Car Hire Madrid

Parking in Madrid

• On street metered car parking is available throughout Madrid and is marked by dotted blue lines. White dotted lines mean spaces are reserved for permit holders.
• Saba Parking Madrid Train Station (28012) is adjacent to the Atocha Train Station, and close to the Reina Sofía Museum.
• Garaje Fermar (28013) is centrally located and close to Plaza Mayor and Teatro Real.

Speed limits in Madrid

• The speed limit for residential areas is 20 km/h (12mph).
• The speed limit for city roads is 30 km/h (18mph).
• The speed limit on national roads is 100 km/h (62mph).
• Motorways and dual carriageways have a top speed of 120 km/h (74mph).

Key roads in Madrid

• Calle 30 (M-30) is Madrid’s inner ring road, running for 20 miles around the heart of the capital. You can access it from all major motorways leading to the city.
• Gran Via is the main road through Madrid, stretching almost a mile from Plaza de España in the west, to Calle de Alcalá in the east.
• M-40 is Madrid’s outer ring road. At almost 40 miles long, it runs past many suburbs, as well as Parque Juan Carlos I. From it, you can access roads for Getafe, Leganes and more.

Traffic in Madrid

Madrid’s rush hours are from 7:30am to 9.30am in the morning and 6pm until 8pm in the evening. There are traffic spikes around siesta time in the afternoon.

How to get from Madrid to Toledo

Toledo’s cobbled streets and Gothic cathedral are only an hour’s drive away.

1. Take the Paseo de Santa María de la Cabeza/A-42 out of central Madrid.
2. Cross the Puente de Praga bridge.
3. Take the exit towards Calle Antonio Lopez.
4. Stay on the A-42 all the way to Toledo.
5. Leave on exit 68B towards Toledo/Centro Urbano.

Best hotels in Madrid

Hotel Único Madrid

Calle de Claudio Coello, 28001

A gorgeous boutique hotel set inside a former 19^th century palace, Hotel Único is ideally located for shopping in the sleek Salamanca district. Rooms are smart and the in-house restaurant, Ramon Freixa, has two Michelin stars and is regarded as one of Spain’s best.

Room Mate Mario

Calle de Campomanes, 28013

The Room Mate chain specialises in cool, hip hangouts in great neighbourhoods. Room Mate Mario is no exception, close to both the Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor. Rooms are simple, but colourful and clean, with great bathrooms at this price point.

Aloft Madrid Gran Via

Calle de Jacometrezo, 28013

Whether you’re enjoying the sweeping vistas from the rooftop pool or preparing to plunge into the city’s streets, you’re in an amazing location at the Aloft Gran Via. As the name suggests, it’s situated nearby the Gran Via, with shop and restaurant-lined streets all around.

Where to eat in Madrid

Sobrino de Botín

Calle de Cuchilleros, 28005

The world’s oldest restaurant, opening in 1725, Sobrino is a landmark known for its cast iron wood-burning stove and its legendary suckling pig. The latter was a favourite of Hemingway, who dined here regularly, while the great painter Goya once washed dishes in the kitchen.

Bodega de la Ardosa

Calle de Colón, 28004

There are countless tapas bars in Madrid, ranging from bustling tourist joints, to high end and new wave. The majority sit unfussily in the middle, dependably delivering amazing food. Ardosa has been getting it right since the 1800s, serving delicious beef cheeks, croquettes and tortilla.

DiverXO

NH Eurobuilding, Calle de Padre Damián, 28036

You’ll have to book well ahead to snag a table at perhaps the most avant-garde restaurant in the capital. Creating a unique experience that has the vibe of an interplanetary eaterie, chef David Munoz combines impeccable technique with playfulness and surprises – earning the restaurant three Michelin stars.

Best attractions in Madrid

Museo Nacional del Prado

Calle de Ruiz de Alarcón, 28014

A gallery to rival Paris’ Louvre, the Prado is Madrid’s premier art establishment. For a whistle-stop tour, make sure you take in Velazquez’ Las Meninas, one of the world’s great paintings, and Bosch’s haunting The Garden of Earthly Delights. Rubens, Titian, El Greco also feature heavily too.

Parque del Buen Retiro

Plaza de la Independencia, 28001

Once a royal park, Buen Retiro is now open to all Madrilenos. There are fantastic statues, a crystal palace and the ever-popular lake, which sits next to the Alfonso II monument. Seek out a quiet corner and smell the flowers in the green heart of Madrid.

Teatro Real

Plaza de Isabel II, 28013

Originally opened in 1850, the city’s main theatre has been shuttered often in its long life, even being used for gunpowder storage at one point. Thankfully, the city elders eventually saw sense and restored it to its former glory. Now it plays host to numerous events, in an imposing room that’s perfect for opera or ballet.