One of my colleagues is going to Madrid next week and asked me for recommendations. While this is certainly not a hidden secret, one of my favorite places in Madrid is the Palacio Real and the Catedral de Almudena which are next to each other at one end of the city. The Palacio Real is the royal palace of Spain and a definite must-see in Madrid. It was begun in 1738 on the site of the former Madrid Alcazar. The Palacio has over 2,000 rooms -- some of which are open to the public and some of which are still used only for state business.
The Royal Apartments are the main section of the Palacio and are very interesting for their Baroque and Rococo style. It is definitely a "how the other half lives" situation. Very beautiful and interesting.
Another section of the Palacio that is actually sort of a wild card is the Royal Armory. This separate building is absolutely worth a look -- it is a very cool collection of armour including lots of horses. It is amazing to see the large and elaborate kinds of armour used by the Spanish royalty. Another wild card is the Royal Pharmacy, which is an odd assortment of rooms dedicated to potions. It is really like the Spanish Hogwarts. Each room in the little house is dedicated to different types of pharmaceutical applications. Again, very interesting. Walking around the Palacio is a wonder unto itself. The courtyard is huge -- like nothing I have ever seen before huge. Additionally, since the Palacio is on a high point of the city, you have magnificent views of the city from many points throughout the grounds.
Next to the Palacio is the newest European cathedral -- the Catedral de Almudena. This Catedral was just consecrated in 1993 by Pope John Paul II. Though it was actually begun in 1883! Though the architecture has a very old school look to it, the ceilings have really cool, gorgeous pop art stained glass. It is a much more modern touch. I found them to be both beautiful and charming.TIP: An off the beaten path option is to pay a small fee to go to the top of the cupola. From there you get a bird's eye view of Madrid plus a closer look at the multi-colored ceiling. An added plus is that when we went we were the only ones there! Usually any time there is a city view, the viewing area is packed. This time we got to take as many pictures as we wanted.
So when visiting Madrid, make sure to plan to spend an afternoon at the Palacio Real and the Catedral de Almudena. Its a very worthwhile excursion.
Palacio Real
Calle de Bailén 2, Madrid
91-454-87-00
Catedral de Almudena
C/ BAILÉN, 8-10
28013 Madrid, Spain
