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Magnificent Madrid
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OUT AND ABOUT Spain’s capital city has more to it than just soccer, says Sudhir Syal
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THE REAL MADRID The city charms with its splendid architecture and brave matadors
Madrid, the capital city of Spain has a lot going for it, giving you more than just one reason for it to be added to your ‘Europe in 14 days’ itinerary. It has culture, architecture, fashion and some of the most vibrant night-spots in al
l of Europe. So, when all that people asked me about my impending visit to Madrid was “Wow! Are you going to watch a football game?” I got a little concerned. When some of my friends even referred to the city as ‘Real Madrid’; it made me think, isn’t there more to this city than its rich history of football?
We arrived at the spacious Madrid Barajas airport all set to embark and explore Madrid. We had been warned that it could be difficult to get around the city as most people conversed primarily in the local language. So, I decided to invest in a little translator which as I thought, would take care of all our worries. About half-an-hour later, judging by the quizzical looks my attempts at Spanish got, my confidence started diminishing, I should’ve perhaps signed up for Spanish classes instead.
First impression
We got our first sight of the city, coming out from a crowded tube station, and right from the outset it truly captivated us. The city with its cobble-stoned roads, intricately styled churches, hand-sculpted statutes and exquisitely designed fountains maintains a certain antiquated charm almost consistently right through. In fact, it all gels so well together that it does seem like all of Madrid, was planned out by the same architect! This set in a background of temperate Mediterranean climate almost through the year, means that a walk through the streets of the city is a pleasure in itself. Given that our touring group, had a majority of football fanatics, it was hardly surprising that the first destination on our Madrid city tour would be the Santiago Burnabeau stadium, home of the hallowed Real Madrid. A guided tour of the stadium took us through the team’s museum, the merchandise store, the team dressing round and then eventually into the ground itself. The first sight of the stadium from the stands is truly magic, and the tour of the club is well worthwhile even if you are not so much of a soccer fan yourself.
The next on the list was a visit (quite contrastingly) to what is referred to in Madrid, as the Golden Triangle of Art consisting of the three Museums, the Prado, the Thysesen Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofia. The most famous of the three is the Prado Museum; architecturally the most striking as well as housing some of the finest works of legendary artists such as Rembrandt and Carvaggio. The other two museums stand out in their own respect as well, while the Thysesen Bornemisza Museum plays host to some of the rarest collections of impressionist and expressionist styles of painting, the Reina Sofia Museum contains some of the masterpieces from artists such as Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali, the most famous painting in the Museum no doubt being Picasso’s Guernica.
The next few days in Madrid saw us moving onto exploring the various architectural landmarks in the city. The first of them being the Royal Palace of Madrid, this palace constructed back in the 10th century is an architectural masterpiece, built with opulent design and is after the Louvre in Paris, the second largest palace in all of Europe. Apart from the palace, the city’s other tourist attractions are the Plaza de Espana and the Puerto del Sol, these squares are tourist hot-spots filled with hand-sculpted statues, waterfalls and promenades. These squares are filled with little bistros all offering a variety of Spanish delicacies and adding to the flavour.
Madrid has a variety of cuisine to choose from, but it’s the Spanish delicacies of tapas, paella and sangrilla which really stand out, available in little bistros all over Madrid, they almost blend with one another.
It’s from here that the city leads to the central shopping area of Madrid, the Grande Via. The Grande Via, could be best described as the Champs Elysees of Madrid, it contains stores retailing all of Europe’s top designer labels and is a fashionista’s delight. It’s also this area that offers the best of Madrid’s night-life. The area contains some of Madrid’s famous night clubs, notable among them the clubs of ‘Pacca’ and ‘Club Joy Eslava’, the latter to which the Real Madrid soccer team are rumoured to come regularly to celebrate their victories.
This brought to an end our whirlwind trip of Madrid, a city which would forever live in our memories for its vibrancy, aesthetic beauty and distinct charm. And to answer my own question, yes the city does have a lot more to it than its soccer tradition, a lot more…
FAQs
When is the best time to go?
Madrid has its best weather during spring between April and June and during autumn between September and November, summers and winters though can get be a little extreme with temperatures reaching over 40° Celsius in the summer and below 0° Celsius in the winter.
Will language be a problem?
Certainly. Sign up for Spanish classes before you leave, else try and get your way around using good old sign language.
Will I get to see bull fighting?
It depends on when you go. Bull fighting is on only between Mid-May and October, so if you are really keen ensure you schedule your trip for around about then.
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