(*we’ve also included some cheaper alternatives for those of you feeling the bite of the credit crunch)

Best Bed In The Business

Do a google search for the ‘world’s most expensive bed’ and you’ll get to this magnetic wonder. Most expensive it may be (at a proposed $1.5 million), but most luxurious? Doesn’t look like it to me.

So, after a bit more hunting, we came across this highly recommended bed: the Vividus (Latin for ‘full of life’) by Hastens. According to all accounts, catching a nap on this bed is like ’sleeping on a cloud’. An expensive cloud nonetheless… With the most luxurious bed in this range coming in at $59,750, that’s one pricey nimbus.

If you can’t quite manage that price tag, consider investing in an alternative from www.sofa.com. They’ve just started selling beds and already have some very satisfied customers.

A Pillow To Pay For

The most expensive pillow we could find certainly sounds like the most luxurious you could buy. Made from 100% organic Egyptian cotton or silk and stuffed with Eiderdown, these pillows from St Geneve will set you back a deliciously weighty $2,800. The filling is collected from the North European sea duck, the Eider, and carefully packaged to avoid any contamination.

Again, if you think that might be a little too much to spend on a pillow, why not have a look at these more affordable alternatives.

Sheets To Shell Out On

There’s no point spending all that money on a bed and pillows if your sheets aren’t also up to scratch. Chuck those black satin sheets out and check out some of these beauties from Charlotte Thomas Bespoke. Made from the finest merino wool and backed with 1,000 count Egyptian cotton, these sheets are are also threaded with 22 carat GOLD. I know! They’re pricey though; the pillows come in at $2,400 so I shudder to think how much a whole set of sheets would cost.

If you’d like something a little cheaper without compromising on quality (who’m'I kidding, they’re inlaid with gold), have a look at these beautiful silk sheets.

And if you’ve got 10 thousand bucks to spare, here’s how to lighten your load…

You’ve got a busy day ahead of you so better fuel up with a decent and traditionally Castilian breakfast. San Gines offers the most popular desayuno in town- ‘chocolate con churros’ (a mug of devilishly thick chocolate with long pieces of deep fried dough to dip). So that’s your first $20…

$20- It’s Not A Lot But You’ve Got To Start Somewhere

Don’t worry, you’ll be working all those calories off.

First up, let’s take a look at your wheels for the day. It may not be the world’s sexiest car (as voted by Top Gear), but the Aston Martin DBS puts you in the same league as Mr Bond himself. Hired for the day at the luxurious cost of $1500, your driver will pick you up from San Gines and take you to Calle Serrano, home to the most exclusive designer shops and art boutiques in Madrid.

The Second Sexiest Car In The World?

En route, your personal shopper (just $200 an hour) will discuss what you’re after; such dedicated and expert service will ensure only the very best of the best is visited. Gucci, Cartier, Dior…. It’s bound to be a beautiful sunny day so why don’t you pick up some Ray Ban aviators to match the Aston. You’ve got a spare $500 haven’t you? And let’s leave another $700 for those fabulous shoes…

I Bet They Sell Manolo Blahniks

If you’re after something really special why not ask your personal shopper about any contemporary artists that are selling well. Madrid is particularly famous for churning out some of the coolest art work over the last few years and you should be able to pick up a great investment for a couple of thou’.

If You Can’t Quite Afford It, It’s Not Worth Buying

Admiring all that art must have whetted your appetite for some real culture, a thing Madrid can provide in bucket-loads. Your Aston will whisk you to the Prado Museum, largest gallery in the world and top of the list for art lovers in Madrid. We all know queueing is for losers so a guide will meet you for your own private tour of only the most delectable works, including Rembrandt, Rubens, Botticelli and Rafael.

The Prado Museum- Largest Gallery In The World

Mind and spirit nourished, it’s time to refuel your body. There are several choices for lunch. Madrid lays claim to the oldest restaurant in the world, Botin, founded in 1725. That’s something for the ‘do-before-you-die’ checklist, particularly since Goya worked here before becoming a painter. Hemingway was also know to drop in for the odd tipple; a bit of refreshment while writing about Madrid’s gory bullfights. If this doesn’t tickle your taste-buds, how about sampling what claims to be the ‘most expensive burger in the world’? At just over $100 (pah!) you can afford at least two. And yes, you would like extra fries with that.

Most Expensive Burger In The World?

In fact, splash out. That hamburger was damn tasty right? Spain, Madrid in particular, is famous for its finely cured jamon and there’s actually a Museum dedicated to the stuff. You won’t have time to visit that today but why not buy yourself a leg of ham as a little keepsake. Best check your country’s customs before you try and take it home for friends and family though, $300 is a lot to spend on a confiscated souvenier.

Always Up For A Tasty Leg ‘o Ham- Even A $300 One

Best do a budget check. By my count, you’re on $5,920, so good going since it’s only lunchtime!

What’s next? You’ve sampled some of Madrid’s finest shopping, culture and food… what could be left apart from an exclusive wine-tasting experience? Prices start from $350 and you could probably blow the rest of your money on this (there are some rather exquisite wines becoming more delectable by the second in the cellars of Madrid), but there are a few more things to experience yet….

After all that food and wine, it’s probably time for a little ‘r & r’. Madrid is home to the Lab Room, a world famous spa suitable for a spot of celeb-hunting among the labyrinth of rooms, as well as a huge range of treatments. You can enjoy a stone, jet-lag, aromatherapy, Swedish, Thai, sport massage, some Shiatsu or Reiki, or a purifying facial or botanical eye contour treatment. An hour or two here and you’ll be fully rested for the thrills and spills of the evening.

Celeb-Spotting In Style

If you’re lucky enough to be in the city while the treasured Real Madrid team is playing, then you’re in for a treat. This luck is doubled if they’re playing arch-rival team, Barcelona. Your driver will drop you off at the fabulous Santiago Bernabeu Stadium where you can pick up a VIP ticket for $900 . If football’s not your thing, why not book a box at the Teatro Royal for a spot of opera. Listed as a ‘must’ on the Forbes VIP Traveller list, you could enjoy any of the classics, from ‘Tristan und Isolde’ to the National Ballet. It’s no fun going to these things by yourself so I’ve budgeted for two tickets- if you’re stuck for a date I’m sure your chauffeur would gladly oblige.

$900 For Some Real Footie Action

Hunger will probably have set in by now so it’s time for a visit to the world famous restaurant La Broche. Sea and land snails roasted in lard? With two Michelin stars under his belt, Sergi Arola has been described as a surrealist and radical mastermind, so well worthy of your custom. The restaurant setting is an experience in itself. Echoing the minimalist nature of much of the food served here, the whole building interior, furniture and uniforms included, (apart from the loo’s apparently!) is whiter than white. The house menu is a mere $100 so plenty of room for pushing the boat out with a few extras: the house pick of red is meant to be something special.

Some of the excellent wines served with your meal will set the trend for the rest of your evening. Madrid is famous for being a bit of a party city and you could do a lot worse than head straight to Del Diego Bar, the city’s most famous cocktail bar. After a couple of rounds here, you should head to The Glass Bar to continue the party. True to its name, the bar has glass floors, walls and ceiling and transparent chairs: it’s the place to see and be seen. After a couple of the coolest beverages in Madrid, make for the roof bar, La Terraza del Urban, for some wonderful views of the city.

Party Time

Now that you’re properly limbered up for a night on the tiles, Madrid has plenty of late night clubs to help you dance your (quite possibly newly purchased and designer) shoes off. One of the city’s favourite’s is Palacio de Gaviria at Calle de Arenal, an old palace inspired by the Italian Renaissance movement. With the opportunity to organise a special private party you can put the rest of your dollars (about $1000 by my count) behind the bar and just keep dancing until it runs out! Oye!

Now I haven’t included a hotel into this luxurious European jaunt- there simply isn’t time to fit in sleep as well as everything else. However, if you need somewhere to rest your head after this 24 hour extravaganza, you can’t really go far wrong with NH, who have a whole host of the plushest of plush hotels in Madrid.

If you can manage to keep $20 dollars back, then San Gines, where you had that yummy chocolate con churros for breakfast, is at its busiest at 5am. That leaves a grand total of $10, just enough for a couple of ‘wish you were here?‘ postcards home!

So, without further ado, I give you ‘10 thousand bucks’, the blog that will feature only the best that money can buy. It’s early days, but I’ve thought of a few categories that might work well:

Slices of wealth- a frequently updated category that will feature some of the most expensive, original or downright outrageous commodities on sale out there.

Money with style- any stories, old or new, from the front line of spending money well.

10 thousand bucks in a day- lengthier features that describe a day’s itinerary for a particular city, with a running total of your opulent 10 thousand buck budget.