Spain is close to our hearts because my husband is half Spanish by blood. His mother was born & raised in Madrid & it’s so nice to discover his heritage, especially now that we have our son so he gets to learn not just about his Filipino side but also his Spanish side.
MADRID
Good to Know
- 7 Day Trip Itinerary
- Value for Money Tips in Madrid
- Flying from Geneva to Madrid with a Dog
- What to do if your Rimowa Luggage Won’t Open
Where We Ate
- Patatas Fritas they have the best homemade potato chips in Spain! I always bring home some
- Havana Blues Tapas 2014 delicious neighborhood tapas bar
- Havana Blues Cuban Restaurant & Bar April 2022/23 delicious Cuban food & drinks
- Havana Blues April 2025
- El Brillante Bocadillo de Calamares a Madrid institution
- Museo del Jamon another Madrid institution
- Rodilla Sandwiches sandwiches I dream about
- The best places to eat Churros: Valor vs San Gines
- Chocolates Valor two locations for churros con chocolate
- Serrano 80 for unforgettable steaks
- MasQmenos a quick bite & break while people watching in the touristy area
- Órale Burrito authentic yummy tacos and quac with chips
- Bar Pulpo our favorite for good, fresh seafood
- Chök Goya the chocolate kitchen for delicious sweet treats
- La Maruca fine dining yet affordable Spanish food | listed in the Michellin Guide
- Casa Mortero Yummy rustic food | listed in the Michellin Guide
- Chirusa Experimental churreria & chocolateria
- El Roble a place locals love, especially for the lunch meals
- Cafeteria Restaurante El Valle The only place that was open during Semanda Santa
- Carmen Bar a chic bar resto that has a modern take on classic Spanish tapas YUM!
- We are Farmers Torreznos
- Ramen Kagura Atocha
- La Antigua a must for the chocolate covered churros
- El Rincon de Jaen
- Jollibee chicken joy forever!!!
- Mangis Ice Cream and Coffee
- Alcaravea
- Santa Gloria Coffee & Baker avoid! Instagrammable location with awful service
- Lana Steak
Things to Do
- Sightseeing in Madrid
- Plaza Real the most iconic square in Madrid. A must for every visitor.
- Real Madrid Bernabéu Stadium Tour
- Free Museum Entry at the Prado, Reina Sofia & Lazaro Galdiano
- Madrid Zoo on a Sunday
- Watching a Real Madrid game live at the Bernabeu Stadium
- Museo del Prado A fantastic collection of art
- Why we get haircuts in Madrid
Shopping
- Tax Free Shopping Tips
- Shopping for Spanish Products
- Stores we regularly visit in Madrid El Corte Ingles, Salvador Bachiller & a Uniqlo run
- Mercadona shopping for groceries & supplies
- Uniqlo unfortunately the cost cutting has lowered the quality but the price is same or higher
- Lefties go here instead of Uniqlo to still get 100% cotton at low prices
- Miniso
- Ale-hop Spanish version of Miniso. Super cute Spanish fans!
- El Corte Ingles toy department
- Alvaro Moreno Don’t bother going to Uniqlo anymore, preppy classics at affordable prices and good materials.
- Cooligans super cute recreations of original football jerseys
- La Mistral the cutest bookstore with a cafe & toilet. We love their pop-up books
- Suarez El Corte Ingles Serrano For jewelry lovers. Marta and Julie made my dreams come true!
BARCELONA
Accommodations
Where We Ate
- Lost Caracoles – we visit each time we are in Barcelona. A MUST!
- Bar Mut – the best pulpo EVER
- Restaurant Gut a gluten-free resto that tastes amazing
- Xurreria Trebol perfect for an afternoon snack! The chocolate covered ones are YUM.
I hope you find these posts useful! If you have any questions, please feel free to message me on my Instagram!
