6 Things You Have To Do In Madrid

If you love food and want to let your creative juices flow, then create a tapas crawl throughout the streets of Madrid. There are plenty of delicious tapas bars and authentic Spanish restaurants scattered throughout the city. One worthwhile spot is Taberna Malaspina, a warm and friendly local joint with a wide variety of food at reasonable prices. For excellent tapas dishes, sangria, and fried calamari, it doesn't get much better than Bar La Campana. If you're looking to do more of a taste-testing tour, Cava Baja is a street that you'll want to visit, lined with an array of restaurants and tapas bars.

If you're tired after a day of touring, then you might get some much-needed relief by soaking in the sights and sounds of the city's tranquil parks. Enjoy a boat ride in the calm waters of the Parque de Buen Retiro or check out the breathtaking landscapes of the Parque Lineal del Manzanares and the Parque del Oeste. For a memorable aquatic experience, visit the Parque Madrid Río.

One of the most famous streets in Madrid, Gran Via is a shopper's paradise, filled with luxury, boutique stores, and high-end hotels like the H10 Villa de la Reina. Once you've shopped until you drop, enjoy sitting at one of the beautiful roundabouts in the neighborhood or wine and dine at one of the many lavish restaurants filled with scrumptious local and international dishes.

If you appreciate unique feats of architecture and engineering, then a visit to the Estación Madrid — Puerta de Atocha will be worth your while. This train station, while a fully functional component of the world-class Spanish public transportation system, is the home of a sprawling botanical garden, consisting of more than 7,000 plants and trees. Once you've finished exploring the place where modern engineering and nature meet, consider perusing the many local stores and restaurants located throughout the station.