Madrid for a Day

After really enjoying the idea of a one day trip to Dublin, leaving in the morning and coming back at night, I started looking for more destinations like that. That’s when I found Madrid.

The flight was a little longer this time, but it worked perfectly with my schedule, so I thought… why not?

I arrived in Madrid around 11 in the morning. This time, I decided to use public transport. There is a direct airport bus, line 203, that goes straight into the city centre.

There is a direct airport bus, line 203, that goes straight into the city centre.

When I arrived at the station, there was such a long queue of people all waiting for the same bus. Everyone was just standing there calmly and waiting together. After around 40 minutes, I finally managed to get onto the third bus, and about half an hour later, I arrived in Madrid, a busy city full of people, tourists, and energy.

I had a small list of places I wanted to see, but mostly I just wanted to experience the city, breathe different air, and wander around freely.

My first stop was Retiro Park, a large and impressive park right in the middle of the city. In some ways, it reminded me a little of Heaton Park in Manchester. It was lovely to walk there. Maybe not something completely unique to Madrid itself, but I had received so many recommendations that I thought I should give it a try.

Inside the park there is also a beautiful rose garden. I’m not sure how it looks all year round, but when I visited it was very pretty and well maintained.

I spent some time walking around, and honestly, it felt like a nice gentle way to begin the day and breathe a little nature before heading into the busy city streets.

From there, I started walking towards the centre, looking for the more lively and crowded parts of Madrid.

I arrived at Puerta del Sol, a busy square full of life and people. There you can also find the famous bear statue, the symbol of Madrid.

At one point I also visited the local Chabad House. The restaurant only opens later in the afternoon, around 4pm, so it’s definitely worth checking opening times in advance.

The weather was actually quite warm, but very manageable. Whenever I got tired from walking or felt the distances becoming longer, I simply hopped onto one of the city buses. Madrid’s public transport felt surprisingly easy to use, and there are even smaller buses that fit through the narrow streets in the older parts of the city.

I also thought about travelling to Toledo, with its rich Jewish history, but I wasn’t sure if there would be enough time in one day. It’s definitely somewhere I would love to visit properly, and hopefully even take my ladies’ walking group there in the near future, IyH.

And just like that, the day came to an end.

Sometimes all it takes is one simple day in a different city to come home feeling refreshed, inspired, and full of new energy.