I’ve never managed to get to Madrid, and for that reason it was a bit of a mystery to me as we pulled up in our train on the northwest side of the city. As often happens, my Google directions didn’t quite prepare me completely. It was not in fact a transfer to subway at the train station, but rather a beautiful, wide and modern light rail. And not only that, the price of the light rail was included in the 69 Euro fare from Santiago Campostela. At only the second stop we were at the center of the City at Puerto del Sol ( Portal of the Sun), and only 15 minutes after than, standing at the front door our our Airbnb apartment.
We settled into our quiet, simple digs, got some simple tapas at a local cafeteria on the Plaza of the Opera, and then took care of laundry and grocery shopping. Alice assured me that she could remember the twists and turns of the old city to get back to the apartment, and she did.
Did you know that Madrid is the only city founded by Muslims? There are ancient walls still present in places from the Muslim rule of the city, and then later wall when Christians retook the city. That very wall sat below us as we took cofee and toast at Cafe Santa Eulalia this morning. There are see-through panels in the floor there to see the ruins of the wall
From breakfast we took a leisurely walk toward where our bike tour of the day would be, near Madrid’s famous Retiro Park, which is a bit like Central Park in NYC. Retiro means a retreat for the king to have a private hunting retreat. Thankfully we are no longer in that era, nor in the era where there were human zoos exhibited in Europe with people ( yes, humans) from the Philippines or Africa exhibited as if they were animals.
Our bike tour guide, a native of Belarussia, gave us a three hour tour of the city, and did a remarkable job of keeping tourists, not all so used to shared street biking in big cities, in tow. We had a snack stop at a 19th Century market, renovated for innumerable tiny shops selling tapas at inflated prices. Yes, a tourist area. But we also learned about so many old haunts that locals love. Tonight we will experience Flamenco, and on Sunday there is an ancient festival of sheep crossing the city.
A few years ago we climbed the stairs to the Puerta del Sol. It was a favorite area, and close to our hotel.
Nowadays Puerta del Sol is completely torn up for renovation. Good thing you went when you did!