With just 2 nights in Madrid we had a short amount of time to see the sights of the city along with a short day trip to Toledo- so here is how we fit it all in….
After arriving early into the Madrid airport we checked in to the wonderful Westin Palace located in the center of the “Art Triangle” and easy walks to major attractions- with our room ready we fought the urge to nap in that heavenly bed and adventured to Toledo.
Just a short walk from the Westin is the Atocha Train station where about every hour a train can take you to Toledo- a beautiful walled city just 30min by train ($15-20 each way) south of Madrid. You can take a tour or wander on your own but my advice is to take a taxi to the lookout for some great views and pictures then be dropped off inside the wall to shop and explore.
On our one full day we chose to do a morning bike tour that would take us to all the major monuments and attractions of the city- and for less than $30 pp -what a deal! With the tour you will see Mayor Street, Habsburg’s Madrid, Almudena Cathedral, Royal Palace, Templo de Debod, Plaza de Espana, Plaza Mayor, Las Letras Quarter, Retiro Park, Puerta de Alcala and many more all with an English-speaking guide!
After an enjoyable ride through the city we took some time for lunch in one of the Plaza’s we rode thru- Plaza de Santa Ana and afterward ventured up to The Roof Bar. The bar is situated on top of the Melia Hotel right on the plaza and has great views of the city and if you experience amazing weather like we did it’s definitely a great spot for cocktail.
Although we saw most of the highlights on our bike tour we revisited a few at night- and so glad we did! I highly recommend you take a nice evening stroll when in Madrid because the city seems much more grand with a spotlight. I enjoyed Madrid and hope to return one day as I feel there is much more to explore of this capitol city!
