I’d heard much about Madrid’s fantastic food and nightlife, but what does one do when not eating or partying? Turns out there is more than enough to keep you occupied for a fantastic weekend. Two of my highlights were the beautiful parks and palaces I visited – peaceful and quirky, with stunning vistas and historical detail. I can’t rave enough about the city now!
We awoke at a Spaniard’s hour on Saturday morning, after a late-night flight into the capital. First order of business was, of course, brunch, and then my friend Juliet and I were out into the city to explore. I love a vista, and coupled with the promise of an ancient Egyptian temple, the Parque del Oeste was our first port of call.
The Temple of Debod stood near Aswan from its first incarnation in the 2nd century BC until 1968, when it had to be moved due to the construction of the Aswan Dam – a decent run, I guess! It was gifted to Madrid by Egypt as a symbol of gratitude for Spain’s cultural aid, and now it stands atop the hill to the north-west of the city centre.
The view of the Palacio Real, the official residence of Spain’s royals, banished all thoughts of Egyptians straight from our heads. This stunning vantage point gives an excellent idea of how vast and well-situated the palace is.
After soaking in the views we wandered down the hill and a short way to the Sabatini Gardens. This beautifully manicured space also offers a great view of the Palace – and it looks just as impressive from close-up! (And can I just note, how amazing was the weather?!)
And around the corner we went to enter the Palace, although we were first stopped in our tracks by the impressive Catedral de la Almudena.
I loved just wandering around the beautiful front courtyard, with its lofty arches, and had to be very seriously persuaded that I should leave the sunshine behind for a bit to check out the inside.
But I was glad that I did, as thanks to an excess of gold and a riot of colour, it was nearly as bright inside as out!
#chandeliergoals
After admiring the out-of-this-world decor of Madrid’s premier Palace, it was time to move on to the more down-to-earth pursuits of eating, drinking and partying – of which more soon! But the next day when some fresh air recovery was in order, we turned to the park again, this time heading to check out the wide expanses of Buen Retiro Park.
And the crowning glory of Buen Retiro? The ethereal Crystal Palace (note: an actual Crystal Palace, as opposed to the one I tried to find in Porto…)!
Ahhhh, modern art…
Turtles!!!
I’ll be writing soon about all the other fun we had in Madrid but for now I want to know – where’s your favourite park or palace that you’ve visited on your travels? Anywhere that perfectly combines both??
Linking up for #WanderfulWednesday with Marcella, Lauren, Van and Isabel – check out their travel link-up and their fantastic blogs using the links!
