Last week, while en route from New Yorkto Rome, I found myself with a layover in vibrant, cosmopolitan Madrid. But this was no ordinary layover, friends – no; in general, my layovers are of the “lots of time in places I have no interest in” or “awesome places like Manila or Reykjavik with just an hour to spare” variety. And yet… Madrid. My American Airlines flight was laid over for two whole days. I got 48 hours in Madrid.
I’d never been to Madrid. I have no friends in Madrid, nor any fellow travel writer who would, like me, be passing through those two days. To plan my trip, I came straight here to tripwolf for advice. That’s right, folks – I’m not just a spokesperson, I’m also a client. Here, highlights from my tripwolf-inspired layover in Madrid:
La Plaza Mayor
Once an arena for bull-watching; now perfect for people-watching.
Mimes, undoubtedly up to no good
Fuente de la Cibeles
In retrospect, I should have gotten closer. If someone would have just told those cars to move....
Museo Nacional del Prado
I was in luck! A Renoir exhibit and a surprise encounter with Hieronymous Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights; a true “why, hello disgustingly gorgeous” moment.
Chocolatería de San Ginés
Taberna Almendra 13 was packed when I swung by, so I hit Casa Labra instead for tapas:
croquetes y bacalao; super delish
And as for the remaining 24 hours of my time in Madrid:
Plaza de Toros
My 2 euro lunch at Museo del Jamón; a croissant with Serrano ham, assorted salami, and a caña of cerveza make for one slightly drunk tripwolf. Hic. Hic.
El Parque del Buen Retiros
Paella time. Stay tuned for next week’s post: How to Take Photos of Yourself When You’re Traveling Alone.
Madrid? Beautiful, bustling, and delicious: best. Layover. Ever. A great big shout out to tripwolf user martin_F for putting together his handy 24 Hours in Madrid guide; it set me off in the right direction. THIS IS TRIPWOLF IN REAL LIFE, Y’ALL!
Been to Madrid? Share your experiences in the comments below. And don’t forget – tripwolf wants your travel suggestions!
5 Comments
Nice run down of stuff to check out in Madrid Eva! Will have to take note of a few for my weekend trip there next month.
muy lindas las fotos de madrid y aun mas linda la tuya!
It’s a pleasure! I really like this post and I’m looking forward to your “how-to-take-photos-of-yourself-Workshop”
I SEE YOUR FACE!
Haha, Adena – tripwolf can have my face any time it wants. This Thursday, you’re going to get more of me than you probably ever wanted or needed so prepare ye!
Martin, thank you for your help; I especially enjoyed the Chocolateria. Tast-ee!