Madrid - the royal city

Gran Via

Less of a classic sight, but something to see because it's pretty much the biggest and most famous street in Madrid, is the street Gran Via. It used to be nicknamed "Madrid's Broadway" because of the many cinemas and theatres. Today it is mainly known as a big shopping street. I liked the street especially in the evening. I really liked the atmosphere there and the many neon signs on the buildings looked cool. You have the absolute metropolitan flair here: loud, colorful, and hectic. There were also many artists on this street. I was most impressed by two men who played music with rubbish.

Palacio Real & Catedral Almudena

The Royal Palace is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family. This does not mean that the royal family also lives there. The palace is only used for official occasions, but the royal family itself lives in the Palacio de la Zarzuela. The building has 3,418 rooms and covers almost 135,000 square metres - making it the largest palace in Europe in terms of floor space! The building is beautiful. I only saw it from a distance, but it was awesome. The buildings that are near the palace are also incredible. One of them is the Catedral Almudena- the official name is: Santa Iglesia Catedral Metropolitana de Santa Maria La Real de La Almudena. Compared to other buildings in Madrid, it is new - the cathedral was only completed in 1993.

Plaza Mayor

The Plaza Mayor is one of the oldest squares in Madrid and a focal point for visitors. In the past, the city's main market was held here. Today, you can find many restaurants around the square. The prices for food and drinks are quite high on the Plaza Mayor but nevertheless, it is worth sitting here for a while and soaking up the atmosphere of the square.

Parque del Retiro

Especially in summer, Madrid can get quite hot.  The Parque de Retiro is a huge park in the heart of the city and one of the most important sights in Madrid. I was totally fascinated that there was such a large and beautiful park in a big city. We must have spent like 2-3 hours in the park and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

Plaza de Cibeles

This square is home to notable monuments such as the Cibeles Fountain and the Cibeles Palace. In the centre of the square is the Cibeles Fountain, the symbol of Madrid.  Incidentally, the victories of the Real Madrid football club are celebrated around the fountain today. Also in this square is the Cibeles Palace and the Glass Gallery (intended for events), which is freely accessible with its impressive glass dome.

Other famous buildings in this square are the Bank of Spain, the Linares Palace and the Buenavista Palace. The famous Paseo del Prado also starts there.

Biblioteca y Museos Nacionales

The Spanish National Library in Madrid is the most important library in Spain and the central repository for books from Spain. Founded in 1712, the library holds around 26 million media units, making it one of the largest libraries in the world.

Hotel & Restaurant

During our stay we stayed at the Hotel Santo Domingo. The hotel had advantages and disadvantages. The rooms were good. The roof terrace was huge, and it even has a pool on the roof. That was very cool. But the service was not good. It was a pity that the bar rarely open and lying by the pool without a drink is not so much fun. Also no one helped you set up the deckchairs. Nevertheless, it has to be said that the hotel is perfectly located for a city trip.

Now I would like to introduce you to two cool restaurants as insider tips. One restaurant is called Azotea del Circulo and has a great roof terrace. Unfortunately, there was no more room for us for eating dinner, so we could only have a drink at the bar. But the view was worth it to go to this place.

But now it gets even better. Want to visit a restaurant where you can eat great tapas and have direct eye contact with the palace at the same time?  Then I would like to introduce you to the Restaurant Terraza de Sabatini. The view, the drinks and the food were simply brilliant. Be sure to book a table before, as it's not a big restaurant.

A really great restaurant was also the Topolino, very close to our hotel. The pasta there was so delicious that we went there twice. I ate the Pasta Tagliatelli alla marinare. Egg noodles with mussels, shrimps, and clams in a marinara sauce. Amazing!!