Going to Europe next month and in need of advice (GAs inside)

For Madrid

If you are interested in paintings, the Museo El Prado and Reina Sofia are indispensable. Other typical things: Royal palace, Temple of Debod, Cibeles...
If you are interested in Spanish and European history, the cities of Toledo and Segovia are completely wonderful. The same I can say about El Escorial, for example. However, you probably need to rent a cart to visit these sities, so maybe you prefer to spend your time in the city of Madrid.

As someone said, the Bernabeu is very appealing

There is a great variety of restaurants in Madrid. Tripadvisor is a good indicator. Another option is the neighborhood of La Latina. There is a great enviroment and you can taste the tapas of a lot of different restaurants and bars..

I will reply considering that you will visit only the 3 cities you mentioned. If you wish to visit southern-east Europe, like Greece, Cyprus or Italy, i can provide you with way more info.

If i were you i would:

1) Visit British Museum and Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum). Consider that you will need at least 4-6 hours inside each of them.

2) Certainly attend a football game either in London (Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham - preferably Arsenal) or a football game in Paris (Paris saint germain) or a football game in Madrid (Real or Atletico) or even better a Euroleague (basketball) game in Madrid (Real against Cska, Panathinaikos, Olympiakos or Khimki).

3) Ask someone else. I have nothing to suggest, i don't like neither theater or shows.

4) Ask the locals. They always have something good to suggest. I have nothing to suggest, i have no clue as i don't like expensive restaurants.

Generally speaking, i consider Southern East Europe a safer and cheaper place than Western Europe by far. So keep that in mind too wherever you go there. Souvenirs are very expensive too so consider to ask locals where you can find cheap souvenirs. Don't buy from museums as their souvenirs are extremely overpriced. You can find the same at stores a few hundred meters away from the museums at half their price.

The city of Madrid has 3 teams on spanish first division basketball league. The tickets are not very expensive, Real Madrid is a good team and it could be a good option. I think they also have like 3 teams in football first division.
Also Prado and Reina Sofia museums are worth the visit, and if you happen to be there on Sunday they are free of charge.

Trust on your family :/ They live there and they know you, they can recommend you better places than us.

theres loads of football teams in london but tickets for the english premier league arent cheap, of all the teams in london the best to watch right now is probly arsenal.

You could always take a train to Edinburgh and the surrounding area, visit the castles. Honestly, Scotland has better landscape views (the highlands) and castles (IIRC, there's a pretty cool Jackobite castle in Inverness or around that area, that's pretty far). It would be a 1-day thing and you'd have to know exactly where you were going, especially since the trip takes a few hours via train, then you have to drive around. I'd say it would be worth the trip since there are amazing sights in Scotland albeit, as I said, it's a long trip.

Might be my Scottish heritage talking. :')

2 suggestions for your visit in Paris:

• a restaurant with a happy atmosphere called Le Refuge des Fondues Located in Montmartre (not far away from Sacré-Coeur), you can have a nice walk before or after eating. Basically, it's not an expensive restaurant. There are 2 dishes only, both are called "fondue", one is about small pieces of bread you drench in melting cheese, the other is pieces of meat (beef) you drench in hot oil to cook it to your taste. Only 2 long tables, so you usually end up talking with your neighbours... I met many people that way, including a spanish book writer, an american singer, and swedish (or danish, can't remember) arms dealers :) One important thing to now: they don't do reservations, it's first-come-first-served. Sometimes they agree if called on phone after 5pm for the upcoming meal. Ho, I was about to forget: there, you will drink red wine served in baby bottle. Priceless experience :)
• a not-so-common thing to visit: Paris' official catacombs I prefer the unofficial, but that's out of the scope of this thread ^^ Of course, if you have little to no interest for caves, or are not comfortable with bones, you are advised to visit something else :)

I guess that if you don't have a lot of big bucks with you, you shouldn't be afraid to enter the local supermarkets.
You can save a lot of money on food by doing this and perhaps have enough to watch a big game somewhere.
I always enjoy doing this when I am on holiday. Not to save but I enjoy eating what the locals eat on a daily basis.
Take me to your local market... :)

London - Well after Buckingham palace and the tower of London of course.....
The National Gallery - my son actually demanded we go in the national gallery last time I was in London, never been in before and it was amazing - kinda took me by suprise that.
Go see a show, great theatres (eg http://www.boxoffice.co.uk/arts-and-theatre-tickets/musicals/phantom-of-the-opera-tickets.aspx)
If you like live music London has no shortage of that either, loads of venues, loads of gigs, and the smaller shows are priced well.
Curry Sark http://www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark
Camden market - personally love being around it - I wouldnt go without swinging by, but then not an essential I suppose.

London is not cheap though, I mean we always go on the cheap, stay with friends or in a cheap hotel/ youth hostel and its still costs a lot - all you really need is a Bed and breakfast type place, cos you will be out all day, make sure you got good walking footware :)

http://www.visitlondon.com/

Sport wise, well Football (soccer, whatever), you got a fair few London teams, take your pick, Arsenal? (booooo)
Its only a couple of hour on the train as well up to Manchester - personally Im a Manchester City fan but I understand the attraction of people visiting Old Trafford and wanting to see the Manchester United Ground - but hey, see both grounds, take in a game.

Or up to Liverpool, take the Beatles tour or visit the museum
http://www.visitliverpool.com/things-to-do/beatles-magical-mystery-tour-p172251
http://www.visitliverpool.com/things-to-do/the-beatles-story-p8393
http://www.beatlesstory.com/

Do visit the Madame Tussaud's Museum on the Baker Street in London. Oh yeah and enjoy the Sherlock themed Baker Street underground station (assuming it's still like that after 13 years)

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On Madrid you can visit "El museo de cera", "Cibeles", "Parque Warner" and "Paseo de la Castellana"

Hope you enjoy these places if you visit Madrid!

Thankies for the gibs~

No love for Italy? :(
Wanted to help you but I'm from there, however I can give you a couple of suggestions on London (been there a couple of times):

1) I loved the National History Museum, really cool both as a building and as a museum. Also the British Museum is a must visit, both are free. Don't forget to visit Camden Town, check Google for some pics of it.
2) I'm not into sports but on my first visit to London I went to Wimbledon and the tennis courts are really nice to visit. If I'm not wrong the tour costs around 20£. Wimbledon as a city is also a good place to check out.
3) -
4) London is not a really good place to eat, at least not typical dishes. I enjoyed eating at "My Old Dutch" restaurants, they offer savoury and sweet pancakes and are really good.
If you were coming to Italy I would have much more places to suggest you. :D

Thanks for the train btw!

London:
Buckingham Palace
Madame Tussaude
Harrods (dont carry a heavy backpack with u cause you are not allowed to wear any backpacks)

Madrid:
Near Madrid you can visit "El escorial", which used to be royal family palace, i was there when i was a kid and i actually enjoyed, you can visit the tombs of lots of Spanish kings.
La plaza del sol, La puerta de Alcala and El retiro, are in my opinion the most important public places in Madrid, and if you don't care paying you can visit El Prado, which holds paintings for most famous spanish painters, and altough i don't know any good restaurant, you can look for Cafe Gijon, is one of the most famous cafes in the city.
And enjoy your holiday

For London, I can warmly recommend the "Blood and Tears Walk", which is a guided tour in a short group that takes place in the evening, where you stroll through the alleys that hold some of London's most horrific history. The tour (as I remember it, I did it in 2010 or 2011, I believe) touches on grave robbery, insane prison escapes and Jack the Ripper (among many other things) and is to this day one of the best tourist attractions I've ever done anywhere.

my main advice: don't rest. do this when you get back home.
best places that I've been when I was backpacking all over europe was paris, venice, rome, prague, amsterdam, lisbon. no special advice, everything is sightseeing and have its own historical relevance, with etc included.
best stadium: not a sports fan.
best theathers: definitively any on italy.
best restaurants: look for restaurants on venice... everything there is awesome to eat.

Donno if it's been said, but in London, the Imperial War Museum. If you have ANY interest in the World Wars and such, it's Amazing. When I was in London I spent the better part of two days there to see it all.

London -> Camden Town
Paris -> Basilique du Sacré Cœur (Montmartre)
Madrid -> El Rastro (Sunday) / La Latina

A few museums in London have free entry. I definitely recommend having a look at them if you're interested in any of those subjects.

In Madrid you shouldn't miss "El Museo del Jamón". Oh boy I could eat there day and night (and probably die at a very young age xD)
Also, don't miss choclate with churros and porras at "Chocolatería San Gines" (open 24-7)

If you're a museum guy and want to go to El Prado then it's important to notice that the last two hours (from 18 to 20) the entrance is free of charge

Can't really help you much. Never been to Europe myself.

I live in Poland, so I cannot help you, thanks for a shoot on Imperial Glory

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