Welcome to my first post of 2023!
This first post is about my New Year’s Trip to Madrid and Segovia. I’ve been to Madrid a couple of times and it remains one of my favorite cities in Europe, it was also my first time in Segovia (which you can typically do in 1 day).
UPDATE: This post was supposed to come out at the beginning of the year, but you know, life happens and I also took a second trip to Madrid so I have added more stuff!
Food/Restaurants (includes links)
- Mercado de la Reina : very good for tapas and their Tinto de Verano (very similar to Sangria but less sweet) is so good! It’s also on the less expensive side, so would highly recommend. Very close to Gran Via (one of the most famous streets in Madrid).
- Juana La Loca Restaurant : Located in “La Latina”, this restaurant is inspired by the Basque country. I recommend “El Chivito” and “Huevo confitado trufado”, and you can pair it with some good Albariño (white wine).
- LLama Inn Restaurant : As a Peruvian, of course I had to try Peruvian food. I recommend “Los frios – Pulpo, Calamar, Togarashi, Camote, Cancha” and “Lomo Saltado”. For drinks: “Pisco Sours”.
- Jose Maria Restaurant (Segovia) : I didn’t get a chance to visit but it was highly recommended by the locals. One of the most traditional dishes is “Cochinillo Asado”.
- Berria Wine Bar : For the wine lovers, this is for you. It was a little pricey and smaller portions, however, you have a good selection of wines and a great view of “Puerta de Alcala” if you sit outside.
- Sala de Despiece : Upscale tapas in a buzzy bar styled like a market. Recommendations: Rolex, Alcachofa, Tomate Japones, Pulpo and El Chuleton. Of course, pair it with some Albariño.
- Ravioxo : Michelin Star restaurant centered in the world of Pasta and sister restaurant of Diverxo – Top 50 restaurants. Recommendations: La Pasta de la Resaca (this was my favorite!), Bao Boloñesa Coreana (my friend fell in love with Bao buns lol), Cocido Hong Kong Madriz, Pastel Fluido Choco Blanco y Yemas (dessert). You can order the “Dragon Ball” drink, it’s really cool as it’s shaped as the spheres from the anime “Dragon Ball”.
- Casa Lucio – Rustic Spanish cuisine, a quaint spot that opened in 1974. Reservations are available via phone. Recommendations: Huevos Estrellados, Ensalada Rusa and Solomillo (this comes with fries). Of course with some Albariño.
Food and Dancing (Para Bailar!)
- Amazonico Restaurant : A mix of Asian, Mediterranean and Brazilian cuisines. I recommend “Patacones de Cochinita Pibil” and “Uramaki de Langostino”, you can also try some “Caipiriñas” (traditional Brazilian cocktail). There is a lounge downstairs called “The Jungle Jazz club”, good for some latin dancing after 10:30pm. Please note the “Jungle” operates as its own location, so if you want guaranteed entrance on a weekend, definitely make reservations ahead of time.
- Marieta : I didn’t get a chance to eat here but really good for music and drinks, the DJ set starts around 11:30pm. A mix of latin and house music.
Bars/Rooftop
- Riu Plaza Rooftop in Gran Via – You can see the whole city from this rooftop. Entrance is $11 and there is a wait time, we went on a Saturday at 2pm and we waited in line for about 20 minutes.
- Bars: Salmon Guru, Viva Madrid, Bad Company, 1862 Dry Bar and Calle Ponzano (this street has many restaurants that serves Tapas; some of these restaurants also play music at night).
Activities/Experiences
- “Tapas Bar Crawl” – I did this through the Airbnb experience, it was a great time as it was a small group, highly recommend it! Link here: Tapas Airbnb Experience.
- Flamenco show – I also did this through an Airbnb experience, but I saw it’s cheaper through the actual Restaurant. Here is the link for the restaurant: Revoltosa Prado.
- Shopping!! During this trip, we visited Calle de Serrano, which is the street where all the Luxury brands are located. The good thing about buying in Europe is that 1) the price of the bag is much less than US and 2) you get a VAT refund at the airport. TIP: Make sure that when the store does your paperwork, you specify how you want the money to be reimbursed at the airport, if cash or back to your credit card.
Hotel or Airbnb: Lately, I’ve been hearing more stories on Hotels being more cheap but it really depends on preference. For this trip, we stayed at an Airbnb close to La Latina , which was very close to all attractions. Highly recommend this area if it’s your first time going to Madrid.
If you are in a hurry and/or want to visit most of attractions in 1 day, a good option will be taking a Tuk Tuk. You can find them near the Plaza Mayor, for a private tour of 1.5 hrs is 138 euros (definitely worth it if you are a group of 6).
TIPS: Always use country’s currency (your credit card company will give you the best conversion rate). Wear comfortable shoes as you will be doing a lot of walking!
In a Nutshell this was my itinerary that you can use and/or adjust as needed 🙂
