Last Minute Madrid

Madrid its what I like to call an accidental city or an added bonus!

Our trip originally started in Seville Spain we loved it there so very much but I’ll get to that post soon. Original itinerary had us visiting Seville followed by Lisbon and then Porto. It was 95° in Seville and absolutely gorgeous but if we flew to Lisbon as planned it was rainy and 60. One easy and quick decision was made and we vetoed our plans!

We decided that we were so happy in Seville that we didn’t board our flight to Lisbon that we had booked and book another one! We gained another sunny day in Seville and our next best option to get to Lisbon was a layover in Madrid. A 12 hours layover. We decided to make a day of it and enjoyed a short trip in Madrid but still made sure to hit as much as we could. Personally not my favorite city as it was a bustling commerce and didn’t have the charm we expected. Check out our must sees below!

HANG OUT AT THE ROOFTOP BAR OF CIRCULO DE BELLA ARTEZ

Who are we kidding? We go to a new city we find the best rooftop bar with some serious views of the city! Yes you do have to pay 4 euros for entry but when in a time crunch looking for a cocktail, sunshine, and views this is where you will find it!

Calle de Alcalá, 42, 28014 Madrid, Spain

SHOP AND BASK IN THE ARCHITECTURE ALONG GRAN VÍA

MARVEL IN THE ROYAL PALACE OF MADRID (PALACIO REAL)

This place is massive! I could not fit it in a photo! 

The Royal Palace of Madrid (Spanish: Palacio Real de Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish royal family at the city of Madrid, although now only used for state ceremonies. The palace has 135,000 square metres (1,450,000 sq ft) of floor space and contains 3,418 rooms.

Sabatini Gardens behind the palace 

Don’t miss this stunning treasure behind the grand palace. Perfect spot to bring a snack and sit for a little picnic! enjoy the pond, the sculptures, and beautiful landscape designs.

The Gardens were built in the 1930’s on the site of the former stables. Located in front of the north façade of the Royal Palace, the gardens, whose construction began during the Second Republic, were completed after the Civil War.

Their architectural and ornamental styling as an extension of the Palace were enhanced on account of the exhibition of several sculptures that were originally planned to decorate the cornice of the palace. Their geometric design and location make them some of the most beautiful gardens in Madrid.

Although they look spectacular at any time of the day, at dusk they are truly magnificent, as it is one of the best sites in Madrid from which to watch the sunset. From the large rectangular pond in the center of the garden, surrounded by fountains, trees, and white marble sculptures, the visitor can contemplate how the yellow and red tones alter the coloring of the gray stones of the Palace, and watch the sunset from the perspective of the Casa de Campo

Metropolis building 

SEE THE EGYPTIAN TEMPLE OF DEBOD

Get your tickets early! There will be a line! 

This is an Egyptian temple dating back to the 2nd century BC, transported to Madrid’s Cuartel de la Montaña Park. The temple was donated to Spain by the Egyptian government to save it from floods following the construction of the great Aswan Dam.

Try the CHURROS AND dipping chocolate CHOCOLATE AT SAN GINÉS

I hope you have some more time than we did to explore the 3rd biggest city in Europe! For now I’ll be admiring the beautiful colors spread through the city and the grand doors that make you feel so small but glorious at the same time!