Hola!
This is the description of a 4 days journey to Madrid, during 2010-2011 New Year`s Eve period.
We landed at Madrid Barajas airport around noon. Pay attention!!...the airport is quite big, and is especially big if you arrive at terminal T4. You have to walk many stairs and then to take a special train that leaves you to the terminal where the luggage is dropped off. But until there are again stairs and stairs.
Just before you exit the airport there is the entrance to Metro (Subway). There is only one line, L8 that starts from terminal T4 to Terminals T1,2,3 and then to the city. Remember that it is necessary to pay extra money to enter and exit the airport stations (T1,2,3 and T4). The amount is 1 Euro extra.
A single ticket costs ~1 euro and a ten journey ticket (called metrobús), which can also be used on buses, costs 9.30 Euros. The metrobús cannot be used on Metrosur, MetroNorte or MetroEste although there is also a ten journey ticket for these lines that costs 9 Euros. The combined single ticket for traveling on the whole underground network –including Metromadrid, Metrosur, Metro Norte, Metro Este and TFM (Puerta de Arganda- Arganda del Rey)– costs 2.00 Euros. It’s free for children under 4 years old.
Single + Supplement (Metro Madrid (A Area) and to enter and exit from both airport stations: Aeropuerto T-1 T-2 T-3 and Aeropuerto T-4): 2 €
We stayed at hotel Abba Plaza Castilla. I always search for hotels first on TripAdvisor.com and then check on booking.com and on hotel`s website also for special prices. The reviews from tripadvisor.com are 99% true so it is a good reference point.
The hotel Abba Plaza Castilla is not situated in the city center but it is just in front of the metro station Plaza De Castilla . To get here from the airport you need to take the metro from Airport to station Colombia and then change the line and take line 9 towards Herrera Oria and stop at Plaza Castilla. It is very easy to arrive, the journey it takes around 20-25 minutes.
The hotel has 4 stars and we had a good offer for 3 nights at 207 Euros for room. It is situated just behind the 2 Torres Kio and close to Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
In front of the hotel there are some coffee & sandwiches bars in case you might get hungry.
As we arrived at the middle of the day, we checked-in (easy and fast) and then we went towards Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. You can arrive by stopping at Santiago Bernabeu Metro station. Be prepared that it can be a long line with people waiting to buy tickets for the tour of the stadium. Luckily it goes quite fast, so you do not have to wait more than 30 min.
The stadium is home of the Real Madrid football team. The tour costs around 16 Euros and it is discounted if you are a student. Open daily from 10-19.00 and Sunday from 10:30 to 18:30 (closed on 25th December and 1st of January). You get the chance to visit the stadium and view the panorama of it, to view the trophy exposition, the football field, the presidential box, the player`s tunnel, benches and coach area, the dressing rooms and press room and the store. The total tour of the stadium can take you between 2-4 hours depending on how many pictures you take :)
The next day I planned a longer trip to several places of interest in Madrid. My suggestion is the following:
Take the subway until Banco de España station. (Line 2)
There you can see Plaza de la Cibeles with Cibeles palace. In the center of the road it can be noticed the statue of the Goddess Cibeles. If it is open it would be a worth visiting the Glass gallery inside Cibeles Palace.
From Plaza de Cibeles take a nice walk on Paseo del Prado.
You will have on one side the Navy Museum (Museo naval) and on the opposite the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Also, close by there is Prado Museum and the Botanical Garden.
Moving on you can find Caixa Forum and Reina Sofia Museum, and at the end of the road you will see the famous and beautiful Atocha train station
Be prepared to find a long line with people waiting at Prado Museum so, if possible, go there as early as you can. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Caixa Forum and Reina Sofia Museum have modern buildings and they also worth to be visited.
All of them deserve to be seen and admired, depending on your preferences you can choose one that it suites you or you can choose all of them.
One one side of Paseo del Prado there are many small bars where you can have some tapas and cerveza (beer).
On the 3rd day (or 4th depends on how many museums you have visited) there is a new itinerary to be checked. The start point is the Royal Palace or also known as Palacio Real.
Take the metro and stop at Opera station. From there just follow the signs or go straight ahead. It is a 5-10 min walk from metro to the palace and its surroundings.
Palacio Real is impressive. On festive days it is closed, do not trust the websites. From October to March, the Royal Palace is open from Monday through Saturday from 09:30 to 17:00 and from 09:00 to 14:00 on Sundays. Walk around it and visit also the cathedral from the left (Catedral de la Almudena). My advice is that after you finish visiting the palace, to take a turn to the right towards Sabatini Gardens. They were great during winter; imagine how they are in the summer.
Inside palace make sure you will see the Throne Room, the Kings Chamber, and the Porcelain Room. Visit also The Royal Armory. Visit also Plaza del Oriente, located on the east side.
Here are some historic data about the palace:
Long before Madrid was the capital of Spain, Emir Mohamed I chose the village of Magerit as the site for a fortress to protect Toledo from the advancing Christians. The building was eventually used by the Kings of Castille until finally becoming what would be known as the Antiguo Alcázar (Old Fortress) in the 14th century. Carlos I and his son, Felipe II, were the main inspiration for its transformation, turning the building into a permanent home for the Spanish royal family. However, in 1734 a fire burnt the Palace of the Austrias to the ground, and Felipe V ordered a new building to be constructed in its place.
Following the untimely death of Filippo Juvara, the architect originally commissioned to design the palace; it was his pupil Juan Bautista Sachetti who eventually drew up the final plans. Seventeen years passed between the laying of the first stone in 1738 and final completion of the work commissioned by Felipe V. However, it was Carlos III (known as the "Mayor of Madrid " due to the large number of reforms and initiatives that he was responsible for in the city) who ended up being the first monarch to occupy the new building. He also commissioned Sabatini to complete its decoration, overseeing the final work at the Palace of the Bourbons. His successors, Carlos IV (responsible for the creation of the Hall of Mirrors) and Fernando VII, added many decorative details and furnishings, such as clocks, items of furniture and chandeliers.
After you finish seeing the palace you should take a stroll into the Sabatini Gardens that are found on the right side of the Palace. They are great and offer a spectacular view. If you have sandwiches with you, sit down on one of the benches from the Gardens and enjoy the atmosphere.
After your stop into the gardens, continue the walk by going to Plaza de Espana. Before arriving to Plaza de Espana, look at your left for sign for Templo De Debod.
Templo de Debod it is a beautiful space. It is an authentic Egyptian temple that was donated to Spain by Egypt. The area near it is known as Parque de la Montana. The entrance is free, and as a tip, try to see it at sunset.
Here is some info about it:
One of the sovereigns of the kingdom of Meroe, in modern-day Sudan, which dominated the Valley of the Nile for centuries, was the first builder of Debod. His name was Adijalamani and the chapel was built during his reign; this was the original heart of the temple, called the Chapel of the Reliefs where epigraphic references are made to an “Ammon de Debod”. Many changes have occurred since its creation. Pharaohs from subsequent reigns added rooms until it took on the appearance that can be seen today, and the cult of the Ammon of Debod was replaced with the cult of the goddess Isis. Initially, this centre of pilgrimage, one of the most important ones in Egypt, was dedicated to the gods Ammon and Isis, which can be seen in the reliefs and bas-reliefs that decorate the inside of the sanctuary. Many of the images that decorated the temple disappeared due to being underwater for nine months after the first Aswan dam was built. The remodeling effort was not able to fully recover the iconography of this place of worship, which was built for the deity and which only the priests could access. Today, thousands of visitors have been allowed to access this small part of Egypt and return for a moment to the year 2000 B.C.
When you finish admiring this place, turn right and head towards the tall building you can see. This is called Torre de Madrid and it is found in the close proximity of Plaza de Espana.
Plaza de Espana is famous by having a monument dedicated to Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote.
Have lunch at one of the many restaurants/bars from this area and rest your feet.
After lunch, continue your trip towards the famous boulevard Gran Via. If you are planning to stay several days, why not buy a ticket to one of the many musicals from the theaters found on the boulevard.
Continue the walk till Callao (metro station has the same name). From here you have 2 options:
1- Continue on Gran Via until it cross over Calle de Alcala that leads you to Plaza de Cibeles we already talked about.
2- At Callao take on the Calle de Preciados, a street with many shops that will lead you to the famous Puerta del Sol. Enter the night here with a cerveza(beer) and some tapas.
The next day continue from where you left it the night before, meaning Puerta del Sol. This is the famous place where Real Madrid football team gathers when they are winning, or when other important festivities are taking place. All the streets that are going to Puerta del Sol are full with bars, restaurants, souvenir shops and other types of shops. Make sure you take a photo with the famous clock above Casa de Correos and with the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry tree, a famous icon of Madrid.
From Puerta de Sol you can go on Calle Mayor, and not far away, on the left you can find Plaza Mayor. Walk around the small streets near Plaza Mayor, they are really nice. Plaza Mayor is very crowded on Sundays.
You have now 2 options: either continue walking on Calle Mayor and arrive later on, again, to Palacio Real or take a walk on Calle de Toledo towards the famous area La Latina. On the way you can notice San Isidro Church (Colegiata de San Isidro). It was Madrid's main cathedral until the construction of Catedral Almudena . Its high altar contains the tomb of San Isidro, the patron saint of the city.
Near La Latina area (metro stop La Latina) it is the famous Flea market El Rastro. El Rastro is known for its numerous tapas restaurants and shops. Visiting Sunday El Rastro it should be a must in order to see the Spanish culture. Be aware at pickpockets.
In the afternoon, take another walk, this time in the famous park El Retiro. To arrive here, exit at metro station Retiro. On your way to exit the metro, you will find yourself at the entrance of El Retiro Parque. Here it is up to you the way you want to admire this park. Do not forget to see the monument of Alfonso XIII, the Palacio Velazquez and Palacio de Cristal. If possible take a short trip with the solar boat on el Retiro Lake. Visit also the el Cason Del Buen Retiro. The Casón Del Buen Retiro was originally the ballroom of the Buen Retiro Royal Palace, which was destroyed by Napoleon troops. The park is really remarkable and deserves every minute you spend in it.
Walk till the end of the park and then you can head to Atocha train Station. This is the famous Spanish train station where bomb attacks took place on 11.march 2005. Go in the train station, it is a real botanical garden inside. Visit the memorial place.
From Atocha you can go towards Passeo del Prado and visit Reina Sofia Museum and Caixa Forum in case you did not do it yet.
Other things to see in Madrid:
Madrid Zoo: stop at Casa de Campo metro station. From there follow the signs towards the Zoo.
Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales – the monastery of barefoot nuns. Inside it is really great. Metro: Callao (L3, L5).
Las Ventas Bullring: the place where the bullfights are taking place. Bullfighting season runs from March to October. Close to it is the Museo Taurino (Bullfighting Museum). It is a small museum and entrance is free. Nearest metro station: Ventas (Line 2).
Madrid teleferic: Metro/Bus : Metro de Arguelles L1, L3, L6 / Bus: Líneas 21 y 74
Parque de El Capricho: Metro stop: El Capricho (L5); Opening times: Winter (October to March): Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 9am to 6.30pm. Closed on January 1st.
SHOPPING MALLS.
a) Príncipe Pío. it is in the city centre. Subway: Príncipe Pío, lines 6, 10 & R, and commuter trains -Cercanías-.
b) Palacio de Hielo. main attraction is an ice skating ring opened during all the year. (subway: Canillas, line 4)
c) c) Madrid Xanadú. this is the biggest, shopping mall of Madrid, it has lots of shops, restaurants, a bowling alley, karts, ski and snowboard in a false mountain with snow artificially maintained at -2ºC all the year, hot air balloon flights, etc. There is no subway, but the following buses depart from Príncipe Pío subway station: 528, 534 and the night bus N45.
d) d) PLAZA NORTE 2. A huge mall only for shopping. There is a bus departing from Plaza de Castilla (subway: Plaza Castilla, lines 1, 9 & 10): every 30 min: 156.
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