Madrid’s Must-sees
As a European destination, Madrid is often passed over for cities with more international cache – Paris, Amsterdam, even its own counterpart, Barcelona. Yet, as a favourite hangout of Ernest Hemingway, this is a city of living, eating, partying and shopping. Madrid contains all the things one might want from a European city – history, architecture, museums and galleries, beautiful parks, pavement cafés, great restaurants and a bouncing party scene, all with incredible Spanish flavour and style. These are a few of the must-sees when in the city.
The landmark Metropolis building on the Gran Via
1.
Palacio Real
Situated in the centre of the city, this previous royal residence (now used for state ceremonies) is an architectural and artistic wonder, built between 1738 and 1764. Start off by admiring the symmetrical façade, equally beautiful when lit up at night or glowing in the morning sunshine. Must-sees inside include the Hall of Columns (the Spanish answer to Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors) which is still used for functions, and the pharmacy (an antique collector’s dream, lined with ancient glass bottles and mortars and pestles. Informative placards educate visitors on the scarier aspects of 1800s medicine). Cross the interior courtyard – while imagining you live there – and enter the armory. As someone who has always been far more interested in dashing knights than amour, it was amazing to see the contraptions that have been worn through the ages.
Contact: www.patrimonionacional.es; 91 454 8800
Admission: €8 (Free on Wednesdays for EU citizens)
Monument towering over the boating lake
Madrid’s Central Park – bigger than most suburbs and used by all for pet-walking, bike riding, yoga classes and boat rides on the lake – not only serves Madrileños with recreational facilities, but also contains architectural marvels such as the Palacio de Cristal. Visitors can enter the park through any of the eighteen elaborately designed gates and most of them eventually make their way through the mazes of paths and roads to Estanque, the boating lake. Built in 1631 and overlooked by a towering monument to Alfonso XII, there are rowboats for hire and plenty of spectators who while away their time buying ice creams and watching some of the 6 000 fish to be found in the lake. Don’t miss the beautifully designed rose garden which flowers at impossible times of the year and boasts more than 4 000 roses.
Facade on a building in the Plaza Mayor
3.
Plaza Mayor
Madrid’s most famous square was designed to hold 50 000 people. Most of the buildings now
house government offices, the floor of the square surrounded by restaurants, bars, tourist information and shops and in the centre you’ll find the horse-seated statue of Felipe III. The square, although always humming with people and music, is a lot more staid than it used to be – it was previously used as a bull-ring, open-air theatre and an execution ground. This is a good place to start exploring Madrid, and walking tours leave from here daily.
Tourist Office: 27 Plaza Mayor, Open 9:30am – 8:30pm every day
4. El Escorial
Inside the courtyard at El Escorial
A day trip from Madrid, El Escorial is stately and unique – one part palace, one part monastery and one part mausoleum. Built by Felipe II to house the remains of his father, he instructed his architects to design it with “simplicity in construction, severity in the whole, nobility without arrogance, majesty without ostentation”. Hmm, can’t say there were no signs of ostentation. One of the complex’s most beautiful aspects is the library which is held in esteem for its possession of important holy writings dating between the fifth and eighteenth centuries, housed under intricately painted vaulted ceilings inspired by Michelangelo. El Escorial has been deemed one of the modern wonders of the world and has been declared a Monument of Worldwide Interest by UNESCO.
Contact: www.patrimonionacional.es; 91 890 5904
Admission: €8 (Free on Wednesdays for EU citizens)
Getting there: Catch train from Atocha, then a bus from El Escorial station
5. Art Galleries
Madrid is renowned for its three biggest art galleries – Museo del Prado, Museo Thyssen Bornemisza and the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. The Prado is housed in a large, low building situated along a leafy avenue. Among its claims to fame is a collection of Goya, Velazquez and Rubens masterpieces.
Clock Building on the Gran Via
Not far up the avenue the smaller Museo Thyssen Bornemisza can be found, which houses paintings by Van Gough, Renoir, Degas, Picasso, Rembrandt and Dali. Visitors who are looking for big-name paintings should definitely tour through this gallery, and if one becomes footsore the charming garden café is the perfect place to refresh.
The last of the three main galleries (there are plenty more!) is the Arte Reina Sofia which boasts Picasso’s Guernica. Not only is the finished canvas displayed, an adjoining room also contains the artist’s rough sketches of the design and other Picasso works. Visitors can also view paintings by Rembrandt and Dali during a trip to this gallery.
Contact: www.museodelprado.es
Admission: €6 each gallery; €14.40 for all three
6. Dining
The city of eating out, bars and restaurants in Madrid are abundant, well-priced and always full of interesting people. Almost every bar serves delicious tapas and almost every sit down restaurant boasts an adjoining bar. Aside from great wines and European beers, the drink of choice is Anis, preferably from Chinchon. This clear spirit made from aniseed has a liquorice taste and can be likened to Sambuca. Added to teas or coffees after a meal, Anis is taken earlier in the evening with only ice. Those in a celebratory mood should try Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine. After tapas, the most delicious and Spanish of Madrid food is paella – made with rice, vegetables, seafood and other meats, and usually served straight to the table in the pan. Restaurant or bar recommendations are fruitless – there is so much to choose from. Walk down a street in any busy area and wander into places that catch your eye. Most have menus posted outside so you can see whether the food appeals to you, and whether their prices are inside your budget.
As a city, Madrid certainly has a unique body clock. Expect lunch to end anywhere before 5pm, and supper only to start at 11pm. Although there is early business traffic, the streets only wake up after 10am when people of all kinds congregate in coffee shops for a traditional breakfast – chocolate con churros – fried pastry dipped in thick chocolate or black coffee.
Chocolate Con Churros
Comments (1)
Madrid is one of my favorite European cities…so much culture, historical and contemporary. Next to the Plaza Mayor, you can take in all of the bustle of the city in the Puerta del Sol–don’t miss the statue of the Bear and the Madroño Tree, the symbol of Madrid!