9 Things to See and Do in Madrid, Madrid, Spain

This past summer, the last leg of our honeymoon consisted of travelling across Spain with some family and friends. We set Madrid as our first stop, and planned a route that would eventually end in Barcelona. Now, I had been to Barcelona once before…years ago…but I had never set foot anywhere else inside this beautiful country. The only thing I knew or had heard of when it came to Madrid was the fabulous art…the big three galleries of Museo Nacional del Prado, the Reina Sofia and Museo Thyssen. Other than that, I was going in with no expectations, no set plans and no major ideas of things to see and do. We took it day by day and really ended up enjoying our time in this vibrant city. And truth be told…we never set foot in an art gallery…whoops!! Anyways, here are some of my top activities, sites and things to do when visiting Madrid.

This was one of the first things we did when we arrived in Madrid. Even though this gorgeous palace is no longer a royal residence, it still houses events, ceremonies and big receptions. The rooms (the 50 that are open to the public) are incredible – lavishly decorated and wonderfully over the top. I loved the grand foyer and staircase with all the marble and granite. Just stunning and absolutely worth a visit. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).