Day 22: Madrid

Since lockdown began just before Easter, I've embarked on a virtual road trip across Europe - recalling some of the great places which I've been fortunate enough to visit.

I've been to Rotterdam (but not Liverpool and Rome), said 'Auf Wiedersehen' to Germany after a few stops there, walked Las Ramblas but not with real intent in Barcelona, travelled the French Riviera and even enjoyed some Portuguese cuisine.

But now, after two-and-a-half months of virtual travelling and sometimes endless blogging, I'm in my final destination - the Spanish capital, Madrid!

There will be a sequel 'road trip' at some point in the future to cover more destinations which I've been to in places such as Italy, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, etc, but for now this will be final destination and, believe me, it's a decent one to go out on.

So what does Madrid have to offer?

Well, firstly, there's a couple of really good football teams in the city which you might have heard some things about previously. Real Madrid are the aristocrats of world football, the biggest club on the planet and, in my opinion, there isn't a bigger stage than the Estadio Bernabeu. They've won the European Cup/Champions League on 13 occasions, have triumphed domestically more than anyone else, and it doesn't get any bigger or better than watching them play.

Near neighbours Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, nowadays play in the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano which is in close proximity to Barajas Airport. If you're flying in to Madrid, there's every possibility that you'll see the stadium on the approach to the runway. Up to the 2016/17 season, the Estadio Vicente Calderon in downtown Madrid, not far from the historic city centre and Plaza Mayor square, was their home and I'll do a blog post on my visit there in the next few days.

Other La Liga clubs in the capital are Getafe and Rayo Vallecano, whilst the city is also home to Las Ventas - the largest bull-fighting arena in the country and where the sport still takes place to this day, typically running from spring through until September/October.

If you're not a sporting person, there's still loads to do in Madrid and it's amongst my 'Top 5' favourite cities which I've been to in Europe. If it wasn't for the fact it lacks a coastline then it'd be as good as Barcelona!

A good starting point for any city tour would be Plaza Mayor because it's the main square in Madrid and within a 30-45 minute stroll of most of the other main attractions which span from the Royal Palace to Parque de El Retiro - both of which are picturesque, ideal for a picnic and good places to spend some time unwinding. The Prado, considered to be one of the best art museums in the world, is also right next to El Retiro park and even if you're not an arts person, the architecture of the buildings are still fantastic.

Puerta Del Sol (another historic square) is also a brisk, five-minute walk from Plaza Mayor, whilst at some point or another you're almost certain to come across the majestic grandiose of Gran Via - a bustling, buzzing avenue which is home to many designer stores. If you're after a bargain then it's a good idea to venture into some of the side streets as they're filled with numerous smaller outlets with products and souvenirs available at much smaller prices.

Wherever you go in the city that's within the aforementioned walking distance of Plaza Mayor, you're bound to find culture and cuisine as there's hundreds of restaurants catering for all tastes.

Something of an almost unknown secret is that the concourse in Madrid's main railway station; Atocha Renfe is home to a tropical garden and a handful of market stalls. It might be the only station in the world where you can see wildlife roaming around and it's normal to the locals - albeit certainly different if you aren't used to it.

To conclude, whatever you do in Madrid, then there's every chance you'll enjoy it - and I haven't even mentioned the often hot weather which makes the place all the more delightful.

Enjoy the photos!