More than 4 centuries of history are crammed into what is without question a harmonious must-see on any visit to Madrid. A good finishing (or starting) point for a wander round the classic Austrias (old city) district, you can relax at one of the terrace bars that spill over the cobbled centre, or wander around the arcades which sometimes play host to collectors' markets. There's even a tourist office smack in the square to check out what's on that week & get the gory details on a plaza once used for bull fighting & for burnings of heretics! Don't miss heading down the steps at the western end, thru the Arco de Cuchilleros, & then doubling back up the Cava de San Miguel street at the rear of the Plaza. On the left is the usually packed market of San Miguel (& its generally good but pricey tapas haunts). But on the Plaza side you will find various cellar bars (known as cuevas- caves) built into the lower floors, specializing in different tapas and frequently playing host to impromptu flamenco & guitar sessions.

This is the main square or plaza of Madrid, you can find some restaurants to have dinner or lunch, or I recommend to go for tapas to the Torre del Oro bar, is by the north-west corner of the square. You'll appreciate the bullfighting culture of Spain, and see lots of instances when the bull has been victorious... In the plaza you can also see soccer fans gathering before a game, or street performers... grab a chair at a restaurant and enjoy people watching in the afternoon.

Plaza Mayor is a lovely square in the heart of Madrid. Around the periphery are an abundance of restaurants offering typical food of the region. The choice is wide and the waiters are super keen to get you into their restaurant, but don’t feel pressured. As with many Spanish locations, the area doesn’t really come to life until later in the evening. However it’s a great place to stop and have a drink and tapas and people watch before you head elsewhere for your actual dinner. Be sure if you order a tapas sized portion, that’s what they bring you. We got caught as they served an actual portion (ración) and we were obviously charged accordingly. This also limited how many dishes we could try as we were too full! If you’re here around lunchtime, try the little café on the corner closest to Calle Atocha, they have fantastic calamari rolls!!