Outdoors

Once the Royal family's playground and later campground of Napoleon's invading troops over 200 years ago, the Parque de El Retiro (El Retiro Park) is massive at 350 acres and full of whimsical buildings (a cowshed cum exhibit hall), tranquil spaces, quirky monuments (one to the devil of all things), sparkling fountains, and 400-year-old trees. Pack a lunch and picnic by the lake, take a moment to read El País on one of the park's many benches, or pass through the park on your way to the zoo or the Crystal Palace, all within its grounds. Though the park's open until midnight, staying away once night falls may be wise as some drug dealing and petty crime have been known to happen in El Retiro.

If you're in Madrid on Sunday morning, you can't miss El Rastro (literally translating as "the trail"), one of Europe's largest open-air flea markets, where you can buy anything from a parakeet to an antique armoire and all the funky clothes, accessories, books, magazines, and stamps you can imagine. For the best deals and fun haggling, arrive early. The market gets busy around 11 a.m. and empties by 3 or 4 p.m. Nearby restaurants offer specials for lunch on Sunday, too.