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A Hazy Memory...............
"A Quiet Weekend in Madrid......."
Well thats how it started, myself and a girlfriend getting a cheap flight on Easyjet and having a weekend away...
Unfortunatley, thats how it ended, 6 other friends decided that it sounded too good to be true and the next thing I knew on a wet and windy english morning 8 of us flew to Madrid !
En Route my friend who hates flying decided to adopt the "brace" position before the doors had even closed and when she started ordering double vodka's at 08:00am in the morning...we knew we had no choice but to join her. It was a very different weekend !!!
"The Hotel Where we Spent No Time..."
We had pre-booked a Hotel called Hostal Persal, (a 2*) about 30 mins from Madrid Airport and about 5 mins walk from central Madrid, at the time it cost about £30 per night with breakfast. (mind you we only spent 1 night out of 3 there - so a complete waste !!)
It was clean, functional and extremely quiet....that was until we got there !!! It is also very close to the Puerta del Sol and other major attractions.
It is also right next door to The Plaza Santa Ana which is famous for its tapas bars and nightlife. An excellent nightclub to visit in Mdrid is Mona Lisa on Nunez De Arce, which is where you will meet the "real" locals and not just the tourists like us !!
Madrid's Markets are wonderful and particularly the El Rastro on
Ribera de los Curtidores which is held every Sunday morning, its busy, colourful and enteraining...but two bits of advice.. although everything is cheap - bring lots of money - you WILL spend it all .... also it is a Mecca for pickpockets, so be careful !!
"A Perfect Day Trip Away From Madrid....."
Toldedo (once the capital of Spain) is close enough for a day away from Madrid but with the feel of being in a different world !!
You can catch the bus from Madrid to Toledo and it will take about 45 mins and if you have the time is definitley worth the visit.
It is a huge alcazar palace, fortress and cathedral, the fortress walls surrounding narrow streets, fantastic tapas bars, wonderful churches and expensive shops.
El Greco's last known work, the Assumption of the Virgin is housed at the Santa Cruz Museum and this is definitley a must on your list of things to see.
Again, the choice of superb places to eat is overwhelming... best thing to do is try and get somewhere outside in the sun, order too much sangria, too many tapas and after a hard mornings sightseeing, kick of your shoes and spend the afternoon people watching with your mates...perfect
All in all a great day out !
Hostal Persal
