Sunday in Madrid
Madrid is the capital and hub of Spain located in the center of the country. If you are traveling through Spain you are bound to pass through it. As for me, I have passed through it many times, for as little as 2 hours or for a couple of nights. I have gotten to know Madrid for its many different neighborhoods, food from all different cultures and museums. During my time teaching in Spain I have stepped into the Spanish way of life and I have come to describe it as; every day is a slow Sunday morning.
Here is my Sunday in Madrid. A day of combining Madrid’s different neighborhoods and sightseeing with the Spanish way of life, Strolling through the park, walking down side streets and enjoying some good eats.
I love the morning and to begin my Sunday in Madrid I would start at Parque de El Retiro, before the city is awake. You’ve got plenty of time since this city like to sleep in Sunday mornings. The best time is around nine a.m. In the park, I would venture for a run or stroll where I enjoy the many paths, pass the monumento a Alfonso XII and the Palacio de Cristal and see many runners and dogs of all different breeds.
After Retiro Park I would make my way over to La Latina neighborhood to check out El Rastro, the most popular flea market in Madrid. This market takes place every Sunday and opens up around nine or 10 a.m. La Latina has become one of my favorite neighborhoods in Madrid. It comes alive on Sunday with its many vintage shops to explore, side vendors selling trinkets and people hopping in and out of bars, especially on Calle Cava Baja.
El Rastro feels like a never ending market. Vendors line the street selling leather jackets, fur, posters, jewelry, bags, etc… The list goes on forever. You will feel like cattle bumping shoulder-to-shoulder with everybody as you make your way down the street, so my time is spent in the side streets of the market. This is where you can find trinkets, post cards, prints and vintage ceramics. Every side street will have something new to catch your eye.
Located not far from the end of El Rastro is the Carmencita Film Lab. A small camera and print shop that has a popular photo booth. For 4 euros you can step into the booth and snap photos to bring home with you.
After herding through the market and slipping away to side streets, my next spot would be a break in Cafe Del Art. A coffee spot on the street of El Rastro, where you can continue to people watch if you are lucky enough to get seated by the window. If I’m in need of a Sunday brunch I would swap out the cafe for Watts, to stuff my face with a stack of pancakes. After this needed refueling a museum is my next destination.
Madrid has many museums to pick from. Renia Sofia and El Prado are the two popular museums visited in Madrid, but for this Sunday they are not on my list. Depending on the time I would pick a different option such as:
Cerralbo Museum, an art and historical objects collection of Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa. The museum transports you back in time as you walk through a classical-styled palace. On Sundays the museum is free and is open till 15:00, it can be accessed one hour till close.
My second choice would be Estacion de Chamberi, the ghost station of Madrid that has been closed since 1966. It is located between the metro stops of Bilbao and Iglesia. It is free admission but prior reservation is required. The museum closes at 14:00.
After either of these museums a coffee or sweet treat is needed. I would either go to have Naji Speciality Coffee to sip on a pistachio latte or Cuadra Bakery for a flakey buttery croissant.
Another option is Cibeles Palace, the old Spanish Post Office. This palace has free and rotating exhibits and the Mirador Madrid observation deck, which offers a view of the city from above for 3 euros. The observation deck is open 10:30-14:00/16:00-19:30. If you pick this destination Acid Cafe is the perfect place close by to stop for a coffee or sweet treat.
My next destination is Jardines Del Campo Del Moro. These gardens are located close to the Royal Palace of Madrid and are perfect to take a slow stroll through and enjoy the greenery or find a place to chat and people watch. As the sun begins to set, the Temple of Debod, located right next door, is where to find a bench to sit, maybe with a bottle of vino, and watch the sunset over the city of Madrid.
This Sunday is already filled with sightseeing, side streets and strolling, but it need to end with some good food. For me that means Italian food. A big bowl of pasta or a fluffy and crispy pizza. Mandarosso, located in La Latina, My Pasta Room, in Malasana, or Fratelli Figurato, on Calle de Alonso Cano, would be one of the places I’d go to end my Sunday in Madrid.
