Stay : Journey to Madrid
One week is an ideal time to discover Madrid. Of course, museums are part of the identity of the Spanish capital, but the city has many surprises in store for you: bullfighting in the Las Ventas bullring, the book fair in Retiro Park in early June, the Paloma festival in the Latina district in mid-August, etc. A 4-day tour will give you a global vision of the richness of the region.
Summary of the stay
Best time to go
10 days
€€ - Charm and comfort
Detail of the stay : Journey to Madrid - 10 days
Day 1: Casa de Correos, Place de l'Orient and Place Mayor
Ground: kilometre 0, a plaque that marks the start of all Spanish roads. It is located at the foot of the Casa de Correos, the general headquarters of the Government of the Madrid Region. From here, you can head towards the Royal Theatre via Rue Arenal. Stop at the Descalzas convent, built in 1559 by Jeanne of Habsburg-Austria. Returning to Arenal Street, you will see the San Ginés café in an alleyway. It is the most famous "Chocolate con Churros" coffee in the capital. Go through the Opera House and its pretty renovated square. You will finally arrive at the Place de l'Orient and its Royal Palace, the largest in Western Europe, built around the middle of the 18th century. Visit its gardens, Real Ameria, and Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena Cathedral. Take a lunch break at the bustling San Miguel market in the Latina district, for example, and continue the tour towards the Plaza Mayor.
PLAZA DE ORIENTE / CATHÉDRALE DE LA ALMUDENA / PALAIS ROYAL / TEATRO REAL / PLAZA MAYOR / CASA DE CORREOS / COUVENT DE LAS TRINITARIAS DESCALZAS
Day 2: Prado Museum, Botanical Garden and Las Letras
Steps: Madrid
From Cibeles, discover the Palace of Communications. Go down Paseo del Prado, or paseo des Arts, and access the Prado Museum. It is one of the largest painting museums in the world, with paintings mainly from Western Europe, from the 14th to the 19th century. You will find works by renowned artists such as Velasquez, Goya, El Greco or Rembrandt. Then you can go to the Botanical Garden, cross Neptune Square, and get lost in the twisting alleys of the bewitching Las Letras district. Go up to Santa Ana Square, a square linked to the great figures of Spanish literature, crowned by the Spanish Theatre.
Day 3: Alcala Gate, Gran Vía, Malasaña and Chueca
Steps: Madrid
Go to the impressive Alcala Gate or Independence Square. Start the walk west and enjoy the grandeur of the Bank of Spain building. From here, you will have an overview of the Gran Vía, Madrid's most important street. Its imposing buildings, its shops, its many theatres and cinemas make it the great protagonist of the capital. You will pass through the Spanish square and the Princesa street. The Debod Temple, located behind the Spanish square, is a gift from Egypt to Spain to thank it for its help in the conservation of the temples of Nubia. Return to the centre via Dos de Mayo Square in the Malasaña district, and Santa Barbara de Chueca Square, Madrid's gay district.
PUERTA DE ALCALÁ / TEMPLE DE DEBOD / BANCO DE ESPAÑA / LA GRAN VÍA / PLAZA DEL 2 DE MAYO
Day 4: Retiro, Thyssen Museum and Jesus Church in Medinaceli
Steps: Madrid
Enter the mundane atmosphere of the Marquis de Salamanque district and admire the famous brand stores that characterize Serrano Street. Mont-Blanc, Gucci.... You will find both ready-to-wear shops and jewellery shops. Going through Colon Square, head towards Retiro. This large park in the centre of Madrid is the meeting place for families and Sunday sports enthusiasts. You will see cyclists as well as couples taking a nap in the shade of a pine tree or a grandpa walking his dog. Don't forget to visit the Crystal Palace, Velazquez Palace or walk by the pond. Spend the afternoon at the Thyssen Museum, which contains all styles: from classic to contemporary. Finish with the fascinating church of Jesus of Medinaceli, whose brightness of the altarpiece will not leave you with any stones. This basilica is dedicated to this representation, which is venerated every year in March.
PALACIO DE CRISTAL / MUSÉE NATIONAL THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA / PALACIO DE VELÁZQUEZ / BASILIQUE DE NUESTRO PADRE JESUS DE MEDINACELI / PARC DU RETIRO
Day 5: Atocha, Queen Sofia Museum and Golden Cinema
Steps: Madrid
The Atocha train station is surely one of the most original. Indeed, the main hall houses a tropical garden with palm trees, a small pond full of turtles and dozens of varieties of plants. Across the street is the Queen Sofia Museum. It is, along with the Prado and Thyssen, one of the peaks of the Spanish Golden Triangle. Combining modernity and classicism, it houses works from the 20th and 21st centuries, such as Picasso's famous Guernica. Go up the gentle rue Santa Isabel and enter the Ciné Doré. You will discover a cultural centre, and in particular a cinema that only screens films in V.O. If you go there in summer, it has an open-air projection room, where you can have a drink under a starry sky.
Day 6: Aranjuez
Rent a car, and set off on a 4-day tour to discover the surroundings of Madrid. Start in Aranjuez, and enjoy asparagus and strawberries, the city's specialities. Aranjuez Palace, a UNESCO national heritage site since 2001, was the former summer residence of the Bourbons. The building and its gardens are reminiscent of the Royal Palace of Madrid, but the rural atmosphere gives it a soothing charm. The Real Casa du Labrador is a small neoclassical palace that is very popular with tourists.
Day 7: Toledo
Continue on towards Toledo. A former fortress that was once the capital of Spain, the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Toledo is the capital of Spanish cutlery, you will find many shops and workshops offering you items at good prices. Pass through the Alcazar, which now houses the Army Museum. The cathedral is a must. You can access all parts of the building, as well as the treasure room. There is a perfect copy of an admirable French bible dating from the 13th century. Look up and enjoy the Arabic-style ceiling. Don't forget to walk around the Jewish quarter and taste the Mazapanes
Day 8: Segovia
Steps: Aranjuez
Your journey continues to Segovia and its incredible Roman aqueduct dating back to the year 100, with only the last part of the 15 kilometres visible. Have fun looking for the image of the Virgin Mary instead of the last stone. The cathedral and more than a dozen Roman churches make up the richness of the city, which also bears the UNESCO seal. The cochinillo (suckling pig) is Segovia's specialty, don't miss it. As you leave, stop at the Royal Palace of the Granja de San Ildefonse surrounded by its French gardens: simply enchanting.
PALAIS ROYAL
Day 9: San Lorenzo del Escorial and Valley of the Dead
Steps: San Lorenzo De El Escorial
The tour ends at the village of San Lorenzo del Escorial. Its monastery, which is also part of UNESCO. The basilica forms the pantheon of the kings of Spain. The library is a mandatory visit. Most of its 35,000 volumes are in classical languages (Greek, Latin or Hebrew). Painted ceilings and marble floors will enchant you and immerse you in the atmosphere of the 14th century. End the day with the Valley of the Dead, "El Valle de los Caídos". Symbol of Francoism, the largest Christian cross in the world is 150 metres high. Franco had it built, as well as the basilica, in memory of the dead of the civil war. Even if this construction is often controversial, the site remains a place of pilgrimage for the followers of the Caudillo.
VALLE DE CUELGAMUROS
Day 10: Santiago Bernabeu and Madrid Rio Stadium
If you have any strength left, football enthusiasts will love to see the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Real Madrid. Located in the heart of Madrid, it has a capacity of more than 80,000 seats. To complete your journey smoothly, Madrid Rio is a pleasant leisure area that offers endless walkways. These green areas have been adapted for the relaxation of Madrid's citizens and visitors. It is located in the south of the city, along the Manzanares River, and offers a new vision of Madrid.
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