Our grand finale. World-class art, the largest royal palace in Europe, legendary bars, and two of Spain's most extraordinary day trips. We're based on Plaza de Oriente — the only guesthouse directly on the square, facing the Royal Palace. The Teatro Real opera house is 2 minutes away on the other side of the plaza. It's the Opera/Palacio neighbourhood, not Huertas — a spectacular location in its own right. Cooler weather, layering time.
Day 1 — Sunday, October 25
Arrive from Barcelona ~6:17pm · Plaza Oriente evening
High-speed train from Barcelona (~3hr). Check in to Hostal Central Palace Madrid — directly on Plaza de Oriente, facing the Royal Palace. Step outside and you're on one of Madrid's grandest squares, the Teatro Real 2 minutes away. Pre-dinner sherry at La Venencia, then dinner at Bodega de los Secretos (12th-century underground cellar).
Note: El Rastro flea market is Sunday mornings only (~9am–3pm), and we arrive Sunday evening — so we'll miss it this trip.
Day 2 — Monday, October 26
Day trip to Segovia
27-min AVE from Chamartín to Guiomar station — note that Guiomar is outside the city centre, so you'll need Bus #11 or a taxi into town. Roman aqueduct (2,000 years old, no mortar!), fairy-tale Alcázar, Gothic cathedral, and the famous cochinillo (roast suckling pig) at Mesón de Cándido. Return late afternoon. Evening: quiet Madrid night — Taberna La Concha for manzanilla.
Day 3 — Tuesday, October 27
Morning: Palacio Real · Afternoon: Prado + Reina Sofia · Evening: Cocktails
Royal Palace first thing (it's enormous — allow 2 hours). Walk through the Royal Gardens to the Prado. Spend the afternoon with Velázquez and Goya. If time and energy allow, pop into the Reina Sofia for Guernica — it's only 10 min walk. Evening: Salmon Guru for cocktails, then Casa Lucio for huevos rotos.
Day 4 — Wednesday, October 28
Day trip to Toledo · Evening: Final dinner
33-min train from Atocha — easy, no station changes. Full day in the walled medieval "City of Three Cultures" — Cathedral, Alcázar, synagogues, El Greco paintings everywhere. Lunch at a local restaurant in the old town. Return mid-afternoon. Final Madrid evening: Angelita wine bar, then a farewell dinner at Sobrino de Botín (oldest restaurant in the world — book ahead!). Early night recommended — flight departs 10:40am tomorrow.
Day 5 — Thursday, October 29
Departure: Flight MAD → DUB → BOS · Leave hotel by 8:00am
Flight day. EI 593 departs Madrid Barajas T4 at 10:40am. Taxi from Plaza Oriente to T4 is ~25–30 min — leave the hotel no later than 8:00am. Checkout is set at 8:00am in TripIt. If bags aren't ready the night before, be packed and ready at the door. No time for breakfast in the city — grab something airside at T4 (good options once through security). EI 137 departs Dublin at 4:45pm, arrives Boston 7:55pm.
Booking Status
| Item | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ Barcelona → Madrid train | Booked | Oct 25 · AVE 03152 dep 15:00 · arrives 18:17 |
| ✅ Hostal Central Palace Madrid | Booked | Oct 25–29 · Check-in 6:30pm · Checkout 8:00am (flight day) |
| ⬜ Segovia day trip trains | Not booked | Oct 26 · Chamartín → Guiomar · Book via Renfe · then Bus #11 or taxi into centre |
| ✅ Royal Palace of Madrid | Booked | Oct 27 · 10:00am self-guided + audioguide · conf R122029769 |
| ⬜ Teatro Real tickets | Not booked | Oct 27 · Check program |
| ⬜ Toledo day trip trains | Not booked | Oct 28 · Atocha → Toledo · Book via Renfe |
| ⬜ Sobrino de Botín dinner | Not booked | Any evening · Book ahead — always full |
Attractions
Palacio Real (Royal Palace) ✅ BOOKED
★★★★★ 4.7 (119,602)Largest functioning royal palace in Europe — 3,418 rooms. Tiepolo frescoes, the Throne Room, Stradivari violins, one of the world's finest armouries. Jaw-dropping scale.
Tickets: Viator · TripAdvisor
Museo del Prado
★★★★★ 4.7 (141,162)One of the world's greatest art museums. Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's Black Paintings, Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights, El Greco. Allow at least 3 hours.
Tickets: Viator · TripAdvisor
Museo Reina Sofia
★★★★★ 4.6 (48,000)Home of Picasso's Guernica — the 20th century's most powerful anti-war painting. Also Dalí, Miró, and excellent contemporary exhibitions.
Tickets: Viator · TripAdvisor
Retiro Park & Crystal Palace
★★★★★ 4.8 (145,000)Madrid's grand park — lake, rose garden, and the Crystal Palace (a glass pavilion over water that hosts free art exhibitions). Beautiful for a slow afternoon walk.
Toledo Day Trip
★★★★★ 4.7 (25,000)Walled medieval city on a hill — "City of Three Cultures" (Christian, Muslim, Jewish). Cathedral, Alcázar, synagogues, El Greco paintings, and extraordinary views.
Book: Viator · TripAdvisor
Segovia Day Trip
★★★★★ 4.8 (32,000)2000-year-old Roman aqueduct (no mortar!), fairy-tale Alcázar (inspiration for Disney's castle), Gothic cathedral. Plus the famous cochinillo (roast suckling pig).
Book: Viator · TripAdvisor
Option A: AVE Train (27 min) — fastest, but station is outside the city centre
Madrid Chamartín → Segovia Guiomar · ~27 min · ~€12–16pp each way · roughly hourly.
⚠️ Guiomar station is 5km from the old town — you cannot walk in. On arrival, take:
- Bus #11 — departs from just outside the station exit · €1.65pp · ~15 min to Plaza Mayor / aqueduct. Runs every 15–30 min. Easiest option.
- Taxi — rank at station exit · ~€7–9 into the centre · ~10 min. Quicker with luggage or a group.
Get to Chamartín: Metro L2 from Ópera → Chamartín (~25 min, direct) or taxi from hotel (~20 min, ~€12).
Book at Renfe →
Option B: ALSA Bus (1h15–1h30) — slower, but drops you in the city centre
Madrid Príncipe Pío (Intercambiador) → Segovia bus station (Paseo de Ezequiel González) · ~1h15–1h30 · ~€7–9pp each way · departs every 30–60 min.
The bus station is a flat 10-min walk from the aqueduct — no transfer needed on arrival.
Get to Príncipe Pío: Metro L6/R from Ópera → Príncipe Pío (1 stop, ~3 min).
Book at ALSA → (or buy on the day — usually seats available).
💡 Recommendation: Train out in the morning (27 min, maximise time in Segovia) — take Bus #11 from Guiomar into town. Bus back in the afternoon if you want the hassle-free drop-off. Or train both ways with taxi at each end (~€30 total for both transfers).
Hotels
✅ Hostal Central Palace Madrid BOOKED
★★★★★ Booking.com location 9.9/10Plaza Oriente 2, Madrid — the only guesthouse directly on Plaza de Oriente, facing the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace is 3 min across the square; Teatro Real opera house is 2 min on the opposite side of the plaza. Opera/Palacio neighbourhood. Double Room Interior. Check-in: 6:30pm · Check-out: Oct 29 8:00am (early — flight day).
Exceptional location — arguably the best address in Madrid for sightseeing. Plaza de Oriente is a pedestrianised, car-free square between the Royal Palace and the Teatro Real opera house — very quiet at night despite being central. Reviewers call it "ruhig und optimal im Zentrum gelegen" (quiet and optimally central). Booking.com gives the location a 9.9/10 — one of the highest in Madrid. Ópera metro (L2/L5) is 200m away, connecting you to the Prado (L5 → Banco de España), Retiro (L2 → Retiro), and Atocha (L5, for Toledo trains). Plaza Mayor is 8 min walk, Puerta del Sol 12 min. One note: the hotel is a hostal (pension-style), not a full-service hotel — rooms are clean and well-reviewed but don't expect hotel amenities. The location more than compensates.
Restaurants
🍽️ What to order in Madrid: Madrid's signature dishes are defiantly simple and deeply satisfying. Cocido madrileño (a slow-cooked chickpea stew with meat, served in stages) is the Sunday-lunch classic. Huevos rotos (fried eggs broken over hand-cut chips, often with jamón or chorizo) is a Madrid institution. For roast meat, cochinillo asado (suckling pig, also eaten at Botín) and callos a la madrileña (tripe stew — not for everyone, but deeply traditional) define the old-school tabernas. Finish with churros con chocolate at San Ginés — thick, cold chocolate for dipping.
Bodega de los Secretos
★★★★★ 4.5 (4,800)Wine and dinner in a 12th-century underground cellar. Vaulted brick arches, candlelight, excellent food. One of the most atmospheric restaurants in Madrid.
★★★★★ 4.0 (5,200)The huevos rotos institution — broken eggs over hand-cut chips. Simple, perfect, legendary. Where Madrid goes for a proper meal.
Sobrino de Botín
★★★★★ 4.0 (14,000)Oldest restaurant in the world (1725, Guinness-certified). Wood-fired oven since day one. Roast suckling pig and lamb. Book ahead — small, famous, always full.
Chocolatería San Ginés
Churros and thick hot chocolate since 1894. Not really a "restaurant" — more a ritual. Open 24 hours.
Mesón de Cándido (Segovia day trip)
★★★★★ 4.0 (3,989)If you do the Segovia day trip — this is the place for cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig). Since 1786, next to the aqueduct. They carve the pig with the edge of a plate.
Opera & Events
🎶 Teatro Real
Madrid's opera house, directly facing the Royal Palace. Check their calendar for concerts or recitals Oct 26–28 — by late October the 26–27 season should be well underway. The building is magnificent even without a performance (tours available).
Book: Official tickets · TripAdvisor
Wine & Cocktail Bars
🥂 Try locally: Vermut (vermouth) is Madrid's pre-lunch ritual — red, slightly bitter, served over ice with an olive and a slice of orange. Sunday vermuteo (the act of drinking vermut) is practically sacred. Also try manzanilla and fino sherry at old-school tabernas like La Venencia — Madrid's sherry bar culture rivals Seville's. For wine, the Sierra de Gredos region (Garnacha from high-altitude vineyards) is the sommelier's obsession right now.
Small Shops & Museums
🎨 Museo Sorolla
★★★★★ 4.7 (12,000)Painter Joaquín Sorolla's home and studio, preserved as a museum. Beautiful garden courtyard, luminous Mediterranean paintings. One of Madrid's hidden gems — quiet and intimate.
🏪 San Miguel Market
★★★★★ 4.3 (38,000)Gourmet glass-walled market near Plaza Mayor. Oysters, croquetas, Ibérico ham, wine by the glass. Free to enter — dangerous for the wallet.
🍫 Chocolatería San Ginés
Since 1894, open 24 hours. Thick hot chocolate with fresh churros — a Madrid ritual. Go late at night or early morning for the full experience.
🛍️ El Rastro (Sunday Only — Oct 26!)
★★★★★ 4.3 (22,000)Madrid's famous flea market in La Latina. Antiques, art, vintage clothes, curiosities. Hundreds of stalls. Great for browsing even if you buy nothing.
🏃 Running Routes
Retiro Park
Madrid's most popular running spot — 125 hectares of tree-lined paths, lakes, and gardens right in the centre. Multiple loop options from 3-8km. Flat to gently rolling. Beautiful morning light through the trees. ~15 min run from the hotel (2.5km).
📏 3-8km (various loops) 🛤️ Paved + gravel paths, mostly flat 🏃 ~15 min run to park entrance (2.5km) 📐 Total door-to-door: 8–13km
Casa de Campo
Madrid's largest park (1,700 hectares) — feels like countryside but is just west of the Royal Palace. Dirt trails through rolling hills and pine forest. Popular with serious runners. More remote/quiet than Retiro.
📏 5-12km+ (many trail options) 🛤️ Dirt trails, rolling hills 🏃 ~11 min run to park entrance (1.8km west through Parque del Moro) 📐 Total door-to-door: 8.6–15.6km+
Madrid Río (Manzanares River)
A newer riverside park running along the Manzanares. Quiet promenades and modern parkland for miles. One of Madrid's best-kept running secrets — less crowded than Retiro.
📏 5-10km (out-and-back along river) 🛤️ Paved paths, flat 🏃 ~9 min run to riverside (1.5km south) 📐 Total door-to-door: 8–13km
Maps: GreatRuns
📚 Further Reading
Rick Steves — Madrid Guide — Practical tips, Prado museum tour guide, tapas crawl routes, and day trip advice for Toledo and Segovia.
Rick Steves Audio Tours (Spain) — Free self-guided audio walking tours. Download the Audio Europe app.
Seat61 — Train Travel in Spain — Best independent guide to Spanish trains.
Transport
🚕 Getting Around
Atocha/Chamartín → Hotel: Taxi €10–12 (from Atocha) · €15–18 (from Chamartín)
Toledo day trip: 33 min from Atocha · €13pp each way · Metro L5 from Ópera → Atocha Renfe (~10 min). Walk from Toledo station uphill ~20 min — take taxi or bus into the old town (~€5–7).
Segovia day trip: Two options — Train (AVE): 27 min from Chamartín (Metro L2 from Ópera, ~25 min) to Guiomar · ~€12–16pp · then Bus #11 (€1.65, ~15 min) or taxi (~€8) into centre. Guiomar is 5km from town — transfer required. Bus (ALSA): ~1h15 from Príncipe Pío (Metro L6/R, 1 stop) · ~€7–9pp · drops directly at Segovia bus station, 10 min walk from the aqueduct. No city-centre transfer needed.
Hotel → Airport (departure Oct 29): Taxi €30 flat rate, ~25 min. Leave by 7:30am for a 10:40am flight.
Hotel is on Plaza de Oriente — Royal Palace is 3 min across the square, Teatro Real 2 min. Nearest metro: Ópera (L2/L5), 2–3 min walk. Prado and Reina Sofia: take L5 to Banco de España or Atocha Renfe. Retiro: L2 to Retiro. Day trips depart from Atocha (Toledo) and Chamartín (Segovia).
🗺️ Madrid → Toledo on Rome2Rio → (compare train, bus options)
🗺️ Madrid → Segovia on Rome2Rio → (compare train, bus options)
🚄 Train Bookings
| Route | Date | Train | Depart | Arrive | Class | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona Sants → Madrid Puerta de Atocha | Sat Oct 25 | AVE 03152 | 15:00 | 18:17 | Confort (Coach 1) | 10A / 9A | |
| Madrid Chamartín → Segovia Guiomar | Mon Oct 26 | — | ~9:30am | ~9:57am | — | — | Renfe → |
| Segovia Guiomar → Madrid Chamartín | Mon Oct 26 | — | ~4:30pm | ~4:57pm | — | — | Renfe → |
| Madrid Puerta de Atocha → Toledo | Wed Oct 28 | — | ~9:30am | ~10:03am | — | — | Renfe → |
| Toledo → Madrid Puerta de Atocha | Wed Oct 28 | — | ~5:30pm | ~6:03pm | — | — | Renfe → |
✅ Barcelona→Madrid booked. Segovia day trip (Oct 26) and Toledo day trip (Oct 28): book closer to travel date.