Amazing! I love this community.
tinyE: They speak Spanish over there. :D
*giggles in Spanish
krugos2: Have a wonderful time over there! :)
Thanks! My first time to Europe, I'm so excited!
Caesar.: Weather is being warmer than usual. For the next days temperatures will range from 9 °C in the night to 25 °C in the afternoon, so pack accordingly. We don't Fahrenheit. It won't probably rain, but check the forecast just before you are leaving.
Good to know, I prefer warmer weather, less to carry. But I should prepare accordingly, the last time I went abroad was a disaster, temperature drop 10° from forecast. In Celsius of course, who uses Fahrenheit? :D
Caesar.: If you plan renting a car, be aware the local government just approved some traffic restrictions. My recommendation is to use the train and/or metro. They arrive to literally everywhere (including the airport). The price of the ticket changes depending on how many zones you cross, but I believe you can buy a tourist pass. Find and save the train and metro maps in your phone, or download an app.
Definitely not renting a car, I'll use metro and my feet, I also use citymapper app. Is it safe to walk around in general?
Caesar.: The hottest places to shop are in Preciados, Castellana, Goya and Gran Vía. Depending on what you want to buy you will get recommendations at the hotel (or are yoy staying in an AirBnB?). International tourists can get the VAT reimbursed.
If you want to use cash, you will need euros. However, credit cards are acceptes virtually everywhere.
I will look up Preciados and Castellana. I'll be staying at a hotel in Salamanca area but I haven't book a room for the last night, any recommendation? Do hotels in Madrid accept walk-in guess?
Caesar.: The farther you go from the most touristic places, the less likely it will be to find people who speak English, so don't rely on that. However, most people under 40 will have at least basic knowledge, and the youngsters under 25 are more or less proficient thanks to the regional bilingual education program. Print the name of the locations you want to go to and the address in case you have a language barrier with a taxi driver.
I've always brought the hotel business card with me, so at the very least I can go back :p
I will go to Toledo and Valladolid.
Caesar.: Some restaurants will have an English menu, but most won't. Download a dictionary to understand the menu. Waiters will love you if you try to order in Spanish. Tipping is not mandatory or even expected, but you can tip 1-2 € for a good service.
Thank you so much for the tipping advice! I was wondering about that, I don't want to leave bad impression.
Caesar.: Drinking alcohol in the street is not allowed.
Good regulation! How about smoking?
Caesar.: You will probably need a plug adapter.
Nope, we use the same plug.
Caesar.: If you like art don't miss the Triangle of Art (Museums of El Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofía).
Excellent recommendation, only 20 minutes walk from my hotel.
Caesar.: The city is enough to keep you occupied, but there are also amazing places in range of a one-day trip: Toledo, Ávila, Segovia, Alcalá de Henares and the national park of Sierra de Guadarrama.
I wish to experience it all! Well, at least Toledo is in my list.
Caesar.: Breakfast in Spain is usually sweet. But most hotels will have an international buffet. Have churros or porras at least once. You can find them in most bars in the early morning and eat them with coffee or hot chocolate.
Churros with hot chocolate... and my mind goes blank.
Caesar.: For lunch you can have a "menú del día" at any bar or restaurant. For 10-12 € you will have two dishes and dessert. This is what most locals eat on work daya.
For dinner I recommend you to have tapas on some bars while you drink cañas (beers). La Latina and Huertas are the typical zones while the locals have tapas. You can also try Sol and Plaza Mayor, but it's more expensive.
Any non-alcoholic beverage I should try?
Caesar.: For a more gourmet experience you can try many restaurants. Spanish gastronomy is extremely rich and you will find restaurants specialized in all the regional gastronomies: Galician, Asturian, Basque, Valencian, Andalusian and of course Castillian (Castille is the historical region where Madrid is located). All of them are worth trying. If you feel adventurous or homesick there are many international restaurants as well.
I've made reservation for gastronomic dinner :D
Caesar.: You can buy excellent fruit at good prices in any market.
I love fruits more than any food. And I heard in Spain you must be wearing a glove to touch the fruit. I'm loving Spain already!
Where do you shop for groceries? Any low price supermarket there? Or big chain convenience store?
Caesar.: Also, pork is everywhere. Try jamón ibérico. You're welcome.
But they're so expensive. Let's see if I can get it at reasonable price in Spain.
Caesar.: What about Spanish GOG? Spain has the Southern Europe regional prices. When a regionsl price exists, it is never more advantageous than the base price in USD. :( We get wallet funds back to make up the difference.
So it's not a good idea to buy games while in Spain.
Kakarot96: And chorizo ibérico! and lomo ibérico! with queso manchego (manchego cheese)! Well, except if he is islamic. In that case, forget about pork. A good dish with "ibéricos", a bit of bread and olive oil plus a glass of red wine is mandatory if you can!
PainOfSalvation: Don't forget to try croquettes, patatas bravas and spanish tortilla. They are all delicious. :p
I have to note it all down. Thank you!
I've bought data connection to be used in Spain, but do you have free wifi there?
