Madrid

Arriving at nearly one o’clock in the morning in a city that neither I nor my girlfriend had visited before, there was of course some trepidation about whether or not we could find our way and whether or not the city would be safe. After taking the efficient and inexpensive metro from Barajas Airport, a 45 minute journey to the city centre and our hotel, our concerns disappeared immediately as we emerged from Sevilla station to find the city full of life; hundreds of people of all ages bustling here and there, people sat on street corners drinking casually with their friends, music and chatter infusing the city with energy and excitement.

View from Plaza de Cibeles up toward Metropolis

If you were to find dozens of teenagers sat on street curbs in the UK, adorned with cans of Lager and crates of wine, they would be marked as hoodlums and feared appropriately. In Madrid, the sight of youths with Sangria, the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere of the city centre, and a sense that the night was only just beginning simply made me want to join in the fun. One o’clock in any English city and you could expect to see the effects of binge drinking - the violent and the violently sick - but the unfortunate fact is that most of our European counterparts have a much greater understanding of how to have a good night.

If any European city can lay claim to being the beating heart of the continent, I believe it is Madrid. The city is quite simply alive, perhaps the Siesta provides the invigorating effect on the people! There is a prevalence of passion and wild abandon throughout Spanish culture, especially evident in Madrid. Go see a bullfight at Las Ventas, a quintessentially Spanish experience encapsulating the recklessness and excitement of the people at its most extreme. Las Ventas is the most famous bullfighting arena in the world and tickets are not as difficult to come by as you might expect, some for under €10. The season runs from March to October on Sunday evenings, but the prestigious San Isidro festival runs nightly through May and June.

Las Ventas - the most famous bullfighting arena in the world

Another must see is of course Santiago Bernabeu, home to the most successful club in world football, Real Madrid. A stadium tour is impressive for even non football fans, but if you are in the city (let alone manage to find a ticket!) for El Classico (Real v Barcelona) or El Derbi madrileño (Real v Atlético) you will get a feeling for Spain, the reigning World and European champions, and their obsession with football. Part of the reason for my visit was to go to DCODE music festival at Madrid’s university which over the last couple of years has drawn bands such as The Killers, Kasabian and The Hives. Taking place in September each year, the event is a great way to end the festival season, especially if you have never been to a festival outside of the UK, and the unbelievably low price of €90 for a weekend ticket is hard to beat anywhere in Europe!

For a more relaxing and intellectual afternoon - perhaps as an escape from the soaring lunchtime temperatures of Madrid (it can reach 40 degrees!) - a visit to Museo del Prado is an absolute must. As a student under 25, you can gain free access to what is by many accounts the finest collection of art in the world. The building itself is beautiful, but the art collection inside is frankly astounding and almost certainly surpasses the Louvre. So many works will be indelibly marked in your memory; Goya’s ‘Saturn’ is particularly unforgettable and exemplifies the passion, the genius and the madness of Spanish art. The museum also has large numbers of works by Velazquez as well as Rafael, Titian, Rubens and Bosch included in the 8,000 plus works in the museum’s collection. Only a small proportion of these can be displayed at any one time despite the fact that the Prado is the largest gallery in the world.

Goya's Saturn - an unforgettable image

Coming out and feeling suitably satisfied that you have fulfilled your cultural obligations, (and maybe even surprising yourself by how much you enjoyed it!) head over to the nearby Jardines del Buen Retiro. The park is a wonderful escape and has a beautiful lake at its centre which you can rent a rowing boat on for under €5. Truthfully, the park is relatively busy in some areas, but the park is so massive that it is very easy to find a secluded spot in it’s vast and elegantly tended gardens. Madrid as a whole is a grand, beautifully constructed metropolis, and is surprisingly green throughout with large open spaces meaning that there is little of the claustrophobia that can accompany major cities.

The fountains and lake in Jardines del Buen Retiro

Part of the fun of any first time visit to a modern city is when you stumble across magnificent and unexpected sights. The cathedral, next door to the Real Palacio, is impressive but was actually only finished in 1994 so lacked the history that I find interesting in these buildings. Instead, I got much more of a thrill from discovering some smaller but undoubtedly more spectacular churches such as the Basilica San Francisco el Grande, a sensationally decorated church and undoubtedly one of the most intricate and truly ‘grande’ that I have ever seen. Hidden gems like this are all around Madrid.

Inside Basilica de San Franciso el grande - no photograph could do this church justice

Even well known attractions such as the Cibeles Palace offer far more than the average tourist will see. Rather than simply admiring the cathedral like building from outside, head inside to see temporary exhibits and also head to the upper floors. Don’t however pay the €2 to head up to the top, there is a restaurant and a stunning rooftop bar with equally good views just below, so wander in there even if you decide not to have a drink!

In terms of hotels, I would certainly recommend finding somewhere in the Sol district as it is truly the hub of the city and it is perfectly located for all the main attractions; five minutes walk to Plaza Mayor, ten minutes to Real Palacio, and ten minutes the other way to Museo del Prado. I personally stayed at the Hostal Aguilar; it was admittedly basic, but the hotel is clean and comfortable, the staff were very helpful and the hotel was safe and secure. All this for €20 per person in a private room in an ideal location, you can’t ask for much more can you?. If you’re heading on a romantic adventure, I probably wouldn’t recommend it, but if you’re expecting to spend most of your time  exploring rather than in bed, I certainly would.

Madrid is an ideal destination for a city break, particularly if you’re looking for culture as well as a relaxing escape, and it is definitely now one of my favourite European cities.