When we moved to Europe we made a huge list of cities we
wanted to visit while we were living abroad. The list was long. Way too long to
accomplish seeing all these beautiful places in two years. We’ve put a dang
good dent in those cities, but there are still many on our list. One that wasn’t
on our list? Madrid.
To be honest, as an American, you hear way more about
Barcelona than you do about Madrid. And I remember a year and a half ago when
we researched Madrid for a quick weekend away, we realized there really weren’t
any notable sites we felt like we had to see, so we scratched it off our list.
Well, then Nicole moved to Madrid and she raved about how
incredible it was – even saying it was more amazing than Barcelona. I trust
that girl’s opinion, so a few months after she moved Corey and I booked a quick
weekend visit. I am so glad we did. Madrid isn’t about any specific sites, it’s
just about being a big beautiful city packed with charm, beautiful architecture
and really good Italian food (What! I know, strange, but true.). We so enjoyed
our weekend in Madrid and only wished it would’ve been a teensy bit warmer (but
when do we not wish that?!). Hanging out with Nicole is always such a treat! And what's not to love about having a personal city guide?! She showed us all the best parts of her new home. Here are some snaps from all around town. I hope
they give you an idea of just how gorgeous Madrid is!
P.S. A few travel tips below the photos if you're looking for Madrid suggestions :)
{If you find yourself in Madrid - here are a few places we suggest you don't miss (many pictured above!): Retiro Park, Mercado de San Miguel, Chocolateria San Gines (for the most amazing churros - be prepared to wait in line), Plaza de Oriente, al fresco lunch at Cafe de Oriente, Plaza Mayor, Vertical Garden at CaixaForum followed by coffee and a treat at the Vertical Cafe, Templo de Debod, and my biggest tip of all (thanks to Nicole), dinner at Piccolo Diavolo - get the pasta with pear and ricotta. I know it sounds crazy, and we were totally skeptical, but Nicole convinced us it was the best thing she's ever eaten, and goodness was she right. We returned the next night to have that dish!}
{We stayed here. We found the location to be great, the price to be fantastic, and the place was comfortable and cute}
