Top Sights in Madrid

icon Comentarios | date icon 16 de Diciembre 2009

Autor: Lauren Smith

The vibrant city of Madrid has everything for a cultured city break, with a buzzing nightlife that makes it popular with backpackers. With plenty of hostels in Madrid, free museums and dozens of cheap places to eat, it’s easy to tackle on a budget too.

Unsurprisingly, the capital oozes Spanish flair with bull fights, tapas bars and churros aplenty. But what about those unique experiences no first time visitor should miss? Here’s a guide to the best of Madrid.

Sunday Morning Shopping

El Rastro is Madrid’s world-famous weekly flea market, and a quirky place to pick up a bargain. Dating back to medieval times, the Rastro is one of the oldest markets in Europe, and today over a thousand street sellers have set up shop in the streets around the Plaza de Cascorro.

A Sunday morning tradition, Madrileños can be found browsing, haggling for wares or simply strolling the streets from 9am. The market is also open public holidays. Whether you’re looking for second hand clothes, old coins, traditional local crafts or an array of bric-a-brac, you’ll find it among the cluttered stalls. Some streets in the Rastro are ‘themed’ - so if you’re looking for a piece of artwork to take home, head to ‘Painter’s Street’, the Calle de San Cayetano.

After a bit of retail therapy, browse some of the antique shops in the area, or refuel in the surrounding bars and cafes.

Check out a Bullfight

Head to the bullring one afternoon for one of the most iconic events in Spanish culture. Depicted by Goya in his tapestries, Picasso in his prints, Lorca in his poems and Almodóvar in his films, first time-spectators will be awed by this impressive show. Bullfights abide by a very strict set of rules - there are three matadors each afternoon (starting with the most experienced) and each of them fights two bulls each.

There are also certain traditions, from the Pasodoble (the soundtrack to the fight, played by a band beside the ring) to the bullfighter’s colorful silk costume, and the audience waving white handkerchiefs to show their support for the fighter.

The bullfighting season runs at Las Ventas from April 30th to September, and all year round in the covered Visalegre Bullring in Carabanchel. To truly experience the bullfighting culture, check out the Museum of Bullfighting at Las Ventas, or sample some oxtail in the taverns in the Las Ventas neighborhood, covered with bullfighting memorabilia.

Ride the Cable Car

See Madrid differently - from the giddy heights of one of the world’s most horizontal cable cars. Never more than 40 meters above the ground, the Teleferico rides 2.5km across La Rosaleda, a green stretch of space to the west of the city center.

Try chocolate con churros

This sinful Spanish delicacy is a must-try for anyone visiting Madrid. Spaniards eats it for breakfast, or after partying hard in Madrid’s bars and clubs. Churros are light and crispy sticks of fried dough, traditionally served with a steaming cup of thick and dark hot chocolate, perfect for dunking. Try it in the Chocolatería de San Ginés (Pasadizo de San Ginés), a traditional white-marbled bar tucked away behind a side street. This cafetiera has maintained much of its original decor, and was established in 1894. Chocolate con churros is its speciality, although it’s just as famous for its opening hours - staying until 7am to satisfy hungry clubbers. Try the Porras for a slightly thicker donut.

Eat at the world’s oldest restaurant

Botin (Calle Cuchilleros, 17) is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s oldest restaurant, dating from 1725. Housed in a 16th century building in the oldest part of Madrid, and inside the wood beamed dining rooms and tiled floors add to the ambience. Author Ernest Hemingway was a frequent visitor and proclaimed it to be his favorite restaurant, and today it can seem a little touristy. But you’ll still find Spaniards in here sampling the roast lamb and suckling pig, accompanied by a ‘tuna band’ - musicians playing songs in traditional dress.

The Avenue of Art

Madrid is famous for its museums, and the ‘Avenue of Art’ consist of four world-class art galleries - the Prado, Reina Sofia, and Thyssen museums, and the CaixaForum. The Prado is one of the most important art museums in Europe, with a vast collection of sculptures, paintings and art objects from around the world. The Thyssen is a former private collection of over 800 paintings, with exhibits from the 13th century to the present day, whilst the Reina Sofia houses some of the best Spanish work of the twentieth century, from Picasso to Juan Gris. The Caixaforum opened in 2008, and is a vast 10,000 square meter space of contemporary art, with abstract botanical gardens.

Referencia hemerográfica:

Fuente: Revista electrónica Vinculando, Vinculando.org;
Autor: Lauren Smith;
Título: Top Sights in Madrid;
URL: http://vinculando.org/vacaciones_viajes/top_sights_in_madrid.html;
Fecha de publicación: 16 de Diciembre 2009.

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