To me it is a great mystery that Madrid is not a more popular destination than it is. It is truly an extraordinary experience to visit a city, which contains so many imposing buildings, inviting squares, wide beautiful boulevards and narrow cozy shopping streets. When I ask people if they have been to Madrid, the answer is usually no, but the city is on their bucket list. They will not be disappointed.
Madrid is located in the middle of Spain and therefore has no white sandy beaches. On the other hand, the city has an abundance of monuments, museums and churches, which give the city an atmospheric and royal elegance. I will only mention a few, otherwise this will turn into a tour guide.
The world-famous Prado Museum and the Royal Palace are both must-sees, but beyond that the city has so many other attractions. We visited the Prado Museum for a few hours, but only saw a fraction of the hundreds of famous works of art. This museum requires both time, concentration and endurance because it is so huge. An incredibly impressive experience.
Unfortunately, we only saw the royal palace from the outside, as there were “hundred” meter long lines of people waiting to get in and see the 2000 rooms. It will have to be another time, but just seeing the palace from the outside is in itself an incomparable experience. A truly magnificent palace which for some reason has not been used by the royal family since 1931. Behind the palace is a large park with lots of statues of monarchs. In front of the Royal Palace is the Madrid Opera House. To get to the opera, you should go through the beautiful garden.
A smaller museum that is highly recommended to visit is the Sorolla Museum. That museum is in the house of the famous painter Joaquin Sorolla. Do yourself a favour and go see Sorolla’s beautiful and breathtaking impressionist works.
Plaza Mayo is the heart of Madrid. This square is the setting for public life in Madrid, where cafes surround the square and where there is entertainment on the big stage in the middle of the square. Another Plaza that you randomly bump into is the Puerta del Sol. This Plaza is a melting pot of people who are out at all hours of the day. Next to the old post office on Puerta del Sol is the zero-kilometer stone, from which all main Spanish roads start. And in the square, there is also a large statue of Madrid’s mascot, a bear eating from a strawberry tree.
Also take a walk along Grand Via with its many shops down to Plaza de Cibeles and let yourself be impressed by the many beautiful buildings.
Have a nice trip to Madrid.
The impressive royal palace seen from the beautiful garden.
A snapshot of the many long lines of people waiting to get in to see the palace.
Madrid’s opera
The large and truly impressive Prado Museum .
Sisyphus by Titian. Just one of the unbelievably many famous paintings and works of art in the Prado Museum.
The large and cozy Mayo Plaza.
Puerta del Sol. The melting pot of Madrid.
Madrid’s mascot. Not my wife – but the bear eating a strawberry from the tree.
The cozy Sorolla Museum. It is in the house of the artist Joaquin Sorolla’s own home.
A brief selection of the many paintings by Sorolla.
An example of one of Sorolla’s many beautiful paintings.
Two Spanish ladies in Madrid.
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