Atocha Station, Madrid

So I recently spent the weekend in Madrid meeting up with an old friend from Japan. We had a great time hitting the regular haunts. Hemingway’s bar in Plaza Santa Ana, where we took turns throwing tapas at passing tourists. Museo del Prado, where I earned bonus points for staying awake while viewing all 500 […]

Photo by Victor Garcia

Overview If you’re looking for cool places to visit in Madrid, you’re in luck. The city is teeming with world-class museums, beautiful architecture, great restaurants, and vibrant public places. This short guide is intended to highlight some of the better known, lesser known, and over-rated attractions in town. Off the Tourist Track Plaza de Oriente […]

Boating on the Estanque Grande (Great Pond), Retiro Park, Madrid

Boaters enjoying a warm summer afternoon on the Estanque Grande (Great Pond) in Retiro Park, Madrid, Spain. Dating from 1636, the pond covers an area of 9 acres (37,000 sq meters). It was originally a reliable source of water for the royal palace and gardens that stood nearby. When the City of Madrid took ownership […]

Patrick Blanc's vertical garden at CaixaForum Square, Madrid

Vertical garden at CaixaForum square, Paseo del Prado, Madrid. Created by Patrick Blanc, this 78-foot (24-meter) tall living wall contains 250 species of plants that survive on sunlight and water and no soil. Since its creation, the wall has changed dramatically. The original simple latticework interspersed with struggle seedlings is now a lush, green landscape […]

Palacio de Cristal, Retiro Park, Madrid

Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) inside Retiro Park, Madrid. Built in 1887, this striking building served as a greenhouse for the Exposition of the Philippines held that same year. In its modern incarnation, the Palace functions as an art gallery for temporary exhibits. The architect, Ricardo Velazquez Bosco, also designed the art exhibition space now […]