From Seville, we took the train to Madrid, a journey of 2.5 hours. It was around this point that we decided against buying a public transport card. But if you’re staying here for a few days, the multi card with a shareable 10 trip pass makes sense. The cab drive this time was only a few minutes, and we got to Hostal Oriente without any adventure.
Stay
Hostal Oriente is very pretty and was perfect for us in terms of location. Most places here don’t offer breakfast, but unlike in Seville, we had planned for it. The main door gets a little getting used to, but their overall friendliness makes up for everything.
See/Do
The Plaza Mayor is a short walk from the hotel, and was on the way to our lunch stop.
The Madrid version of Plaza de Espana. After Seville, anything else is a downgrade.
If morning would get you breakfast, would this be what you ask for? No, didn’t try.
El Retiro – huge, and very pretty.
From there, we walked along the Gran Via (great for shopping) to reach the Temple of Debod. Magnificent view, and it was super windy when we visited. I am sure it has a great sunset.
The Royal Palace of Madrid. It turned out to be very close to our hotel. Right opposite to it, the Plaza de Oriente and Teatro Real.
Eat
The market scene was progressively getting better, and this one had abundance of choice. We did have lunch here and the food was good, , but the stalls are tourist-priced, so I’d recommend seeing, and then eating someplace else.
… and finally churros at Chocolateria San Gines. This was yum, and so were the muffins we bought the next day.
Our original plan was to watch the sunset from Nice To Meet You, which has a rooftop, but for some reason, they weren’t too keen about business. Since we were hungry, we walked to Restaurante Coreano GaRam, which was absolutely fantastic! Kimchi Chigue (kimchi broth with pork and tofu), Bulgogi, and my favourite drink – Makgeolli! If there was any debate about our next vacation destination, it was settled.
And the next day, it was Mexican for lunch. El Rey de los Tacos has a lively vibe and friendly staff. I tried Modelo Especial (Pilsner, Mexico) and D got her Tinto. Beef Tacos and a platter which helped us try different flavours.
We just about spent a day in Madrid, but enjoyed it. It actually turned out to be less touristy than Seville, and we loved the food! 😉
Toledo
We took a half day tour to Toledo, and it was completely worth it.
Your welcome view.
… and its sequel.
The main attraction is the Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo. Splendid from outside.
And even better inside.
El Transparente. A huge skylight and a hole cut into the back of the altarpiece allows shafts of sunlight to strike the tabernacle. It is a sight to behold!
Luca Giordano completed the ceiling fresco in less than 6 months. Apparently he could paint with both hands!
Toledo has the best Marzipan in Spain – sweet, handmade with ground almond and sugar. In 15 mins, we had to do this, do a bit of trinket shopping, and make a trip to the washroom. Very athletic end!
But still, worth it.
We spent very little time in Toledo, but it gave me the same feeling as the towns in Ireland – Cork and Killarney. Maybe we could have just stayed here, and made a day trip to Madrid! Next and final stop – Barcelona!
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