What Not to Do in Madrid – A Beginner’s Guide
Madrid, the capital city of Spain, is famous for its passionate people, colorful history, and mouth-watering cuisine. On this trip, there are various mistakes that a first-time visitor should avoid making. To be able to achieve this it is important that you avoid some of the foregoing common vices so that you can have the most of your time in this beautiful city.
1. Don’t Skip the Tapas Culture
Indeed, this has proved much fascinating when in Madrid where there is no better way to dine than take some of the famous tapas. Do not eat at tourist restaurants that offer bland food that is overpriced for a traveler. Instead, visit standard tapas bars where lots of small dishes can be tasted and people can enjoy Spanish food. Oldest tapas shops include Mercado de San Miguel, La Caleta de Cava Baja and Taberna La Carmencita.
2. Avoid Overpacking
One being overpacking is something that most people who travel are often found guilty of. Madrid cannot really be considered a ‘super sized’ city, and it is easy to walk around, so you really don’t need too many outfits. This mixture is because the weather is pleasant throughout the year so do not carry many clothes, but the coming year the weather is very cold hence carry easy mixture clothes to be worn in both the situations. This will make the process of exploring the city much easier and more comfortable.
3. Why Not Just Use Public Transport
However, do not restrict your self to bus and train as means of transport within Madrid as they are effective. One of the most effective ways of exploring the city and get to know new places is, definitely, the walking. Most of the famous places in Madrid including Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol and Retiro Park are fairly close to each other.
4. Avoid Tourist Traps
Of course, like any city, Madrid also has its tourist traps, which are not the best recommendation for a traveler. Stay away from street sellers of tourist trinkets within site seeing areas, they are usually very rude and charge extremely high prices for their products. Al primary rule of thumb you should always avoid pick pocketing and make sure that all your belonging are safe. When choosing the places to visit and things to do, do some research beforehand in order not to be overcharged by the tourist companies and choose the best route to follow in Madrid.
5. Do not leave this travel advice to the, now clichéd, Lonely Planet travel guide writers.
Madrid is a city which is most famous for its passionate cultural scene. It will not be enough to just visti the major attractions of a certain country, try also to explore its customs. See a flamenco dance, shop at the bohemian district markets including El Rastro, and discover the paintings and art collections like Museo del Prado or Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. Culture shock: By staying close to your own culture, you will be missing out on so much of the experience and flavor of the new country.
6. Avoid Peak Dining Hours
Specifically, like in other Spanish cities, lunch hour in Madrid is at about five in the afternoon while dinner is taken usually from nine at night. Try not to dine at these times because restaurants are usually very busy at these two times of the day. Avoid getting a table at either the lunch or mid-evening rush period so as to avoid waiting for a long time. It is also important to plan ahead also by making a reservation for the restaurant of choice especially in the most sought after restaurants.
7. Make Sure Not to Lose Out on Day Trips
As you will learn while preparing for your trip to explore Madrid, do not neglect to make a number of additional destinations within the region. Check out other nearby cities for a Spanish countryside feel like Toledo, Segovia, or Aranjuez. These trips can be reached by train and you will find a great contrast from the concrete jungle of this city.
8. Avoid Excessive Nightlife
Madrid is a famous nightlife city, too much partying is unhealthy, however. As fun as it is to take the night to clubbing, ensure that you’re able to maintain your health. Make sure you have spent enough time resting to enjoy the city next time when day breaks. Take your time and move from one club to the other, taking a stop in between to relax whenever you feel like your fun is coming to an end.
9. Do Not Fear to Get Lost
Tourists need to be aware that Madrid is a city that really has a lot of narrow streets and some little known spots. It’s often quite beneficial to go against the flow, turn the knob and get lost sometimes. There are Downing Street, Westminster as well as historic and modern cafes, and it’s always rather satisfying to accidentally come across a new and interesting district. At least, make sure you have map or GPS handy so you know you can follow the directions back.
Conclusion
So by anticipating and not committing these errors, you will be sure to have fantastic time in Madrid and enjoy it to the fullest. Stay closer to the local people, taste the local food, and visit touristcrave and offbeat places too. When it comes to a city that offer anything and everything to the visitors then it is nothing less than Madrid and it possibly offers surprises if you care to look around with a more open mind.
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