What to do with four days in madrid, spain

Some cities are built for wandering. Madrid, Spain is one of them. With its cobblestone streets and lively plazas, meandering always leads to treasure.

Revisiting Madrid for a work trip for four days, here are a few recommendations.

Eat:

• Chicken shawarma at Byblos, a no-frills Lebanese restaurant tucked with a quaint neighborhood.
• Chilaquiles at Cocuiza Brunch and Coffee, a small restaurant with a popular brunch.
• Kung pao chicken and rice at Uni Ramen, an unassuming Chinese restaurant in a central part of the city.
• Pão de queijo at Osom House, a minimalist coffee shop with indoor and outdoor seating.
• Ramen at Sapporo Ramen Bar, a popular neighborhood restaurant with cheesecake mochi on the menu.

Drink:

• Frozen cocktail at La Cachapera, a Venezuelan restaurant with arepas, empanadas, and more.
• Latte from ALFAR Bakery & Specialty Coffee, a popular cafe known for their pastries.
• Iced latte at Luchy Bakery & Café, a design-forward cafe with to-go drinks served in a plastic can.
• Vanilla latte at Círculo Coffee Studio, a tiny cafe in Chueca, a lively neighborhood with many cafes and bars.

Do:

• Enroll in a Spanish class at TANDEM, a woman-owned language school inside a 19th century palace.
• Learn why Spain’s capital moved from Toledo to Madrid at the Madrid History Museum, a local museum inside a 17th century orphanage with free admission.
• Shop at Mercado de San Fernando, a 1944 market with food stands, shops, and more.
• Take a book binding class at Artisanal Binding Calero, a woman-owned business over 100 years old with clients like the royal family.

See:

• Art from throughout the centuries at Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid’s most visited art museum that reserves the last two hours every day for free entry.
• Brutalist architecture at Torres Blancas, a unique residential building by Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza.
• Local art and exhibits at Matadero Madrid, a cultural center inside an old slaughterhouse complex.
• Matadero Shell Bridge, a design-forward bridge with murals by Daniel Canogar.
• Mural “El Cuento de ser Diferente” by Case Maclaim about creativity, inclusion, and diversity.
• Museo Geominero, a free museum displaying minerals, rocks, and fossils inside a grand atrium with a glass ceiling.
• Picasso’s work at Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a large museum with 20th century art.
• Remains of Europe’s second-oldest zoo inside El Retiro Park, a large public park once royal gardens.
• View of the city from Brach Madrid, a luxury hotel inside a historic building along Gran Via.