The first time I visited Madrid, I was as a 20 year old college student on her first international trip without a chaperone. I went with a good friend from Iowa State, and we’d be joining a Spanish program through our university in Valencia but decided to fly into Madrid a week before the program was to start, so that we could enjoy the city.
Needless to say, visiting Madrid as a 30 year old was a lot different, not only because of my age but also because we now have smartphones with unlimited internet and gps capabilities, something that we could not take advantage of in 2009 with crappy blackberries and a college budget. So, we spent a lot less time lost in Buen Retiro park and if there was a word or phrase I needed help with in Spanish, I could easily tap that into Google translate.
I like Madrid because it’s a huge city, with tons of history around every corner and plenty of things to do, no matter what your style of travel may be. We were there 7 days, and spent most every day visiting a new attraction, walking around the city, or soaking in the culture.
We partook in the free hours at both the Prado and the Reina Sofia art museums. The Prado has a large collection of early medieval and renassaince works, with notable artists like Goya and Valazquez, where the Reina Sofia is contemporary, with works by Dali and Picasso. I enjoy art museums, so this was right up my alley and I could get Ian to come along by going at the free hours. However, if you want a decent amount of time, not a rushed 1.5-2 hours, pony up and pay the entrance fee. There won’t be hoards of people and a long line and you won’t be kicked out as quickly.
We went out to a few classic Spanish bodegas and restaurants. We also had our fair share of chorizo and mustard sandwiches we made from items we picked up at the grocery store. Alcohol and food are well priced when bought at the store, with alcohol being downright cheap depending on your tastes, and is something to be taken advantage of when traveling on a budget.
Other notable activies included going to see the Egyptian temple that was given as a gift for Spain helping to restore something or other. It was okay…it’s free so that’s a plus but the line we waiting in and the heat we endured was pretty intense.
We also went to the Royal Palace of Madrid. I enjoyed the palace with its history and elaborately decorated rooms. You get to see things like the throne room and dining hall that are designed to impress.
Because it was so dang hot and we weren’t anywhere near a beach, we ended up hopping on the metro and heading north to Centro Deportivo Municipal Vicente del Bosque. It was affordable and there are two massive pools and one kiddie pool. They were absolutely freezing but it was a refreshing break from the heat.
We went to Spider-man: Far from Home at the Cines Verdi movie theater. It was nice, and great to enjoy something we like to do at home—watch a movie.
We walked through Puerta de Sol many times on the way to eateries or just wandering about the city. It’s not magnificent, but I adore bears and there’s a statue of one leaning on a strawberry tree so that was a plus. The Plaza Mayor is beautiful, and there are a lot of good restaurants and a modern Mercado near by. We ate calamari bocadillos at a little place right off the Plaza two different times, as they were so tasty and affordable (Bar La Campana).
The other breakout star, food-wise (for me) was Takos del Pastor. They had the most traditional Mexican food we’d had the whole trip, which was exciting because we’d been disappointed quite a few times. They even had some hot sauce that got you sweating a bit. There is usually a line going out the door, but it goes fast and is worth the wait. Each taco is one euro.
We stayed in the Chueca neighborhood which is considered the gay district. It was lovely and I highly recommend it. Lots of great bars and restaurants, as well as cafes, ice cream parlors, and shopping nearby. It is also perfectly located, close to the main streets and attractions.
We did a day trip out of the city to Segovia—taking a 60-90 minute bus ride north of the city to this fairytale town. It has a very cool medieval castle, the Alcazar of Segovia, as well as a massive and beautiful cathedral. We weren’t able to get into the cathedral, as they were shooting a movie in front. We walked around the outside of the city to get some great views of the castle, walled city and cathedral from the hills that surround the town. We got some pints and tapas at a neat little restaurant off their Plaza Mayor called El Sitio. The bartender was friendly, the tapas were free with the drinks, and they were delicious. Ian can’t get these fried pork fat / rinds (chicharrones) out of his head.
