The masters of the Prado, the shade of El Retiro, the hum of tapas bars. Madrid stays up late and lives fully.
Last updated: 2026-07-16
Tourist traps, SIM cards, cash vs card, taxis and safety — the city's reality in five questions.
Fighting the Spanish clock and looking for dinner at 7pm — kitchens open at 9; before that is tapas time.
Orange/Vodafone tourist packs are reasonable even at the airport; Movistar has the best coverage.
Cards everywhere; settling small tapas bills in cash at the bar is still the custom.
Uber, Cabify and Bolt all work; the metro runs until 1:30am.
Safe; mind pickpockets in the Sol and Gran Vía crowds and keep distance from bracelet sellers.
Turn the dial to any hour and it tells you where you should be.
Pull the day dial; the estimated per-person cost is calculated instantly.
Figures are per-person daily USD estimates compiled from BudgetYourTrip, Numbeo and recent traveller reports. Flight/ferry tickets not included.
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