The dynamic capital of Spain, with its three and a half million inhabitants and second largest city in the European Union, is a beautiful metropolis, whose museums and libraries house many of the greatest works of art in the world.
Its magnificent boulevards and excellently maintained parks make it a pedestrian and enjoying city for tourists and residents.
That pedestrian, simple and enjoyable Madrid is what we are going to talk about in today’s article.
Small Gastronomy
Spanish gastronomy is one of the most renowned in the world. But here we will pay more attention to those small gastronomic pleasures that Madrid offers us.
In Madrid there are certain dishes that identify the city. The typical breakfast of the metropolis consists of toast with serrano ham, liquefied tomato and olive oil with coffee with milk. Starry eggs are another must-see that should be tried in all their presentations.
At night, after an evening of dancing in one of the excellent nightclubs of Madrid, nothing better than eating churros with chocolate after a night of farra.
We can not forget the “montaditos“: small breads stuffed with blue cheese with shrimp and in other combinations. They are worth 1 euro and with four of these you even have a lunch.
Parks and Squares
In summer, the people of Madrid crowd the many parks and squares to sunbathe in swimsuits.
A madrid landmark is the Plaza Mayor,with many restaurants with a very European air. Once, it was the center of the city of Madrid and is a space with 500 years of history. It is a favorite to walk, eat, shop or simply, romt.
There is a Christmas fair that is installed there and in its center you can see a statue of Philip III that is more than 400 years old.
Nearby is the Puerta del Sol, an emblematic square that marks km 0 of the cart system throughout Spain. It is there from where the celebration of New Year’s Eve is televised and its bells mark the time to eat the twelve grapes.
Here is the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, symbols of Madrid.
The Buen Retiro Park is the “green heart” of Madrid, or its “vegetable lung”. Strolling or running in the morning through its beautiful spaces, with the Crystal Palace in the background, is quite an experience.
The Crystal Palace is the most beautiful building in the park, among so many beautiful buildings, and was designed by Ricardo Velázquez Bosco. The Buen Retiro is a true museum of outdoor statues.
Near the El Buen Retiro is the famous Puerta de Alcalá. This neoclassical monumental arch was inaugurated in 1778 and has been the backdrop to major historical and musical events.
Also on Alcalá street is Plaza Cibeles, with its monumental sculptural ensemble and which has become the symbol of Madrid.
Football lovers can’t miss the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, home to billionaires and the most powerful football club in the world: Real Madrid.
Other simple pleasures from Madrid
There are a number of small pleasures that will give you a better semblance of what Madrid is:
- Watch a film dubbed into Spanish from Spain at the Capitol cinema on Gran Vía.
- Buy yourself a lottery ticket and dream of “hitting El Gordo”,a great prize.
- Buy some antique or second-hand item on Sundays at El Rastro,the famous flea market.
- Go for tapas. In a brewery or bar you order a drink, which is accompanied with meals “to snack” (tapas), such as olives, Manchego cheese, serrano ham.
- Go on march. They do a bar-to-bar tour for an entire night and sample the shots of alcohol in each. In each place you stay about 20 minutes and then you go to another.
- See the beautiful sunsets from the Royal Palace of Madrid and take pictures.
Idiosyncrasy from Madrid
The idiosyncrasy of the Madrilenian is usually casual. The inhabitants of this city say things without much regard. This could be mistaken for some haughtiness by certain conservative foreigners. But the truth is that they are people with character and they express it in their way of speaking.
There is a certain fiery and somewhat aggressive temperament, which may be the origin of the proverbial “Spanish fury“.
In Madrid, like many other European cities, one must beware of pickpockets. They’ve become so clever that they take out your wallet, wallet, passport or whatever without you noting. Whether you’re in a crowded place or not.
A little further
There are three places near Madrid that you should reach if you visit the Spanish capital.
Toledo: 30 minutes by bus from Madrid. The city of cultures, where the cultures of three great monotheistic religions have left their mark: Christian, Arab and Jewish. A Mozarabic architecture (Arab culture of the Iberian Peninsula during the centuries of occupation) impressive.
El Escorial: vast monastic complex with museums and churches. It was the residence of the kings of Spain and today is where the kings are buried. It was built by order of Philip II, the most powerful monarch in the world in his time and is, since 1994, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Aqueduct of Segovia: an hour and a half from Madrid, this incredible work of engineer of the Roman Empire was conceived and built to bring water to the city of Segovia from a fountain located 15 kms. It was completed 1800 years ago by emperor Trajan.
Conclusions
Madrid is one of the cities with the highest quality of life in the world. A modern and cosmopolitan city that occupies a privileged place next to the other great capitals of the European Union.
Its fast-paced and avant-garde lifestyle seems to take us through the maelstrom of sensations of its nightlife and world festivals.
However, knowing Madrid from the perspective of its small pleasures opened our minds to that other, kinder and more enjoyable Madrid that awaits to be discovered by the visitor.
