride on AVE train from Atocha in Madrid........In Madrid, he might look at the Armory at the Royal Palace...in the courtyard, the small building off to itself on the far corner...great exhibit!

When I am in Madrid I always find 15 minutes to buy cookies from the Carboneras cloistered nuns (Corpus Christi monastery) at Calle del Conde de Miranda, 5 minutes walking from Plaza Mayor and 2 minutes from San Miguel market.
The monastery door is usually closed, you ring the monjas (nuns) and ask for "venta de dulces" (all the thing will be in Spanish, and a heavily accented one). They open the door and you enter the monastery, turn left and cross a courtyard. You are alone in absolute silence, but you are probably monitored so be sure to behave respectfully. On the other side of the courtyard there is an old fashioned wooden wheel, the kind of thing that once was used to deposit abandoned children. A nun will wait for you on the other side of the wheel, you will hear her voice but you will not see her. Some nuns have angelic voices, some run easily out of patience with tourists. You choose which kind of cookies you want from a list (often the selection is incomplete, my favored ones are nevaditos and tea cookies), you pay through the wheel (usually around 10 euros) and you get a cardboard box of cookies from the wheel. Cookies are excellent but the whole thing is surreal and brings you back a couple of centuries for a few minutes. You go back - alone - to do the door and reenter the contemporary world.

I'll have a look at the Royal Palace and I think everybody will be happy to go there.
I will go on www.tripadvisor.com, it's a very good idea thanks a lot Robert.
Thank you H J, my father will be really happy.
Lachera, I love cookies! Thank you so much for this avice! This is so surprising!

Thanks Pauline. I have been asked the times for buying cookies from nuns, they are: 9.30am to 1pm, 4.30pm to 6.30pm. I do not know if they sell cookies on Sunday, but I believe that as a Catholic institution they will not run a business on festive days.

Thanks for this valuable information.

You might also want to visit the best cafe bookshops located in the heart of the town. They serve good meals + you get to enjoy a book while enjoying the ambiance. =)
Check out this site: http://madridadventures2015.blogspot.com.es/

Pauline,

You may consider visiting Toledo as a day trip or even as an overnight trip.
You can easily travel via train & it only takes about 30 minutes from Madrid.

Vous écrivez l'anglais tres bien!

Avoir un grand voyage!

Thanks everyone,
It was an amazing trip, obviously I didn't have time to see all what I would have liked to see but I plan to go back to Madrid soon because I literally fell in love with that city.

I am headed to Spain this summer and was planning to do just a day trip to Toledo while I'm in Madrid for a few days. Do you think this is enough time to explore around there?

Hi Pauline. Thanks for coming back and letting us know.

Now I'll tell you a secret . . . . the rest of Spain is even better !!!!

Joe, even a few days are enough to be able to appreciate a city, moreover you could go back there later.
Chani, I was already in love with Spain but Madrid was the most beautiful experience in Spain for me.