At the beginning of my program in Spain, I spent 5 days with my classmates in Madrid. We explored all around the city, which has tons of interesting museums, architecture, food, and nightlife. Here are a few things I would do again, probably again, and never again.
Do Again
Retiro Park- One of my favorite staples of Madrid’s beauty and charm, Retiro offers stunning greenery and landscaping along with water features, a crystal palace, art installments, and workout equipment, just to name a few. The park is a lovely place to take a stroll, as it feels like it isn’t even part of hustle and bustle of the city.
Reina Sofia- One of my favorite modern art museums ever, Reina Sofia offers an eclectic variety of art from Dalí to Velazquez and everyone in between. The collection is free to see for those who are students between the age 18 to 25, with a valid student and federal/passport ID. The famous painting La Guernica by Pablo Picasso is housed in the Reina Sofia, and it is definitely worth the trip if you are in Madrid.
Segovia- Aqueduct. Castle. Moat. Segovia has some of the most impressive buildings and structures of ancient times that I have ever seen. The aqueduct is a constant in Segovia, as the massive structure runs through the center of town. The castle in Segovia, known as the Alcázar de Segovia, comes with an impressive moat as well as beautiful views from inside the castle. Worth a half a day or day trip from Madrid.
Tapas- These lovely traditional Spanish dishes exist all over Madrid at drastically different price points for those who want to have a cultural experience. Tapas include small plates that are designed to be shared between two people or more. The average range for Tapas is about 5 euros to 9 euros respectively.
Budget Tip- I would suggest 100 Monteditos, which boast a menu filled with only 1 euro tapas (Wednesdays and Sundays) where most of the Tapas and drinks are priced under 5 euros. Tapa Tapas is also a good choice for a cheaper tapas option, and it also has lovely sangria.
Sangria Bar– A sangria bar or tapas style restaurant is the way to go if you want the classic Spanish drink. A few friends and I stumbled on a lovely sangria bar located near our hotel by the name Cuevas Sesamo. This adorable joint is located in the basement of a building and has 12 euro pitchers that can be shared between 2-4 people. We visited the sangria bar, known as Cuevas Sesamo, twice in 5 days, as the live pianist, a delicious mix of sangria and low-key vibe allowed us to relax after a long day of touring. Other sangria options include most cafés and bars in Madrid, but keep in mind that every location has a slightly different way of making Sangria.
Plaza Mayor-A central meeting place in Madrid, Plaza Mayor has tons of tourists, but it also has cute restaurants and artists selling and painting in the Plaza. Since it is such a central location, visiting it while in Madrid is inevitable.
Probably Again
Avila- Beautiful castle walls surround Avila, which makes the town seem small and quaint. Avila has plenty of beautiful churches and rooms inside of it, a good stopping point if you want to get out of the city for a bit.
El Escorial- A fortress built for a king, El Escorial holds the remains of past monarchs of Spain as well as their family. If you are a history buff and like Spain, I would suggest stopping by.
Prado- A classic style art museum, the Prado has many of Spain’s most famous artists such as Velasquez, El Greco, and Goya, as well as plenty of other artists of the same time. Much of the Prado has mostly art of the same general time period with similar themes, making the bulk of the art repetitive in comparison to the Reina Sofia. I would definitely go back again, but it would not be on the top of my list in Madrid.
Clubbing- Like New York City, Madrid is a huge metropolitan that is highly populated so the nightlife is impressive. Clubs such as Kapital and Joy Eslava are quite impressive, Kapital boast 7 floors of different types of music. Beware, some of the clubs have limited resources on nights other than Friday or Saturday, even Thursday nights can be a little tough to find things.
Plaza del Sol-Probably the most politically and socially active squares in the city, the Plaza del Sol never seemed to sleep. During the day, protests for animal rights, Moroccan independence, and gender equality took place. During the night, drunk soccer fans and club promoters riddle the square, making it an interesting change of scenery.
Never Again
Palacio Real de Madrid- This is the second time I have been to the Palacio, and just like the first it was fine. The baroque and rococo styling of the palace makes it very over the top in opulence. But as I have now seen it twice, and I do not have any strong feelings to see it again anytime soon. On this visit, I was able to get more of a historical perspective from the tour guide which was a bonus, but I think I have seen enough of the Palacio for a while.
Churches/Cathedrals/ Basilicas- Overall, the country of Spain has a rich culture and religious background, but the number of churches, cathedrals, and basilicas was overwhelming. There are only so many churches in Baroque, Gothic, and Roman-style you can see, especially when some of them are so over the top your eyes hurt.
