Located in the midpoint of Spain, the capital, Madrid has always been a place that represents all of Spain’s regions. Just as famous for flamenco dancing as Seville and as famous for Cathedrals as Andalusia, Madrid will give you a piece of every region’s puzzle, and showcase each unique feature of Spain in one city. Tourists here have seen Madrid as a bustling city with a diverse population, well-renowned art, plazas and shops, some of the oldest and finest restaurants, and a lively nightlife. This is surely the city that never sleeps, and provides a perfect culture-rich week.
El Primer Día (the first day)
On the first day, you may like to relax by wandering through the streets. Understand that almost everywhere is within walking distance, and the city is set up in circular plazas. Despite the obnoxious smell of smoke, Madrid is wonderful! For breakfast, depending on your hotel, you may be served a traditional Spanish breakfast. If you would like lunch, eat before two in the afternoon, because from two o’clock until eight or nine at night, many places are closed because of siesta, which is a time for napping. During this time you can nap, or you may still tour around the city, as siesta isn’t enforced. Because of siesta, most bars and restaurants don’t open until very late at night, around nine, because it is very common for the Spanish to stay up until the one or two in the morning on a daily basis. Although, this city does sleep, it is nocturnal.
El Segundo Día (the second day)
Begin your day walking through the most famous art museums in Madrid, located at the Golden Triangle of Art. The three art museums are all within walking distance of each other and are very enjoyable. The most well-known is the Prado, with paintings by Velasquez, such as Las Meninas, and canvases by Goya. There is also the earliest copy of the Mona Lisa located here, which is assumed to have been done while Leonardo was painting this masterpiece. The two other museums, Reina Sofía, which is where you can find Picasso’s “Guernica”, and Thyssen-Bornemisza, which has work by Marc Chagall, are also extraordinary. However, getting through one whole museum takes several hours, so you may want to focus on one museum. After walking among las obras maestras (masterpieces), you can enjoy lunch in the Café del Prado or walk down Paseo del Prado. While exiting the Prado and walking up the steps to the street, you may notice a very detailed architectural building. This is the Real Academia de la Lengua Española (the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language).
El Tercer Día
In the morning, visiting El Palacio Real (the Royal Palace) is very enjoyable. Not only is it a scenic castle on the outside, it is on the inside as well, if not more so. The palace was built in 1938, taking more than 130 years to complete because of the luxurious decorum of the 2000 rooms. The tour leads you through several rooms including the dining room, china room, and the throne room with red velvet walls. There is also a royal army museum in the west wing of the palace where visitors may see a history of armor and weaponry. Just outside of the palace, across the Calle de Bailen (the Dancing Street) is the Plaza de Oriente. It is a park with a monument in to Phillip IV of Spain in the center. There also many statues of Spanish monarchs; these statues used to be located on top of the palace but most of them were taken down when the roof became too heavy. For a snack there are many ice cream shops very close to the palace, one of which is called Palazzo, and the helado (ice cream) there is delicious!
Later, you may also like to visit the Templo de Debod, which is within walking distance of the palace. Here is located ruins of temples from the 4th century BC that the Egyptians brought in 1971. There are two tall, narrow gateways that lead to the temple itself. The temple contains the history of the temple, photographs, and hieroglyphics. At night, the temples are illuminated and reflected on the pools of water below them. The location is also one of the best for overlooking the rest of Spain.
For dinner, close by, is Los Artesanos 1902: Chocolatería and Churrería. Not only does this place offer real “Spanish” foods, it also offers a desirable dish that is served at breakfast and dessert called chocolate and churros. Basically, it is a sweet pastry of fried dough brushed with sugar or cinnamon that is dunked in hot melted chocolate.
El Cuarto Día (the Fourth Day)
Close to the Royal Palace is the famous Teatro Real (Royal Theater) and Opera House. Seeing a show or ballet here is a must, because the theater is beautiful and the performances are spectacular. There is almost always a show being performed, whether it be Víctor Ullate Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, or the classic flamenco dance. Be sure to purchase tickets in advance, because they sell out quickly! In the nearby area are two very lively shop centers, Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol. Each has its own monument and is surrounded by shops, restaurants, and street entertainers. At night, many street performers entertain tourists, including mimes and mariachi bands!
For dinner, back towards the Opera House, is an amazing restaurant, Taberna del Chato, which serves tapas. Tapas are a must-have dish in Spain, which are small snacks that are sometimes served on drinks. Foods that may be served as tapas include croquettes, vegetable sticks, pollo (chicken), and Spanish tortilla. Although the name may be misleading, in Spain, a tortilla is a potato omelet that is served for breakfast and in tapas.
La Quinta Día (the Fifth Day)
On one of the last days, you may want to visit and tour the Catedral Almudena (the Cathedral of Almudena). This is a very beautiful architectural building that is located very close to the Royal Palace. The interior is based on the Gothic style, with modern “pop art” demonstrated through the colorful stained glass windows all over.
Behind the cathedral and the palace are the gardens known as Jardínes de Sabatini. It is a nice quiet walk around bushes, trees, a pond and statues. There is also a different view of the church and the palace from the gardens. North of the Sabatini Gardens is a street that leads to the Cuesta de San Vicente, which is a monument gateway in the middle of the intersection between Paseo de la Virgen del Puerto and Cuesta San Vicente. Further down the street, still within walking distance is the only river in Madrid, Río Manzanares, which can be viewed from either side or from the few bridges across it. Walking along the river also provides a less-rushed way of shopping, as shops line the streets that the river flows next to.  If you return and walk a little past the cathedral, you will find yourself at the oldest restaurant in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. This is called Pasteleria de Candido Sobrino de Botin, although you can refer to it as Sobrino de Botin or Botin. It has been open since 1725, and still serves the famous suckling pig as its specialty.
La Sexta Día  (the Sixth Day)
In concluding your week, you may want to visit Plaza de España, which is the busiest plaza in Madrid. This plaza is set up similar to a park, with a statue of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. There is also a small open market (similar to a flea market), with many traditional Spanish souvenirs, including Spanish fans, and many handmade products. A street over from the plaza is the Gran Vía. This is a very large street, which is very busy, and is lit up at night. However, this area isn’t as safe as the others, so be sure to hide your purses and wallets on the inside of your jacket. Besides the minor problem, the Gran Vía is a bustling street with many shops and restaurants.
La Ultíma Día (the Last Day)
The last day is a good day for finally checking out those hundreds of souvenir shops you have seen. It is also a great time to select places you would like to visit that you haven’t. This may include El Museo de Jamon (the Ham Museum), Puerta de Toledo, which is another gateway, Mercado de San Miguel (St. Miguel’s Market), or Plaza de Cibeles. These are all wonderful attractions that are very accessible. As you conclude your day, be happy with what you saw and although you may not have seen everything in Madrid, remember that you can always comeback to this beautiful city!