🇪🇸 Madrid in 72 Hours: A Whirlwind Guide ✨

🚄 Arrival & Accommodation Barcelona Sants → Madrid Puerta de Atocha (2h45min by high-speed train) Stay: Booked a spacious 2-bedroom apartment (with a sofa bed for 4) via Booking. Central location—steps from metro, supermarkets, and cafés! 🏠 🚇 Transport 10-trip Metro/Bus pass (easy purchase at station machines). 🍽️ Foodie Highlights Basque Cheesecake at Caracola Madrid (Anton Martín Market, 2nd floor)—pistachio flavor = MUST! 🍰 Papizza Fuencarral: BBQ mini-pizzas—cheap & addictive! 🍕 Churros con chocolate (classic Spanish snack!) Pro tip: Grab fresh OJ from supermarkets—so sweet & refreshing! 🧃 📅 Itinerary Breakdown Day 1: Arrival + Tapas Crawl 1️⃣ Mercado de San Miguel Tapas, jamón, seafood—foodie heaven! 🦐 2️⃣ Puerta del Sol Snap the Bear & Strawberry Tree statue 🐻🍓 + sip COCO bubble tea (taste of home!). Day 2: Art Marathon 🖼️ 1️⃣ Reina Sofía Museum Picasso’s Guernica + avant-garde masterpieces. 2️⃣ Prado Museum Las Meninas, a Mona Lisa variant, and endless galleries (pace yourself!). Day 3: Royal Farewell 👑 1️⃣ Royal Palace of Madrid Student tickets available! Opulence overload. Last meal: Ramen (again!) → off to Lisbon! ✈️ 💡 Final Thoughts Chill vibe: More eating than rushing—perfect balance! Missed? Thyssen Museum + Retiro Park’s Crystal Palace (next time!). Madrid, you chaotic gem—we’ll be back! 💃 #StudyAbroadTravel #MadridGuide #SpainOnABudget #ArtLovers #FoodieAdventure 🇪🇸✨