Madrid

Madrid is just over an hour's flight from Porto, so it is perfect for a long weekend: royal palaces, world-class museums, a huge park and tapas until late. We spent three days here in April 2019, flying in early in the morning and home late at night.

Tip: The prices and opening hours here are the ones we noted when we planned the trip. Check them before you go.

Day 1 - The historic center and sunset at the Temple of Debod

• Gran Vía, Madrid's grand avenue of theatres and shops.

• Puerta del Sol and Kilometer Zero, the center of Spain.

• Plaza Mayor.

• Mercado de San Miguel, for lunch.
• The Royal Basilica of San Francisco el Grande (€3).
• Almudena Cathedral: free, with a museum for €4. The museum is worth it, the dome less so.

• The Royal Palace (€6), Plaza de Oriente and the Royal Theatre, all next to each other.

• Sunset at the Temple of Debod, a real Egyptian temple, free.

• Dinner and a night out in Chueca.

Day 2 - The Prado and El Retiro

• The Neptune Fountain.
• The Prado Museum. Free from Monday to Saturday from 6pm to 8pm, and on Sundays and holidays from 5pm to 7pm, and free for students up to 25.
• El Retiro Park.

• Puerta de Alcalá.

• Plaza de Cibeles, with the Cibeles Palace and fountain.
• Círculo de Bellas Artes, with a rooftop view over the city (€4).

Day 3 - Trains, El Rastro and Salamanca

• The Railway Museum (€3).
• San Isidro church, free.
• El Rastro, Madrid's flea market, good for tapas. Watch out for pickpockets.
• The Reina Sofía Museum, home of Picasso's Guernica. Free for students and on Sunday afternoons.

• The Congress of Deputies, seen from outside.

• The Salamanca district, for expensive shops, and the Mercado de la Paz, for a cheaper lunch.