Madrid
A flight of just over two hours from Dublin, 30 minutes on the cheap and efficient metro, a few minutes to check into your hotel and you are ready to start your adventures in the Spanish capital.
Staying in the stylish, boutique-esque Hotel De Las Letras on the always-poplar Gran Vía, I found myself in the heart of Madrid with a plethora of the main attractions on my doorstep. But where to start?
The old reliable bus tour is generally a good way to introduce yourself to a new destination but a far better alternative is the walking tour - always an attractive option when in city break mode.
So first up a tour of the city's main museums, the Prado and the Reina Sofía. And what better place to start than the '0 kilometre plaque' outside the Casa de Correos in Puerta del Sol, a five-minute walk from Gran Vía.
First stop on the way down to the museum quarter: a photo opportunity with the symbol of Madrid - a statue of a she-bear eating madrone berries from the strawberry tree.
Another five minutes down the road and you are mesmerised by the amazing façade of the Prado Museum with a larger than life Diego Velázquez sitting proudly outside, keeping watch.
The inside of the building is equally grand and is home to many a masterpiece including Velázquez's 'Las Meninas' and Francisco de Goya's 'La maja vestida' and 'La maja desnuda'. A very handy pictorial guide is available from reception and will help you decide what to see - you would need a few days to really appreciate the entire collection.
An enjoyable hour was spent in the adjacent Botanic Gardens before heading towards the other must-see museum, the Reina Sofía.
En route, however, I was distracted by some aesthetic architecture that turned out to be the Caixa Forum - the upside-down elephant sculpture outside was the deciding factor to step closer and pay a visit.
The museum brought with it three floors of exhibitions, a quirky gift shop and a very tasty ham and cheese toasted sandwich. A very interesting Barceló collection accounted for one of the floors - the external elephant also turned out to be his work - while the floor above housed some spectacular photography that was both stunning and shocking in equal measure.
Alfonso Moral and Emilio Morenatti's photographs were an unexpected education, while Walter Astrada's collection, 'Post Electoral Violence in Kenya', was so vivid, it almost appeared surreal.
Things were definitely surreal through the halls of the nearby Reina Sofía as Dali and Magritte's work was admired, before paying my respects to the main attraction, Picasso's Guernica. A Luis Bernal surreal film called time on my trip to the museum quarter.
The following day took me out the road to the World Heritage town of Alcala de Henares.
Located just 35 kilometres from the centre of Madrid, the town is steeped in tradition from as far back as the 1st century BC when it was one of the main towns on the road from Rome to Córdoba.
Alcala de Henares is also the birthplace of one of Spain's favourite sons, Miguel de Cervantes, writer of the classic 'Don Quixote'.
The writer's former house is now a museum, while there is a statue of his most famous protagonist, the aforementioned Mr Quixote, sitting next to sidekick Sancho Panza on a bronze bench - an ideal place to position yourself for a photograph.
The town is also the former home of Catherine of Aragon, while the Church of St Bernard, the town square and the university are just some of the many gems to be found in this small, suburban setting.
Back in the city centre and brimming with culture from my museum overload and heritage trip, the next day was spent doing my favourite city break activities - street walking and people watching.
Another walking tour brought me through the old town and the Centro area of Madrid.
Despite the soaring temperatures, the old, winding streets of the city centre were serviced by a welcoming cool breeze that whipped around every corner.
This literary walk brought me through the streets where writers Cervantes and Lope de Vega lived, before passing through the pub-laden plaza of Santa Ana, where Hemingway spent most of his days as a war correspondent.
Another hour or two was enjoyed wandering around the city walls and the medieval district with a few stops in some of the many watering holes that are dotted about the old town.
The evening kicked in as I settled down for a coffee in the majestic Plaza Mayor before taking a tapas tour back through Santa Ana and on to the renowned La Trucha restaurant on the nearby Calle Manuel Fernandez y Gonzalo.
A well-earned, if expensive, nightcap was enjoyed on the roof-garden bar back at the hotel as the city partied on into the early hours.
Eating Out and Nightlife
Madrid, like all Spanish cities, has a vibrant nightlife with many venues only getting going once the midnight hour has passed. Tapas bars dominate the main tourist trails and the many posadas (inns) around Calle Cava Baja provide great dining options. The Centro area and its surrounds is the main centre of activity, while there are many other options a little bit off the beaten track, including the trendy Tribunal area.
Where to Stay
I stayed at the stylish yet reasonable Hotel De Las Letras in the commercial district on Gran Vía. The room was both spacious and stylish and the parquet flooring was a nice touch. The location couldn't have been better for a first visit to the Spanish capital as there are two metro lines that pass close by and the main Atocha train station is only five minutes away. The hotel is sandwiched between the old town and the shopping district, while the main museums are also within walking distance. Hotel De Las Letras also boasts a top-notch restaurant on the premises, while the roof garden bar is the perfect way to complete your night out.
Getting There
Aer Lingus operates daily flights from Dublin to Madrid. One-way fares start from €49 including taxes and charges. For more information, and to book, visit: www.aerlingus.com
For more information on Madrid and Alcala de Henares, visit: www.spain.info.
Ed Leahy
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