Back to Cities – Madrid! – Emily and Russell's Travel Blog

After spending several weeks in less-traveled towns and the mountains, we headed for the big city. This would be Russell’s first time in Madrid, and Emily’s first visit since 1991. (She had studied there the summer of 1988!)

No humans were split into outies and innies on the drive to Madrid (for any Severance watchers). It was hectic driving into Madrid to drop our bags at the Airbnb in Plaza de Tirso Molina and then returning our rental car after three weeks. Russell earned the glass of wine!

The next day, Russell wrote in the morning and then we headed out to the Prado museum. One of the many wonderful things about this museum is that they don’t allow photographs. There was no one taking a selfie in front of the Garden of Earthly Delights, and that was a delight. With a bevy of Bosch, Bruegel, and Goyas, this is our favorite of the great European museums that we have visited.

We then went out for dinner, including Emily’s favorite tapa, tortilla española. We wandered through Mercado de San Miguel and had a vermut, which is a very popular drink in Spain, served over ice. We then strolled through Plaza Mayor where once again we were struck by how lively are Spanish cities in the evening.

The next day, while Russell worked, Emily was very happy to meet up with dear friend Edna, who is directing the Hamilton program in Spain.

And then it was on to another fabulous museum, Museo Reina Sofía, which houses art from the late 19th century onwards. Notably, it is the home of Picasso’s masterpiece, Guernica. Sorry to say, selfies were allowed and prevelent. We were still able to spend time appreciating the scale and terror of the work.

That evening, on Edna’s excellent suggestion, we walked to the Templo de Debod to watch the sunset. Russell was headed to Edinburgh in the morning to do an interview for his project, while Emily was staying another two nights in Madrid.