Madrid
Travel Advice for Seniors: Madrid
Coming from Texas, where I have spent the better part of my life, arriving in Madrid felt very comfortable as I already know at least a bit of Spanish. I always like to learn at least a few phrases in the language of the country I am traveling to, like “please, thank you, yes, no, good evening, two glass of wine please, where are the restrooms, how much does this cost?” etc. Just basics to be courteous and appreciative of the culture you are now in. I once heard an American in Edinburgh, Scotland ask a harried gift shop owner “How much is this in real money?”, meaning US dollars. I was mortified. Please don’t be this person.
Spain has always been a bit of a worrying place to me because most of the people that I know who have been there had something stolen. This was not the case at all for us, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep a hand on your purse, put your wallet in your front pocket and keep track of your bags just to be safe. The unemployment is very high in Spain which perhaps may be part of the issue, but mostly there are just a lot of people at the main tourist attractions and one can easily be pick-pocketed if you are not being careful.
Madrid was to me a relaxing city and we enjoyed walking about and then sitting for a coffee in the many squares. We signed up for a small group tour of Spain, which was for fourteen days.
It was surprising to witness much of the architecture and culture in parts of Spain were heavily influenced by North African and Eastern Mediterranean cultures. Many of the magnificent and historical structures including the Alhambra were Islamic in design. Sure, there is plenty of European design and history, but the other influences made it that much more interesting.
We flew in a few days early and spent four full days in Madrid seeing the many fascinating sights, the main one being the Prado for us art buffs!
Day one was a trip to the Palacio Real, the royal palace built by the first Bourbon King and the largest royal residence in the country. Followed by a visit to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid’s Museum for Spanish 20th century art, a stroll through the Parque del Retiro and a stop by the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas for the history of bullfighting and a viewing of the most decorative matador apparel we had ever seen.
Day two was a visit to the Museo Thyssen-Bomemisza, Plaza de Canovas del Castillo, Plaza de Cibeles, Puerto de Alcalal. Yes, we packed a lot into the first few days, but Madrid has so much to see and do! We wanted to hit as many of the highlights as possible before the tour started. The Thyssen was formerly privately owned and houses a fantastic collection of important works by 19th and 20th century artists. The Plaza de Canovas is a large square in the Prado district that was a great place to sit in the sun, look at the wonderful fountain and have a coffee.
The fountains in Madrid and parks alone take a full day to really enjoy. The Plaza de Cibeles features a fantastic fountain of Cibeles a earth/fertility god in a huge chariot being pulled by lions. It is a marvel and is also a symbol of the city of Madrid. Finally, a visit to the Puerto de Alcalal near the city center. Yes, we were power-touring, but our tour and a slower pace would begin tomorrow.
The tour began with a tour of Plaza de Espana and Plaza Mayor, both large and significant public squares, the Plaza Mayor having hosted bullfights, executions and soccer matches in its storied history.
And finally, the much-anticipated visit to the Prado, one of the most important art museums in the world. Do not miss the Velazquez and Goya paintings here. In particular, Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, Las Meninas by Velázquez, The Third of May 1808 by Goya, The Three Graces by Rubens and The Annunciation by El Greco. Plan on spending 2-3 hours here based on your level of interest.
The next day we took the optional tour to Toledo to see the fabulous Toledo Cathedral, a medieval gothic masterpiece.
Following our hectic but memorable time in Madrid, we were ready to move on to Cordoba.
Where we stayed: Hotel NH Zurbano. Breakfast included. Nice hotel, centrally located.
How we got there: Flew from US to Madrid. This was part of a 14-day small group tour through Spain, starting in Madrid and ending in Barcelona.
General Accessibility Information: Major tourist sights, newer hotels, transportation in most major cities are accessible. Visitors can get accessibility support and information through Spain Is Accessible. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
