A day in Madrid

We both start our days with free breakfasts. Me with a coffee and a swim. Lucia with churros at her hostel in central Madrid. I am working as an au pair, so live for free with a Spanish family and get paid €10€10a day.

I take a bus and then the metro. There’s also a train, but I take the bus today.
€0.85€0.85+€1.22€1.22both are 10-trip fares.

We are meeting at la osa y el madroño, the bear and the strawberry tree. A classic Spanish meeting spot in Sol.

We both arrive at 12:30. After exiting the Metro I use the toilet in KFC (code is 5050).

Reunited after 6 months, for the first ever adayin collab!

We walk to El Rastro, a long running and popular street market. Lucia loves markets and I want to buy a bag for an upcoming music festival. I’m going to Let It Roll in Prague.

I buy the first bag I see, which also turns out to be the best one.
€5€5Not bad.

We walk and chat. Lucia buys a pink skull patch to add to her travel collection.
€3€3

Satisfied with the market humdrum, we find a bar and outdoor terrace to grab a drink.

We sit and they come and take our order. Two tinto de verano, a summer classic, a wine spritzer with lemon.
€3€3each with free olives.
They don’t do coffee, which is unusual for Spain.

There is no hurry to leave or get the bill. Eventually we ask for the cheque, “La cuenta por favor” and Lucia follows the travel rule: if there’s a toilet you use it.

Next we head to a rooftop bar for some food and the view. I know a place so lead the way. We arrive to a building with zero signage, looks more like apartments than anything else. We hop in the elevator and presume to push the top floor.

Voila, rooftop bar Casa Granada.

I order patatas bravas to share, a coffee with ice, and a small beer.
€13€13all up, plus we get free olives.

We don’t mind walking as nothing is too far and it’s a nice way to take in the city. Time to head to the park for some chilling.

El Retiro park is massive.

First stop the water fountain, a classic Madrid hard to push one.

Further into the park is a crystal palace, turtles, ducks and a fountain. Entry is free and there is an art exhibition, funnily enough by an American artist.


There’s free public toilets, we both wash our sweaty faces.

We sit on the grass next to a lake of sorts. There’s rowboats and many people relaxing and drinking beers. On queue is an opportunistic beer salesman. I decide to indulge.
€2€2for a big can of classic Mahou.

The sun comes and goes behind clouds and we eventually move into the shade. An apple courtesy of Lucia keeps us going.

Later we head to Lavapies and search along calle Argumosa for an available table, but with no such luck.

We continue wandering and Lucia knows a Taco place. We head in that direction and then stop for churros. My Spanish is ok, but I forget how to ask if they come with chocolate or if you have to order it separately.
€1.95€1.95for 4 churros, but €2.50€2.50for the chocolate!

A cute street entices us and we stop for a drink. Good beer and 10 olives, she’s counting haha.
€3€3each.

We are serenaded by an accordion player. Tip too soon and they are gone. We manage to enjoy for a while.
€0.50€0.50

We are back near Sol and walk around in the evening light. The Taco place has a line down the street. Shorter than before Lucia says!

Satisfied in general we call it a night and she walks me to the metro like a gentleman.

Metro to Moncloa.
€1.22€1.22

Then a night bus home.
€1.61€1.61on a 10-trip transport card.
Cash price is more and they won’t break anything bigger than a €5€5.
Next bus is in 40mins and then it arrives late. Should have got the train.

Lucia stays at a hostel called Sungate One.
€22€22using a 15% discount.

Total spent: Simon | Lucia€19.38€19.38|€37.98€37.98