Madrid is full of history and culture, beautiful parks and exciting nightlife, it encompasses everything a traveller could want.
Situated in the heart of Spain, Madrid is the sophisticated capital boasting a wealth of cultural attractions, fabulous shopping and sensational tapas bars.
Madrid is in an ideal position, as the climate is cooled by the mountain breeze during summer but the best time to visit is in autumn or spring. The city’s palaces, numerous museums and art galleries provide a feast for modern culture lovers and the city prides itself on its vibrant nightlife.
Spain’s capital city is full of diverse neighbourhoods ranging from the bustling business centre to the hip and Chuena quarter. The Golden Triangle of Art is an area within the city’s centre that is home to three museums, my favourite was the Prado. Madrid’s historic centre is full of cobblestone pedestrian streets and the elaborate main square, Plaza Mayor, is filled with cafes and arcades.
Many of the beautiful historic buildings of Madrid were built during the reign of the Hapsburg.
Centrally located Retiro Park stretches across 330 acres with a boating lake, fountains, sculptures and monuments, including the glass Palacio de Cristal. The park is beautiful and worth spending a few hours wandering away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The ornate Palacio Real is Europe’s largest palace, it has a staggering 3418 rooms. It is the official residence of the Spanish royal family with interiors dripping with gold, marble and intricate frescoes.
Alan and I hired a local guide, Santiago for the day, he showed us another more local side of the city and told us stories of growing up in Madrid. He took us to the most beautiful little church with stunning baroque interior decoration, introduced me to the best shoe shopping street in Spain and took us to Lope de Vega’s writers’ museum. We had an excellent coffee at Madrid’s oldest cafe, ate tapas and drank tinto de verano with the locals and he showed us some fabulous restaurants where the food was excellent but cheap.
Madrid is a beautiful city and worth including on your next Spanish adventure!
This article was published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 14 October 2017.
