View Full Version : Madrid
The Stars
05/12/2006, 10:50 PM
Sligoman,Deecay,Myself and Wild Rover are thinking about going there in Febraury?
Want to see what people make of it and would they recommend us go there or somewhere else?
Has to be first week of that month aswell,back for RAG week
sligoman
05/12/2006, 10:53 PM
When replying, bear in mind we're going for (1.) Drinking and (2.) A football match;).
Not into too many touristy things, but I'm sure we could go to some if worthwhile:D.
deecay
05/12/2006, 10:54 PM
remember i dont drink. im only goin for the football and the sexy senoritas
The Stars
05/12/2006, 10:57 PM
And remember wildrover is on a search for Samson cider
sligoman
05/12/2006, 10:59 PM
and the sexy senoritasWhat about yer Caaaaavan woman?:D.
Paddyfield
06/12/2006, 3:53 PM
Madrid is no Barcelona. Madrid is the most tree lined-city in Europe but there is no river which is unusual for a capital city. The main Square (Placa) is nuts at 4am and pretty quiet at 4pm.
I read an atricle called SECOND CITY SYNDROME which suggests that the 2nd city of a country is usually better that the Capital. I agree.
Barcelona is better than Madrid.
Edinburgh is better than Glasgow.
Gothenburg is better than Stockholm
Cork is better than Dubland
Amsterdam is better than Hague
Er, Derry is better than Belfast?
:rolleyes:
Rory H
06/12/2006, 4:03 PM
ah sure prague will be better....
Conor H
06/12/2006, 4:06 PM
ah sure prague will be better....
Going there in September for the Oirlind match.....E1 a pint...can't wait!:)
Rory H
06/12/2006, 4:08 PM
damn right..thats why i suggested it....also cos of the history of the city though
Conor H
06/12/2006, 4:10 PM
damn right..thats why i suggested it....also cos of the history of the city though
When ya going?
Pauro 76
06/12/2006, 4:11 PM
Might be going there to meet the Spanish girlfriend's parents in March. they live 2 hours away but Madrid definitely on the agenda for the first few days.... :)
Rory H
06/12/2006, 4:14 PM
When ya going?
end of january hopefully if everything can be sorted
ill give ya a good detail of the pubs:D
Conor H
06/12/2006, 4:15 PM
end of january hopefully if everything can be sorted
ill give ya a good detail of the pubs:D
If ya can remember that is!;)
endabob1
06/12/2006, 4:21 PM
I read an atricle called SECOND CITY SYNDROME which suggests that the 2nd city of a country is usually better that the Capital. I agree.
Barcelona is better than Madrid.
Edinburgh is better than Glasgow.
Gothenburg is better than Stockholm
Cork is better than Dubland
Amsterdam is better than Hague
Er, Derry is better than Belfast?
:rolleyes:
Add Melbourne, Sydney & Perth over Canberra to that list
Cape Town over Pretoria
Most cities inthe US over Washington
The theory falls on it's ar$e in England though, London may be a dump but it's a better dump than Birmingham any day of the week!
Poor Student
06/12/2006, 4:24 PM
I read an atricle called SECOND CITY SYNDROME which suggests that the 2nd city of a country is usually better that the Capital. I agree.
Edinburgh is better than Glasgow.
Doesn't that collapse your theory? :confused:
Paddyfield
06/12/2006, 9:39 PM
Doesn't that collapse your theory? :confused:
Yeah :o Glasgow has a bigger poulation than Edinburgh though ;)
Check this out....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_city
brendy_éire
08/12/2006, 1:32 PM
Try and avoid the centre, tbh. It's fairly expensive, with some places charging up to €8 a drink.
Look for people handing out flyers/coupons (2 drinks for €10 seems to be the norm). Use the voucher, then leave. And never pay into a club (I personally couldn't find one that did charge in, but I'm sure there are some). Drink spririts when using the vouchers, they half fill the glass with the alcohol part!
And get a 10 journey metro card thing for €6.15 (you can use them on the buses too).
It's a nice city, if a little on the expensive side round the centre. (same as everywhere I suppose). The food's pretty good there too.
The Stars
08/12/2006, 5:46 PM
It's a nice city, if a little on the expensive side round the centre. (same as everywhere I suppose). The food's pretty good there too.
good stuff,il keep that info about the vouchers for drinks in mind....I'd say we will be using them. What clubs/bars did you go into and where about are they?also,info on accomadation would be helpful
Not the best city I've ever been in. watched Atletico madrid play last February. Good ground, great atmosphere.
Apparently its the best city in Spain for nightlife but myself and Ms Dodge only went to a couple of bars and found them a bit rubbishy to be honest. We stayed about 5 minutes from the Main square (Puerta del Sol). Wouldn't bother me if I never went back
sligoman
10/12/2006, 11:44 AM
Where do ye think's the best place to stay? Close to everything/prices etc.
brendy_éire
11/12/2006, 4:10 PM
What clubs/bars did you go into and where about are they?also,info on accomadation would be helpful
Can't remember most of the clubs. One was called BlackJack, I think. There's stacks of them round the centre anyway.
Stayed in a hostel, on a street just off Puetra del Sol, Calle de Carretas. Was €20 a night for a twin room. Not the most luxurious place, for the price and location, ye can't complain. Not sure what it was called, it might have been this place. http://www.hostelspoint.com/res/155/hostel.php?str=3066 But there's a few other hostels on that street too.
If you have GoogleEarth, just type in Madrid, and it brings you right to Puetra del Sol, so you've an idea of where's it at.
Over the post
11/12/2006, 5:58 PM
To be honest I don't know Barna well enough to compare it to Madrid but while it certainly seems to be a more picturesque and cosmopolitan town, there's usually better craic to be had in Madrid. If you stay around the Puerta del Sol (there are loads of hostels) you're a stone's throw from Chueca and Malasaña just north of the Gran Vía, with no shortage of nightlife. Not many big discos but loads of small bars/clubs with plenty of character. The area between the Quevedo and Argüelles metro stops also has plenty of decent bars, a lot of students live in that area. I know Irish pubs may not feature high on the agenda but if you want to keep tabs on the sport at home the only Irish-owned and run one is Finbar's near the Argüelles stop.
Footie in early Feb isn't great: Real are home to Levante on 4 Feb (where you or may not may see Ian Harte take the Bernabeu by storm); Atlético are home to Bilbao the following weekend while Getafe host Valencia.
Madrid is a great town for wandering from bar to bar have a few beers and tapas before heading to the smaller clubs for decent music and drinks. Unfortunately many people's impression of the centre is that it has little to offer and I'd have to admit it can be a bit underwhelming if you hit the tourist areas. But I've lived here for 11 years and have yet to tire of what it has to offer.
Have yourselves a ball.
The Stars
11/12/2006, 7:44 PM
cheers Over the post,im sure we will be dropping you a few pms before we go.
Was looking at Finbars alright,we will be in there for a few,do they serve food?
strangeirish
11/12/2006, 7:51 PM
cheers Over the post,im sure we will be dropping you a few pms before we go.
Was looking at Finbars alright,we will be in there for a few,do they serve food?
Doesn't look like they have food at Finbars (http://finbarsmadrid.com/Home/), but the totty (http://www.finbarsmadrid.com/galleries/details.php?image_id=538) looks tasty.;) :D
Over the post
12/12/2006, 10:05 AM
Finbar's tends to specialise in liquids rather than solids and taytos are about the most you could hope for on the food front. I usually pop across the road for a roll to eat during the half-time analysis while other patrons visit the Burger King around the corner. There's no shortage of eateries nearby. Feel free to fling any queries my way.
Rory H
12/12/2006, 10:15 AM
can you get cider there?
will the pubs be busy
are any over 21's?
what time do the pubs close at
brendy_éire
12/12/2006, 10:56 AM
can you get cider there?
will the pubs be busy
are any over 21's?
what time do the pubs close at
They have cider, but it's awful. Avoid it. They also have vermouth on draught, which is a bit weird.
Most places in the centre are busy every day.
I'm 20 and never once got asked for ID.
Pubs close when they want to. Some clubs will go on till 9 in the morning, but they seem to die down a bit around 4/5.
The Stars
12/12/2006, 2:52 PM
What is there to do for 5 students in Madrid....apart from get p!ssed?
Anysites or museums worth a look at?
Also could ye recommend some good eat houses,cheap but nice all the same
I prefer it than Barcelona myself, but that's for two reasons. Everyone said Barcelona is better and I quite enjoyed it in Madrid (lot less street crime for instance) and secondly I like a bit of art, for which Madrid has no rivals except Paris (unless you like sp*nk stained beds sprinkled with soiled sanitary towels or lights being switched on and off and therefore we can include London). Reina Sofia near Atocha station is a must IMO (home of Picasso's Guernica) Prado also good.
Drinking is fantastic as it's Spain FFS :rolleyes: , and while it doesn't have the concentration of bars of La Coruna or San sebastian, I'll bet you'll find it hard to find a street to complete a bar crawl on. One of the best places to get a late night swifty if nothing else is open is the City morgue. Well people need a stiffner after a relative has passed away suddenly, no?
Real Madrid will be a dissapointment. It lacks atmosphere unless you like hanging out with neo-nazi scum in the South End. Reading David Madrid's 'Insider' at the moment - about a policeman infiltrating the Ultrassur - and he claims that RM fans go not to follow their side but to demand of them. I find that hard to disagree with. Also harder to get tickets than say Barcelona. It's still a magnificent ground.
I enjoyed the Prado museum, and I wouldn't be an art buff. The Retiro Park was great on a Sunday afternoon. Not sure its the place for lads looking to go on the **** mind, more of a coupley thing to do
The Stars
12/12/2006, 6:29 PM
good stuff,cheers lads.
Keep the info coming as where to eat(not McDonalds), somewhere that puts on a good feed for cheap enough.
Over the post
13/12/2006, 11:22 AM
The Prado and the Reina Sofia are great although you have to pick and choose in the former due to the size of the collection, otherwise you could spend a couple of days there. The Thyssen is also a good option as it has a smaller collection that runs from early religious paintings to modern stuff.
There are loads of good food bars in the Cava Baja area in La Latina although the place is mobbed at the weekend and you have to get their early. The Almendro 13 (on calle Almendro no. 13) is a good place for tapas at lunchtime. Almost all Spanish bars serve food so you'll have no problem getting fed.
I agree with Lopez about the Bernabéu; great stadium but dire supporters and the team aren't really playing the beautiful game this season, are they. Mind you, the museum there is meant to be interesting. The Calderón is always lively. I've never been to watch Getafe but they only ever fill the stadium when Barça or Madrid visit so there wouldn't seem to be a great fan base.
Dodge
13/12/2006, 11:38 AM
Museum in the Bernabeu isn't up to much. Did the stadium tour and it ends in Museum which is basically just some trophies and a list of players that have won European/World layer of the yaer and played with madrid (but not neccesarily at the same time - -the cheating swines!). Think it was about a tenner and if you're into football, its probably worth it. No problem getting tickets for Calderon. We got ours on the day of the game (for the main stand, level with 18 yardbox) at the ticket office (about 25-30 euro if mememory serves me right - cheaper tickets were available).
Oh and one more tip, if you're thinking about using a credit card over there, make sure you bring ID (preferably passport) with you. Most shops won't accept an international card without it
The Stars
13/12/2006, 9:15 PM
Cheers Dodge and Over The Post.
Dont think we will be using credit cards,probably only drinks vouchers.
Are there any vineyards near the city or anything like that?Bull fighting?
Also,what day are the markets on?For some reason I think Fridays.
There's a massive bull ring in madrid (marked on every map etc) but not sure if its in use.
Over the post
14/12/2006, 9:14 AM
There are vineyards south of Madrid but I don't think they organise tours or anything like that, wine-making isn't that big an industry in Madrid.
The bullring is in use although the season has ended and there won't be any bullfights till late spring.
The main flea market, the Rastro, is on Sunday mornings and is held five minutes' walk south of the Puerta del Sol. Hungover Irishmen are among the pickpockets favourite targets, so keep an eye on the valuables if you do go.
sligoman
14/12/2006, 9:46 PM
Dont think we will be using credit cardsSpeak for yerself;). Although I knew bout needing ID already.
Are there any vineyards near the city or anything like that?Bull fighting?Vineyards? Why?:confused:
As for bull fighting, you can go to that if you want. No fear of me going though. How anyone can watch that is beyond me:mad:.
The Stars
15/12/2006, 7:31 PM
well we have to do something to pass the day sligoman.just saying a few things,just to give us options.
Its not just gonna be drinking,although i wouldnt mind it.
If you have a credit card,why didnt you book the flights so?
...Bull fighting?...Here's a good site to give you all the info you need to prepare yourself for visit to a bull 'fight'. Just click on 'clica aqui'.
http://www.latortura.es/
sligoman
15/12/2006, 9:38 PM
If you have a credit card,why didnt you book the flights so?I don't, but I'm in the process of getting one. Should have one in time for Madrid.
sligoman
16/12/2006, 8:42 AM
Overthepost, what about theme parks, water parks, go-karting, that type of thing. I presume Madrid has a few of those?:confused:
Dodge
16/12/2006, 10:35 AM
Water parks in february?
sligoman
16/12/2006, 2:18 PM
Water parks in february?We're Irish. Sure I'd go to one in December if it was opened!:D
sligoman
17/12/2006, 10:16 PM
In regards to Real Madrid football tickets...can you book them on their website? I can't find any information on their site about buying tickets?
I know we can wait til we get there too, just wanted to see if you could and how much yer talking etc.
lopez
17/12/2006, 10:33 PM
In regards to Real Madrid football tickets...can you book them on their website? I can't find any information on their site about buying tickets?
I know we can wait til we get there too, just wanted to see if you could and how much yer talking etc.That's your only option. Tickets only on sale in the next match section. You ignore the questions about your membership number and if there are any left, you can buy them with a credit card and collect. Depending on the opposition, you might be in luck. There are tickets available for the game on Wednesday against Recreativo for instance.
Over the post
18/12/2006, 12:02 PM
Overthepost, what about theme parks, water parks, go-karting, that type of thing. I presume Madrid has a few of those?:confused:
There's a fairground/theme park (Parque de Atracciones) in the Casa del Campo, it's on the metro. The Warner Bros Park is a short train ride away but is meant to be disappointing. The locals tend to go to the Parque de Atracciones as it's closer, cheaper and they let you take you're own food in (allegedly; this is all hearsay as I've never been to either). Inexplicably enough, water parks tend to be closed till May or June but the ski slopes are about an hour away on the train. There's also an indoor ski slope in the Xanadu shopping centre that's meant to be decent. Several go-karting places, though mostly out-of-town; the Carlos Sainz one is meant to be the best.
sligoman
18/12/2006, 9:38 PM
That's your only option. Tickets only on sale in the next match section. You ignore the questions about your membership number and if there are any left, you can buy them with a credit card and collect. Depending on the opposition, you might be in luck. There are tickets available for the game on Wednesday against Recreativo for instance.Well I'd expect to get tickets handy enough. When we're there, Madrid are at home to Levante so shouldn't be that popular should it?:confused:
Pauro 76
19/12/2006, 2:27 PM
looks like myself and the Spanish girlfriend are heading to Spain third week in March. flying to Valladolid and then Madrid.... :) Do they do tours of the Bernabeu by any chance?
Over the post
19/12/2006, 3:16 PM
There was a report on the Bernabeú museum on the telly the other day. Apparently it's the second most visited museum in Madrid, after the Prado. According to this report the stadium also has a decent restaurant, Beckham and his wife go there to eat barnacles of an evening!
Sid Lowe's article in the guardian yesterday was about Atlético and their stadium: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2006/12/18/grounds_for_concern_as_atletic.html
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