Renia Sofia
This is an absolute “must do” if you’re even the slightest fan of Picasso. Named after Queen Sofia, Renia Sofia houses 80 Picasso paintings and 40 drawings. Here you will find the famous larger than life Guerinca, based on Hitler’s 1937 bombing of the northern Spanish village by the same name. Unfortunately photos are not permitted. Entry is 12 euro. Free admission 2 hours prior to closing.
National Archaeological Museum
There are a lot of options to visit this museum for free including Saturday’s after 2 pm, Sunday mornings, and specific holidays. But even if you go during regular admission days, entry is only 3 euro per adult. Founded over 150 years ago, the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid houses one of the best antiquities collections in all of Spain. You of course will find Egyptian mummies here but also many unusual artifacts including pre-historic collections from the Iberian peninsula and beautiful restored Mudegjar ceilings.
Bull Fighting
Las Ventas is the largest bull fighting ring in all of Spain and the 3rd largest in the world. Built in 1931 it can hold nearly 24,000 people. Tickets can start as low 10 euro per person, depending on date and seat selection. The timing did not work out for us but this is definitely on our “to-do” list for next trip.
Bull fighting is an inherent part of Spanish culture but it is also bloody and violent. It may not be for everyone. You could instead consider a audio guided tour of Las Ventas for 16 euro per person. Or you can visit the museum free of charge. The Museo Taurino de Madrid has a wide range of bull fighting costumes, paintings, and memorabilia on display.
Day Trips From Madrid
There are at least a dozen small well preserved towns within short distance of Madrid worth a visit. The question comes down to, how much time do you have and what are you interested in seeing? We opted to do a combo guided tour of Toledo and Segovia which included bus transportation. We found the price comparable to trying to do it on our own and its nice on occasion to sit back and let someone else do the work.
We used Amigo Tours. For whatever reason its slightly cheaper to book through a second party like Viator than directly. We paid about $60 pp. We really enjoyed both of these places and plan to return for longer visits in the future. The organized tour included a walking tour in at each stop as well as some downtime to shop and tour on your own.
Toledo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ancient city on a hill with some spectacular views. It was the former capital of Spain. Known as the “City of the Three Cultures” and “Second Rome” it has been influenced throughout history by Christians, Muslims, and Jews. In fact they lived together harmoniously. A stone fortress, the Alcazar, is built on the highest point of the city. Alcazar means “The Castle.” It was formerly used in the 3rd century as a Roman palace and frequently used as a winter palace by Spanish royalty.
Segovia is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built by the Romans in the first century AD. It is most known for the 2000 year old Roman aqueducts, some of the best preserved in the world.
The signature dish of Segovia is suckling pig. The tour did not include lunch but we had the option of joining the tour group for lunch at El Bernardino versus eating lunch on our own at one of the many nearby cafes. For only 25 euro per person we had a prix fixe meal including bread, wine, soup, suckling pig with scalloped style potatoes, and dessert. It was quite the treat!
El Rastro
This popular sprawling open air flea market is held every Sunday and on public holidays. Both old and new items, as well as antiques, can be found among the overflowing stalls. This is the perfect opportunity find the a souvenir to bring home. The market is arranged along the steep street of Calle de la Ribera de Curtidores but spills over into the side streets, ally ways, and park squares. It is impossible to see it all.
Plaza Mayor
This is the town square and a great place to get gelato and people watch. Historically this plaza has seen a lot, from bull fighting to coronations and executions. There are 237 wrought iron balconies and beautiful frescos adorn many of the buildings. The Center for Tourism is located in this square as well should you need any specific information or maps.
