Travel ¡Viva Madrid!

Travel ¡Viva Madrid!

Date of Visit: February 2022

Madrid Basics

• Currency: Euro. Credit cards are widely used. There are also many exchange bureaus.
  
• Language: Spanish / Castilian. Tourists can get by with English without any problems.
• Restrictions: As of February 2022, there is no restriction to wear a mask outside but it is still required for indoor venue. Tourists also need to fill out a form issued by the Spanish government and show when entering the country.
• Location: Southwestern Europe, capital of Spain. Relatively cold winters and warm summers, typical Mediterranean climate.

Welcoming its guests as the capital of Spain, Madrid has a lot to offer in terms of food, plazas, monuments and its friendly locals. Madrid residents are a little more formal and laid back than those in Barcelona but that does not mean there is no fun to be found around here! 

On the contrary the capital has a lot of scenic restaurants, pubs and cafes where you can chill and spark a conversation with a fellow traveler or one of the locals. It is also home to the world famous soccer team Real Madrid FC and needless to say, people are crazy about it :)

What are Madrid's Symbols?

Madrid’s official symbol / coat of arms is a bear stretching up to a strawberry tree so do not get confused when you see this symbol on government buildings or just see it sculptured in the main squares and streets.  

It is a symbol of resiliency and strength that is visible all around the city. The depiction is usually accompanied by a crown above, and seven stars around. No matter what color or type the statues are, they will always depict a bear stretching up a strawberry tree. 

As you can see a colorful one on the right, it is only up to the artists to get creative on this matter :) I personally liked the blue-green one best.

How to Get to Madrid by Train from Barcelona

I took the fast train to Madrid from Barcelona (Sants station) for a 2-day trip. It takes around 2 hours so it is definitely worth a try. The train is very comfortable and the staff is very helpful. Although there was no free Wi-Fi on the way to Madrid, I managed to connect on the way back. 

Madrid’s train station is called Puerta de Atocha and it is not too far away from the center – 20 min on foot if you are a fast walker. You are greeted by two giant realistic baby head sculptures when you get out of the station. They stand around 3 meters tall and the babies are not the friendliest bunch judging by their looks :) But that did not stop people from taking pictures by them and it certainly did not stop me!

Where to Stay

Since I was staying in Madrid for only 2 days, I only needed a bed and a bathroom where I could crash at night. So I booked a room at a beautiful and modest hostel which was located right in the middle of the Atocha station and the center. 

I only had a small backpack with me so I could walk anywhere easily. I checked in at my place, left some stuff in the room which had a bed, a TV and a sink where I could wash my hands and brush my teeth. The bathroom was shared and located right across my room in the hall. It was very clean and resourceful so not bad for one night eh? :)

Firstly I was very surprised to see that even the immediate surroundings of my hostel were packed with cafes, pubs and convenience stores. Since I am an avid traveler, especially the convenience stores are the first priority that I look for when I arrive to a place. So that was a good sign, moving on :) 

One could easily notice just by walking on the streets that the Spaniards in Madrid were dressed more formal and chique whereas Barcelona was more relaxed and mixed. I started walking to the famous Plaza Mayor de Madrid and figured I would have something to eat first, observe the plaza and then decide where to go next.

Things to Do & See in Madrid

Plaza Mayor is really a majestic places and a historic landmark where several celebrations as well as public executions have been held throughout the years :) I recommend it as the first place to see, just sit down and relax while having a glass of wine and/or food.

I did the same thing as I do everywhere I go, and joined a free walking tour to get a better sight of the city and be informed about it while touring around. 

Guides hosting these tours provide you with very interesting information such as the origins of the name Madrid. But the story was too long and there was not one but several theories behind how it came to be so the only thing I remember is that the word probably comes from Arabic. 

Highly recommended for the churchgoers, please do visit Madrid’s cathedral Catedral de la Almudena and experience how magnificent it is both inside and outside. It is a fairly new church and it was approved by Pope Jean Paul II whose very realistic statue greets you as you climb the stairs outside to the church. Truly an amazing place!

Right across the church stands the Spanish Royal Palace. It is free admissions on some days at the end of the day and luckily we were able to get in for free. It is bigger than most of the other royal palaces I had visited in Europe and has many amazing artifacts. 

It takes more than an hour to see the royal palace and the arsenal building right outside. This huge area where the church and the palace face each other is a very picturesque place where a lot of hours were spent taking pictures and shooting videos.

Another popular meeting point in Madrid is Puerta del Sol where you can always experience the soul of the vibrant city and catch up with your loved ones. This square is always swarming with people and offers a great gateway to other parts of the city on foot. 

Madrid’s one and only El Retiro Park is a place that you would not want to miss with its amazing statues and artificial lake where people sail their small boats back and forth romantically. It is a truly fantastic scenery and there are cafes around where you can sit down and read a book. 

Having encountered on my way, I also visited this Egyptian style temple called Temple of Debod and actually waited in line for a while to get in but it was a total disappointment. I mean no disrespect but is not worth your while despite it being free. So just walk by it and maybe a take a picture and that’ll be more than enough.

Food & Delicacies 

As for the food scenery, I must say that tapas here are served free along with your drink unlike Barcelona where you have to pay for your tapas! So now you know and do not hesitate to take advantage of this little tip :) 

The tapas bars throughout the city are very crowded so you might have to spend some time finding a place before you can sit down and settle. I recommend the local coffee shops (definitely not Starbucks). 

Also recommended is this place called Museo del Jamon which is by the way not a museum don’t let the name fool you, but an eatery where you can have a paella, some tapas and a glass of beer. Really good atmosphere inside but it takes a little while for them to get your order so hang in there by your bar chair!

Leaving Madrid

Keep in mind also that the historic city of Toledo which used to be the previous capital is only a couple of hours away from Madrid. 

I used absolutely no public transportation during my time in in the city so I am not able to give any advice on that. But I was told that the city is very well connected. However if you are coming to the city for a short while like me make sure to get a place just right outside the city and you’ll be fine walking. 

People and staff are very friendly at hostels, pubs and other places. I speak no Spanish and some of my encounters did not speak very good English but we still managed to get by with a great smile and hand gestures. So just be friendly, polite and open; and the Madridians will warmly welcome you!