Madrid: let's take a total tour of the capital of Spain

Hello people and pinmapplers!

Visiting a big city always takes time, there are always many things to see, and many places to go. Surely we cannot see everything, but we can see many of the most popular and well-known points of interest. And if you want to quickly get to know the city of Madrid, the capital of Spain, on a 24-hour tour, come with me!

Madrid. That city with a good atmosphere and good people. It is a great city without a doubt, famous for many things, some of which we are going to see, but what stands out is its history, its monuments, its museums, it is a city to spend at least a few cultural days and to also have fun, especially in the central streets with a lot of life.

A city, for me also full of memories, and this time we traveled through it quickly and intensely like enthusiastic tourists. And we begin from...

The Royal Palace / El Palacio Real

In a large area just a stone's throw from the nerve center of the city, we start in style on a large esplanade, which we must go to in advance if we want to visit this entire complex.
But from the outside we see the imposing nature of a royal palace in the heart of the city, in fact it is one of the largest in the world, and it is in an elegant baroque style that is perfectly maintained and better on a blue sky day where its architectural beauty stands out more.

But don't think that the King of Spain and his family live here, because although it is National Heritage and an official residence, they do not live here. His usual residence is somewhat more remote, La Zarzuela, and here only official events and mainly tourist visits.

Almudena Cathedral / Catedral de la Almudena

And right next to the Royal Palace, we have a large cathedral, large as the palace deserves, everything is large here, and another imposing building, also matching, with blue domes, and a light blue and white façade, the Cathedral de la Almudena, witness of important events, is also very beautiful.

Mayor Square / Plaza Mayor

And if from that open area we begin to approach the center through one of its streets, we immediately arrive at a special meeting point, a mythical rectangular square, all around arcades.
Classic stage of Christmas markets and many bar terraces during the nice seasons where you can relax and celebrate that we are in Madrid, and now having a drink (beer/cerveza?) in the Plaza Mayor.
(Or a cup of coffee, maybe any Spanish hiver understand that issue about the cup of coffee that a politician said one day...).

Congress of Deputies / Congreso de los Diputados

Now we have to get serious, because walking we reach a busy area and another large and important building, where 350 deputies (Spanish politicians) decide the future of the people while they profit from their interests and the rest live worse and worse, but oh well , we quickly pass that there is much left to see. Not much more to comment...

Prado Museum / Museo del Prado

This place, on the other hand, is more interesting, and there are always people in line in front of it. This is the Prado Museum, one of the best museums in the world, where it would take days to see everything in its entirety. But at least we will see those famous works of art by the most illustrious artists of different eras. I particularly like the artworks or paintings made by El Greco, Velázquez, Tiziano, Tintoretto, Zurbarán, Ribera or Goya, and many others that I don't remember now. You can't miss it!

And then we return to the big avenue, Paseo del Prado, because there are more museums there and I also recommend the Thyseen-Bornemisza Museum, also with truly wonderful works of art.

El Retiro Park / Parque de El Retiro

The time comes to rest a little too, being a tourist is exhausting and in the end we need to get some air and relax, and the best place in Madrid for this is the Retiro Park. It is as if it were Central Park in New York but in Madrid, and it is very pleasant, because there are lakes where you can sail by boat, feed the ducks, walk among large trees, and also enjoy the views and of some monuments and surprises in there. You have to explore and walk under a beautiful bright Madrid sunshine.

Alcalá Gate / La Puerta de Alcalá

And leaving the retreat(=retiro in Spanish), and returning to the madding crowd, to the streets with traffic, in one of its roundabouts we find the most mythical and representative monument of the city, the Puerta de Alcalá. It became even more famous thanks to a song:
"Mírala, mírala, la puerta de Alcalá, ahí está..."("Look at it, look at it, the door of Alcalá, there it is...") well, the Spanish people certainly know it.

I think if I remember correctly that it is from the time of Charles III or Carlos III (the song also says it) that Bourbon king who made Madrid what it is today, a great enlightened city, big and beautiful, and this work was one of his projects surely in commemoration of something. But it marks a key point when we tour the capital.

National Library / Biblioteca Nacional

And on our cultural tour we cannot miss another magnificent building, it is the National Library, and as you can see it is in a very ornate and impressive neoclassical style.

Castellana Walk / Paseo de la Castellana

But we are running out of time, going from one place to another, and the main artery of the city, now at this moment is not full of traffic, and we have the privilege of looking from that central point in the distance and we see two leaning towers , popularly called the Kio Towers, also very representative of the city, and of this Paseo de la Castellana.

Real Madrid Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu / Estadio del Real Madrid: Santiago Bernabéu

Near the main avenue, a little higher up, for soccer lovers, is the legendary Santiago Bernabéu stadium of Real Madrid, the most awarded soccer team. And there is a museum inside that can be visited if you are interested.

Sun Gate (square) / Puerta del Sol (plaza)

But we cannot forget the heart of the city, and the day is ending. It is a square, the square where the end of the year is celebrated, the twelve grapes are eaten with each chime of the clock of that tower over there, the Puerta del Sol that is called. It is the meeting point for people, who stay there and wait for friends, and then go to have a drink and have fun. There are crowds and also monuments to see before it gets dark.

And since it's getting dark, we have to think about eating something out there, and we see a sign that makes us laugh, and we have to support the efforts of the people so we order some traditional sausage sandwiches (sausage and blood sausage "bocatas") to gain strength and more energy, because there is still one last stop, let's go.

Cibeles Square / Plaza de Cibeles

Before leaving, under the lights of the streetlights, we will walk through another large square, where cars and pedestrians turn at all hours... with beautiful buildings like the Post Office, and a fountain (the Cibeles fountain) that looks like a little but with the traffic it is not easy to cross on foot to the center and we also have to leave.

We leave Madrid having seen typical and mythical places, of a great, beautiful, happy and cultural city, the great capital of Spain. Now it's night and time for a little Spanish party!

Madrid, Spain🇪🇸❤️Europe

Thanks for reading! Have an amazing and nice day.

The text is totally mine and the photos too, by ©Duvinca - No AI