Trip A: City One, Day Two

 

Introduction:

    Day Two is where I start to really feel the jet lag and would like to sleep in, but we have things to do and a siesta can be had later!  Day Two is also when I usually love to traverse the city the most! Today, we will visit Retiro Park, the National Cathedral, the Cibeles, and the Royal Palace. All while eating more delicious food!

Morning:

    For breakfast, I really suggest hoping on the metro and heading back to Sol and having some pastries and a coffee for breakfast. Or what I usually get, a croissant with Jamón Ibérico and cheese and a freshly squeezed orange juice from La Mallorquina, which has been in operation since 1894. This place is a bit touristy and more pricey than others in Madrid, but I fully think it is a place everyone should experience. The place is VERY packed and you might have to wait for a table, but it is worth the experience, I promise.

    From breakfast, I would then get back on the Metro and head from Sol to Opera station. Opera is the station closest to the National Cathedral and Royal Palace. While I have only ever toured the cathedral, the Royal Palace is stunning from the outside and the changing of the guard is neat to watch. However, my favorite part of this area is the amazing views from the almost giant balcony that looks toward the west, you see the gorgeous Central Mountain System. It is one of my favorite views in the city. The tours and the time taking pictures consume between 1-3 hours.

Inside the National Cathedral. 

The view from the Royal Palace looking toward the Central Mountain System. (yes, that is snow capped mountains in April!)

Mid-Day: 

    To my favorite restaurant in the entire city, Taberna la Buha, located in the Chueca neighborhood. This place has the best and I mean THE BEST tortilla de papas in all of Spain. I will not take arguments here, it is hands down the best. Tortilla de Papa or Spanish Omelette is hard to explain, its almost a potato latke but giant and almost an omelette, but with more potatoes than egg. Whatever, it is delicious. My favorite on the menu is the one filled with caramelized onions and goat cheese with a roasted red pepper sauce. I have, and will again this summer on my next visit, eaten the portion for three people by myself... I have no shame in that. While eating, yes I drink my Coke with lemon, I also have a glass of Tinto de Verano, which is usually a cheap red wine mixed with lemon/lime soda and is delicious.

My friend, Requi, cutting the Tortilla at Taberna la Buha.

A cross section of the Tortilla... I had 3 of them?

Evening: 

   Finally, it is siesta time! After I eat my tortilla, I am ready for a nap. And thankfully, they are completely normal in Spain, especially in the summer. So after a couple of hours, I get rested and ready to go out again. From the hotel, I would ride the metro toward Retiro Park or El Retiro. This is a giant park in the middle of the city, think Central Park in New York, but cleaner and more beautiful. El Retiro was originally a royal garden for the king and his family until the 1800s when it became a public park. There are so many things to see from the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) to the man-made pond where you can rent a paddle boat and enjoy the sun. The Palacio de Cristal usually has a FREE art exhibit to view, which I am a fan! While I have never paddle boated in El Retiro, I have fed the giant fish in the pond that could probably eat all of us and still be hungry. 

Me and my friend, Requi, enjoying an afternoon in El Retiro. 

    From hanging out and walking El Retiro, heading to Cibeles is the next stop on my itinerary. Cibeles is essentially the White House, sort of, it is the office of the government and more importantly where all of the gold reserves in Spain are held. If you have a Netflix subscription, watch 'Money Heist', a Spanish show that talks all about it! 

Palacio de Cibeles, an amazing marble structure. 

Just Before Sunset:    

    An hour or so before sunset, I would head to Parque del Oeste (Western Park) to watch the sunset. Grab a cheap bottle of wine, some jamón and cheese, and just enjoy the evening. While drinking in public in Madrid isn't legal, the activity called "botellón" usually isn't policed. Spain literally has a verb for drinking socially in a public space, that is pretty awesome. Botellón isn't about drinking, it is about the social aspect where you connect with your friends after a long day or week and just enjoy life. 

Sunset in Parque del Oeste.

Dinner:

    My dinner plans will likely turn some of you off, but I always say be adventurous when you travel! We are going to a restaurant called Los Caracoles. Caracoles are... well, snails. While I have had escargot in France, caracoles in Spain are a bit different, as they are in a paprika sauce. They are delicious. I could eat them every day. Take the bread and dip it into the sauce and mmm. Yum! 

Snails from 'Los Caracoles' in their paprika sauce.

Nightlife:

    I am a partier by no means and cannot keep up with the Spanish and their party culture... Let's just say they go out when I want to be back in bed. I have been out twice in my time in Spain and had a blast, however not going somewhere until 1am and staying out until 5, 6, or 7am are not my cup of tea. The Spanish can party hard. They can out dance, out drink, and out live us! And while Madrid has nothing on Ibiza or Tenerife, there is still plenty of opportunity to have some fun in the capital city. 

The Twenties Music Festival in June 2023. 

Outro:

    I am not finished with Spain just yet, however, we are going on a day trip from Madrid on Day Three. We will head to Segovia, a small town about an hour train ride out of Spain in the next post!