Madrid in 3 days: a weekend for two

Pick a handful of rooms and save your attention for the two works almost nobody skips, Velázquez's Las Meninas and Goya's Black Paintings; both reward standing still. Arrive close to opening to stay ahead of the tour groups.

Then walk five minutes into the Parque del Retiro and let the morning settle. Find the Palacio de Cristal, a glass-and-iron pavilion in the trees, and take a rowboat out on the Estanque Grande for an easy, slightly silly hour on the water.

Forty-five minutes to an hour is plenty, and you can walk on into Retiro without backtracking. Entry is separate from the museum.

Eat your way around the Mercado de San Miguel, the wrought-iron market hall beside the Plaza Mayor: jamón, seafood, olives and small glasses of wine and vermouth, shared at a high table. Order a little of everything and notice what you both keep going back for. Go before the midday rush; by early evening it is loud and packed.

Later, walk about 20 minutes north (or ride a couple of metro stops) into Malasaña, where narrow streets of vintage shopfronts fill with bar tables once the sun drops. Let two or three bars make the evening.

Two minutes away, the 17th-century Plaza Mayor has been the city's civic stage for centuries. Take a coffee or a small glass under the arcades and watch Madrid go by; you stay dry if the weather turns, and there is nothing to book.

Skip the urge to see every room: the Throne Room and the Royal Armoury justify the visit on their own. Book timed tickets ahead, especially on weekends, and budget about ninety minutes.

Then walk twenty minutes across the center to the rooftop terrace of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, with the Gran Vía and the skyline spread below. Expect a small entry fee, and arrive with time to settle in before the light starts to go.

It is young by Madrid standards, with a bright, colorful interior and views from its dome, and it costs you almost no extra walking. The dome climb is optional and quick.