A guide to Madrid

Old Jan 26th, 2015, 10:32 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A guide to Madrid

A very elegant city located in the center of Spain, there is so much to see and do in Madrid. The link below is my thoughts on the great city of Madrid, and my trip to nearby ancient city Toledo, along with photos from the trip.

http://passionforplaces.blogspot.co....rid-spain.html

Thanks for reading!!
Elis
elisgriffiths is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 10:44 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,729
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks .
Love Madrid, visited five times.
danon is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 10:51 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,038
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for posting this. Many people here are obsessed with Barcelona, but for us Madrid is the tops !
Bedar is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 10:57 AM
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I agree!! I feel I should probably explore Barcelona more though before forming an opinion, but Madrid is so underrated! I didn't really know anything about the city before going, but I really loved it.
elisgriffiths is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 11:00 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Madrid is definitely on my wish list--maybe next year.
outwest is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 11:08 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,815
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Great, thank you! We'll be there in May, so this is very helpful!
progol is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 11:23 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,886
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Excellent! I certainly agree about Madrid being underrated! One of my favorite cities indeed.
Weekender is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 11:41 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,298
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Elis,

Thanks for posting, another Madrid lover here! I'm heading back to Madrid in February. I have lost track of how many times I've been in the last 30+ years, I always have a great time.
cruiseluv is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 12:03 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This is perfect, thank you! My bf and I will be in Madrid this April. It'll be our first time discovering the city...very excited.
tessietoes is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 04:24 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Me mola Madrid!

Before I left, everyone said that Madrid was good for two days and then leave. However, I enjoyed my stay here as I'm an art/history lover. The food was great, people were surprisingly friendly for a bid city and the Retiro park was gorgeous. Plus the Metro was clean, cheap and easy to use-and ran more often than the Metro in DC.
emily71 is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 04:51 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,729
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Bus service in a Madrid is also very good.
We also used Cercania for day trips.
danon is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 05:50 PM
  #12  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
"everyone said that Madrid was good for two days and then leave" -- I frequently note that for any art lover, it easily merits a minimum of 4 full days. Glad you enjoyed it!
kja is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 06:24 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,729
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
There are number of posters who used Madrid only as a base to see small towns nearby.
Not everyone has interest in art museums or moving away from crowded Sol and Mayor area.
I highly recommend venturing north of Retro park along and east of Serrano all the way past Goya
to Jose Ortega ..
lovely , tree line streets, high end shops, galleries, non- touristy Madrid of well to do locals.
danon is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 07:26 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I also liked the area around the Teleferico bordering Parque Oeste. Some lovely high end buildings. Is that still considered the Salemanca district? Reminded me a bit of the Central Park West in NYC.
emily71 is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 08:48 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,729
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No, Salamanca is north of Retro park...more like the Upper East side..
danon is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 09:20 PM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6,476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I am not sure where the concept of being an under rated began. It is a world class city with three world class museums and it is an excellent hub to visit other towns. There are many other places and customs that are touristy and not. It is the center of government and does have the feel of a company town. I like some others prefer Barcelona, but that does not mean I do not appreciate Madrid.


BTW, the museums and parks that are also used by Madrileños, especially on Sunday. Although I try to avoid the Plaza Mayor, there are stamp sellers on Sunday morning and one the unique stores nearby called Casa Hernanz that sells all sorts of products made of hemp, but not that.

You do not get to know a place until you ready to leave and a week in Madrid passes very quickly.

A friend says that Madrid is a Spanish city and Barcelona an international one.
IMDonehere is offline  
Old Jan 26th, 2015, 09:44 PM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,038
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No, Madrid is a capital city and Barcelona a provincial one.
Bedar is offline  
Old Jan 27th, 2015, 07:38 AM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,729
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
As much as I like Madrid, I would never call Barcelona "provincial" anything...
It is elegant, interesting, multicultural , full of great art , lovely vistas of the sea ...
one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
danon is offline  
Old Jan 27th, 2015, 08:27 AM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well, young Elis, you seem destined to be an explorer of many places. Come on over to Boston someday. I did glance at your photos. Other places too. You might consider more "people pictures," i.e. street scenes, tapa bars.

As for Madrid, truly a bustling city with nice parks and fountains. We stayed last October just off Gran Via. You did not include the Prado nor Royal Palace which should be highlights. But maybe you are too young for Goya and company (myself an admirer incl. the Goya exhibit in Boston in January).
Ozarksbill is offline  
Old Jan 27th, 2015, 08:37 AM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
To clarify about people in photos, you have many buildings pictured. But in Copenhagen you surely could include people relaxing along Nyhavn and also fishermen and boats along Amalfi Coast. I always try to get a few children, too.
Ozarksbill is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -