Find out why Madrid matches Barcelona as a city-break destination

Why does Madrid play second fiddle to Barcelona for city breaks? From swanky new hotels to quirky, cool bars, find out why the Spanish capital lives up to its coastal rivalAilbhe MacMahon finds visitors notice the "cool, contemporary side" of the Spanish capital's center with rooftop bar and swimming poolOne evening, she discovers a quirky bar - Sala Equis - where movies play all night on the big screen
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Posted: 11:36 TSB, 4 July 2022 | Updated: 11:53 BST, 04 July 2022
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There is greatness around every turn in Madrid. From the roof of my hotel, the neoclassical facade of the Teatro Real, one of the most beautiful opera houses in Europe, stands straight ahead. And just behind is the Royal Palace, the elaborate 3,400-room jewel of the Bourbon dynasty.
To the west is the Plaza Mayor. The square has a macabre past, having hosted bloody bullfights and the public executions of the Spanish Inquisition, but its architecture is magnificent - Herrerian-style buildings adorned with vivid frescoes. Here is the oldest restaurant in the world, Botin, which dates back to 1725 and where the painter Francisco Goya once worked as a dishwasher.
This majestic city , the wealthiest of all in Spain and home to its royal family and central government, is second only to Barcelona as the country's most popular city-break destination. Still, there's a cool, contemporary edge to the beautiful, wide boulevards, and visitors are noticing it again. A cluster of new hotels catering to modern holidaymakers have sprung up, such as The Madrid Edition and Rosewood Villa Magna.

Travel Jul 4, 2022 0 96 Add to Reading List

Find out why Madrid matches Barcelona as a city-break destination

Why does Madrid play second fiddle to Barcelona for city breaks? From swanky new hotels to quirky, cool bars, find out why the Spanish capital lives up to its coastal rivalAilbhe MacMahon finds visitors notice the "cool, contemporary side" of the Spanish capital's center with rooftop bar and swimming poolOne evening, she discovers a quirky bar - Sala Equis - where movies play all night on the big screen

Posted: 11:36 TSB, 4 July 2022 | Updated: 11:53 BST, 04 July 2022

There is greatness around every turn in Madrid. From the roof of my hotel, the neoclassical facade of the Teatro Real, one of the most beautiful opera houses in Europe, stands straight ahead. And just behind is the Royal Palace, the elaborate 3,400-room jewel of the Bourbon dynasty.

To the west is the Plaza Mayor. The square has a macabre past, having hosted bloody bullfights and the public executions of the Spanish Inquisition, but its architecture is magnificent - Herrerian-style buildings adorned with vivid frescoes. Here is the oldest restaurant in the world, Botin, which dates back to 1725 and where the painter Francisco Goya once worked as a dishwasher.

This majestic city , the wealthiest of all in Spain and home to its royal family and central government, is second only to Barcelona as the country's most popular city-break destination. Still, there's a cool, contemporary edge to the beautiful, wide boulevards, and visitors are noticing it again. A cluster of new hotels catering to modern holidaymakers have sprung up, such as The Madrid Edition and Rosewood Villa Magna.