Global TravelKevin LeitchWeekend, Quick Trip, 2-Days, 48 Hours, Madrid, Spain, Cocktails and Carry OnsComment

A Spring Weekend in Madrid

Global TravelKevin LeitchWeekend, Quick Trip, 2-Days, 48 Hours, Madrid, Spain, Cocktails and Carry OnsComment
A Spring Weekend in Madrid

One of the greatest benefits to living in Central Europe is the ease in which you can travel! EasyJet flights out of Basel can be ridiculously cheap so I took advantage of the opportunity! Last weekend, Chanel I and spent just less than 48-hours in the Spanish capital city of Madrid and it couldn’t have been easier!

The spring season has arrived in Madrid and walking the city was invigorating. Flowers and trees have begun blooming, and the temperature was perfect! Locals are flooding the parks, and cafes are bustling in town!

There is so much to do here and so many ways to relax while enjoying the spring season. I wanted to see and do as much as possible since it was our first visit, so here is how I spent the weekend in Madrid!

Friday

Unwinding with Tacos, Cocktails, and Fusion delights…

I did quite a bit of research ahead of time, and there are far too many fabulous restaurants to try to visit in a week, much less in 2 days! That being said, this US Expat misses his tacos! After checking into Circulo Gran Via Hotel, Autograph Collection , an adult-only hotel in central Madrid, we had just a short walk over to Takos Al Pastor, arguably some of the most simple yet amazing tacos in Madrid. The accessibility of great tacos and tequila was something I definitely took for granted when living in the US. Takos Al Pastor certainly did not disappoint, especially at the rate of a Euro per taco. They say less is more. I do not believe this applies when eating tacos.

After that quick stop, we were in the mood for cocktails so ventured over to 1862 Dry Bar. This chic little cocktail bar is a must visit as they serve up a variety of amazing cocktails. Having had tacos and cold beer earlier, I opted to go with the Dragón Amarillo by Santos, a chili-infused tequila drink. It was delicious and was perfectly spicy with a cool fresh whipped topping. Chanel enjoyed the Hombre Lobo, a mild spiced Pisco cocktail served on the rocks, seemingly a Spanish take on the classic Old Fashioned. We stayed for a bit, met up with friends, and had a few more rounds… this is the unwinding phase of the weekend after all!

I was very excited about my reservations at Kuoco 360, a ‘fusion’ restaurant in the heart of the city. We arrived for an 8:30 PM dinner, and it rapidly filled up. It’s a fairly small and energetic space serving up delicious and beautiful food! We had the Crispy Wontons, 7 Potencias (yumm), Pork Belly Burger (fear not it’s not big), Ceviche (amazing seabass), Black Noodles (phenomenal squid ink noodles in a Thai crab soup), and the Iberian Pork Shoulder. We paired all of this with a few craft beers from Madrid! For me, this is the perfect type of restaurant. The food is incredibly fresh and vibrant at a reasonable price.

Saturday

A Walk Around Madrid with Good Eats, Including More Tacos…

You have many options on transit in Madrid including taxis, Uber, bus, metro, and of course by foot. We walked nearly 17km (10.5mi), but if you want to walk some and take quicker transit, that’s ok too!

Our day started with a walk to the Temple of Debod, to the Puerta de San Vicente, past the Cathedral de la Almudena, and to an indulgent breakfast at the infamous Chocolateria San Gines for churros, chocolate, and coffee. Yes, it’s as tasty as it appears! I recommend the classic small churros as the larger is more pillowy. The texture of the classic style is unmatched.

When you're ready to continue your exploration, head across the street into the Plaza Mayor, a 15th-century square used initially as the cities central marketplace. Now you can enjoy coffee, drinks, or dining in this beautiful public space. Just steps away is the bustling Mercado of San Miguel, a recently renovated covered market. It can often be crowded but is gorgeous and has the city’s freshest fish, meats, and more! It's worth walking through even if you don't plan on eating or drinking while there.

We were very tempted to grab some food and wine but instead waited for our reservations at Atlantik Corner, an absolute gem for lunch or dinner! This beautiful restaurant has all sorts of fantastic options. We tried more tacos, grilled octopus, charcoal grilled codfish, tiramisu and chocolate mousse! Every aspect of this meal was perfection, and the service was impeccable!

After lunch, we strolled through Retiro Park. This park is 308 area and is home to more than 15,000 trees including Madrid’s oldest tree, a Mexican Conifer that is around 400 years old. Retiro Park has all sorts of exciting areas such as the Plaza Parterre, Palacio de Cristal, and the Estanque Grande del Retiro. Relax here and grab some ice cream or a cold beer and enjoy the park! From here we made our way back to the hotel, window shopping along the way!

Restaurants will begin to fill up around 8:30-9:00 PM so if you are making reservations I would recommend around that time, so you’re not dining in a quiet and lonely restaurant early. That being said, before heading out for dinner I would recommend stopping for apertivo first at a cafe! Friends of ours were staying in our hotel as well and invited us up for Cava and charcuterie! Let’s just say they and the penthouse terrace did not disappoint!

When ready for dinner, head back to the Mercado de San Miguel and nibble at different vendors while sipping some of the regionals great wine or cocktails. Want something outdoors? Head back to Plaza Mayor! If you want an upscale take on classic region fare, head to Los Montes de Galicia!

Sunday

Breakfast and a Morning Walk…

This city is so wonderful, and I do wish I had an extra day! We packed up and then had a delicious breakfast at the Circulo Gran Via Hotel. Truth be told it was incredible and we relaxed, nibbled, and chatted for the morning while waiting on friends to return to the hotel. We walked around afterward to kill some time and then within a couple hours were back on a plane headed to Basel!

I’m desperately trying not to repeat trips in efforts to see new places, but I’m quite confident we will return to Madrid again, if only for another weekend trip! Spain is incredible and full of loving people, delicious food, and rich history. What's not to love?

I'm a US expat, blogging photographer and world-traveler who may or may not like tequila a bit too much.