Day by Day guides are short and punchy city guides that direct travellers on a short break around the city in the most effective way. The guides are aimed at sophisticated travellers who are looking for a very accessible read to make the most of their stay. Through the use of special-interest tours in the books, travellers are able to get a good idea of the geography of their city instantly before exploring it in an interesting way, giving people some surprising choices for what to see and do, that they might not have thought to consider normally. These travellers know that there's a kind of science to organizing your time on a trip, to avoid a lot of needless backtracking or overbooking and Day by Days provide this information in an accessible way.

Contents
* 15 Favourite Moments
* The Best Full Day Tours around the Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor, the Prado Museum, the glorious Retiro Park, as well as eccentric palaces, convents for blue-blooded nuns, and all the best cafés and tapas bars to fuel up as you wander.
* Includes Special-Interest Tours through the city's world-class art museums, plus a glimpse into the Madrid of Cervantes and Lope de Vega, along with tours for kids, a bar hop through the best tapas places, and a stroll through the city's lush parks.
* Details the Best Neighborhood Walks around the Madrid of the Austrias, with its royal palaces and churches: the bohemian Plaza de Santa Ana: the trio of superb art museums which form the Golden Triangle; the chic Salamanca district: and the hip, colourful neighbourhoods of Malasaña and Chueca.
* Features outdoor visits to the Retiro Park with its enormous boating lake; the Casa de Campo with its Zoo and Cable Car; and the enchanting 18th-century botanic gardens.
* Lists the Best Shopping from the gritty charm of the Rastro flea market to the exclusive boutiques of Salamanca.
* Recommends the Best Dining experiences from classic Madrileño cuisine to tapas; the Best Nightlife, the Best Arts and Entertainment including Opera, and the Best Places to Stay.
* Includes Day Trips to magical cities, including Toledo and Segovia, as well as the magnificent royal palace and pantheon at El Escorial.

12 Favorite Moments 1

1 The Best Full-Day Tours 5

The Best in One Day 6

The Best in Two Days 12

The Best in Three Days 18

2 The Best Special-Interest Tours 23

The Highlights of the Prado 24

Highlights of the Paseo del Arte 28

Royal Madrid 34

Downtown Madrid: The Gran Vía 40

Madrid's Quirky Museums 44

Madrid for Kids 48

Tapas Tour of Madrid 52

3 The Best Neighborhood Walks 55

Santa Ana: Barrio de las Letras 56

Chueca & Malasaña: Shopping &

Nightlife 60

La Latina & Lavapiés 64

Traditional Madrid 68

4 The Best Shopping 73

Shopping Best Bets 76

Madrid Shopping A to Z 77

5 Madrid Outdoors 83

Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid (Botanic

Gardens) 84

Casa de Campo 86

Parque del Oeste 90

Parque del Retiro 94

6 The Best Dining 97

Dining Best Bets 98

Madrid Dining A to Z 102

7 The Best Nightlife 113

Nightlife Best Bets 116

Madrid Nightlife A to Z 117

8 The Best Arts & Entertainment 121

Arts & Entertainment Best Bets 124

Arts & Entertainment A to Z 125

9 The Best Lodging 129

Lodging Best Bets 130

Madrid Lodging A to Z 134

10 The Best Day Trips & Excursions 145

Aranjuez 146

San Lorenzo de El Escorial 150

Toledo 154

The Savvy Traveler 159

Before You Go 160

Getting There 163

Getting Around 164

Fast Facts 165

Madrid: A Brief History 169

Madrid's Architecture 170

Useful Phrases 172

Index 177