How to spend two days in Madrid
Last month my first trip of 2018 happened! We made a stop in Madrid, on the way back of our road trip through Portugal. Usually we run our booties off to see every highlight of the city but not this time. The fact that this was already my third visit to Madrid surely made it a super laidback trip. We went with the flow of the city while enjoying all her cute little streets. And the best part? We still managed to see lots of things!
Lavapiés
We stayed in the neighborhood of Lavapiés. From here it’s only a fifteen-minute walk to Plaza Mayor, however it’s a completely different world. It is kinda ghetto-looking at first but the more I looked around the more I liked it. It reminded me a lot of my own neighborhood while living in Athens! Lavapiés is colorful, lively and very multicultural. The shops sell products from all corners of the world and you see people chatting in the streets everywhere. Children are running and playing outside and everyone seems to own a dog. Ow, and did I mention that this is the place to be for some cool street art?
Plaza Mayor
Plaza Mayor is the first thing that pops up in my mind when I think of Madrid. The soft red toned walls, the statue in the middle of the square, I love it! It is as touristy as it can be, but I do think it is a very cozy place to grab a terrace. Come with a full wallet though as drinks are expensive here!
Palacio Real
The royal palace, in Spanish called Palacio Real, can be seen from far above the city. We did not go inside but wow, it’s an impressively huge building! The palace square offers a magnificent view over Madrid making it an awesome spot for sunsets. The area around the palace is nice as well with the gardens of Sabatini and Plaza de Oriente.
Almudena Cathedral
When you already think the royal palace is impressive then look to the other side and watch the Almudena Cathedral of Madrid. The building is painted in a nice babyblue hue but wait till you get inside. The whole roof and the dome are decorated with the most beautiful colors and patterns!
Gran Vía
Gran Vía is a long and the most famous shopping street of Madrid. It is also a popular spot for entertainment such as cinema. Gran Vía is super crowded so don’t expect a quiet stroll through the street. You’ll forget about it soon though when you observe its elegant buildings in beaux-arts style. Princess domes as I like to call them!
Plaza Santa Ana
You will find several bars in and around Plaza Santa Ana. The big eyecatcher here is the ME Hotel as it is lit up in purple at night. The ME Hotel rooftop bar seems to be excellent but was closed that night, unfortunately. Instead we went to cocktail bar Ana la Santa. This means Ana the Saint so I thought it was funny to pose under the sign as my sweet innocent self haha.
Parque del Buen Retiro
This is one of the biggest city parks I’ve ever been to. I think it’s awesome that Parque del Buen Retiro is not only a super green park but also offers a lot to see! What attracted me the most to the park was the Crystal Palace. This is an exposition space that, surprise, consists mostly of glass. The entrance has a soft pink wall though! Entrance to the Crystal Palace is free, but you’ll have to wait in line a bit. Furthermore, you’ll find a beautifully decorated museum in Parque del Buen Retiro and there is a lake where people rent little rowing boats.
Puerta de Alcalá
As you might or might not know I am obsessed with arches and city gates. Whenever I see one I just feel the urge to take a funny or jumping picture. The arch of Madrid is called Puerta de Alcalá, and was a must for my collection. Luckily, I didn’t have to search long for it as it is right next to Parque del Buen Retiro. The cool thing about Puerta de Alcalá is that it consists of three different arches and is lit up in beautiful bright blue lights at nighttime.
Did you ever visit Madrid?
Ayo! AR x
