A day in Madrid

When I knew I was going to Madrid, I didn’t have a clue what Madrid would be like and what I should expect. Norman (editor of Buro 24/7 Singapore), my partner-in-crime on the trip had  been there years ago and he told me that the vibe in Madrid is completely different compared to Barcelona. Believe it or not, I could feel the difference as soon as I touched down in Madrid. Both of them are Spain’s biggest cities, but I personally think that Madrid allows you to get to the heart of Spanish cultural essence because people from all around Spain tend to gather there  compared to Barcelona, which attracts tourists from around the world.

Las Rozas Village

Las Rozas Village is smaller compared to La Roca in Barcelona but the shops they have there definitely compete. Las Rozas Village has the key brands I wanted to shop, like Gucci, Loewe, Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Missoni, Bulgari and many more. For me personally, they had more selection of what I like even though the stores were smaller. The layout of the village was very spacious and like La Roca definitely didn’t feel like an outlet.

Maybe it was the heatwave, but the shopping village was less crowded that day and I tend to shop more in relaxed, less busy places.  I always prefer shopping on weekdays too. A good sign of any destination is that it’s popular with the locals and Las Rozas was full of locals compared to tourists in Barcelona.

The terrace is to die for! It’s a great spot to hang out even if you’re not shopping.

I was looking for a pair of new shades and I found a lot of good deals. I ended up getting a pair of Dior’s for about 200 euros.

Lunch at a beautiful cafe inside the village.

Here’s what I got for less than 1k euros. A Loewe clutch & coin pouch, Bulgari bracelet and Dior sunglasses.

Chocolateria San Gines

I’m so glad we made it to the infamous Chocolateria San Gines in Central Madrid. This cafe is one of the oldest, operated since 1894 and it’s super famous for their chocolate con churros. Locals come here for supper as they’re open 24/7, super cool right! How I wish we had a chocolate supper place in KL too. I can tell they’re a must visit place from the photowall they have inside featuring their most famous visitors of all time.

Address: Pasadizo San Ginés, 5, 28013 Madrid, Spain

Mistura Ice Cream & Coffee

I remember we were craving some good ice cream to beat the heat. We made a few stops just to find good ice cream and we actually found one near Centro de Turismo Plaza Mayor. After google-ing it, it’s apparently one of the best handmade ice creams you can get in Madrid.

I tried the Pistachio flavour. Totally regret not ordering the double scoop lol.

Address : Calle Ciudad Rodrigo 6, 28012 Madrid, Spain

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

The Thyssen is one of the most extraordinary private collections of predominantly European art in the world. Featuring 1,600 private collections, you can really learn so much about how art and fashion evolved over the years. Unfortunately we had only an hour and a half to spend there, but we had a lot of fun learning about the paintings. Very interesting stories for each and every painting.

Address : Paseo del Prado, 8, Madrid, Spain

Restaurante Ramon Frexia Madrid

One of Madrid’s finest, awarded two Michelin Stars. Their dishes are so well designed, from the looks to the taste. We had a really great time enjoying them. Also tons of snapchat worthy moments.

Address: Calle de Claudio Coello, 67, 28001 Madrid, Spain

Madrid’s iconic buildings

Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena

Royal Palace of Madrid

La Plaza Mayor

Cybele Palace

Casa De La Villa

La Grand Via

Hotel Villa Magna

I loved the reflective TV in the room and the white marble furnished toilet. This hotel is located in Madrid’s most fashionable street, Salamanca, where you can find all the high end brands around the corner. I literally spent the last hour in the Gucci flagship nearby ( 2 minutes walk ) before heading to the airport.

Address: Paseo de la Castellana, 22, 28046 Madrid, Spain

I would love to thank Chic Outlet Shopping for having me and hosting me with the best itinerary I could ever ask for! Hope you enjoy this post! Till then!