Two Turkeys: Part III - Great Day Trips from Madrid

There is so much to see in Madrid and the surrounding areas that we knew we would never be able to do it all in 4 1/2 days.  To maximize our experience, we decided to spend two full days in Madrid and visit other cities on the other two days.  Spain has a sophisticated rail system and there are lots of day trip options so we had to narrow our focus.   

Our criteria:  less than one hour travel time each way, a train schedule that would allow us to leave after 9am and return by 6pm each night and the place had to be known for more than one thing.  Our choices:  Toledo and Segovia.

Toledo

Toledo is a walled city located south of Madrid and is a 35 minute train ride from the Atocha station via high speed train.  Our schedule allowed us to spend approximately four hours there. 

Atocha is located within walking distance of many of Madrid's main tourist sites and is the largest train station in Madrid so it can be a bit overwhelming on your first visit.  Renfe has a user friendly website so research schedules before heading to the station.  Plan on arriving at least thirty minutes prior to your desired departure to allow time for disagreeing about where to go, finding the ticket office, buying tickets, and then finding the right tracks. 

Once you find the ticket office, be sure you get a number before getting in line.  We learned that lesson the hard way (and felt a bit like Ben Stiller's character in Meet the Parents when he was the only person in line yet they wouldn't allow him to board until his group number was called). 

The station is well marked but if you have difficulty finding your track, there are uniformed agents throughout the terminal who can help.  There is a security check point for the track area but it is similar to what you might find at a sporting event rather than at the airport. 

Your ticket will have information regarding the train number and departure track.  Renfe does not utilize open seating so make sure you look at your ticket prior to boarding to ensure you get on the correct car and can find your seat. 

The Toledo train station is located about five minutes outside of the walled city.  You can take a bus or a taxi to center of town.  While you could walk, I wouldn't recommend it as the city sits high on a hill so it would be more of a hike or climb than a walk. 


Toledo Street

Toledo is not that big so the best way to experience it is by wandering around.  Since it is in fact a "walled" city, the chances of getting completely lost are slim.  The streets are quite narrow and made of stone so leave the high heels at home.  Pay particular attention on some streets as there is not enough room for a pedestrian and a car so you will have to find the nearest entryway to wait and/or pray in as the car whizzes by.

The most impressive sight by far is the Cathedral (the Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo).  Even compared to places we've seen in England, France and Italy, nothing compares to this.  It took over two hundred years to build so the wide variety of stained glass, marble and fresco works and carvings are amazing.  

There is an audio tour which allows you to tour the Cathedral at your own pace and you will surely miss something otherwise.  Plan on spending at least two hours here.  In addition to the main chapel, there are minor chapels which each have their own distinct feel including a room that contains garments worn by the priests throughout the years as well as a room of treasures bestowed upon the church. 

Inner Chapel

Main Chapel

You can also climb the tower of the cathedral and see some amazing views of the walled city.    

There a lots of smaller churches that are pretty but some have a fairly high entry fee for what you actually get to see so make sure you do your research or ask questions beforehand.  The Alcazar is at the highest point of the city and provides a good visual in case you do get lost. 

While you can't do everything in Toledo in four hours, you can definitely get a feel for the city during a day trip.  It was also interesting to be in a medieval castle within a walled city and look across the fields at the "new"city including malls, soccer fields and gas stations. 

Segovia

Segovia is located northwest of Madrid.  The train to Segovia leaves from the Chamartin station in northern Madrid.  We took a cab from the hotel to the station and it took about 20 minutes.  Chamartin is a much smaller station than Atocha and easier to navigate.  Make sure you check the schedules closely and book a high speed train if you want to maximize your time in the city. 

The high speed train will get you there in less than thirty minutes.  Otherwise, it will take you close to two hours!  If you get claustrophobic or don't like to travel through tunnels, this may not be the trip for you as much of the train ride is spent in the tunnels going through the mountains.  It is beautiful when you get there though.


Aqueduct in Segovia

The train station is about ten minutes from the old portion (i.e. tourist area) of the city.  There is a bus that will take you for less than five dollars.  You can also take a cab but they do not have a taxi stand so you will need to ask someone to call one for you.  You will be dropped off at the circle by the famous Aqueduct.  There is a visitor center on the right hand side of the square as you enter the city if you want to get a map. 



The Aqueduct was built near the second century and is truly amazing.  At the lowest elevation in the city, it stretches across the entry to the old city and stands very tall.  This engineering feat is even more amazing when you realize that it is not held together by any mortar.  You can take the road to other parts of the city but I would recommend climbing the stairs by the aqueduct to get a better appreciation of the structure.  You can then follow a road to other parts of the city. 



View of Cathedral from Alcazar

The Cathedral is located in Plaza Mayor and is beautiful from the outside.  Plaza Mayor is lined with different restaurants and bakeries.  When we were there, it was the location of a farmer/flea market which was an interesting juxtaposition of old and new cultures. 

Cinderella's Inspiration

The Alcazar of Segovia is at the other end of town and was supposedly one of the inspirations for Walt Disney's Cinderella castle.  You can take a tour of the Alcazar as well as climb the tower which provides for some spectacular views of the Spanish countryside. 

Interestingly, Segovia is the only place we went where siesta was widely recognized and at 2pm just about every store in town shut down.  The shopping was far better here than in Toledo so if you want to do any shopping, do it early.  

I would recommend both Toledo and Segovia as being worth the time and effort to visit but it is hard to recommend one over the other.  If it's more important to visit multiple famous landmarks, head to Segovia.  If you like to explore one or two key places in great detail and appreciate every element of its history, Toledo is the place for you.  Either way you can't go wrong. 

Two Turkeys in Spain: Part II - What to do in Madrid

We had a limited amount of time to take in Madrid and the surrounding area during our trip over Thanksgiving week.  We were scheduled to arrive at 11am on Sunday and depart at 1pm on Friday which meant we had to do some "targeted touristing".

Our plan upon arrival was to check in to the hotel, take a disco nap then head out to the museums since many either discount or waive admission on Sunday afternoons.  Unfortunately, our flight was delayed four hours which meant we did not get to our hotel until after 3pm.  We adjusted our plan accordingly and checked in to the hotel and took a nap instead.  Sorry Prado!  After all, if we did everything on our first visit we would have no reason to return.

Getting Acquainted

As painfully touristy as it may seem, the best thing to do on the first day in a new city (especially international destinations) is to take a bus tour.  This allows you to get your bearings and if you are short on time, lets you get a quick glimpse of everything so you can figure out where to spend more time later.  (As an added bonus, the people watching on these things is usually fabulous!)  There are typically single and multi day tickets available which allow you jump on/jump off at various locations throughout the city.

You get to keep the earphones!

GoMadrid has two tour routes and if you stay at the Palace or Ritz hotels, there is a pick up location between the Palace and the Prado Museum. 

The cost is around $20 per person and includes souvenir earphones which allow you to listen to a guided tour with several different language choices.  The tour is on an open top double deck bus.  Definitely sit up top if it is warm enough because you can't see much downstairs.  Also, this is not the best place to get a lot of pictures because you will be taking them all through glass windows. 



Picture taken from tour
 bus...see what I mean?



 The Modern tour makes seventeen stops and the Historic tour makes twenty.  We did both back to back and while there is some overlap in destinations, we appreciated the ability to see things twice.  There is so much to see you can easily get distracted the first time around.

On the Modern tour you will see things like the business district, embassies, Real Madrid's soccer stadium and if you are a homesick American, you also get to see T.G.I. Friday's and Tony Roma's (yep, apparently still in business).  The Historic tour takes a little longer and goes by the Royal Palace, art museums, the theater district, parks, and gardens. 

We spent our first day on the bus but got off several times to walk around, have lunch, etc.  Overall it was a great way to get our bearings in Madrid. 

Recommended things to do in Madrid



Knights in Shining Armor

View of Palace from the G

Don't miss the Royal Palace.  There are amazing views of suburban Madrid, the art includes works by Goya and Velazquez and the decorations and marble work inside are exquisite.  Plan on being there a minimum of two hours.  Not only is it a huge estate, there is a lot to see. 

Be sure to visit the armory while at the Palace.  It is included with your admission but because it is not located in the main building (it is across the quad from the main tourist entrance), it is easy to overlook.  Even if you aren't a history buff, seeing all of the jousting equipment and suits of armor is incredible especially when you think about trying to actually move in and fight with that stuff!  The gardens are also beautiful and worth seeing if you have time. 
 

The king no longer lives in the palace so it is open to the public most days except holidays or when there is an official ceremony.  We got lucky because the President of Brazil was in town while we were there.  This meant that the royal welcome mat had been rolled out complete with armor clad horsemen (and horsewomen).  You could not tour the Palace that day but you could walk up to the gates and see all of the activity. Check with your concierge before going to make sure that it is open.  If there is an official ceremony, definitely go and see all of the pomp and circumstance. 

Plaza Mayor getting ready for Christmas

Plaza Mayor is the central plaza in Madrid with beautiful architecture and is lined with outdoor cafes.  There are multiple entrances to the square and it is fun to just wander along some of the side streets. 

When we were there, the Plaza was being decorated for Christmas which included a village and lots of lights.  We left before they were finished but it looked like it was going to be beautiful.

 

Spanish Spidey

Because it is a major tourist location there are lots of street performers and some beggars.  We never felt anything but safe but as with any city, a little common sense and self awareness go a long way. 

Just off of the Plaza is Mercado de San Miguel.  It is filled with vendors selling fruits, vegetables, wine, cheese and other Spanish food (kind of a smaller, Spanish version of Pike Place Market if you have been to Seattle).  It is a beautiful building and is a great place to get a feel for local Spanish culture. 

Even if you aren't a fan of musicals or dinner theater, go to a Flamenco Show (not a Flamingo show as a startling number of people refer to it as).  We went to Corral de la Moreria which is just down the street from the Royal Palace.  It is off of a side street and is very understated from the outside but any cab driver should know how to get there. 



Flamenco Dancers

 They offer two shows nightly with or without a dinner option.  The early dinner seating is at 8pm with the show starting at 9pm.  We opted for the show only but were able to order some appetizers and wine.  The tables are very close to one another so get ready to wind up talking to your neighbors.  Not surprisingly, most of the patrons were visitors yet we never got the touristy vibe you get at places like Disneyland.  

The room was surprisingly small and intimate which helped create an intense experience.  Even at the furthest edge of the room you could see the facial expressions and passion of each of the musicians and dancers.  The dancers were accompanied by a few guitarists and the rhythms were created by clapping, stomping and beating a wooden box.  Take some time to look at the pictures on the wall in the lobby as you either arrive or exit.  You will be amazed at the number of celebrities who have also enjoyed an evening at Corral de la Moreria. 

If you want to channel your inner Julia Roberts, check out the Salamanca district.  This is Madrid's equivalent to Rodeo Drive and is home to luxury retailers like Cartier, Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton.  If you are a fan of fine leather goods be sure to check out Madrid's own Loewe.  Warning, the cost of one bag here can easily cost more than your entire vacation!

As you explore Madrid, look at the details all around you.  For example, each street sign is an individual piece of art. Also pay attention to the roofs and entryways throughout the city as that is where you will find some of the most interesting architecture and sculptures.  If you happen to stay at the Palace, look at the building across the street.  Every hour on the hour a group of wooden figures "pop" out of the building along with music to mark the hour. 

Regardless of what you do or where you go, you are sure to be captured by this city. There are hidden surprises everywhere.   



Beautiful details on each building



Each street sign is different



Make sure to look up...
or you may miss something!

Next Up:  Two great day trips to take from Madrid

Two Turkeys in Spain - Part I: Where They Stayed, Ate and Drank

On a whim, we decided to take a trip over Thanksgiving to take advantage of the short work week.  Our criteria:  a non-stop flight from DFW and somewhere we had never been before.  The result:  Madrid, Spain. 

Arrival

We arranged for a car service to pick us up at the airport which I highly recommend.  After flying overnight for 10+ hours, getting in a fight about how to get a train or cab or quite frankly how to even get out of the airport is no way to start a vacation!  Most hotel desks will arrange this for you in advance and charge it to your room. 

The international terminal at the Madrid airport is new and very well done.  Even in our zombie like state, we were able to find our way to the tram, through customs and out to baggage claim with no problem.  I'm not sure if this is due to an arrangement with American Airlines or if we unknowingly entered the country illegally but there was no customs or immigration paperwork to complete upon landing.  We simply showed the immigration officer our passports then we were on our way. 

Hotel

We stayed at the Westin Palace Hotel which is located across from the Prado Museum.  The Palace is a beautiful building with lots of history (including a Starbucks for the less historically inclined).  The prices were comparable to other luxury hotels and the location was about four blocks from the Atocha train station (the main one in Madrid) and within easy walking distance to Plaza Sta. Ana, Puerto del Sol and if you are ambitious, Plaza Mayor. 



Westin Palace Madrid



You also get a "free" cup of coffee each day which is far more civilized than the Keurig one-cup you find in most U.S. hotels.  Simply call down to the front desk and within minutes a full coffee service appears, complete with a silver service and fine china.

Even if you don't eat there (which we did not), you must see the stained glass dome of La Rotonda restaurant which is located immediately up the stairs from the lobby.  It is breathtaking.  

The Bar Palace at the hotel is also a great place for a drink before or after dinner (or as in our case...both!).  They have a great selection of spirits and know how to make most traditional American cocktails.  The dark wood interior and plush couches create the perfect upscale yet comfortable ambiance.

Most of the staff at the Palace speaks English and the concierge desk is one of the best we have encountered in our travels.  They did try and send us to a couple of "touristy"restaurants (i.e. Hard Rock) but once we told them we wanted to experience places they might go themselves, they suggested some great things to see and do.

Restaurants and Bars

If you are used to a set meal schedule, it may take you some time to adjust to Spanish eating.  Breakfast can be a quick muffin or pastry with lunch being a longer affair that usually involves wine (at least in our case it did).  Many shops and businesses close for siesta from 2pm to 5pm so workers can go eat but this is not as common in central Madrid as it is in some of the smaller outlying towns.  Dinners typically do not start until after 9pm.  No wonder everyone needs a nap the next day!

So much pork, so little time

Tapas restaurants are everywhere.  If you aren't familiar with tapas, it's basically a variety of hot and cold appetizer sized portions and often includes olives, manchego cheese, ham and potato cakes.  Iberico ham is very popular and in fact, there is even a restaurant chain called Museo de Jamon.   

Two of our favorite tapas restaurants were located in Plaza Sta. Ana.  Lateral is located closest to the Melia Hotel and has indoor and outdoor seating.  There are heat lamps and blankets in case you get chilly.  Slightly off of the square on Calle de Manual Fernandez y Gonzalez is a great little place called La Trucha.  The artichoke hearts were sauteed in the perfect blend of olive oil, salt and garlic.  So simple but so, so good!



Sangria in Plaza Sta. Ana



Plaza Santa Ana is overall a great place to go any night of the week.  There are lots of bars surrounding the plaza with Thursday through Saturday nights being busiest.  If you are looking for a great place to sample Spanish wines, try Vinoteca Barbechera.  They offer flights of different varietals and have a nice selection of tapas to pair with the wine.  The furnishings are made out of old wine casks which adds an extra flair to the experience.

We also went to Sabrino de Botin which claims to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world. I'm glad we went from a historical standpoint but if you are looking for a culinary experience, there are better options.  Suckling pig is what they are most well known for so we got that as well as sauteed artichokes.  Both were good...not great. 

Hands down, the best meal we had was at Pandelujo which is located in the upscale Salamanca neighborhood.  It is a very modern restaurant with a hip vibe that is felt before you even walk in the door.  During the warm months, the doors open to a patio with several "ponds" complete with giant rubber duck statues.  Even in the winter months, it is a very unusual and fun setting.  If you try nothing else in Madrid, try the grilled Iberian pork at Pandelujo.  It is definitely in the top five pork dishes I've ever had and believe me, there have been a bunch!



Come Priva

 By our last night, we had grown tired of tapas and Spanish style cuisine and we wanted Italian.  We found this awesome little place right off of the Plaza Sta. Ana called Come Prima.  It is very small with about ten tables overall.  The pasta was made fresh, the bread was amazing and it was the most reasonably priced meal we had in Madrid.  In fact, it was hard to believe we were in Spain and not Italy. 

The biggest surprise about Madrid was the cost of food and wine.  We found everything to be quite reasonable compared to other major cities.  While we don't eat at the most expensive place in town every night, if we have flown 5,000 miles to get somewhere we are certainly going to enjoy ourselves.   Our average lunch (including a bottle of wine) was around $40 US each day and dinner was a little higher at around $60 US.  The wines were reasonable and surprisingly good especially for the price. 

On a final note, several have asked if we found a place that served a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  While a little surprised by the question since it isn't a particularly big day for Spaniards, our hotel did have a flyer about a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  So, I guess if you are in Madrid on Thanksgiving Day and can't live without dried out turkey and canned cranberry mold, you can find it! 

Barton G's Miami - More kitsch than kitchen but still worth it

I love to go out to eat and I am always reading up on new restaurants and visiting as many as I can.   While in Miami recently, we were looking for a fun place to go with another couple. After doing my usual research, I discovered a place I had not heard of despite it's being in existence for ten plus years.

Barton G. Weiss is described as an "event concept designer" and the website for his restaurant Barton G's claims to provide "an experience like no other".  It seems like every decent restaurant I go to these days is promising "an experience like no other" so needless to say, I was a bit skeptical about this one.

We showed up a few minutes early for our 8:45 reservation and the walk up appeal of the restaurant is immediate.  The host stand is located at the entrance of a tropical garden dining area with white lights running throughout.  There is also a smaller inside dining room that is decorated in a very crisp but comfortable manner.  We asked to be seated outside and we didn't even make it to our table before we had our first "experience".

A table of four was enjoying their dessert of a chocolate fountain at their table.  Why did this stop us in our tracks?  Well, this was a two foot tall fountain...the kind you would expect in Texas instead of Florida.  They were dipping mega-sized marsh mellows (the size of the Stay Puff Marsh Mellow man's fingers), pineapple, cherries, cakes and more in the chocolate.  There was so much to dip they began handing skewers out to other patrons.

Once we realized we were gawking and holding up traffic, we moved on to our table.  The discussion was "Wow, dessert looks pretty cool, let's make sure we save room" but we didn't really think much more than that.

Our server did a nice job of describing the menu...just like they do at every other restaurant.  He gave very detailed descriptions of what the food is and how it's prepared but was radio silent on anything else.  **SPOILER ALERT**  If you want to be surprised as well, don't read any further, book your table and go have fun.  For those of you who might not be on adult spring break in South Beach any time soon and want to hear more...

I started with the Tipsy Tuna which was a fun name to describe the tuna crudo marinated in vodka.  My husband choose Boarnie Madoff's Bucket of Bones which made us laugh and was pretty much exactly what it sounds like...an assortment of legs, wings and drumsticks of animals you might find in a small zoo.  Our friends ordered Lobster Pop-Tarts and Crispy Voodoo Shrimp Rolls which may have had slightly more boring names but believe me, were far from boring.

Tipsy Tuna

First up...Tipsy Tuna.  Had I realized what was in store for me, I would have taken a camera so you could actually see what the dish looked like but here's a picture from my iPhone.  The tuna was in small pieces with lots of fresh cilantro and great color.  In an airplane mini bottle was the "tipsy" portion of the dish which was a refreshing combination of vodka, cucumber water and sesame that complemented the tuna perfectly.  It was all served in a bottle shaped dish "suspended" on a piece of rope.  Visually this was a very interested and pretty presentation but nothing too over the top

Lobster Pop Tart and
Crispy Voodoo Shrimp Rolls

Our friends got their appetizers next.  We weren't expecting the toaster that the Lobster Pop Tarts were served in or the smoking "cocktail" sauce that accompanied the shrimp rolls and it was at that point we realized we were in fact in store for the "experience" that had been promised so many times before but never really delivered.

Boarnie Madoff

Each dish is presented in a unique and fun way and Barton G's does a very nice job of staggering the presentation of each dish so you can discover each one individually.

After the appetizers, we weren't sure what to expect next.  Everyone opted for seafood entrees.

One Potato, Two Potato was a good take on sea bass but other than the potato pierogi, the accompaniments were hard to identify.  It seemed like someone had gotten a good deal on the 24" potato peeler rising from the plate and the chef just tried to come up with something to match it rather than vice versa.

One Potato, Two Potato
(and some REALLY big peelers)

The other seafood dish was Lured by Grouper.  It came with a two foot tall fishing lure but the lobster tater tots were the most alluring thing on this plate.  Big, flavorful and cooked perfectly...we wished we were still five years old so we could just have the tater tots for dinner.

One of the other fun things we saw go by with the chicken entree was a knights helmet complete with a feather plume.  It is interesting how many seemingly normal people will put that thing on their head.

Chocolate Indulgence

Dessert was a treasure...literally.  We ordered the Chocolate Indulgence and that is certainly what we got.  A small treasure chest arrived at the table with a chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream set upon graham cracker "sand" complete with gold bouillon.  It was good (what chocolate dessert isn't) but once again, the presentation won out.

A couple of others things of interest.  If you are looking for a great wine experience at Barton G's you will be disappointed.  The selection is limited and the price points suggest that they think the list is a little more inspired than it really is.  Most of the alcohol energy is clearly directed towards the speciality cocktails that we saw going by in clouds of smoke and bubbles.  They also claim to not accept children after 6:30.  Unless the people next to us had two hours of cocktails (which is certainly understandable), this is not the case.  The cute little girl we saw when we sat down soon became the screaming child from hell for the next hour.

All in all, this was one of the most enjoyable dining experiences I have had in a while.  If you are in Miami and are looking for something a little different, check out Barton G's.  If you are in Los Angeles, he is opening a restaurant in West Hollywood this year.