Weekend in Madrid

Two and a half days are few to be able to visit this city. Madrid is very big and for the first time in my life, after visiting it, I felt very confused. Usually I can locate the various things visited, while here this was a bit chaotic. In any case it is a beautiful city, where I definitely have to come back.

For info about Madrid's cafés and restaurants, click here.

Day 1

Plaza Mayor it is the main square and it is located in the old part of the city. In the past this was Madrid's most popular market, today is an elegant square always full of tourists. The three focal points of the square are:

• La Casa de la Panadería, in ancient times it was used to set the price of bread. Nowadays, is the headquarters of the Madrid Tourism Center

• El Arco de Cuchilleros is the most important arch of access of the square

• La estatua de Felipe III it stands in the center of the square and is the most representative statue of the city.

Plaza de Cibeles is one of the most famous squares in Madrid. It is dominated by a beautiful fountain and flanked by imposing buildings. Among the buildings you will find:

• Palacio de Cibeles, the City Hall

• Bank of Spain (yes, where La casa de papel tv series was filmed)

• Palacio de Linares, an institution that aims to promote cultural relations between Spain and Latin American countries

• Buenavista Palace, the Army headquarter

Atocha central station is different to other European stations. Inside it you will find a tropical garden with more than 500 animal and plant species. It is probably one of the most beautiful stations I have ever seen. From the top floor you have an amazing view and you can take cool pictures.

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is one of the most important museums in Madrid and offers visitors an extensive collection of contemporary Spanish art. The museum's best-known painting is Picasso's "Guernica", in memory of the tragic bombardment of Guernica during the Civil War.

Day 2

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the Spanish Royal Family’s official residence. You can visit the palace both with guided and self-guided tours. The traditional visit includes the entry to the following areas of the Palace:

• Official Halls: each hall is unique and the Throne Room is truly breath-taking

• Royal Armory: armor, shields and weapons of every kind make up one of the world’s most important collections

• Royal Pharmacy: features hundreds of different sized bottles with beautifully decorated cabinets that were used for storing all kinds of medicine

If you pay a small extra you can also visit the kitchens and the wine cellar.

Museo del Prado is one of the most important art museums in the world. Among the works of art, the most famous you will find here are:

• "3 de Mayo en Madrid" and "La maja desnuda" by Francisco Goya

• "Las Meninas" by Diego Velázquez

• "Las Tres Gracias" by Pedro Pablo Rubens

Estadio Santiago Bernabeu located in Paseo de la Castellana, is the Real Madrid Football Club stadium. It is one of the most frequented places in Madrid with more than one million visitors a year. Inside you can visit a museum dedicated to the football team and you can access the locker rooms and the benches.

N.B. Right now it is undergoing renovations.

Gran Vía is the most famous boulevard in Madrid. Currently, you will basically find restaurants, fashion stores and cinemas. Here you will also find Lope de Vega theater, where The Lion King Musical performs. It is a wonderful show, to be seen at least once in a lifetime. You can also find it in other big cities, but especially if you know Spanish I recommend you to see it here. The theater is beautiful and the seats very comfortable.

Day 3

Parque de El Retiro is Madrid’s most renowned park. The top attractions inside the park are:

• A large artificial lake where many locals and tourists rent rowboats to explore it

• Monument to King Alfonso XII

• Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace): it was initially used as a greenhouse, now houses numerous contemporary exhibitions

• Palacio de Velázquez (Velázquez Palace): an art gallery which always features temporary art exhibitions

• Paseo de la Argentina: is a broad promenade with two lines of statues dedicated to Spain’s monarchs

The royal botanic garden is located next to the El Retiro park. Here you will have the chance to enjoy the peace and quiet of being immersed in nature. I love visiting botanical gardens in the cities where I travel to and I really enjoyed the Madrid one. Here you will also find a beautiful collection of bonsais. It is considered the most important group of native Iberian species and they also have a group of species from Japan, China, Canada and South America, prepared by prominent Japanese bonsai masters.