Madrid Spain - 2017 Spring Break

When it comes to this blog post, I feel like a picture is worth 1000 words. 

Oh Madrid, were do I begin? This was the best trip ever. It was our first trip out of the country together!! Also our first trip actually flying TOGETHER on an airplane. Long distance problems. Duke's sister, Lia, lives in Madrid! It was so nice to see her after a year away, and explore the city that she now calls home. 

We flew to Miami from Dulles, before hopping on a red eye flight into Madrid. The flight was about 8 hours and I was scared to death. A flight that long + flying over the ocean had my stomach in knots. We flew with Iberia, and it ended up being the easiest flight ever! More than anything I just needed to prove to myself that I was capable of handling it. 

Once we landed, Lia picked us up and we headed to our Airbnb. We stayed in the cutest little basement apartment, just down the street from Lia's flat in Lavapies. Madrid is alive 24/7. Dinner is not until 8 or 9pm, most restaurants don't even open until then, and then people stay out until the early morning hours clubbing and partying. The only time Madrid is slightly peaceful is in the afternoon hours. The stores close for a bit, and everyone goes home for a siesta. I fell in love with Madrid's way of life. They have fun constantly, and they just work enough to get by. They work to live. In America, I feel that the majority of us live to work.  

The cobblestone streets are so tiny; both pedestrians and vehicles use them.

Plaza Mayor!

There are no dryers in Spain! Everything is hung outside to dry after being washed.

This leather shop -- literally what dreams are made of. You can smell the leather before you even reach the store entrance. This store was simply a tiny room COVERED in leather bags. There was not a blank space anywhere, it was actually very overwhelming. On this trip, we bought three bags, but sooooo regret not buying more. They are well made and SO cheap. I may or may not be planning another Madrid trip with this store high on my priority list. Seriously, a weekender bag for 60 Euro....TAKE ME BACK.

We went to Retiro Park and rented a little boat to take out on the water. This was one of the more touristy things that we did on our trip, but also one of my favorites. It felt like a scene straight out of a movie.

Of course we have to include a picture of a duck, haha. For real though, every time Duke has the camera, all of the pictures end up being of birds.

I carried my Nena&Co bag the entire trip. It was practical, and is honestly my favorite purse that I own. It doubles as a bookbag and a crossbody! // @nenaandco

Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas -- the bull fighting arena. This is a huge source of entertainment in Spain. We ended up not going to a fight. It is actually super violent, and we were not sure that we wanted to watch an animal, or a human die just for fun. Also, how cute is Lia?!

LETS TALK ABOUT VINO. I have never been a fan of bitter, dry reds, but in Spain, that is essentially all they drink, and they drink it all the time! Every meal, all day. It grew on me. Not to mention, you can get a whole bottle of red wine at the grocery store for 89 CENTS. Yup, under a dollar. 

French fries on top of lasagna.

This is a croquette! One of my favorite foods that we tried in Spain. It is essentially deep fried cheesy mashed potatoes...so yummy!

Jamon with everything! Families in Spain will actually buy a whole cured ham and keep it in their house. They cut and eat on it whenever, and it typically lasts them a few weeks.

Olives in Spain actually taste like real olive oil. They are incredible.

The highlight of the whole trip was seeing Flamenco. Lia took us to a super nice restaurant where we ate dinner (and drank two bottles of cava) and then went into the attached theatre where we saw the dancers and musicians. Mind blowing. So much talent and culture.

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Day trip to Segovia!!! We took a bus into the countryside of Spain, to visit the quaint & historic town of Segovia.

The ancient aqueducts were so big, and so cool to see!

The Segovia Cathedral -- this was a favorite. The cathedral is gothic style Roman Catholic. Intricate sculptures and artwork depicting Christ's life fill the whole church.

The Alcázar of Segovia -- this castle is ancient and is said to be the inspiration for the castle at Disney World. We went on a guided tour, and loved all of the history that we learned about. Check out the view from the castle! So incredible.

View of the cathedral from the lookout point of the Alcázar.

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Dogs are everywhere in Spain, which I found unusual since it is a city. Most of them aren't small dogs either. They poop and pee right on the streets, so you have to be careful where you walk. The bottoms of buildings, where they meet the sidewalk, are actually stained brown from all the dogs peeing on them. Kinda gross, kinda funny.

First time ever going clubbing -- and we got to do it together! 

Top things to do in Madrid:

-Eat tortilla
-Drink wine
-Drink cava...lots and lots of cava
-Eat churros con chocolate
-Eat bread...lots and lots of bread
-Shop
-Take the bus to Segovia and get the famous Segovian dessert
-Eat jamon
-Eat fresh olives
-Flamenco Dancing
-Clubbing
-Drink fresh squeezed orange juice
-EAT A CHOCOLATE CROISSANT... OUR FAVORITE
-Eat croquettes
-Buy something leather
-We also like to get a piece of art from everywhere we visit!


Thanks for following along & happy traveling!!
xo, Lauran