Landed at Barajas airport, Friday night (almost Saturday…), and after a long day of work, there was not much left to do besides getting to our hotel ASAP.
For this, we took an Uber (my first time!!!), since by subway it would take us more than 1 hour.
It took us about 25min to reach our hotel.
After a speedy check-in, it was time to catch some Zzz.
Where we stayed
Since our stay was going to be super short, it was only logical to stay as central as possible and with good public transportation nearby.
After some search on Booking.com, we chose to stay at Petit Palace Preciados, 2 min walking from Plaza del Sol!
Couldn’t have been more central, I’d say.
Good hotel for the price; we had a small room, with a very good breakfast!
If you are on a weekend trip, this may be a good option.
Saturday Morning – Walk Tour
After a very good sleep and breakfast, it was time to hit the streets of Madrid.
It had been about 10 years if my memory serves me well since I had last visited the city, and even though I still had some fresh recollections, I was ready to be surprised by Madrid, once again.
Plaza de la Puerta del Sol
We, like many others, were just passing by with our next stop in mind: Plaza Mayor. First stop: Plaza de la Puerta del Sol.
Yep, still busy, just like I remembered it.
Oh, and sunny and cold! Just like last time I walked there.
This square is essentially a crossroad; most people are just passing by, moving from a bus to a metro line, or simply going from point A to B.
However, back in the early day, Puerta del Sol was Madrid’s eastern gate!
Arcade in Plaza Mayor
There is no tourist guide that won’t tell you this square is a “Must See” and I have to agree.
My preference goes to its galleries but the square itself is very nice, however, this weekend they were just getting started with setting up some event. It looked like a Christmas Market, but I’m not 100% sure.
Due to that fact, there were many vans, builders, and fences all over the place, which, to me, killed the vibe this magnificent square had given me the last time I visited.
Plaza Mayor
Off we went, bravely fighting the cold morning winds. Believe me, just because it’s Spain and sunny, it doesn’t mean it’s warm!!
The narrow old streets going from Plaza Mayor are so charming, with many cute shops and cafes, got me the feeling like I was being transported back in time; I could almost picture royals and nobles walking those same streets, centuries ago…
That, or my brain was just freezing and I got these silly thoughts…
Mercado de San Miguel
It was with surprise that we found Mercado de San Miguel, one of Madrid’s oldest and most beautiful markets, so they say.
No matter if you are hungry or not, the moment you step inside and cross path with the many tapas booths, you start drooling…
Many delicious tapas in Mercado de San Miguel
Are you drooling yet?!
On a rainy day, I would totally see myself spending the day there! You can get anything there, from traditional tapas to caviar to chocolate and other sweet delicacies.
Ok, let’s continue.
It was just a short walk via Calle Mayor and we arrived at the Royal Palace quarter.
For longer stays, I’d totally recommend go and visit the Palace itself, however, be prepared for long lines.
Not sure if you can get admission tickets ahead, probably yes, but if not, be prepared to wait in line.
Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena
The crypts were open to visits as well, but we had no time to do it…Since we had just one day to visit as much as possible, we just got to see the main hall of Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena, which is basically next door to the Royal Palace.
It was crowded but in all honesty, I’m glad it was for free because there wasn’t much to see. Apart from the ceiling that had these nice symmetric paintings (my eyes & brain are always suckers for symmetries…).
Ceiling details in Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena
But other than that, there isn’t much to see; it’s quite obvious that Madrid’s Cathedral does not leave a big impression when compared to other European Cathedrals.
But hey, that was not the reason we were there! Whahaha
Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena
But if you want to know why we were in Madrid and what more have we seen/visited, then you will have to come back next week for Madrid part 2 of this post! hihihi
There are more sights (aka photos!) and experiences to share as well as some tips.
I’m glad I finally got out of my blogging-block-mode and got to sit and write this post.
0 Responses
Welcoome back to blogging 🙂 Excellent post!
Thank you!!
Glad you liked the post. 🙂