Just got back from vacation, Madrid is a somewhat typical euro-city, but if you go into the older central area there are some back-alley eateries and bars. It helps to habla espanol, but you can probably bluff your way through without it.

Also there are art museums galore if you're into that sort of thing, including the legendary Prado which is worth seeing even if you're not into art.

The best thing about Madrid turned out to be some of the medieval towns in near proximity. Day trips might be practical on a longer layover...use either the Madrid Atocha, or the Chamartin, train station. Check schedules first if possible.

Segovia: Up north, two hour train ride (low speed). You can walk everywhere or take a cab. The old city is to the north, and the Alcazar castle is fantastic...it's the best one I've ever seen. It's a REAL working castle (unlike the disney castle in bavaria), with roman, moorish, and spanish additions through history. There's also a Roman aquaduct.

Toledo: This would be my first choice...the old city is on a hill surrounded by a river and walls. The high-speed commuter train takes 30 minutes from the Madrid Atocha station, and runs frequently (make sure the return leg is not sold out). You can walk from the train station or take a cab. Walk over the medieval foot bridge, not the auto bridge. The entire old city is roman/medieval in construction, it's like stepping through a time machine. There are a variety of things to see (especially the cathedral), and it's very tourist oriented. There are numerous hotels available, we stumbled on the Carlos V which was decent and reasonably priced (off season).

Didn't hit southern spain on this trip, but loved it from my navy days.

How did you get to/from Madrid?

Non-rev DAL. It's the off season, Business Elite the whole way (through ATL).