Paris, London, Rome: I’ve been lucky enough to visit famous European cities, but I must admit I was drawing a bit of a blank when it came to Madrid. I found it hard to picture or to imagine. Would it be worth extending my trip to Spain for a few days to experience the capital?
Well, now I know, and the answer is a resounding Si! because of the beauty, the food, the culture, and the walkability.
Dating back to medieval times and today with a population of almost 7 million people, Madrid is a great recommendation for the client who is into art, wonderful dining, shopping, history and more.
It’s a city made for walking (I racked up 37,000 steps in 3 days). With beautiful wedding-cake architecture and leafy squares, a stroll through Madrid, with its boutique-lined streets, plazas, and sublime cathedrals, is always photogenic. Comfy shoes are necessary. A rental car is not recommended: not only is the local Metro (subway) expansive with its 300 stations, but it’s also easy to navigate.
Not surprisingly, Madrid’s a magnet for art lovers, with the renowned Prado Museum a huge draw. Home to 3,000 works, it’s a must for every art lover. Good to know: Yes, it’s a nuisance for your clients to have to book a timed museum visit before they have even left Canada, but I highly recommend it. When we showed up, there was already a huge queue of people holding timed tickets patiently waiting to get it. Also good to know: photography is strictly forbidden in the Prado. Another big attraction is the Museo Reina Sofia (Queen Sofia Museum), home to masterworks of contemporary art, including Picasso’s iconic Guernica.
Soaking up all that culture is sure to bring on an appetite, and clients should know that dining hours in Spain are quite different from those in Canada. Breakfast (usually a generous continental with cold cuts, hardboiled eggs and cheeses) is fairly flexible, but the locals tend to eat lunch mid-afternoon and dine even later – 9 or 10 pm. A great way to stave off the hunger pangs is doing a “tapas stroll” – meandering from one bar to another, enjoying bar snacks with your aperitif. And many restaurants offer convenient, affordable three-course dinners for €10-15. Worth noting: many eating establishments are closed during the month of August, with owners and staff on vacation.
For clients who consider shopping their favorite cultural experience, there’s much available as souvenirs of Spain’s flamenco culture—fans, shawls, castanets. Spaniards take their fashion seriously, and Spain is, after all, the home of fashion retail giant Zara. The locals are, for the most part, well-dressed, and if your clients don’t want their clothing to scream tourist, cut-off jeans and baseball caps would be best left at home.
Also worth mentioning to your clients is that pickpockets love Madrid as much as the tourists do. Leave valuables in the hotel room and keep cash and cards in inner pockets.
As the inimitable travel writer Rick Steeves puts it, “Madrid has enough street singing, bar hopping and people watching for everyone.” Es la verdad! (Isn’t that the truth!) I can’t wait to return.
