Madrid has really revamped itself in the past couple of years. The Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums have all got bigger and better, while the centre of the city is smartening up with new boutiques, delis, cafés and gastrobars opening up every week. It’s perfect for a culture-rich long weekend or city break, with great food and a lively atmosphere at night.  Although it is cold in winter, there are usually a lot of bright, sunny days and it is often warm enough to sit outside during the day. Just remember your hat and gloves. The weather is best in spring and autumn. Cultural and street festivals are under way for most of May. It is usually uncomfortably hot for much of July and August, so if you want to go then, it is a really good idea to book a hotel with a pool. Then you can spend the mornings in air-conditioned museums and shops, swim and sunbathe all afternoon, and sit at outdoor cafés and restaurants after the sun has gone down.  EasyJet (0843 104 5000, www.easyjet.com) flies to Madrid from Gatwick, Luton, Bristol, Edinburgh and Liverpool, and Ryanair (0871 246 0000, www.ryanair.com) from Manchester, Stansted and Dublin. From Heathrow, fly with Iberia (0870 609 0500, www.iberia.com) or British Airways (0844 493 0787, www.ba.com), which also has a flight out of London City. Air Europa (0871 423 0717, www.aireuropa.com) operates out of Gatwick. Flights take approximately two hours.  Barajas airport (www.aena.es) is 7.5 miles from the city centre. A taxi costs €25-€35 (£21-£29) and takes 20-30 minutes. The metro from the airport costs €1.50-€2 plus a €3 supplement. You need to change lines to get to the centre, which is easy enough but obviously only advisable with manageable luggage. There is also a train from Terminal 4 to the centre (stops include Chamartin and Atocha stations), which costs €2.45. The 24-hour bus service costs €5 and takes about 40 minutes, with stops at Cibeles and Atocha stations. See www.emtmadrid.es for more information.  Travel to Paris with Eurostar (www.eurostar.com), then take TGV from Paris to Figueres, where you change onto the AVE high-speed train to Madrid. You can also get the Elipsos sleeper train from Paris to Madrid (13 hours 40 minutes). Book tickets through Spanish Rail (020 7725 7063, www.spanish-rail.co.uk), which also sells the Golden Card (€5) that entitles the over-60s to a 40 per cent discount. Check timetables and fares on the website of Spanish rail network Renfe (www.renfe.com). You can also book through International Rail (0871 2310790, www.internationalrail.com), Railbookers (0844 4821010, www.railbookers.com) and Rail Europe (0844 8484064, www.raileurope.co.uk). Seat61 (www.seat61.com) tells you everything you need to know about getting to Madrid by train.  Brittany Ferries (0871 2441400, www.brittanyferries.co.uk) sails to Santander twice a week from Portsmouth (a 24-hour voyage) and once a week from Plymouth (a 20-hour voyage). There is also a twice-weekly service from Portsmouth to Bilbao (24 or 32-hour voyage). From the ferry ports at Santander or Bilbao, it takes four or five hours to drive to Madrid.  A single ride on the metro (www.metromadrid.es/en) or bus €1.50 for up to five stops. More than five stops cost up to €2. A 10-ride metrobus ticket costs €12.20, and is valid on the metro and bus.The Madrid Card covers entrance to lots of museums, discounts at sights, restaurants and shops, and is available for periods of one to five days. Prices start at €44 for one day, and the card can be combined with a travel pass (€8.40 extra) and/or the tourist bus (€21 extra). Available from the tourist office in the Plaza Mayor, or buy online to get a discount (www.madridcard.com).  The Madrid tourist bus has routes around the historic monuments of the old town and the modern architecture in the new parts of the city, and costs €20 for one day and €24 for two (www.autobusturisticomadrid.com). Tickets available online, on the bus or from tourist offices in the Plaza Mayor and Felipe IV near the Prado.  These are plentiful and not too expensive. A green light and a “Libre” sign show the vehicle is available. You can call a cab from Radio-Taxi (91 447 3232) or Teletaxi (91 371 2131).  There is no need to drive around central Madrid, and parking is a nightmare. Most sights are within walking distance or, at most, a few stops away by bus or metro. If you want to hire a car to do some day trips, try Avis (00 34 902 180 854, www.avis.es) or Europcar (00 34 902 105 030, www.europcar.es/Madrid). Spanish companies National Atesa (00 34 902 100 101, www.atesa.es) and Pepe Car (00 34 91 559 4824, www.pepecar.com) may well be cheaper.  British Consulate General: Torre Espacio, Paseo de la Castellana 259D; 902 109356 (from Madrid or elsewhere in Spain); 00 34 91 334 2194 (from abroad, or alternative number); http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en.Tourist Office: (00 34 91 588 1636, www.esmadrid.com), Plaza Mayor 27.Emergency services: Dial 112 for police, ambulance and fire services. To report a crime, call 902 102 112, where English-speakers are available.  Currency: Euro.Telephone codes: Dial 00 34, then the local number, if telephoning Madrid from Britain. When dialling Madrid numbers, you must always dial the 91 Madrid code before the number.Time difference: +1 hour.Flight times: Madrid is approximately two hours from UK airports.  You must carry your passport with you by law, and usually have to show it when paying by debit or credit card. Take photocopies of your passport and European Healthcard, as you will need both for any medical treatment.  If driving, you must have two warning triangles, two reflective bibs, a spare tyre and spare headlamp bulbs. Children under 12 are only allowed in the front seat with approved safety belts.  It is not usual to share tables, even in fast-food joints.  Anyone you are introduced to by friends will want to kiss you on both cheeks, but this does not apply to hotel staff, etc.  Lunch happens from 2pm, dinner from 9pm at the very earliest, though 10pm is the norm.  Most bars won’t mind if you go in just to use the toilet – los servicios.  Although they certainly like a drink, it is rare to see Spaniards rolling drunk in public.  It is a bit cheaper to have drinks or tapas at the bar rather than sitting at a table, and sitting outside will usually cost approximately an extra 20 eurocents or so per item.  Locals usually leave very small tips – just odd change for drinks and snacks, and often nothing at all. A 10 per cent tip for a meal is considered generous and 5 per cent is more the norm – unless you are somewhere really upmarket, when international rules come into play.  If breakfast is not included in your hotel rate, it is much cheaper and more fun to go to a bar – unless you are starving and can make the most of the buffet.  Check your change at restaurants, cafés and shops in touristy spots, particularly in and around the Plaza Mayor.
Our Madrid expert, Annie Bennett, offers an essential guide to a city break in Madrid, including the top attractions, the best hotels and where to eat and shop.