City Break: Madrid

As the capital of Spain and the third largest European city Madrid has a lot to offer with its boulevards, parks and buildings.

For our trip to Madrid we stayed at the Atlantico Hotel which was located on the main shopping street Gran Via. The hotel is located in a good central location making it easy to get around Madrid. At the hotel there’s a terrace where you can go for drinks which is the perfect place to go of an evening to relax.

As a city Madrid has a lot to offer anybody who visits. When visiting Madrid you are able to go the Royal Palace of Madrid, which is the official residence of the Spanish Royal family and is only used for state ceremonies as they choose to live on the outskirts of Madrid.

When visiting any new city one of the main sights I like to find is the cathedral, which I was able to find in Madrid as they have a Catholic Cathedral known as Almundena Cathedral, which was consecrated by Pope John Paul ll in 1993.

Retiro Park is one of the most known parks in Madrid which is located on the edge of the city centre.

A central plaza in Madrid called Plaza Mayor, which has got nine different entrances as well as being surrounded by shops and restaurants is the perfect place to visit.

In Madrid one of the best known places is Puerta del Sol, which is a public square with a number of sights including the Old Post Office that now serves as the office for the President of Madrid.

Another square in Madrid is Plaza de Cibeles which is a neo-classical complex of marble structure with fountains that have become an iconic part of the city. Plaza de Cibeles was previously known by two different names Plaza de Madrid and Plaza de Castelar. Within the square the prominent building is Cybele Palace which is the city hall.

Out of all the different places I’ve visited Madrid had one of the best markets I’ve been to known as Mercado de San Miguel which is covered. Mercado de San Miguel is not the typical grocery market that you can come across in some cities but its a gourmet tapas market with over 30 vendors offering freshly prepared tapas as well as baked goods and fresh fruit/ vegetables.