Why we went…
I have traveled a decent amount in Spain, but had not been to Madrid. The kids also had not been to Spain. So why not check off another country?
How we got there…
We flew Iberia direct from LAX to Madrid. Madrid is also a great layover when visiting Morocco.
Where we stayed…
We did not go for luxury accommodations for the Madrid portion of our trip. We stayed in this great and very cheap AirBnB next to the Plaza Mayor. The location was fantastic, and the apartment had plenty of room for the four of us. When visiting a major city for only two nights and one full day, we figured that we wouldn’t be spending much time in the apartment. Therefore, location was more important than luxury. It is important to note that this AirBnB is on the top floor and there is no elevator. This was perfect for us but prove difficult for people with mobility issues.
What we did…
We only had two nights and one full day in Madrid so we had to be strategic and move quickly. I would recommend more time in this fantastic city, but we certainly accomplished a lot in the time we had.
Royal Palace Madrid – We didn’t have time to go inside, but we loved seeing the cathedral and royal palace.
Parque de Retiro – The central park of Madrid is beautiful to stroll through on your way to visiting the museums. The fall foliage was beautiful on Thanksgiving Day in late November.
Museo Del Prado – Visiting the Prado has been a dream of mine since taking AP Art History. When we have a limited amount of time to visit a museum or we are will our kids, we look up the top ten works of art in the museum! Though I could have spent all day in the Prado, we were in and out in about an hour. The highlights for me were Las Meninas by Velazquez, The 3rd of May 1808 by Goya and The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch.
La Reina Sophia – Definitely worth a visit to see Guernica by Pablo Picasso. It was very impressive. The kids also loved all the works by Dali.
Christmas Decorations – We love visiting Europe during Thanksgiving week. It isn’t crowded, it isn’t hot, and most of Europe lights up their Christmas decor. Christmas Markets usually start around this time as well. Madrid’s Christmas lighting was on Thanksgiving night when we visited.
Where we ate…
La Lloreria – Wow! This restaurant is amazing. We loved the intimate setting and casual vibe. The food is fantastic. The best part is that the servers design your menu for you based on your preferences.
Casa Revuelta – Fun and authentic tapas spot. The fried cod is fantastic.
Mercado de la Paz – This is a beautiful modern market in a very nice part of town near the Parque de Retiro. We ate at Casa Dani and tried their famous Spanish tortilla.
Tapas Tour – We also did a Tapas Tour. I would recommend this activity but not with the guide that we used. We did enjoy the foods that we got to try.
Traveling Lyons 