Must-See Madrid - Billy's Cities

I almost included Spanish food in the “must-see” of Madrid. But there is so much to actually see in addition to what there is to eat that I stuck with sights. This is what you get when you visit the capital of what was once 1 of the world’s greatest empires. Seriously though, I’m STILL gushing about the Galician food I had at Casa Gallega.

Must-Sees in Madrid

1. Golden Triangle of Art

Tityus, 1632, by prominent Spanish Baroque painter Jusepe de Ribera, at the Prado Museum.

My 1st must-see in Madrid is a 3-for-1: the Golden Triangle of Art along the Paseo del Prado. The Golden Triangle of Art is made up of the Reina Sofía Museum, the Prado Museum, and the Thyssen Museum

Click here for more about the Reina Sofía Museum.

Click here for more about the Prado Museum.

Click here for more about the Thyssen Museum.

2. Lázaro Galdiano Museum

Francisco Goya’s *The Witches’ Sabbath*, 1798. You won’t find this miniature masterpiece at any of Madrid’s Big 3 art museums.

I dare you to find another small museum that has such an astounding collection of art as the Lázaro Galdiano Museum. I dare you!

Click here for more about the Lázaro Galdiano Museum.

3. National Archaeological Museum

The original Lady of Spain. The *Lady of Elche* is a limestone bust believed to be from the 4th century BC. It’s a creation of the Iberian culture.

I learned so much at the National Archaeological Museum, about both human evolution and the history of Iberia and Spain. To me, it’s a must.

Click here for more about the National Archaeological Museum.

4. Plaza Mayor

Exquisite decor on the façade of the *Casa de la Panadería* on Plaza Mayor.

Plaza Mayor is Madrid’s beautiful central square. Its current structure results from the 19th-century reconstruction after the last of 3 destructive fires since its initial construction in the early 17th century.

Click here for more about Plaza Mayor.

5. Royal Palace of Madrid

The Royal Palace of Madrid seen from the Plaza de la Armería.

How can you have a globe-spanning empire without having the largest palace in Europe?

Click here for more about the Royal Palace of Madrid.

Day Trips from Madrid

Of course, one of the best things about Madrid is all of the fantastic day trips you can do from Madrid. Here’s a recap of all the ones I did.

1. Segovia

View over Segovia from Segovia Cathedral’s bell tower.

After a visit to a bullring on the 1st day of my trip got me feeling down, my day in Segovia got my mood right back up to the elevated state it should be while I’m on an international trip!

2. Aranjuez

I came to Aranjuez for the Royal Palace of Aranjuez. I stayed, for a while anyway, for the peacocks!

3. El Escorial

The El Escorial complex sits in the charming little town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial–a royal monastery and royal palace–is the largest Renaissance building in the world.

4. Toledo

Toledo is probably the most popular day trip from Madrid, and with good reason.

5. Ávila

In Ávila, it’s all about the walls–and the Romanesque churches and the Gothic convents.

6. Alcalá de Henares

The Renaissance façade of the *Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso* at University of Alcalá.

I wrapped up my day trips at Alcalá de Henares–historic university town and birthplace of Cervantes.

Lest We Forget…

I spent 2 full days touring beautiful Valencia. You may remember some of the tops sights there, including the Silk Exchange and the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, including Oceanogràfic. Not to mention Valencia’s unique, historic weekly Water Tribunal. And we can’t forget, Valencia is the birthplace of paella.

Okay, now on to South America!