We’ve transited through Madrid before, but never stayed, so this trip we gave ourselves a little stopover of four days/three nights to hit some of the high points. Madrid, the capital of Spain, is literally the central city. The evidence for settlement here goes back to the Celts, who built a fort near a ford here in the Fifth Century BCE. At least one of the prominent theories for the derivation of Madrid is from the Celtic word for ford. Madrileños (people from Madrid) prefer the nickname gatos (yes, cats) because they see themselves as stylish and nocturnal: I can confirm both allegations.
Madrid would be just another small fort-city on the Spanish meseta (plain) if not for Phillip II, who chose it as the royal seat in 1561, precisely because it was in the geographic middle of the peninsula. Oh, that and it was surrounded by forests, which satisfied his passion for hunting. And to please his wife, Elisabeth, who hated the cramped, cold, fortified city of Toledo and longed for anywhere else (reverse Spanish Green Acres?). Phillip’s choice turned the sleepy village into the seat of the great Spanish Hapsburg empire, and eventually the world-class city it is today, although its long-standing nickname remains Villa y Corte, or “town & court.”
The Plaza Mayor is the central square of Madrid, lined with cafes but free of any central shade, lest you get close to the statue of Felipe III. We stayed just around the corner, and the Plaza was a pleasant place to stroll through or take in an aperol spritz and watch everybody else strolling by. The cafes are a mix of the good, bad, and ugly (Pizza Hut?), so do your homework or else walk a few blocks away where numerous excellent restaurants await.
We ate at two centenarios, restaurants that have been operating as such for at least one-hundred years. The first was Sobrino de Botín, which proudly displays its Guinness world record as the oldest continuously-operating restaurant (since 1725). And the legend holds that their oven has been continuously burning for 300 years. We staked out the opening for lunch and scored one of the few walk-in, outdoor tables. Botín’s pride and joy is cochinillo asado, or roast suckling pig. We enjoyed the prix fixe menu, but were not wowed by the piggys. But that chef was certainly moving them from shelf to plate!
The other was Restaurante Los Galayos, which impressed us in every way. Here we tried another must-eat local dish named Cocido Madrileño. This is a hearty stew served in multiple stages. All the ingredients are cooked together, but then the meat and vegetables are removed from the broth. Thin, angel-hair like pasta is added back in, and the broth is served as a first course. Then the pot with the sausages, chicken, pork, carrots, potatoes, and artichokes arrives, which you place back into your remaining broth. Add in a pitcher of tinto verano (a wine and soda mix popular among locals; they leave the sangria for the tourists) and you have a quintessential Madrid lunch feast.
We also had a delightful tapas lunch in the Mercado de San Miguel, a fashionable “gastro” experience that–while admittedly touristy–was nonetheless tasty. Get here early (before two in the afternoon) and take turns holding down a place at the cafe benches while munching on everything from seafood tapas to jamón ibérico to sushi to meatballs to pastries.
Of course you must visit the Prado, Madrid’s world-beating art museum. Sorry if I have no pictures to share, as they have a “no photos” policy. But here are some tips: get a reserved, timed ticket. You don’t want to join the throngs standing in the hot sun to get in. But when you go online to get that ticket, skip the “sponsored results” section on Google and make sure you are on the actual Prado website (here it is) and not a fake site like this one. Or you’ll end up paying twice, or arguing endlessly with your credit card company.* You can buy the audio guide, but don’t use its built-in tour, which is haphazard at best. Plan what you want to see beforehand and make your own way, stopping to marvel at the other surprises along the way. Finally, pay no attention to any of the helpful information signs painted on the walls. Apparently they reorganized some time ago but left the old signs up, which will send you on an endless doom-loop in search of a bathroom (by the way, aseo, not baño, in España).
The Palacio Real is the Spanish royal family’s official residence, and the largest royal palace in Europe. It is a magnificent baroque structure, full of the art and the wealthy trappings one would ascribe to Spain at the peak of its worldly power in the 17th century. A self-guided tour is sufficient, even if the audio guide is somewhat erratic in its presentation. Be sure not to miss the royal armory, recently reopened, for an extensive review of medieval weapons and armor.
Next to the royal palace is, yes, another (bloody) church (abc). What’s different about this Cathedral is it’s fairly new, only being completed in 1993. Formally named the Cathedral of Saint Mary the Royal of the Almudena, it was started in 1883 but left uncompleted by the Spanish Civil War, and only finished much later, after the fall of the Franco dictatorship. It’s a neo-Gothic structure, with baroque additions, but much of the art work is modern. Take a look:
From modern to ancient: a short walk from the royal palace through the parks surrounding it rewards you with an incongruous site: the ancient Egyptian Temple of Debod. Seems when Egypt was building the Aswan High dam, several ancient temple complexes were scheduled to be flooded. Spain donated to save the temples, and Egypt rewarded them by deconstructing one and moving it to Spain. It now sits in a park with an overlook of the parklands of the royal estate, Madrid’s suburbs, and sunset every evening.
We know we only scratched the surface of Madrid’s offerings. There’s shopping on the Gran Via, matches for Real Madrid, and so much more art, architecture, and culture. We’ll certainly look to visit again, as it is a convenient hub for travel in Spain. One final note: even in May, the daytime sun was quickly pushing the “unbearable” level, so hats, sunscreen, and extra hydration are a must. Or just plain your visit cafe-to-cafe, alternating between cañas (small beers) and Aquarius electrolyte water!
* Yes, I know better. It turns out, I finally figured out how I was duped. I had long ago gone to the fake website, realized it and backed out. When the day came to buy my tickets, Google helpfully highlighted the result because I had been there before, so I mistook it for the real website. Not helpful, but a learning experience.