The capital city of Spain, Madrid is renowned for its exclusive museums, food, arts, parks and stylish boulevards. Discover Madrid, the city of beautiful gardens, parks and sky.
⦁ Treasure hunting in El Pastro
Madrid is quite busy on weekends, Sundays particularly. Ribera de Curtidores is the place to be. This open air market is flooded with tourists and local citizens during the weekend. You can find absolutely everything from jewellery to vintage clothes depending on the item you are looking for. Being the oldest market in town, the place is filled to brim. It is advisable to get there in the morning to avoid congestion and noise from traders who are trying to woo their customers. The antique shops are located down the street. You can find everything in antique just name it.
⦁ Visiting the Gran Via
The Gran Via is a street located in central Madrid. The street is very active during day and night times hence the name ‘the street that never sleeps’. In Europe, Gran Via is respected for its large movie theaters’, shopping centers and restaurants. The one kilometer street has many tourist attractions situated nearby. An example is the Grassy Jewelry shop founded in 1952. Started by Alexandre Grassy, this beautiful shop deals in diverse jewellery items such as brand new Swiss watches. Grab a drink at the famous Museo Chicote bar. The name sounds like a museum but this is not the case. The Gran Via ends when you come into contact with the Miguel de Cervantes monument.
⦁ Drinking beer
Just like Germany, beer drinking is a growing trend in the Madrid. Naturbier is the best place in Madrid that offers locally brewed beer. This bar has been divided into three parts; a room with music, the terrace where you can enjoy beer while staring at people and the dungeon where each table has a tap of its own. You can drink beer the German style at Natubier. The place is open from Monday to Thursday from 10.00 AM to midnight. Other places that offer excellent beers include; El Pedal and Fabrica Maravillas. It is hard to get through the streets of Calle Verde and Argumosa during the weekends.
⦁ Enjoy taking photos with ‘El Oso y el Madrono’
For every photo lover, a photo with the ‘El Oso y el Madrono’ statue is a must do thing. ‘El Oso y el Madrono is the statue of the bear and the strawberry tree. Located between Calle de Alcala and St. Jeronimo, the symbol is a representation of the coat of arms of Madrid. Also, the bear is supporting a tree and reaching for a fruit as well. There are many visitors longing to take a picture with this adorable statue, you should be patient until it’s your turn to interact with ‘El Oso y el Madrono’. A smartphone comes in handy.
⦁ Visit the city’s parks
Madrid has a beautiful and large city park; The Casa de Campo. Families and friends gather in Casa de Campo during weekends and holidays. The park has a zoo, the Madrid zoo where visitors can tour and view different animals. Watching the dolphins in the Zoo aquarium is a classical example of how the zoo protects wildlife. The park hosts sports activities and school competitions. ‘El Retiro’ is another small city park to visit while in Madrid. Madrid’s city parks are cool and exciting to walk in.
Top 3 Hotels in Madrid
⦁ Relais & Chateaux Hotel Orfila
This is a five star hotel known for its excellent and superb services. Some of the best services the hotel has includes; free parking, free internet and dining. Relais & Chateaux Hotel Orfila maintains its evergreen appearance throughout the year thanks to the Mandarin trees that thrive until late autumn. The rooms are spacious, beautifully furnished and overlook the garden. The staff is incredible; very warm and welcoming to visitors.
⦁ Hotel Ritz
Found in the heart of Madrid is a luxurious hotel, Hotel Ritz. It offers a central meeting point for meetings, families and high-end business people. The hotel offers flexible rates when it comes to booking suites. The suites have handmade carpets, furnished furniture and embroidered linens that make you feel at home. Hotel Ritz also accepts younger fans such as kids. The hotel has the Ritz fitness center where you can exercise and keep fit.
⦁ Gran Melia Fenix
The hotel offers you the best coffee and snack bar services in Madrid. You can always unwind and drink at Gran Melia Fenix Lounge and enjoy some soul music as well. The hotel is better equipped with internet connection available to public areas close by. Dining at Gran Melia Fenix is an awesome and thrilling experience. Have fun to the fullest but remember smoking at the hotel is prohibited.
Best foods in Madrid
Picho de Tortilla is a must try food in Madrid.
This is a special Spanish cuisine prepared from piles of eggs and potato. It is often taken with bread. Also, try Oreja a la Plancha and Callos a la Madrilena. They are awesome.