Madrid: discovering the Spanish capital in winter with the family
Madrid’s historical and artistic heritage is truly remarkable, the child of the intense history the city has lived through over the centuries.There is no better time than winter to visit, wandering around discovering museums, churches, royal palaces and warm indoor markets where it is pleasant to refresh oneself with family.
Summer is the season when people most want to spend a vacation outdoors, spending as much time as possible outside, while in winter things change and even on vacation people feel more like being indoors. Madrid, the spanish capital “who never sleeps”, is the perfect place as a winter family getaway: you can spend entire days visiting the city’s many museums and churches, learn more about the Royal Palace, or stay in one of the many places where you can all enjoy typical Madrid cuisine together. There are indeed many things to visit in ancient Magerit, founded by Muhamed I in 865 and conquered by the Christians of Alfonso VI during the Reconquista. Madrid’s golden age, which still bursts forth in its most important monuments today, dates back to the reign of Philip IV, with Diego Velasquez leading the city’s cultural scene.
Walking in winter Madrid: from the Royal Palace to the Retreat Park
Madrid’s Royal Palace is the symbol of the Spanish monarchy, and you cannot fail to plan a visit with the whole family to this mansion built on an ancient Moorish construction. The attaule version of the palace is inspired by the designs of the famous Bernini: a patio and the Piazza d’Armi anticipate the monumental facade, beyond which lie splendid opulent rooms. Prominent among them are the Throne Room, with a magnificent painted ceiling, the Hall of the Guards, and the Royal Chapel, which houses an interesting collection of musical instruments, including numerous Stradivarius violins. Another collection is in the Royal Armory and involves armor and weapons, which will certainly intrigue and delight the youngest members of the family.
Leaving the Royal Palace, it is worth braving the cold temperatures to reach the nearby Plaza Mayor, surrounded by elegant palaces on whose facades as many as 237 balconies face.Those who decide to travel to Madrid in December can visit the Christmas market and buy decorations and figurines for the Nativity scene.
Equally beautiful is Plaza de la Lealtad, located in the shadow of a majestic and elegant neoclassical palace that is the headquarters of the Madrid Stock Exchange.Passing the square, one reaches the Retreat Park, which, even in winter, exerts a great deal of charm on the families who decide to take it for a short walk. You can always enter the warmth of the Palacio de Cristal, made entirely of metal and glass, or the Ermita de San Isidro Church, erected in the Romanesque style in the 11th century.
Madrid’s museums
If the Madrid cold is intense, there is nothing better than taking refuge in the grandiose and interesting buildings of the Spanish capital, such as the Palacio de las Cortes in the Plaza de la Cortes or the Almudena Cathedral: inside what is Madrid’s main place of worship is the Museum of the Patrons and there is also the possibility to climb to the highest point of the Cathedral and enjoy the most beautiful view of the entire city.
Another plunge into the crisp, open air of a wintry Madrid can’t help but lead to Puerta del Sol: those who decide to spend New Year’s Eve in the Spanish capital can join in the New Year’s celebrations in this square, in the shadow of the Real Casade Correo. As midnight approaches, the clock that stands out on the facade of the building begins to chime 12 chimes, the famous campanadas, until the New Year begins.
Winter is the best time to take the whole family to visit Madrid’s finest museums, such as the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum: this exhibition space displays the private collection of the family of the same name, which includes works by Gauguin, Van Gogh, Degas, Monet, Manet and Renoir.
Also not to be missed is the Reina Sofia Museum, located in an old hospital from the 1700s: it is dedicated to masterpieces from the early 1900s and thus to artists such as Miró, Dali and, of course, Picasso.
The jewel of Madrid: the Prado Museum
If there is one place where it is a must to spend almost an entire day, during the winter in Madrid, it is the Prado Museum: it is the symbol of the Spanish capital’s cultural heritage, preserving one of the world’s largest collections of Spanish paintings spanning a period from the 12th century to the 1800s, as well as other European and particularly Flemish masterpieces. The very building that houses the museum is a marvel in itself, designed in 1785 by Juan de Villanueva.
Initially the structure was to house the Museum of Natural History, but it was Ferdinand VII who earmarked the entire building to house what would be a Royal Museum, the future Prado Museum. A day would not be enough to admire the amount of works contained therein, although there are collections that absolutely cannot be missed. There are, for example, sections devoted to Spanish painting between the 12th and 17th centuries, Italian and French painting up to the 1700s, and Flemish painting from Northern Europe (Bosch’s paintings stand out in particular among the thousands of works).
Goya is the star of the Prado’s area dedicated to paintings of the 1700s but also in the area dedicated to prints and illustrations.
The Prado Museum holds paintings as well as valuable sculptures from the Classical, Baroque and Renaissance periods.
During a visit to this treasure chest of culture, what are generally considered the most important works housed are not to be missed, namely Velasquez’s Las Meninas, Beato Angelico’s Annunciation (depicting Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Paradise on one side and the Angel’s announcement to the Virgin Mary on the other), Albrecht Düre’s Self-Portrait with Gloves, Caravaggio’s David and Goliath, and the Flemish Patinir’s Landscape in the Underworld.
The typical cuisine of Madrid
When the weather is cold, it makes one want to stay indoors and perhaps treat oneself to a few dinners of local delicacies. Madrid also has a lot to offer gastronomically, and the best place to discover its most unmissable delicacies is to reach the Mercado de San Miguel. Families will be able to taste here, for example, Bocadillosde Calamares, which are sandwiches stuffed with fried squid, pinchos with vegetables, sausages or fish, but above all, the ever-present tapas.
Also not to be missed are those dishes to be enjoyed more leisurely, from Gazpacho to Cocido madrileño, one of Madrid’s signature dishes.
Reaching Gran Via instead, the whole family can sit in the warmth of one of the cafes that crowd this bustling street and order Churros y Chocolate: these are elongated fried treats, enjoyed on their own or dunked in a cup of hot chocolate, the perfect drink to sip in winter.
