Local travel tip: Hidden Madrid Explored with a Local Guide

Location: Madrid, Spain

Madrid, located at the heart of the Iberian Peninsula, is the capital of Spain and the largest city in the country. On the surface, the city might not be as attractive as the favourite tourist destinations like the charming Seville and the sea-side Barcelona. Most tourists leave remembering only a few attractions such as the Prado Museum, Retiro Park, and Plaza Mayor. Yet, if you look at the right places the city of Madrid would surely prove to be a place very much worthy of digging into. Explore Madrid and seek for the hidden beauty of this metropolitan city with a local guide free of charge GuidedbyaLocal.com. Best experienced on the street, Madrid is home to many hidden gems known only to the locals themselves. For first timers, you might want to visit Botin Restaurant, known all over the world for being the oldest restaurant still open today. Also, a must visit place in Madrid is the Rastro Flea Market, the largest flea market in all of Europe. Housing up to 3500 stalls, this market is a favorite among the locals for its abundant variety of products and on-the-budget bargains. The Fuencarral Market is a unique place to visit in Madrid for its combination of a marketplace, a party area, and performance center. It is said that there is always something unique happening here all the time. Speaking of unique, the Chocolateria de San Gines is famous for its unique recipe of chocolate con churros(fried dough dipped in melted chocolate). Get more of the hidden gems of the city of Madrid with a local guide from Guidedbyalocal.com. Madrid offers a great palatial experience to those who know where to look for. Setting aside the various restaurants that serve international cuisines, Madrid houses some of the best Spanish restaurants in the country which serve regional food from all over the country such as Galician, Andalucian, Valencian, and of course, Madrileño. One of the restaurants recommened by locals is the Bazaar Restaurant which at first looks intimading budget-wise, but will prove to be very light on the pocket. While in Madrid, sample the mouth-watering tapas (appetizers, snacks, finger foods) which come in many different varieties from cold meat cuts to bread and tomato sauce based appetizers. Also, Madrileños love drinking, and their city is known for its great tasting wine and local draught beers. A local favorite bar is the Balmoral, sporting more than 100 mixtures of cocktails and delicious tapas. Ask your local guide and dive into a food adventure in the city of Florence.