One day visit of Madrid, Spain?

Question

We are planning a trip to Germany this summer. Our flight will stop at Madrid first. We decided to take advantage of the 8 hours in Madrid. Where shall we go? What transportation is the most convenient and the lest time-consuming? We don't want to miss the flight to Germany.

Answer 1

My recommendation would be to buy a 10 Viajes ticket for yourself and your companions, sharing it for hopping on the Metro.  Take the Metro (Linea 8) from the Barajas Airport to Nuevos Ministerios.  Have Euros handy because the Metro kiosks sometimes don't accept foreign credit cards.  Also, ask the person at the ticket counter for a free map

When I timed this trip last November it took me about 40-45 minutes to walk from my terminal gate to the Metro station to Nuevos Ministerios (without going through baggage claim).

When you arrive, ask for directions to El Corte Ingles. This is a great place to experience Spanish retail at its finest. There's a grocery story in the basement and a full service restaurant on the top floor.

There are other shops and places to eat along Orense and Raimundo Villaverde.  

If you're travelling light, you might want to check out Rios Rosas.  

You can also hop on the Metro, Linea 10, and stop at either Gregorio Maranon or Alonso Martinez.  There are very cool monuments there and outstanding cafes.  And there are not as crowded as Sol.

Since you still have to fly to Germany, I would not recommend going to Puerta del Sol or Plaza Mayor.  Those areas are rife with pickpockets especially during summer which is the peak of tourist season. You don't want to lose anything valuable like passports, credit cards, cash, traveler's cheques for an 8-hour sidetrip.

And on your way back, remember your Metro stop is Aeropuerto on Linea 8  -- not Barajas which is also the name of the pueblo where the airport is located.  If you're running short on time, the next train back to the airport can be a bit slow.

Answer 2

The subway (called Metro) goes from the airport to anywhere in Madrid. There are lots of things to do once you are able to go to Madrid, and since the subway is not dependent on traffic you know that you will not miss the flight.

In Madrid, you can:

- Visit the Prado Museum although since you onbly have a few hours, the lineup may be longer than the time you have in madrid.

- I will probably just go to the old Madrid and walk around. Some of the places to see are; Palacio de Oriente, Puerta del Sol, Opera, Plaza Mayor, ... you can always get a bus tour once you are in the old Madrid, from Puerta del Sol.

Good luck