Best Boutique Hotels In Spain
With temperatures skyrocketing higher than 95°F during August, it may sound appealing to just simply hide out in the comfort of your air-conditioned hotel room but here a few suggestions on what to do in Madrid during the month of august and how to keep cool!
First of all, get on the local schedule. There is a reason people take a siesta in the middle of the day! Temperatures are hottest between 1pm and 5pm and to be stomping around town at these hours under the sun is just plain foolish. Believe me, you will not miss anything mid afternoon in Madrid, the streets are quiet while the waves of heat rise from the black top. If you really want to see the local culture, you’re going to miss it eating lunch at 12 and dinner at 6pm! Go have a long lunch around 1:30-2pm at one of the hundreds of fantastic restaurants and then a rest in the air conditioning of your hotel. This way you won’t feel exhausted when you are out at 1am on a beautiful terrace and a cool breeze with the rest of the city. Around 6pm the sidewalks start returning to life.
Before exploring the streets of Madrid, you may want to stop by the store, Tiger, to pick up a hand-held water mister. It will come in handy during the toasty underground metro rides or when crossing the avenues to get to the shady side of the street.
Madrid is usually very sunny and many people do not like to be inside the museums all day, but in august you can take advantage of the air-conditioned museums, totally guilt free. You could spend three days of air-conditioned bliss between the Prado museum, the Thyssen museum, and the Reina Sofia alone. Not to mention the Royal Palaces, Sorolla Museum, and the Cerralbo. I find the lines are to a minimum or non-existent in August in Madrid. Buy tickets in advance so you are sure not to wait in any lines.
If you do not think you can take a nap after lunch, try going to see a movie. There are several original version movie theaters and they always have the latest releases from the United States and UK, all in English with Spanish subtitles. Movie times start around 3pm so by the time the movie is over the heat begins to subside.
One of the best ways to cool off in the summer is to enjoy a refreshing drink or snack, but while in Madrid, you’ll want to do it the Spanish way. If you’re looking for an after lunch energy-boost, try a café con leche con hielo, which is Spain’s version of a fresh iced latte. Another natural way to cool off and revitalize is to stop at one of the many terraces or bars that serve zumo de naranja natural, or fresh squeezed orange juice. Fresh-squeezed orange juice is the norm in Spain, not the exception, and therefore is readily available in most cafes. While sitting in a bar or at a terrace, enjoy a reviving tinto de verano, an iced fruity beverage that translates as “the red wine of summer.” For a meal that is filling and will help you cool down, try gazpacho, a traditional chilled Spanish dish made with a variety of fresh vegetables blended together. Last but certainly not least, satisfy your sweet tooth with some authentic and delicious gelato in one of the many gelaterías throughout the city.
Best Zumo de Naranja
The Chesscafe
Paseo de la Esperanza, 2
Metro: Acacias
Best Tinto de Verano
Atenas
Best Gazpacho
Taberna Tirso de Molina
Plaza Tirso de Molina, 9
Metro: Tirso de Molina
Best Gelato
Giuseppe Ricci
Calle de las Huertas, 9
Metro: Antón Martin
Breeze with a view
The panoramic view of Madrid from a rooftop terrace is one for memories, which is why there are so many rooftop terraces throughout the city. Not only are they a great place for photo ops, but they are also the ideal location to enjoy the breeze and a cocktail, or one of the refreshing beverages we listed above. Furthermore, most of the terraces are equipped with water misters that are extremely revitalizing when amidst the intense heat. Below are some of the best terraces with the most beautiful views of the city.
Tartan Roof Restaurant at Circulo de las Bellas Artes
Calle Alcalá, 42
Metro: Banco de España
Schedule:10:00-2:00
Las Terrazas del Thyssen at Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
Paseo Prado, 8, 28014 Madrid
Metro: Banco de España
Schedule: Sun-Mon 10:00-18:45 / Tues-Sat 10:00-2:00
Terraza Atenas
In Atenas Park on Calle Segovia
Schedule: 11:30-2:30
Ático de Las Letras at Hotel de Las Letras
Gran Vía, 11
Metro: Gran Vía
Gau & Café
Calle Tribulete, 14, 4° Planta
Metro: Lavapies
Hotel Emperador
Gran Vía, 53
Metro: Santo Domingo/Plaza de España
*To use the rooftop pool, a price of 40 euro is required (Pool open 11:00-20:00)
La Terraza del Palacio de Cibeles
Plaza de Cibeles 1, 6ª Planta
Metro: Banco de España
Hotel Ada Palace
Calle Gran Via, 2
Metro: Gran Via
If the heat has you beat, you may want to enjoy a relaxing afternoon at one of the city’s large swimming pools. Below we have listed two of the biggest pool complexes that will be open to the public throughout August. If you are looking to avoid many other tourists, however, we recommend checking out the latter on the list, Vicente del Bosque. Here you will find not only two enormous refreshing outdoor pools, but also an entire sports complex open for public use.
La Casa de Campo
Paseo Puerta del Angel, 7
Metro: El Lago
Avenida Monforte de Lemos
Metro: Begoña o Barrio del Pilar
Escaping the City Heat
After exploring the secrets of Madrid, we recommend you pick a day with a high temperature forecast and take a trip to this hidden gem just outside of the city for the day. La Pedriza is a regional park with unbeatable natural scenery and springs. We recommend that you arrive early in the morning, walk along the river, and indulge in the fresh and cold waters of the springs. To arrive, you must rent a car and take Highway Colmenar a short 50km outside of Madrid. For convenience, Bluemove Carsharing is now offering car rentals by the hour:
If you decide you would like to escape the city for a short while, it is in your best interest to pay Las Fuentes de La Granja a visit. At 5:30pm on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, these outstanding aquatic spectacles begin to spout out 1000s of gallons of water a minute, cooling off the area around them as if they were their own little micro-climate. These fountains at the summer palace in the mountains are well worth the drive for a day trip from Madrid.
Las Fuentes de La Granja
Plaza de España, 15
40100 Real Sitio de San Ildefonso (Segovia)
Best Way to Beat the Heat in Madrid in August. Written by Jessie Owens and Katherine Johnston
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