The capital of Spain was a stark contrast to the Spain we had previously experienced. Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Andalucía anymore…

Madrid – the capital of Spain and Barcelona’s nemesis. It’s like Sydney vs Melbourne. Personally, I’m a Barcelona girl all the way, but Madrid did have some things going for it.

1. Museo Reina Sofía (or to be more specific, Guernica). This museum houses works from many of Spain’s finest artists, but really, lets face it: We all go there to see Picasso’s famous piece, Guernica. To see this in person, in all of its splendour is really something. Unfortunately photos were not allowed, but I’m sure you are all familiar with it. It was Picasso’s reaction to the bombing of the town by the same name under Franco’s rule. The accompanying photo story, displaying the art in all of its stages was also great to see. The other highlights of the visit? Getting introduced to other artists such as Juan Gris and Julio González.

2. Palacio de Cristal y Los Jardines del Retiro. On a warm summer’s day, this park would be breathtaking. It is huge, with immaculate gardens and pathways lined with trees. Even in the harshness of winter, we still found it lovely. And the Crystal Palace is the icing on this garden’s cake. Hidden within the park, away from the hustle and bustle of Madrid itself, is a palace constructed of glass and iron. Used as an extension gallery for the Reina Sofía museum, it provides a fairytale-like structure amongst the lake it sits next to and the trees around it. I fell in love with it and would love to have a fun, creative photoshoot here one day (perhaps when it’s not so cold!)

 

Bellver’s “El Ángel Caído” (The Fallen Angel), depicting Lucifer being thrown from Heaven.

3. Madrid’s Ayuntamiento. This ‘Town Hall’ puts others to shame. This pure white, gothic structure is a must see. It’s surprising how big it actually is.

4. Desigual. Ok, so it’s not really something that should be on a tourist’s list of things to see, but it should be on every fashionista’s list of things to see. Despite this brand being based in Barcelona, the store in Madrid was the biggest I had come across (and trust me, I did a lot of store research… You know, for the blog and all) with 5 levels of clothing (and some shoes, bags, etc). I am a little obsessed with this brand and its crazy use of bright colours and interesting designs. I may or may not have spent the majority of my travel savings here (but in my defence, I am simply helping the Spanish economy, one Desigual item at a time) 😉

There are plenty of other things to see and do (such as the other two great art museums Prado and Thyssen) however we ran out of time. Of course, being the capital and all, Madrid is really just one big city (with some beautiful monuments scattered throughout). Whilst I don’t follow soccer, I believe Barcelona is winning on both accounts.