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Madrid mini break

Take a break in Spains foodie capital

Barcelona is Spains epicentre of culture, nightlife and cool, right? Well, after seeing what Madrid has to offer, I beg to differ. The Spanish

capital is the perfect minibreak easily manageable on foot, very friendly, and a foodies dream. And a warm, clear spring weekend is a greattime to visit.

Words: Natasha Tomalin

We stayed at the majestic ME Madrid hotel, which dominates picturesque Plaza de Santa Ana. Its an early 19th-century building, but theinteriors ooze modern sophistication from every wooden panel and leather sofa, and the bedrooms are sleek and up to date. The hotelsMidnight Rose bar is the perfect starting point for an evening of bar hopping. An easy feat to pull off with its central location, just a stonesthrow from some of the best tapas joints around (there are over 20,000 of them in the city).

Why it's hot

Most visitors head for the historic Prado museum, or the shopping boulevards of upmarket Salamanca, but its areas TriBall, Chueca andMalasaa (Penlope Cruz owns an apartment there) that are really buzzing. A hive of designers, musicians and artists, you could stroll aroundall day, people watching and checking out the indie boutiques and cafes. Among the best in Malasaa is Lolinas (lolinacafe.com), which makes

great coffee and sells one-off retro furniture and cute cupcake bakery Happy Day (happydaybakery.es) next door. Lotta in Chueca(lottavintage.com) is the perfect place to pick up exquisite clothing from the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies, while around the corner must-trymodern tapas bar Ol Lola (olelola.com), serves Croquetas Jamn Jamn (the Almodvar pun is deliberate).

Eating and drinking

If youre a foodie, head straight to San Miguel market. In an art deco building, the best suppliers in Spain serve wine, beer and every form oftapas imaginable. For an afternoon treat, sample them Spanish speciality of churros (long, thin doughnuts) with chocolate at Chocolateria SanGines. For dinner, head to the Gastro Bar Le Cabrera (lecabrera.com). We sat at the bar and watched the chefs prepare fusion-style tapasincluding passionfruit sardines, scallop tartar served in a gem lettuce leaf and bombones de carnes (mini hamburgers). If you prefer moretraditional tapas but are too scared to approach the bar and ask for pinchos (bread with everything from jamon to cheese) then take a tour with

Adventurous Appetites (adventurousappetites.com), where youll be led around a selection of the best places to sample the specialties.

One tip: the dirtier the floor, the better the bar its traditional to throw anything you cant eat (prawn shells, olive stones, napkins andtoothpicks) at your feet. If you want to go it alone, the kitsch Los Gatos on Calle de Jess has the best Boquerones en vinagre (anchovies) in the

city. While sherry bar La Venecia, just off Plaza Santa Ana, has a welcoming ambience, which is relatively unchanged since the Fifties.

Photo opportunity

Head to a spot right in between the Cathedral de la Almudena and the Royal Palace and you will find the most breathtaking panoramic viewsover the west outskirts of the city, but if you dont fancy the walk and want a cocktail to accompany your view, then the rooftop bar at MEMadrid provides the perfect solution. Theres nothing more relaxing than watching the sun go down over the city withthe speciality blackmojito in hand.

Doubles at ME Madrid start at 220 (memadrid.com). Easyjet flies to Madrid International Airport Barajas

Title: Stylist (Online)Date: March 21st 2012Unique users: 355,000