Madrid & Toledo
Our hotel was located at Puerta de Toledo just a 15-20 minute walk from Plaza Mayor and 25 minute walk to Atocha Station.
Not only do we like to explore a City on foot but we also love to graze and Madrid is all about the food!
Late afternoon, day 1 – we didn’t make it into Plaza Mayor without stopping for a quick calamari butty! The most famous square in the City, Plaza Mayor, once the home to bullfights and markets, it is now buzzing with tourists (and some slightly odd street performers!) and although prices are high in the surrounding cafes and restaurants it is a good starting point to sample some tapas and a good glass of Spanish red and of course to people watch!
After our impromptu ‘butty’ we were not hungry enough for a full on meal so instead Geoff found a fabulous little tapas tavern (Casa Gerardo) in ‘La Latina’ - off the tourist trail, the charming owner and his mother had very little English and we had very little Spanish (Grace had clearly not got into the swing of things!). However we managed to get by and she brought us some delicious cheese and meat slates paired with a crisp white wine and local beer. Just perfect and very reasonably priced!
Our second evening was spent in the Santa Ana area – bustling with vibrant and atmospheric tapas bars and restaurants. Friends had recommended the Inclan Brutal Bar and we tucked into some creative Tapas and a carafe of Sangria (the pesto injected mozzarella balls were to die for!)
A trip to Madrid would not be complete without a visit to the mouth-watering Mercado de San Miguel. Once a large central market it is now a hip spot for grabbing a mojito, a gin & tonic or a fresh fruit smoothie and picking up some delicious bites from the many food stalls. I can highly recommend the fresh mozzarella!
If you are a foodie (like us) Madrid will not disappoint and for a capital European City it offers very good value and tremendous choice.
Of course, there are other things to see and do in Madrid - we didn’t spend all our time eating!
Retiro Park is a perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon relaxing on the lawns, wandering through the gardens or hiring a boat on the lake.
If you are into Art and Museums you could spend weeks exploring the Prado and the Reina Sofia Museums.
And of course, if you like your football stadiums, like my 17 year old son, a trip to Madrid would not be complete without a visit to Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium. I have to say, even I was impressed!
The shopping was pretty good too – all the famous names plus lots of local shops and boutiques.
We chose to spend one of our days in Toledo – catching the high speed train (from the magnificent Atocha station – itself an attraction) which took just 30 mins and spent the day taking the little tourist train around the walls and walking round this magnificent medieval city which once the home to the Spanish Royal family and has been the home to a melting pot of cultures including Romans, Jews, Arabs and Christians ever since.
I would highly recommend Madrid and Toledo as a short break destination even if it doesn't improve your Spanish that much!