I'm not one to generalize a country, but I must say, Spain is one of the few places where leisure and "siestas" are considered a societal norm. Perhaps thats one of the many things that I love about the country. I've been to quite a few places in Spain, even lived there for a few months, and I still favor Madrid over any other "city" (and when I refer to the word "city", I exclude remarkable islands such as Minorca, which happens to be my absolute favorite summer destination). Madrid has that spark of culture mixed with urban details and metropolitan architecture and I love how you can turn a corner and somehow end up on a street that doesn't have the slightest resemblance to the one you were on prior. I suppose thats the magic of Madrid that I fell in love with.
Madrid is the capital of Spain and the third largest city in the EU with a population that reaches 3.2 million making it undeniably massive in comparison to other cities in Spain. Located in the center of the country, a beach get-away isn't quite an option unless you're willing to commute all the way to Valencia, which is around three hours driving distance. What some people tend to misconceive, is that Madrid is merely a city when in fact it is a state with many towns and villages surrounding the metropolitan area (or what we would refer to as the "city center").
1. Madrid (Center)
Being the millennial that I am, I personally find Madrid very dynamic in respect to other grande cities. Shopping varies from high end boutiques to thrift stores and chino shops, particularly on the Gran Via. If you are in the mood for a traditional Spanish dish you must have a tortilla (which is basically a slightly thicker omelette with various additions such as tomatoes or onions), specifically at Pez Tortilla, which holds a pretty incredible reputation and is located in my favorite area, Malasaña. Known for its hipster aesthetic and young atmosphere, Malasaña takes you back in time with its classic Spanish calles where you can also have some tapas at basically any time of the day. After some tapas, head to El Retiro Park where you can enter the extraordinary Palacio de Cristal which will blow your mind away.
2. Alcalá de Henares
If you are familiar with Spanish literature, you may know that this small city north of Madrid is birthplace to renown author Don Quixote. Only a brief train ride away from Madrid, Alcalá de Henares is a charming town that not only has plenty of restaurants and stores but also a natural element with mountainous scenery.
3. Toledo
Although this medieval, gated city isn't quite a part of the Community of Madrid, I would like to consider it being that the train ride is a brief 1 hour (and seriously, how could you not want to wander around this secluded mountaintop city). Toledo is known for its production of bladed weapons, therefore you will most likely notice several small stores that display their weaponry. One of the sites that I really admired was the Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo, although I personally did not enter, the exterior alone will leave you in a state of awe. What I loved the most was that you can get lost roaming around the center for hours without the slightest discontent.
Thanks for reading, tune in for my next post! Adiós!