fits

im going there in May. any one know a decent hotel there? and maybe some where just out side to visit?

Magic Torch

Yes mate I went there last year for a stag do, was tops. Do you want a hotel in the middle or outside mate? The one I stayed in was ok and cheap too?

We were walking distance from the bars/Clubs and right next to the main shopping bit - there is also a decent cafe outside

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Magic Torch

Hotel:

http://www.liabeny.es/

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fits

Cheers mate.

Im going with the misses so looking to be near the cafes and stuff but not right on top of the night clubs. ill probably stay in the city for sunday monday maybe tuesday then was thinking of going some where a litle bit out before travelling back to the airport on the thursday. I have one resturant i HAVE to try and i wanna go to Aranjuez and then possibly stay in Toledo.

I normally do things half cocked so I wanna make it a decent holiday. :beer1:

Magic Torch

LOL I know what you mean mate.

That place is good tho, its not right on top of the clubs, like half a mile away. The nightclub's are nice places tho not like binge drinkin UK! You have to take her to Kapital club, its got like 6 floors, and one of them is Karaoke!

The parks and museums are close too, but the Grand vie station is a 2min walk from the hotel.

There is a square which is a 10min walk away which is a massive courtyard full of outdoor cafe/bistros, i'll find the name - its a great buzz to sit out and eat there.

I like it - but it is not as nice as Barca, if you have not been to Barca go there first! Although Madrid is more authentic as there are more Spanish there rather than tourists...

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Magic Torch

Your in luck, one of the Analysts from work is Spanish and lived in Madrid, copy and paste from an e-mail he sent me:

Places to visit:
- Puerta del Sol (the very centre of Madrid, very lively area)
- Museo del Prado -best XV-XVII centuries collection of paintings in the world
- Palacio Real - the royal palace, although the royal family don't actually live there. Walking distance from Puerta del Sol. The area is very nice for tapas and an ice cold beer while watching people walking from a nice terraza
- Parque del Retiro - a beautiful park in the middle of Madrid
- Puerta de Alcala (northern end of the park, and walk down to Plaza de Cibeles, a busy intersection in Madrid, from where to see some beautiful buildings (Bank of Spain and Palacio de Comunicaciones). From there you can walk up Gran Via, going west, where all the theatres are -also very lively area- and you will finish just north of Puerta del Sol.
- Worth visiting the Plaza Mayor as well, in old Madrid, much quieter but also very very charming. Great places to eat around.
- If interested in bullfighting, check the schedule of Plaza de las Ventas, where the event takes place. Unfortunately is not close to any other places of interest (although excellent underground at the doorstep), but is actually a nice building, and I believe the largest bullfighting arena in the world.

Places to eat:
- Honestly, so many. Food is great and at a fraction of the price of London. However, if you want to go for the top, be prepared to pay a fair price (again, nothing compared to premium places in London, but still, the bank account will notice).
- One that I would recommend if you visit the Plaza Mayor, is Restaurante Botin, Calle Cuchilleros 17 (tube station: Sol). It is believed to be the oldest restaurant in Spain, so very typical, authentic Madrilian place.
- Also, try some tapas place. I attach a list of some of the best according to a website. I have tried some in the list and I confirm they are actually excellent. Cerveceria Alemana is a very famous and typical place of Madrid
http://www.10best.com/Madrid/Restaur...pas/index.html.

I would assume that during the day you will be busy visiting or recovering from the previous night, so a nice tapas place with a cold beer will make it. If you want to go somewhere a bit more special for one of the nights for a very nice dinner let me know, there are plenty of options. Otherwise, you will enjoy the pleasure of going around different places (be it around Plaza Mayor, or in Calle Huertas) and trying different tapas (don't get mistaken, you can have a very filling and yummy dinner just with tapas)

Going out:
Again, Madrid offers a great nightlife. Now, some words of caution: DON'T GO FOR A DRINK BEFORE 12am. You can go anywhere (ideally a nice terraza) and have a drink anytime, but that's not nightlife. Locals don't go out before midnight, and many times places will only fill up after 2am. My suggestion is that you immerse yourselves into the local manners: have a late lunch after visiting, rest for a while, late dinner (no earlier than 21:30), and around midnight start with the first drinks.
- For that, I suggest more than specific places, areas of Madrid. Particularly two: Malasaña and Huertas. Literally just follow the crowd. (both are close to Gran Via, Puerta del Sol, the hotel can give you specific indications).
- After 1-2am you can go to Kapital (in Calle Atocha), very famous place. Huge club with a nice crowd. Joy Eslava (Calle Arenal 11, close to Puerta del Sol), also very nice place although a bit more "volatile" (this btw is very common of clubs in madrid, one season they are the hot place, the next one no-one goes and suddently they become hot again). Lastly, I would recommend Pacha. Not as good as the Ibiza original, but I like the place, especially late at night (or early morning?). Closest tube stations are Tribunal and Bilbao.
- You may also want to try some of the late night terrazas in Paseo de la Castellana (the biggest street in Madrid). There are so many that not worth pointing to any in particular. I like the ones closer to the Caja Madrid Towers (opposite to the Bernabeu stadium where Real Madrid plays). I think closer tube station is Concha Espina.

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fits

WOW

i didnt expect all that!!

nice one mate thanks allot.

Ill print that lot off and take with me

:love::beer1::beer1:

Magic Torch

No worries

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