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Spain : Madrid - September 2008

Country Code: Dial for Spain

September is a great month to visit Madrid. This city is packed with excellent art galleries, openair cafés and plenty of bars and clubs. The warm, sunny days and balmy evenings make discovering the city on foot a durable pleasure. Scott Adams gives us a couple of pointers

Getting around

Barajas Airport

Bus: There are regular buses from the airport to Avenida de America (which connects with Metro lines 4, 6, 7 and 9) until 11pm. The journey takes between 30 minutes and an hour (emtmadrid.es).
Train: Terminal 4 is covered by line 8 of the metro system. The journey to the city centre takes about 45 minutes and a single ticket costs €2.
Taxi: The journey to the centre takes around 20 minutes and costs around €28 (which includes the taxis’ airport charge of €5,25).
Tourist information: The main office is at 27 Plaza Mayor (tel. , www.turismomadrid.es) but there’s also an information stand at Terminal 1.

PLAZA NEPTUNO

The cultural epicentre of the city, Plaza Neptuno is halfway along the tree-lined Paseo del Prado, but turn into any of the small streets that branch off it and you’ll discover a clutch of fashionable bars.

Sleep soundly – Perfect for a special weekend, the Westin Palace offers all you would expect of an historic luxury hotel. Don’t miss the brunches with live opera each Sunday

Culture vultures – Bordering the square are three major art museums, all with special exhibitions on in September. The Prado (Paseo del Prado) offers renaissance portraits, the Thyssen- Bornemisza (8 Paseo del Prado) spotlights Joan Miró, and the Caixa Forum (36 Paseo del Prado) takes a look at the life of Charlie Chaplin.

Must eat – Taberna Maceiras (66 Calle Huertas, tel. ) does northern Spanish dishes from Galicia. The rice and seafood are excellent here.

Shop til you drop – Indulge in some retail therapy at Arte Toledano (10 Paseo del Prado), full of original gifts, ceramics and glassware.

CALLE LEON

Once the stamping ground of writer Miguel de Cervantes, this mostly pedestrian area is perfect for a stroll before moving on to dinner.

Sleep soundly – Oh so cool and full of quiet corners to sit and relax, the Vincci Soho (18 Calle Prado, tel. , vinccihoteles.com, rooms from €139) has stunning modern décor in both its rooms and restaurant. Enjoy an early evening cocktail in the courtyard.

Must eat – Serving a great selection of Nordic-style seafood and fish dishes in sleek surroundings, Olsen (15 Calle Prado, tel. ) has become a favourite with the locals.

Must drink – With its relaxed neighbourhood atmosphere, La Piola (9 Calle León) serves up a good selection of Spanish wines by the glass and tasty tapas on the side.

Shop til you drop – Stock up on Spanish ham, chorizo and local cheeses at Jamon 10 (10 Calle León).

AROUND PLAZA ESPAÑA

At the base of the bustling Gran Vía, Plaza España, with its monument to Cervantes and Don Quixote, is a cool, green oasis.

Culture vultures – Set in an historic military barracks, the Museo de Arte Contemporánea (11 Conde Duque) houses an excellent selection of Spanish modern art.

Must eat – Regarded as Madrid’s best Thai restaurant, Siam (6 Calle San Bernadino, tel. ) does authentic dishes such as hot prawn soup and veal with cashews and lime.

Dance the night away – One of the city’s biggest clubs, Sala Heineken (1 Calle Princesa) has two dance floors, a couple of chill-out areas and an exuberant clientele.

AROUND METRO TRIBUNAL

Very young at heart, this area cranks up the energy as the day moves on. Shop before lunch, then move on to the small but buzzy bars after sunset.

Must eat – Perfect for a romantic dinner, Crêperie Bretagne (9 Calle Son Vicente Ferrer, tel. ) serves up sweet and savoury crêpes by candlelight.

Must drink – Bag an outdoor table at Malabar (9 Plaza Dos de Mayo), grab a cold beer and soak up what’s left of the early autumn sun.

Dance the night away – Pacha (11 Calle Barceló) is probably the best club in the city, with three dance floors playing techno, retro house and flamenco. There’s also an open-air rooftop terrace, should you need to cool down.

Shop til you drop – Treat yourself or a loved one at Kantharos (6 Calle Divino Pastor), which stocks hand-crafted silver jewellery and original gifts.

Compiled by Scott Adams