For further inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants, bars, tapas, nightlife, shops, attractions and things to do for free.
In the early evening, get right into the Madrid vibe by taking a tapas tour around the most traditional neighbourhoods, learning a bit of history and how to order in busy bars as you go.
The centre has smartened itself up, too, with new boutiques, delis, cafés and gastrobars opening every week, but it is the traditional tapas bars and tiny shops that are the real soul of the city.
Madrid’s first gourmet market continues to go from strength to strength and attracts Michelin-starred chefs, including Rodrigo de la Calle’s paella stall and Jordi Roca’s Rocambolesc ice-cream outlet.
Have a mooch around the shops as you walk up Calle Preciados to the Gran Vía, the avenue that cuts through the city and was built in the first half of the 20th century – look up at the domes on the rooftops.
