It was my first time in Spain and Madrid was the first city I visited on the Spanish land, here is where I went!

Gran Via

This is your Oxford Street of London, Times Square of New York and Bukit Bintang of Kuala Lumpur. Filled with plenty of high street shops, banks and eateries here, you’ll hardly feel alone. I stayed in this area and often experienced the massive crowd during the day and night. Here’s one below with the crowd:

Churros at Chocolatería San Ginés

The oldest chocolatería in the city (1894) which opens for 24 hours a day, this is THE place to get your hands on churros.

I used to think that churros is all about the doughnut-like deep-fried dough, but I was so wrong and what sets them all apart is the thick cup of chocolate sauce. Runny, thick and not too sweet dipping is what you should be looking for.

There are other chocolaterias in the city which you could try but pay special attention to the chocolate sauce not the churros itself!

Plaza Mayor

A popular hangout spot for public in the heart of the city, Plaza Mayor is an old charming part of Madrid. I visited Madrid during winter and there was a Christmas market here.

Royal Palace of Madrid

I guess once you’ve visited the Buckhingham Palace, no others can compare. Used for official ceremonies and once home to the Spanish royal family.

Espana Square

The largest square in the city and in close proximity to Gran Via and the Royal Palace of Madrid, it is a popular area visited by both tourist and locals for obvious reasons, proximity.

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium 

All football fans will know this one, the home stadium of Real Madrid and one of the most famous football venues. For a fee, you can enter the stadium grounds and snap pictures of their famed stadium. This stadium is so popular that the nearest metro station is named after it.

Mercado San Miguel

This place is not over-rated, I visited it twice during my trip and loved the food here. It has a variety of offerings and I gravitated towards their tapas for very obvious reasons.

Sharing more about it in my next post.

Retiro Park

I may have visited the park during the wrong season but it still looks quite beautiful even though the leaves has dried up and only twigs remain. I can only imagine how filled this place is during summer and spring.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace is located inside the park and made out of large glass panels, quite beautiful I must add. Inside, they have some art display and is free to visit. Those who enjoy contemporary art and design will love this.

Madrid, the capital and pulse of Spain is busy and bustling just like every other city in the world. Housing the largest ZARA departmental store in the world and home to a world famous football club, it has its own quirk and charm. Till we meet again!