Madrid - More Coming Soon!

Of course, as is customary with most European Countries, Spain has a royal palace. In fact, it is the largest royal palace in Europe. Although it is not  lived in today, it is still used for state ceremonies and open for visits - both self-paced and guided tours. The palace forms a square shape with there being a court in the middle. When booking tickets, you can select a tour type (self-guided or guided) and whether you would like to see the kitchen or galleries. Aside from this, you can visit many different rooms. In fact a lot of them have unique colors and theme making them unique from other palaces.  

This Roman Catholic Church consists of multiple domes and costs around $5 to enter. The name of this neoclassical structure translates to Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great.  

El Retiro is a stunning park with multiple attractions hidden in the heart of Madrid. It is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site, do to the numerous cultural items in the area including water fountains, artworks, gardens and more. All of this further add to its beauty. One of these sights is the Glass Palace and another is the Embarcadero with Alfonso XIII statue. And of course there are also a lot of areas to walk, enjoy nature or grab something to eat. The pathway across the lake from the Embarcadero serves as a central area. The park and viewing of all of its exhibits are free. Since the location of to the park is so central and near other attractions, it is definitely worth a visit. 

This 5 arched monument stands in a round-a-bout just outside of Retiro Park. This neo-classical, granite structure was created even before the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and are used as a symbol of independence and the monarch. 

Although Flamenco Dance originated in the Andalusia (home of Sevilla, Rhonda, Marbella, Malaga, and Gibraltar) hundreds of years ago, it quickly became an icon of the country. In fact one of the best Flamenco shows in the world, Corral de la Moreria, is located in Madrid. It has hosted dozens of actors, celebrities, politicians and even presidents. It is a place where you can dine while watching a world-class flamenco show. Corral de la Moreria Even has a Michelin star for its great food. However aside from Corral de la Moreria, there are plenty of other shows throughout the city and and country. 

This plaza is a literal square with a building running around the length of it and encompassing the square. The building is perfectly symmetrical. At the center is a centuries old statue of King Philipe III. This is a great place to shop and eat. 

This plaza is one of the main city squares and boasts one of the most popular attraction. You’ll quickly notice that the statue of a bear and a tree can be find on any souvenir - well the real “Bear and Strawberry Tree Statue” symbolizing the unity of the nation can be found here.  

The plaza combining these 2 is located just of off the end of Gran Via. The fountain contains a statue of a lady in a chariot and horses. Meanwhile, a magnificent white buildings stands behind the fountain.  

This is one of the only Egyptian monuments located out of Egypt and the only one in Spain. For some background, in the late 1900s, Egypt needed help in saving the monuments of Nubia when they needed to build a dam. Therefore, as a token of gratitude for their help, Egypt gave Spain this temple. In fact they gave other countries temples as well.

In order to view the temple from, you do not need tickets as it is open in a park. However, in order to enter the temple itself and see engravings and learn its history you do need to make a reservation as it has limited capacity - it is free.

The Prado National Museum is located within Madrid’s golden triangle of art. It consists of 3 art museums located close by (the other 2 being the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofía Museum). However the Museo del Prado is the most prominent. Many people say that it is a must visit for anyone as most will appreciate it. However, if you absolutely don’t like art museums, it may not be for you as it is very extensive. Unfortunately, I speak from experience.  

Just like most major cities, Madrid has its very own central street which is the hub of all shopping, food and sites. Whether intentionally or not, you will end up on this street while traversing the city