Spain Archives ⋆ Page 3 of 9 ⋆ The Passenger

August 17, 2019August 26, 2019

Retiro

If you had enough hustle and bustle in the city of Madrid, Spain than the Parque del Retiro might be your ideal safe haven. And that is what Retiro means: retreat. It is a giant park close to the city center and it was originally a garden for the royal family. After the end of the reign of Isabell II in 1868 it became a park for the people which is still today – on weekends complete families get here to relax. Most iconic is the artificial lake Estanque del Retiro on which you can row a boat.

August 17, 2019February 25, 2024

Museo del Prado

If you love art you need to go once in a lifetime to the Museo del Prado at Madrid, Spain. It is a giant temple of art, one of the most important art museums in the world and it was opened in 1819 because Ferdinand VII of Spain wanted to have an art gallery like the Louvre. And like I got lost in the museum at Paris, France I got lost at the Prado. After some hours the art buffer in your brain flows over and you’re still not even close to have seen everything. It’s better to be well prepared and to focus on the most important works.

August 17, 2019August 26, 2019

Plaza Mayor

The Plaza Mayor is a very special place at Madrid, Spain but quite typical for a Spanish city: a rectangular space with the same four-level buildings on all sides and various gates – formerly used as a market square. In the center there is a statue of Philip III from the House of Habsburg. I enjoyed especially the paintings on one of the buildings, the Casa de la Panadería – but they are pretty young and were painted only in 1992.

August 16, 2019August 22, 2019

Hotel Ópera

If you like to stay in the city center near the interesting places of Madrid, Spain then the Hotel Ópera might be an option. It is located directly next to the opera and is therefore only few meters away from the Palacio Real and the beautiful garden in front of it. The hotel is labeled as a four star hotel but feels rather like three stars – but that is okay, the fourth star is for location.

August 16, 2019August 24, 2019

Latenight zoo

Going to the zoo at Madrid, Spain can be a special experience. While zoological gardens most often close in the late afternoon this one is open at least until 8:30pm, three times a week it is open until midnight. That’s because of the high temperatures that make a visit during daytime less nice. Therefore you can have a visit in the dark, see animals in slightly enlighted environments and have a very late dinner there.

August 16, 2019August 26, 2019

Guernica

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is a fantastic art museum at Madrid, Spain. It resides in two interconnected buildings close to the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V and the metro stop Estación del Arte. The older building has a wonderful inner courtyard with trees and sculptures, the new building includes a wonderful roofed terrace with good views on the city. The museum itself is like a labyrinth: you can walk in it for ours, get lost and continuous discover new sections with interesting artworks.

August 16, 2019April 19, 2022

Metro

Using public transport in Madrid, Spain is hassle-free. It is so simple that it even might not be worth writing an article about. When you reach the metro station at the airport you’ll find vending machines where you can get a smartcard and load tickets for a definite number of trips or days onto it. For tourists there is also a small office where you can buy your ticket from humans.

April 15, 2017April 19, 2022

All inclusive

I always said that I would only go to the island of Mallorca with children. It is a touristy place, nearly everybody has already been there, you don’t have a language barrier and it offers very good infrastructure. And now there was the time to book this trip as our young companion requested to have his first flight. Continue reading “All inclusive”

April 14, 2017May 10, 2018

Swiss post

If you get into a shop in a different country and ask for stamps you’ll expect to get stamps provided by the local post. On Mallorca tourists are often surprised that they can’t throw their postcards into the normal Correos post boxes. That is because of the deregulation of the market and the option of other companies to deliver letters and postcards. And on the island the Swiss post is active. Continue reading “Swiss post “

April 13, 2017May 10, 2018

Sa Calobra

Sa Calobra, Spain is a very small village surrounded by high mountains at the northern coast of Mallorca. It was formerly only reachable by ship from Sóller. Later a crazy road through the mountains was built and driving to Sa Calobra is half of the fun. At the end of the road you’ll find a good car park. Continue reading “Sa Calobra”