This article was written by expert Travel Geek and featured Sosaucer, Stephanie Yoder. We asked Stephanie to highlight some of her favorite destinations that fellow Travel Geeks would love and among her top choices was Spain. Here is a destination review on Spain and how so many travelers fall in love with its historical capital – Madrid.



Not everyone likes Madrid. It doesn’t have the warm beauty of Andalucía, the drama of Basque country or the pristine beaches of Ibiza or Mallorca. It’s not so much charming as it is big and busy.

La Plaza De Espana

Madrid has a lot going for it though, it’s not just the capital of Spain’s government, it’s a city of rich culture, history and art. Madrid is a city for people who love cities. Luckily, I am just that kind of girl. Rolling hills and flowery fields are always nice, but I’d rather immerse myself in the beating rhythm of a lively metropolis.

So yes, I fell for Madrid, and here are 5 ways you can too:

Gorge on Culture – Madrid is famous for having not one, but three world class art museums. The Museo de Prado is an immense, elegant warehouse of Spanish art while the shiny red Reina Sofia focuses on modern art (and is worth a visit to see Picasso’s Guernica alone). Of the three my favorite by far was the Thyssen-Bornemisza, which is a private collection of European art, displayed chronologically through about 40 rooms. A perfect overview of art history 101, even if you aren’t a museum buff.

Dine like Hemingway - Famed American author Ernest Hemingway was a great lover of Spanish culture and Madrid in particular. During his early expat years his favorite restaurant was the cavernous Botín, just off the Plaza Mayor. Botín holds the Guinness world record for being the longest continually operating restaurant in existence. Hemingway was so taken with it he even wrote it into a scene in The Sun Also Rises. Here you can dine on their house specialty of roast suckling pig and pretend to be Jake and Lady Ashley. It’s not terribly expensive and the staff is super welcoming. They even let me into the kitchen to test out their oven (doesn’t the chef look thrilled?).

Trying my hand at cooking at Botín

Scavenger Hunt in El Rastro - El Rastro is the enormous flea market that runs through La Latina on Sunday mornings. Here you can find everything from unique jewelry to cheesy souvenirs (for half the price of the shops) to complete and utter junk. The stalls go on for blocks and are all different. I went on a bit of a spree here and bought myself a white cotton dress, a unique wooden ring and a selection of colorful souvenir fans for the folks at home.

Discover Ancient Egypt – I don’t think there is any other European city that can claim an ancient Egyptian temple in their downtown. The Egyptian Government gave the Temple of Debod as a gift to the people of Spain in 1968 as a thank you for their involvement in saving archeological treasures from flooding. Entrance to the cool and dark maze-like interior is free to all – just watch out for rambunctious kids under foot. After your tour you can sun bathe with your feet in the fountain, which surrounds this ancient treasure.

Temple of Debod

Relax in the Grass - Of all the beautiful public parks in Europe; El Retiro might be my favorite. The “central park” of Madrid is a sprawling green wonderland with new discoveries at every turn. From the elegant rose garden to the delicate Crystal Palace to the regal and iconic Monument to Alfonso XII there is so much to see here. When you get tired of wandering you can grab an ice cream and join the rest of the youthful Madrileños on the well-manicured lawns. It’s the perfect escape from the rush of the city, especially on a hot summers day.

Secret waterfall in El Retiro

So yes, Madrid isn’t for everyone. Just people who love art, literature, fine dining and history. Not to mention it’s all night party scene or it’s gorgeous architecture. It’s not just a city for people who like cities; it’s an example of everything that makes cities great.

—

For more information on what to see and do in Madrid, check out the Sosauce Guide to Madrid online. You can view more of Stephanie’s travel photos from her trip to Spain at her Sosauce photo album.

Stephanie Yoder is a girl who cannot sit still. She writes about travel for young people (the why, the where and the how) for Twenty-Something Travel. When not on the road she lives in Washington DC.

Read more posts by Alisha

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 2:13 PM and is filed under Europe, Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.