The capital of Spain and for Flamenco performances, Madrid has vibrant nightlife full of art and flair. This is a short post for a short stay as during a 12 hour layover, in fact, but I enjoyed Madrid so much, I wished I had stayed a little longer.
Where to Stay in Madrid
Check Hostelworld for budget accommodation options with a social atmosphere, and also for options within the city.
For this night I stayed at Hostal Los Coronales. Much like my stay in Paris, because of the limited amount of time I had, I decided to book accommodation close to the airport with a free shuttle service.
Visit Mercardo de San Miguel
Stop at the most famous food market in Madrid, and sample a range of tapas for a snack. This was such a quick visit I forgot to get photos!
Drink Cocktails at Salmon Guru, Madrid
A cocktail bar with a variety of eccentric drinks. Even the classics had a small twist, that made me want to just try everything on the menu. There’s even a ‘WTF?’ section.
Most notable of all the drinks, and the one I recommend the most is called ‘Arrow’. Named after a poisonous frog, and comes in a glass that looks it. The drink is sweet with a hint of spice which comes from pepper syrup.
Dine at Guru Lab
An experimental restaurant that pairs drinks with its creative menu. A sister restaurant to Salmon Guru, just across the road. While absolutely delicious, the portions here are small, so I recommend going out for dinner either at some of the food markets around Madrid or finding another restaurant.
Have another drink at The Room
Decorated in neon street art and kooky decor, this was a fun stop to grab a drink. It’s a lot livelier at night and turns into a nightclub
Watch a Flamenco dance show at Tablao Flamenco 1911
There are many places to watch a flamenco show in Madrid, but we came across this one while simply walking past. The show was gorgeous, with a live band performing, and a showcase of each flamenco dancer and the different styles.
Thanks for joining me on my Journey to Madrid!
If you’d like to see more photos and videos from this trip, check out my Madrid Pinterest Board
