Your essential guide to Madrid

BROWSE

In a city renowned for its art, the Museo del Prado is the standout, spanning centuries of masterpieces. Look out for Velázquez’s mysterious Las Meninas, Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, and Goya’s unflinching The Third of May 1808. Entry is free for two hours before it closes, though that can mean long queues.

DINE

Fêted chef Quique Dacosta now heads up the kitchens at Deessa at Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid, scooping two Michelin stars in the process. Diners can choose between two tasting menus: one composed of his signature dishes, and one showcasing his more recent bursts of creativity.

PERUSE

On Calle de Serrano, the vast flagship store for Spanish luxury brand Loewe is a spectacular, light-filled space with a floating spiral staircase. You’ll find leather handbags, gloves and shoes in every colour of the rainbow, along with exquisitely crafted clothes and an inspired range of perfumes.

DRINK

Not, in fact, a museum, but a timeless cocktail bar, Museo Chicote has seen countless film stars and writers pass through its revolving door since it opened in 1931. Many are immortalised in the photos above the bar, best surveyed over a vermouth-powered namesake cocktail.

DISCOVER

Madrid’s second art palace, the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, teems with artworks from every period and style. Whether you enjoy Flemish masters or pop art, French impressionists or American realists, you could spend the best part of a day wandering its salmon-coloured halls. Alternatively, ask the concierge to arrange an out-of-hours tour.

FEAST

Serving the city’s greatest churros since 1894, the Chocolatería San Ginés is an essential stop. Open until late (24 hours a day at weekends), it welcomes a cheerful mix of party people, hungry tourists and elderly regulars, dipping their batter sticks into thick, steaming hot chocolate.

WANDER

Madrid’s most atmospheric barrio is known as Los Austrias, for the Habsburg dynasty that built it. At its heart is the magnificent, arcaded Plaza Mayor with a huge bronze statue of Philip III at the centre. The nearby Plaza de Oriente is a more graceful affair, flanked by the 3,000-room Royal Palace.

NIBBLE

Meticulously restored to its former glory in 2009, the wrought-iron Mercado de San Miguel is lined with tapas joints and food stalls. Sip a vermouth as you take your pick, from slices of salty Manchego to crisp croquetas: everything you need (and more) for an upscale urban picnic.

LISTEN

The handsome, historic Teatro Real has moved with the times, not least with its elaborate, speed-change sets. Opera tickets always sell fast, so book well in advance, or ask the hotel to arrange an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour.

WANDER

A former hunting estate for the nearby Palacio Real, the Casa de Campo is now a vast area of parkland. Its attractions include a zoo, a funfair and two open-air, summer-only outdoor pools, along with a cable car that swoops over the treetops to Parque del Oeste.

EXPLORE

Take a 45-minute train ride out to the elegant little town of Aranjuez and its famous Bourbon palace. Originally built as a hunting lodge for Charles I in the 16th century, it was later extended in Baroque and classical styles. The gardens are magnificent, with their cherub-topped fountains, tree-lined paths and Chinese pond.

TASTE

The menu at TriCiclo is a masterclass in seasonal dining, rooted – but never bound by – Spanish tradition. (Think lime-spiked wild sea bass ceviche, say, or quail’s egg-topped steak tartare.) Dishes, rather brilliantly, come in three sizes, allowing guests to mastermind their own tasting menus.

Close to the Museo del Prado and Royal Botanic Gardens is a small street lined with book stalls, known as the Cuesta de Moyano. Its history dates back to 1925, when sellers sat offering books for just 15 cents. Spanish writer Ramón Gómez de la Serna nicknamed it the Feria del Boquerón, since you could buy a book for the same price as a boquerón (anchovy)! It’s been revamped in the last few years, creating a quaint, pedestrianised street, loved by locals and visitors alike.

- The concierge team at Mandarin Oriental, Madrid.