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Madrid served as a wonderful starting point for our
journey, offering a blend of exotic culture and
comfortable amenities. We rented an apartment on the
Tirso de Molina plaza from where we were able to walk to
the major attractions, including Retiro Park shown
above. There was a metro station in front of our
apartment for easy access to farther sites, or to the
Atocha train station.
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The opulent Royal Palace with its gilded rooms, frescoed
ceilings and armaments collection is a must-see cultural stop.
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Across from the Royal Palace, the Almudena Cathedral, despite
its neo-gothic exterior, has unique "pop-art" style frescoes and
stained glass.
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Plaza Mayor, built in the early 1600's is ringed by residential
buildings, with traditional shops under the porticoes.
Historically the plaza has been the site of bullfights, soccer
games and public executions.
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In Plaza de Colón, monuments representing the three ships of the
Columbus expedition are engraved with philosophical statements.
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Madrid's city hall, along with 4 other grand buildings, was
built by flamboyant architect Antonio Palacios in 1909 to
originally serve as a post office.
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A stroll down the grand avenues of Calle de Gran Via and
Calle de Princesa is a tour of early 20th century Madrid
architecture.
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This was the view from the side balcony of our apartment,
showing our location in the middle of the action. We picked up
groceries at two nearby markets and enjoyed living like the
locals.
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The Columbus Towers in the commercial district exemplify the
post-Franco growth and energy of modern Spain.
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Three great museums are within a 10-minute walk of each other,
The Reina Sofia, the Thyssen-Bornesmisza (shown here) and the
Prado.
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The Prado has more than 3000 canvases featuring great Spanish
artists such as Velazquez, El Greco and Goya.
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Pedestrian streets between the Royal Palace, Puerta del Sol and
the Museum district have lively shops, tapas bars and buskers. |
The Metropolis building, along with the nearby Telefónica
building and the Correos are architectural icons. |
El Corte Inglés is a major department store with stylish
fashions and home decor, sporting goods, a gourmet food and wine
market, and a travel agent.
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Puerta del Sol is the literal and figurative centre of the city,
from which interesting streets radiate. |
The small Sorolla Museum is the actual home of the impressionist
artist Joaquín Sorolla displaying his artwork and his family heirlooms.
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