Madrid

Singapore: eventually you appreciate how clean it is.

Opinion
Travel tips

The nine cities that gave me a terrible first impression

These are the places I really disliked at first, only to realise that once you scratch below the surface, they’re actually great (but, sorry Bangkok, still not a fan).

Ben Groundwater

★★★★
Train journeys

This two-in-one rail journey is a fabulous way to see Spain

Despite delays, I enjoy both the shiny, fast-train experience and the slower, more worn-in regional train.

Shaney Hudson

The interior is calming, if a bit light on distractions.

Airport reviews

Europe’s second-largest airport needs a facelift (and you’ll need a book)

Madrid Airport has fewer passengers, more space and less clutter than most, but there are few entertainment options.

Shaney Hudson

★★★★
Hotel reviews

A hotel worth a splurge in Madrid’s own Rodeo Drive

An exquisite stay, Hotel Unico is close to all the things that make the Spanish capital’s most moneyed ’hood tick.

Anthony Dennis

★★★★½
Hotel reviews

A superb stay in the heart of Spain’s capital

Be schooled in the magnificence of Madrid in this central hotel.

Anthony Dennis

The tropical forest inside the train station of Atocha. It is the largest railway station in Madrid.

Train journeys

Inside the world’s most interesting metro network

More than a century old, this underground labyrinth includes museums, art installations and a station that feels like something from Jurassic Park.

Kerry van der Jagt

Spain

Spain’s most impressive art gallery is home to thousands of masterpieces

There are three works everyone wants to see when they visit Spain’s largest and most important art gallery, but there’s so much more.

Ben Groundwater

Culture holidays

Spain’s new $286 million art museum may be its boldest yet

The Royal Collections Gallery has considerable competition in one of the world’s leading art cities. However, it has something that Madrid’s big three doesn’t.