The Prado, the Parks & the Plates

Drop your bags at your hotel and get your bearings. The Paseo del Arte sits at the heart of the day's plan, so anywhere near Atocha or Barrio de las Letras puts everything within easy walking distance.

Start where Madrid's art story truly begins. The Prado's collection — Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens — rewards a focused morning far more than a rushed full circuit. Pick two or three rooms and let yourself slow down in front of them.

A five-minute walk from the Prado into Barrio de las Letras, this tiled taberna is exactly the kind of place you want after a long morning on your feet. Pull up a stool, order a caña and work through the cold-cut montaditos at the bar.

While the Prado traces the Spanish canon, the Thyssen takes a wider sweep — Impressionism, German Expressionism, American pop — all housed in a stately 19th-century palace on the Paseo del Prado. A perfect afternoon counterpoint to the morning.

Complete the art triangle with an early-evening visit to Spain's national modern-art museum. Guernica — Picasso's vast anti-war canvas — commands its own room and demands unhurried attention. The building itself, a converted 18th-century hospital, is worth a look too.

End the day with a glass of vermouth or wine at this relaxed bar just a short stroll from the Reina Sofía, right in the literary heart of Barrio de las Letras. Outdoor tables, good pours, no rush — the perfect decompression after a day spent with great art.

Head into Centro for Basque pintxos done properly. Sagardi's counter is piled high with the real thing — bites built on good bread with serious ingredients — and the grilled meats from the open kitchen are worth ordering too.

Grab a café con leche and a croissant at any of the neighbourhood bakeries near your hotel before setting off west. Madrid mornings at pavement tables are a ritual worth observing.

The largest royal palace in Western Europe by floor area, though the Spanish royal family hasn't lived here for over a century. The state rooms — silks, frescoes, Stradivarius instruments, Goya portraits — are extravagant in the best sense. Arrive early to beat the queues.

Right alongside the palace, Madrid's cathedral is a study in contradictions: a neoclassical exterior finished only in 1993, a crypt that dates to the 16th century, and a surprisingly colourful modern interior. It takes less than an hour and rounds out the western historic quarter perfectly.

A short walk downhill into La Latina, this neighbourhood restaurant is the kind of place locals return to week after week. Solid Spanish cooking, an honest wine list and the easy rhythm of a Sunday lunch crowd.

Cross the city east by metro to Madrid's great green lung. The 350-acre former royal retreat gives you formal rose gardens, the glass-and-iron Palacio de Cristal, a rowing lake and long shaded promenades — the ideal antidote to a morning of marble floors.

Just south of Retiro, this contemporary cultural centre occupies a converted early-20th-century building and runs a rolling programme of contemporary art, cinema and social-practice exhibitions. A grounding, thought-provoking finish to a weekend of looking at great work.

One of Madrid's oldest cafés, Café Comercial in Chamberí has been a meeting place for writers, students and neighbourhood regulars since 1887. High ceilings, marble tables, mirrors — order something cold and take stock of the weekend.