Hala Madrid!!! :-D
From the coastal Spanish city of Barcelona, we move into the mainlands, to the capital Madrid. Located bang in the center of Spain, this city is more contemporary in nature as compared to it’s other cities. But, as is the case of everywhere in Spain, it is better to pick up a few words in Spanish before you travel here.
This trip was special for me, being my first solo trip. I had been planning the trip for a while, and it felt good to finally do this. You must have always heard how you can connect with your inner self when you travel solo, but trust me, it is scary. That is, until you actually make up your mind and go for it. Then, it is just fun!
In & Around
Getting in Madrid in fairly simple, with the Barajas airport offering inbound from many European cities. A train / bus journey would take much longer, having to pass through half the Spanish mainland.
If you search well, you can get a cheap flight as I was able to. A Lufthansa round trip from Frankfurt was around 100 Eur, and I wasted no time in booking my tickets. It was the perfect weekend getaway, with the inbound on Saturday morning, and an early flight back on Monday.
And the journey began!
So the Barajas airport has connectivity to the metro line, which gets you to almost anywhere in Madrid. The line was closed when I arrived, but they provided a bus service which took you to the nearest metro station free of charge. Also, there is a tourist information center at the airport which will provide you with the much needed city and metro map.
A metro map of Madrid looks something like below:
I purchased a two-day metro pass for the city, which was around 14 Eur. It takes the whole hassle about purchasing a ticket before hopping into the metro away. You can also go for a single journey ticket or a ticket for 10 journeys, depending on how often you plan to use the metro.
My destination was sol, which is the city center of the city. The journey was good, and the weather was friendly ( sunny with a soft drizzle) . In case you do not have a map already, ask the locals for directions & connections. The Spanish people are quite friendly and patient. :)
Puerta del Sol
Out of the metro station, I was greeted with this sight.
The iconic bear and the strawberry tree represents the coat of arms of the city, and is prominently visible the moment you are out of the sol metro station. The whole square is normally abuzz with activities and events, and many other sculptures and structures are visible. being the city center, the square is flanked by many restaurants and shops, and is quite a hit with the tourists. I was lucky enough to witness interesting show by a group of skaters ( they were called the sliders, if i remember correctly ) during my time here. You will find a lot of tapas bars and entertainment spots near sol, so be sure you mark this location on your map.
A roof over your head!
It only made sense to book a hostel during my first solo trip. The only way you end up meeting new people and get a feel of staying like a local. Way hostels provided an amazing place for a two-day stay at a reasonable price. I ended up having the time of my life, and the staff was extremely friendly. The hostel is located a 10-mins walk away from sol ( near metro station Tisro de Molina ) and has many events and hosts a lot of events for the guest. So, for the basic necessity of shelter, I would suggest a hostel with decent reviews close to the city center.
Plaza Mayor
After some strong coffee and churros, Plaza Mayor was the first stop on my list, and boy it is nice! It has this aura of a huge palatial square where you can spend time. Take some selfies maybe. It is beautifully constructed, and you can find many shops around. There are balconies facing the plaza, and you can walk around enjoying the architecture. Typically, 30 minutes would be enough to walk around the plaza. 60, if you need some time alone to reflect!
Marcado de San Miguel
Right besides Plaza mayor is this bustling Tapas Gourmet market, enclosed in glass architecture. Here you will find vendors selling freshly prepared tapas, meat, seafood, you name it! Enjoy the tapas with a mug of beer ( or champagne / wine, based on preferences ). The crab cakes here were delicious, and you could just enjoy the hustle around you while enjoying the meal. This place was alive!
If you are in Madrid, this place surely deserves a visit.
Palacio Real de Madrid
Next, we move to the official home of the Spanish royal family, the magnificent Palacio Real. Again, another place that is walk able from the city center. Beware of the long queues if you wish to spend some time exploring this palace, or you can roam in the long courtyard of the palace. The palace consists of interesting rooms like armory room, the library and the chapel.
If you are here, do not miss the chance to visit the nearby Sabatini gardens. These were opened in 1978, and have a lot of spots to sit and enjoy the view. I took a little walk around the gardens for some fresh air before heading to my next destination, the Almudena cathedral.
The cathedral is the seat of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid.The cathedral has a board with a timeline of the world during the life of different popes, and is an interesting read. The interiors are neo-gothic , and are very beautiful. You can spend hours at this place admiring the statues and the paintings.
Templo de Debod
Sunset time, and I planned to walk this ancient Egyptian temple. As the history goes, this temple was dismantled and rebuilt in Madrid. The temple offers an ancient feel to an otherwise modern location. Situated on top of a small hill, the places provides a beautiful view of the city and is quite popular for sunsets with tourists and locals alike. This place is also quite nice for selfies and pictures. I spent around an hour here, wandering about and reading about this ancient / modern structure.
Estacion de Atocha
Near Templo de Debod is Plaza de Espana metro station, and you can get to the Atocha station quite conveniently from here. And what a beauty this station is! You might actually mistake it for a jungle or a forest. Imagine that inside a station. There are different trees in there, completed by a water body and tortoises. So not really the things you would expect to find in a metro station. You can buy a coffee at one of the many shops on this station and admire the natural beauty alongside, just like I did!
Museo de Reina Sofia
From natural beauty of a train station onto the Spanish national museum of modern art. You can walk to the Reina Sofia museum from Atocha train station. The museum building is quite impressive, with two glass towers flanking the main building facade. The entry is generally free after 7 PM, so choose your visitation time wisely!
The museum houses a lot of contemporary art, apart from the work of two of the most famous Spanish artists, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Deli. The collection at this place is huge, and if you are a art lover, you can spend hours out here. Each of the 5 floor has a room with a different theme, each with something unique to offer.
Dine & Wine
Tapas. Paella. Churros. and some cheap beer. Such is life in Madrid. I tried my first one on my first day in Madrid, some squid and beer. Yummy it was. The paella served at Way hostel was quite nice, and the breakfast was incomplete without the Churros.
Beer is pretty cheap in Madrid pubs, costing about a euro and a half for a mug. The bars are normally open till around 1 in the morning, and you can hop around as much. Try something new every place you got to!
Santiago Bernabeu
Now, to the big one! Home to the most successful ( arguably , read : Manchester United) football club in the world, being here is an experience in itself. So the bigger Madrid club, Real Madrid play their home games in the ground. The stadium offers a tour when there are no matches, showcasing the history and achievements of the so called “club of the century”. The tour ticket of 24 Eur is on the higher side, but you are allowed to see all the facilities and take a quick tour of the dugout and the stands. So football fans, mark this on your maps.
There is a metro connection to the Bernabeu, which is really convenient. It was really cold when I reached here, but the excitement of visiting this place was unreal. The trophies, dressing rooms topped with the videos of the best goals and most successful moments of the history of Real Madrid, it was unreal. I could be here all day!
Parque de El Retiro
And my last stop in the city, and certainly one of the better ones. Parque de El Retiro is the biggest park in Spain, and this place is huge. The total area is about 1.4 sq. km , and the park is really attractive. A perfect getaway from the city noises, you can pick your activity of choice out here.The best ones for me was just spending some time by myself walking around the trees, sitting by the lake and admiring the surroundings. This is a perfect spot for a day picnic, maybe some sandwiches and good music.
The park offers activities like boating during the day, and you can also visit the grand Alfonso XIII monument. You will also find the Crystal palace out here. The roads that lead to the park are also filled with monuments and places like the palace of Cibeles, the Metropolis theater and Puerta de Alcala.
I visited the place at around 8 in the evening, and spent a good two hours here. There are different statues and sculptures in the park which will keep you busy and well, the time passes. Again, a visit is recommended.
Places missed on this visit
Well, two places I had heard a lot about but could not visit would make it to this list. First, the city of Toledo. This place is hardly 50 minutes bus journey away from the city. This former Spanish capital has a lot to offer for everyone. This town is supposedly untouched by the city hustle-bustle, and is a favourite with the tourists. I had planned a visit here, but it clashed with visit to Santiago Bernabeu, and , as a football fan, it was a difficult but necessary choice.
Another place of interest that I missed out on was Museo Del Prado. This is possible the best art museum of Spain, and features collections right from the 12th century. It is one of the most visited sites in the world, and features a rich collection. So art lovers, your poison of choice. Me, being not so much of one, decided to skip it.
So, my first solo trip. Did I end up wiser? Definitely. Did I have a good time? The best ever. Will I do it again? You bet!!!!
So, till I plan my next visit, I wish you guys all the best for planning your trips. Solo, hopefully. And to Madrid! ☺