Denis Doyle
Many sights call out to visitors, but we think the best for a first day in Madrid (especially if you're jetlagged) is splendid Parque del Retiro. It is one of the world's great city parks--as big as London's Hyde Park and as magical as New York's Central Park. These gardens are all that survive of the long-demolished baroque palace the Buen Retiro, but are now every Madrileño's favorite weekend retreat.
What else must you see? Read on.
Flea market fans should head to Madrid's Rastro; few can compare with it for sheer scale and exuberance. The range is astonishing, from traditional leather goods to car parts. The obligatory post-Rastro bar crawl around the tapas bars of La Latina is just as much fun.
The Paseo del Prado runs from the Plaza de Cibeles to the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V in front of Atocha railway station, passing by some of the city's greatest art museums. In the center, a tree-shaded walkway is dotted with benches, fountains, and two children's playgrounds.
This elegant, airy, glass-and-steel market was erected between 1913 and 1916, and has recently been transformed into a gastronomic hot spot. The stalls specialize in the finest produce, selling everything from hams to olive oil and from exotic imports to fine wines.
Tapas are central to Madrid's culinary scene. Most traditional bars in the city serve classics such as jamón (ham), bacalao (cod), patatas bravas (chunks of fried potato smothered in spicy sauce), and tortilla (a thick potato omelette).
What else must you see? Read on.