I will be sharing with you my recent travel experience to Spain in a three-part series. First in the series is Central Spain, where my partner and I visited the capital Madrid and nearby historical cities of Toledo and Segovia.
Palacio Real in Madrid
Madrid - the capital of Spain
Even though it is not as popular as Paris or London, this city has a lot to offer for anyone looking to enjoy a European urban delight. Located in the middle of the country, its rich and historical architecture, internationally-known art museums and exquisite shopping areas are more than enough to please any traveler. Clean streets, excellent public transportation, delicious and affordable food, as well as friendly Spaniards are other great highlights of this vibrant city.
Visiting Madrid
We only had 2 days to visit Madrid in our two-week itinerary and had to make the best out of it. So we picked out a couple of areas on the map to visit and headed out of the hotel to our first stop: Old Madrid
Plaza Mayor
This is actually one of the most popular public spaces in Madrid. There are several shops, restaurants, and cafés in the paved inner courtyard of the historical buildings where you can hang out and do some people watching.
Palacio Real
Built in the 18th century, this is the official residence of the king of Spain and is now a museum open to the public. This is one of the largest palaces in Europe and is definitely a must-see for all tourists. We did not visit the inside of the palace, but rather enjoyed a pleasant musical moment of entertainment in the large central courtyard.
Mercado de San Miguel
Walking through the streets of Old Madrid, we came across a large gourmet market called the ''Mercado de San Miguel’’. Inside this well-preserved industrial building was an amazing variety of fresh regional products, that were all aesthetically displayed. As we walked through the alleys, several locals and tourists sat on the bars sipping their sangria and eating gourmet food. The prices were pretty high, so we decided to just indulge ourselves with the view.
Shopping
Walking down from Old Madrid to the downtown area, we stumbled upon The Gran Via. Imagine a small version of New York’s Time Square, with its flat screens advertising on buildings of world-known stores like Zara and H & M. Along the Gran Via, there is also a wide variety of local shops, with designer clothing and quality leather goods stores.
It’s hard not to notice the wide range of ''jamonerias’’, or ham shops. The country is famous for its high-quality ham and Spaniards love it!
El Corte Inglés is this huge department store that resembles Macy’s in the US. It has about 9 floors including a supermarket, travel agency and a roof-top restaurant where you can have one of the best panoramic views of the city.
Museo del Prado
On day 2 of our visit in Madrid, we decided to discover one of the most important art museums in the world holding a mesmerizing collection by several European artists from the 12th to the 20th century. I had a history of art class during my 1st bachelor’s degree, so, fortunately I was able to identify several art movements of major works. There were so many halls, with a wide selection of paintings and sculptures. Our visit lasted about 4 hours and we didn’t even have the time to visit the temporary exhibitions! I would say that visiting this place is an absolute must in Madrid, even if you are not an art geek. By visiting this museum, you will have a deeper understanding of Spanish art and architecture, therefore appreciate it even more!
Las Meninas by Diego Velazquez
Toledo and Segovia Day-Tour
On day 3, we set out for an 8-hour day-tour to discover the nearby historical cities of Toledo and Segovia. This tour was highly recommended by one of my friends and we particularly enjoyed getting a little urban break.
First stop: Toledo
This fortified city was once a place where Jews, Muslims, and Catholics lived together in harmony. They left a rich heritage to this medieval city that also inspired many writers like Miguel de Cervantes and his famous ''Don Quijote de la Mancha’’. Walking through the cobblestoned streets of this city was like taking a trip back into the roots of Spanish history.
Fan of the Game of Thrones, I was delighted to find the shop where some of the replica swords for the series were made. Toledo is well-known for its craftsmanship and it is said that this is where swords for other important movies like The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Conan were made.
I even sat on the famous GoT Throne! (Although a replica, of course).
Segovia
Driving from Toledo to Segovia takes about 2.3 hours, so we took a little nap to recover a bit from our first stop.
Even before we dropped off our tour-bus, I was already amazed by the enormous aqueduct built by the Romans when they ruled the city. It is famous for its architectural beauty and incredible length.
I have always been a fan of gothic art and architecture and to my surprise, we got to visit the last Gothic cathedral ever built.
Our tour guide said that Walt Disney got inspired by the Alcazar of Segovia for his Sleeping Beauty fairytale castle.
I got really excited to visit the castle since I have a soft spot for fairytales and legends of knights. Exploring this once residence of famous Spanish queens and kings, we were delighted to see its beautiful and luxurious decorations.
‘’And they road back to Madrid...happily ever after…’’
Now that we have covered Central Spain, in my next post of this 3-part travel series I will be covering the Catalonia region of Spain. I’ll walk you through our romantic adventure in Barcelona, the medieval town of Girona and the home to Salvador Dali’s museum, Figueres. Stay tuned for more!