Road Trip To Madrid...Rediscovering Spain's Capital

Don't you love the surprises that life sometimes throws at you? When my colleague and good friend Astrid said that she was driving to Madrid on the weekend, Julie and I jumped at the chance to go with her. 

I've been to Spain's capital city twice before- once when I was fourteen, and then again in 2013 for a wedding that I almost completely missed as we got the days confused! The first time I had arrived by plane, the second by train...arriving by car seemed like a fun alternative for the third time around.

Astrid was an absolute trooper for driving most of the distance there and back; it's certainly not a quick journey. Aside from our little detour to a random Spanish pueblo for petrol, it was a pretty straight ride on the motorway. We got to experience true Spanish kindness when a local from the pueblo drove us 15 minutes out of his way to the nearest petrol station, just to make sure that we didn't get lost. I love encountering genuinely good people on my adventures.

Onto Madrid itself. They say that third time's a charm- and it certainly was in this case. This time was a perfect mix of discovering new parts of the city, such as the tranquil El Retiro park, and revisiting old haunts like the Meson de Champi in La Latina.

I'd definitely recommend our Airbnb host, Ignacio- he was incredibly helpful with information about the city, and even made us a little breakfast both mornings. When staying in a city like Madrid, location is everything- and being by El Retiro proved to be a great base. Walking distance from Gran Via, La Latina, all the major museums (if you are so disposed...we were not this time), Plaza Mayor...all the hotspots. You can find the room and rates right here.

Here are a few highlights from our weekend:

• Trying the bocadillo calamares in a little side-street cafe. A little dry, in all honesty, but the exquisite saltiness saved it...and perhaps the accompanying Estrella too.

• Checking out El Retiro Park- This was a truly unexpected pleasure. As a whole, I prefer Barcelona to Madrid, but in a perfect world, I would bring this park to Barcelona to make it the perfect city. We have Parc de la Citudella, but it doesn't have quite the same ambience as El Retiro- that relaxed, expansive feel that gives you space to breathe in the nature around you and clear your head. We didn't get a ride on the boat this time, but we did get to walk alongside Colombian dancers at the lakeside.

• La Latina. The perfect place for an ambling Sunday. Particularly Calle Cava de San Miguel, that led to all sorts of gastranomic delights. This included the wonderful mushrooms with garlic, olive oil and chorizo at Meson del Champi- just as good as when I had tried them in 2013- and an old favourite, pimientos de padron at Meson de Boqueron. The glorious sunshine gave the area even more of a buzz.

Julie at Plaza Mayor (with the obligatory Puss in Boats photo bomb).

A random Mexican joint called El Chaparrito, where Julie found tequila from her parents' home town.

Seems like Puss in Boats had lost interest by this point...

So, although I'm still in love with my Barcelona, I become fonder of Madrid with every visit. It may be missing that bohemian vibe that comes with being close to the ocean, but it has more than made up for it with its own chill-out spots, like the lakeside of El Retiro, and La Latina's winding streets. I'm incredibly keen to return- and this time maybe discover a more undercover Madrid. If there are any locals out there that would like to give me some tips, I would be more than happy to hear them!

Overall moral of the trip? Embrace random and spontaneous opportunities- in my opinion, the only regrets that truly linger are life's 'what-ifs'.