Spain
Mad About Madrid
Article and photography by Nicholas Kontis
The people of Madrid, who are known as Madrilenos, use a poetic phrase to describe their city: “De Madrid al cielo” translates to “From Madrid to the sky.” It’s easy to see why travelers fall in love with the Spanish capital. Art, history, and gastronomy collide to give the city a heavenly ambiance. Nothing personifies the passionate, artistic soul of the city like the seductive flamenco dance.
The thrilling metropolis flaunts styles for every taste.
Barrio de Salamanca
The city’s most exclusive quarter is Barrio de Salamanca. Broad boulevards with ornate 19th-century facades shelter a refined lifestyle. Tree-lined Calle de Serrano, Calle Ortega y Gasset, Calle de Goya and Calle de Velasquez are some of the classiest streets in Madrid, home to high-end couture, boutique shopping, jewelry stores and gastro tapas bars.
El Retiro Park
Madrid is one of the greenest cities in the world. Covering nearly 300 acres, El Retiro Park is its heart and soul. In the 19th century, the acreage was reserved for select Spanish royalty. Today, it resembles New York’s Central Park as the hub of the grand metropolis with its bicyclists and runners, meandering Madrillenos and vagabond visitors. Sights include the Crystal Palace, Retiro Lake (with its Alfonso XII monument), dazzling fountains, a fragrant rose garden, memorials to Spanish heroes and writers, gazebos and open-air cafes for socializing.
Golden Triangle of Art
When I asked a Madrilleno friend how much time I should spend in the city, he replied: “You could spend weeks just visiting Madrid’s three top museums. It has one of the highest concentrations of art on Earth.” The renowned EL Prado, the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum form the Golden Triangle of Art. The collection at the Prado alone flaunts more than 7,500 Spanish and European paintings. Displaying work from the Renaissance and Baroque periods through the 19th century, it exhibits more than 1,000 sculptures alone.
Fabulous Flamenco
Flamenco, the most passionate of Spanish dances, originated in the province of Andalusia in southern Spain — but Madrid is a wonderful place to experience it. In the Salamanca district, at Tabloa Flamenco, a fierce and seductive evening of dancing and singing is presented through gastronomy, music and art by the stately Flamenco de Leones troupe in an intimate dinner and show.
Barrio de Las Letras
The Barrio de las Letras is the city’s library quarter. Many significant literary figures lived in the streets between the Paseo del Prado and the Plaza de Santa Ana during Madrid’s Golden Age. Cervantes, Quevedo and Lope de Vega were among those who passed through. Today its pedestrian streets and eclectic shops share the lively street scene with cafes and beer halls.
Rosewood Villa Magna
The Rosewood Villa Magna hotel occupies a prime location in the heart of Madrid. The luxurious property, with 154 residential units, stands in a coveted place on the grand, tree-lined Paseo de la Castellana. The Rosewood offers guests a chic, elegant solace from the bustle of the outside world. Guests can enjoy high-quality massages and facials at the Sense spa. A Finnish sauna, jacuzzi and steam room enhance the experience. Executive chef Jésus Sanchez helms the Michelin-rated Amos Restaurant.
Air Europe has convenient service from Miami and New York to Madrid Barajas Airport.
visit: www.aireuropa.com
