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| Spanish Flag |
My trip to Spain was my first trip ever, anywhere, alone, and it required that I travel to Europe stag! You see, my best friend was living in Ireland at the time, and we were meeting up in Spain to spend the week together! Although I was quite nervous leading up to the trip about not only flying trans-Atlantic alone, but also navigating through the airport to reach my connecting flight (which is always a nerve-racking task to begin with)! Somehow, I managed to keep my hair on, and successfully arrived at my destination relatively unscathed. This trip also saw my first (and so far only), time ever using hostels for accommodation – this of course was successful in its function of keeping the trip extremely cost effective)! I found that Madrid had extremely convenient airport transfer trains from the airport to the downtown (although it required a little research to find this out, and to make the transfers work smoothly, it was well worth the leg work as it saved a great deal of transportation costs).
The city of Madrid was a charming mix of old world and new world. With its historical Opera House, Royal Palace, fountains, modern towers, and pyramid (yes, a real Egyptian pyramid), it has the enchantment that Europe is famous for. There are many amazing sights to see, activities to do, and culinary delights to keep you busy!
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| Palacio De Communicaciones at Dusk |
Madrid is a great city to meander about, and enjoy lazily looking at the sights. By doing so, you will wander into gorgeous plazas (e.g. Plaza Mayor- a famous site during the Inquisition, Plaza de Santa Ana - a lovely place to sit and eat at one of the many cafes, or Plaza de Oriente flanked by the Teatro Real - Madrid's opera house), undoubtedly find some great shops (Madrid is known for its shopping and fashion), and of course stumble upon many architecturally interesting buildings. Madrid is a city that blends new with the old, and that is clearly evident by its architecture. Take the central post office for example, or in Spanish, the Palacio De Comunicaciones. A gorgeous ornate white stone building, with a grand fountain in the foreground, it is said to be one of the most photographed locations in Madrid, and possibly also one of the most iconic (it was one of my favourites)!
One of the most intriguing buildings in Madrid is a relocated authentic Egyptian pyramid - the Temple of Debod. Saved by UNESCO during the construction of the Great Dam of Aswan, the temple was donated to Spain in 1968, and moved from its former location on the Nile, to its present day spot in Madrid amid the Parque del Oeste near the Royal Palace. For a fee, one can view the preserved hieroglyphics on the pyramid walls, or for free, just enjoy the tranquility of the pools in front of the temple.
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| Temple of Debod |
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| Almundena Cathedral at Night |
When considering the interesting architecture of Madrid, one would be remiss to not include the many beautiful churches as some of the most stunning. A few places of mention that are "must sees," in my opinion are: San Nicolas de los Servitas (oldest church in Madrid, whose bell tower dates back to the 12th century), Almundena Cathedral (a unique mix of old and new), San Francisco El Grande (which reputably is the largest domed cathedral in Madrid
The Royal Palace (Palacio Real), the official home to the royal family in Madrid is quite a sight to see both during the day light hours, and lit up by the after-dark spot-lights highlighting its architectural details. The tree-lined ‘garden’ directly in front of the palace, however, makes for a popular and tranquil picnic spot during the day! Another lovely leisurely outdoor activity to do during the day, is to take in the Botanical Gardens with all of the beautiful seasonal blooms (the is especially wonderful if you are in Spain during a time when you have escaped the frigid grips of winter in North America)!
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| Palacio Real Lit at Night |
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| Tulips at the Real Jardin Botanico de Madrid |
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| The Bear and the Strawberry Tree |
A tourist can not go to Madrid, without finding themselves at one point or another in the Puerta del Sol, the city's "kilometre zero." A famous place for the Spanish to celebrate their New Year's and a part of the former gates that once surrounded the city, it was historically, a meeting place of significance. The Puerta del Sol is ornamented with New-York style billboards, the iconic Tio Pepe advertisement, its famous bear and strawberry tree statue and an iron casting of Charles III. Historically, it was always heralded as a meeting place due to its central location and once was one of the gates of the city wall. It is a great place to get your bearings, or head down into the metro through the space-age looking entrance!
Madrid is a city with a rich cultural heritage, and an arts scene that they can be proud of. The Meseo Del Prado is the main national Spanish art museum, and holds the reputation of being one of the greatest art museums in the world. One could spend hours enjoying the many collections of Spanish and European art. If you delight in musical pursuits, you may choose to take in an Operatic production at the Teatro Real, Madrid's opera house - a building which holds an interesting ancestry, at one time being used as a gunpowder store, functioning as parliamentary chamber and during the Spanish Civil War even held the function of barracks! After many years of transformation and reinvention, the Teatro Real is a gorgeous and unique building that will catch your eye. Madrid also has its own thriving theatre district located on Gran Via, home to theatres that bring locals and tourists internationally popular stage shows that are said to rival Broadway!! If you fancy a more traditional 'show', you may opt to dine at one for the many restaurants that offer live Flamenco shows - of course, you must also partake in the consumption of at least one glass of Sangria while you're there to feel totally local!
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| Sangria |
