A Few Days in Madrid

Sometimes the beauty of Madrid is higher up.

Nice Knockers 

The doors aren't bad either.

Ok, lesson number 1.  You’re not going to see all of Madrid in a few days. Put a cap on that bottle right now.  Matter of fact, you can live there a few years and only get a tasty swallow of this wonderful city.

Lesson number 2. Shrug off the shame of well-traveled friends asking if you saw (fill in the blank) or ate at (fill in another blank).  There are thousands of restaurants and thousands of things to see and do in Madrid and you missed their favorites???

Seeing a big Spanish city in a few days is like becoming fluent in Castilian in a few days.  So, relax.  Ain’t gonna happen.

Let me be bold and arrogant enough to suggest how you can make your few days memorable.  Madrid has a wonderful Metro system, and an equally fantastic bus system.  Whenever possible, don’t use them.  Walk.  Feast on the sounds of the city, the serendipity of seeing a sidewalk café and stopping for a leisurely wine or beer, or coffee, or cola.  Strike up a conversation with the natives, many of whom speak at least a smattering of Anglo.  Get off the main streets. Smile a lot.

Did you miss the post on Tascas in Madrid?  One click will fill in the gaps.

http://stroudallover.blogspot.de/2017/06/dazzle-me-with-evening-of-tapas-in.html

“So, that’s wonderful,” I hear you saying, with a great deal of righteous indignation.  “I’m only here a few days and I’m wasting them drinking beer?”

You have a point. Ok, let’s pick out some destinations, some aiming points. You can eat and drink along the way.  Of course, there’s the world famous El Prado art museum and down the street is the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía that houses one of the most famous paintings of the 20^th Century, Picasso’s Guernica.   By the way, it’s pronounced Gar (as in Gary)-KNEE-ka.  As you probably know, Guernica is Pablo Picasso’s raw, emotional portrait of the horror that is war, in this case inflicted by Germany and Italy during the Spanish Civil War.  However, it’s good to keep in mind two things.  The first is that Picasso did not paint the town itself, but the emotional representation of having the town bombed.  Secondly, in any civil war, there’s always enough cruelty around for both sides to have a heaping share. 

Besides the painting itself, the museum displays all the preliminary sketches and partial paintings the artist did as he found his way toward the finished masterpiece.

Another tidbit.  He didn’t think this was his greatest painting.  What was?  Surely you don’t expect me to give you the answer and spoil the fun.

So, anyway, you’ve gotten your fill of Goya and Velazquez and so much more in the Prado.  On your stroll to Guernica, please stop right before you get there and have a cooling drink in a little hole in the wall restaurant right next door to Queen Sofia’s Art Central.  Take it from me, even when you’re right on top of the museum, you’ll need to stop and ask directions.  This garden of delight is the perfect spot to do it.  Looks like just a gate in a high wall.   Instead, you’ll find a paradise of tranquility so beguiling you’ll end up spending an hour.

One final note about El Prado.  Don’t rush.  Remember so many of those paintings from your art history class are right here and they’re more vibrantly powerful in person.  You can rent an audio guide that explains each painting.  Lots of ushers around to point you in the direction of your favorites.

 

Plaza Mayor

Another major destination:  Plaza Mayor.  Only need to remember a few things.  Lots of Toscas and memorable restaurants in and surrounding the Plaza.  That big man on a horse near the center is Philip III, the king who did most of the planning and building of this wondrous plaza.  Overlooking the rectangular plaza are four sides of apartments and shops. The center is strewn with sidewalk cafés,  in great contrast to the autos-da-fé, which took place here in the 16^th Century.  If you’re not aware of what an auto-da-fé is, I’ll give you a clue.  It’s wasn't beef and pork the inquisitors of the Spanish Inquisition were roasting.

 

Inside Casa Paco

I mentioned notable restaurants.  Casa Paco for perhaps the best steaks in the world.  Served on plates heated to almost 1300ºF (700ºC), the meat is gorgeously roasted on the outside and raw in the middle.  Just slice it as thin as you’d like and let the super-heated plates cook it to your taste.

Don't miss the Fabada Soup

 

Line in front of Botin's

Roast Suckling Pig

Or try the world famous Botin’s, founded in 1725 and made world famous by Ernest Hemingway.  Guinness Book of World Records lists Botin's as the world's oldest restaurant. Gotta have some Conchinillo Asado, roast suckling pig.  Crunchy skin and meat that’s fork tender.

If you’re in town on Sunday, make a trip to El Rastro, Madrid’s famous flea market.  You’ll find everything from expensive antiques, to interesting and affordable objet d’art.  There are also streets lined with stands selling cheap clothes and jewelry.  By-pass those.  Look to the side streets for the treasures.

While you’re at the Rastro, with luck you’ll find a spot for chocolaté y churros.  You may have eaten churros, those crispy cylinders of fired dough, but I’ll wager you haven’t tried cups of Spanish hot chocolate.  It’s so thick and rich it’s almost like pudding.  Go ahead and dip your churros in.  Everybody does.

Never seen a flamenco performance?  An evening in Madrid is the time and place. Fabulous costumes, lots of finger snapping, clacking of heels, and intricately beautiful guitar strumming.

Another Plaza or two.  La Puerta del Sol is just a couple of blocks from Plaza Mayor.  It’s where you’ll find the statue that’s the symbol of Madrid, La Oso y El Madrono, the bear and the strawberry tree.  And never forget La Plaza Santa Ana for wonderful tapas and only a couple of blocks away from La Puerta del Sol.

Gambas al Ajillo

Pimientas de Padron.

 

Royal Palace

View from Café Oriente

Of course you’ll want to visit the Royal Palace in La Plaza Oriente.  While you’re there, look for Café Oriente across the tree-lined plaza and with a beautiful view of the palace.  Take a break.  Have a wine.

Already you’ve used up your few days.  Really?  It’s over so fast?  Hey, time to put another visit on your calendar.  I’ll drink to that!