10 of the best activities to do with visitors in Madrid

Since we don't start teaching until October 1st and my mom is semi-retired, she came to visit for a week and a half before life gets hectic! She had such an eventful trip because more things went wrong than we could've imagined (we usually have great luck?), but now that it's all behind us, I'd like to think it makes for a good story. 

The good news is that when things weren't going wrong, they were going really well. We ate the most delectable food, saw so many gorgeous places, explored the city, and didn't care at all that we looked like complete tourists. My mom also squeezed in a 3-day trip to Porto, Portugal for us and then her best friend joined us for 4 days when we got back to Madrid, so to say we did a lot is an understatement!

Below are 10 of the best things we did while they were in town that I highly recommend for when you have visitors:

1. Walk around Retiro Park ! This activity alone could last multiple hours because the park is enormous and has so much to offer

2. Go to a flamenco show (this place was recommended by a Flamenco dancer I know and we couldn't have loved it more)

3. Go out to eat! Below were 5 of my mom and her friend's favorite spots:

• Casa Carmen Alcalá - we had an unreal meal here and enjoyed beautiful outdoor seating
• Swiss Butter - a delicious steak dinner with a baked potato or fries for €19
• El Rincón de Extremadura - my favorite neighborhood spot to sit, have a glass of wine (or two), and enjoy some tapas outside
• Honest Greens - a Madrid staple that visitors love
• Gyoza Go - if you love Asian food and/or dumplings, this is a must! It's a hole in the wall and one of my favorite places to eat in Madrid because 10 dumplings are only €6

4. Visit Museo Nacional del Prado

5. Explore the city by metro and bus because Madrid's public transportation system is spectacular

6. Brag about the tap water! Make sure to order "agua del grifo" at restaurants (or "agua grifa" as my mom would say) to avoid getting charged €10 for water

7. Do a tour of the Royal Palace

8. Stop and smell the roses (translation for Americans: just sit on a bench for an hour and exist)

9. Walk around Mercado de San Miguel! I told my mom it was super touristy but she loved it, so I have to admit that it was really cool to see it through her eyes. It is stunning inside and the perfect place to enjoy some churros with hot chocolate when it's chilly outside or a glass of wine amongst all the hustle and bustle

10. Do a day trip to Toledo

• Stop by Taberna Skala for lunch, you won't regret it! We were obsessed with the food and the employees were so kind
• Visit the Catedral Primada, it's breathtaking inside
• The Monastery is very peaceful and has beautiful architecture as well

When there are thousands of ways to spend time in Spain, it can be slightly overwhelming to choose only a few activities. My hope is that this condensed list can serve as a guide for anyone with visitors on the way. You really can't go wrong when it comes to exploring this city and country, so just enjoy the time together and stop worrying about looking like a tourist.