The beginning of spring at Madrid, the capital of Spain

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Participants: Gennaro, Jane with small and Ilaria Martina, Uncle Paul and Aunt Jane.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Madrid does not start our adventure under the best auspices. Naples Airport 06:00 h: overbooking because we diverted via Milan and arrive at 14:30 with 3 hours late. The Alitalia flight purchased on the Internet at a price to compete with low cost airlines (all inclusive 390.00 Euro 4 adults and 2 children), it is quiet.
The airport is connected to downtown by subway (E 1.00 1.00 airport surcharge) to a single change brings us to stop "the Tribunal". The hotel, just opposite the bus stop is' Aparthotel Tribunal, located 5 minutes walk from Gran Via. Booked on the Internet (E 370.00 2 triple for 3 nights), the rooms are very large but furnished in a simple, old beds and a small closet, also has a small kitchenette which we used for breakfast in the morning (have we had to buy a sponge and detergent).
Place your bags, we begin to turn the city is very cold but despite this the streets are full of people in Puerta del Sol hear singing hymns from the stage by Turkish fans who play tonight against Spain at the Bernabeu.
We have dinner in a restaurant chain Fres.Co (9.95 euros per person, children half and smaller than 3 free): You can eat all you want, choosing from an abundance of fresh vegetables and salads, some hot dishes, pizza, fruit, dessert, ice cream and coffee.
After dinner we return to the hotel tired we stand by 5.00.

Sunday, March 29

Often during the daylight saving time, we wake up late and after a quick breakfast, we start our day around the city. The time is uncertain and the temperature fluctuates between 7 ° -8 °.
We decide to visit the city using bus Madrid Vision tour (21 euros for two days, children under 7 years free) which, with its 2-line stops in the most important places to be visited, the buses are very frequent (never waited more than 10 minutes), have the audio guide in Italian and also give you, a booklet of discount coupons for other attractions, local museums, etc.. The first stop is Plaza Mayor: beautiful, rectangular, adorned with magnificent palaces, is full of students and street artists who are the delight of the girls. In the square there is the tourist office where you can connect to the Internet free for 15 minutes and where there is a computerized service that, after examining a series of information entered, you develop a personalized plan of how to organize your vacation days, taking into account opening hours and possible closures weekly sights.
Madrid VISION resumed we headed to the Santiago Bernabeu stadium of Real Madrid.
The tour (15 euros - 10 the girls), which lasts at least 2 hours, the high-tiers of the stadium, go to the historical museum, the trophy room, benches, dressing rooms and the press. For fans of football I think a must, but I assure you that is compelling even for those who have never seen a game. Inside you can have lunch with a view over the field: we booked for the next game that Naples is to play here.
Go back into the center, quick lunch with sandwiches and head to area museums are 16.00 and we decide to make a walk waiting for 17:00 because at El Prado museum will enter free on Sunday, but returned to find a long line and we think that we would better to wait there. We visit a very fast due to the small and soon gets tired and also because the guards inside are rightly very stringent and do not allow to turn the baby if not held hands or linked in the stroller.
Go back into the center of the Gran Via, do shopping in the mall where Es Cortes Englais with its 10 floors are of everything we bought souvenir shops in the center but then we found a much lower price. Fres.Co dinner at the restaurant, in a side street Callao, where, however, receive a bad service: the buffet was very poor and the food was not fresh, the dishes and cutlery greasy and lacked even paper towels, and even last year in Barcelona we have always received great service, perhaps it is unwise to Sunday.
Return to the hotel and everyone to bed.

Monday, March 30

Joan turns 30 and Carla surprises us with a small cake to candle included: breakfast and we are ready for a new day. It's still cold and drizzling, we go to the cable car that takes us in the heart of the "Parc de Campo, the park is immense, full of picnic areas and fabulous views of the city, inside there is the Zoo and Park Attraciones (closed Mondays). The temperature drops and soon we return downtown.
Arriving near the Palacio Real, where an official event but does not allow us to visit, we take refuge from the rain mixed with snow in the nearby Cathedral dell'ALMULEDA. Back in the center and lunch at the Museum of JAMÓN of Puerta del Sol: in 6 ate hearty meals including Paella and Sangria and only spent around € 45.00. In the afternoon the weather improves and we continue to run the city with Madrid Vision; reach the Reina Sofia Museum (entry € 6.00), the only open Monday, and the Atocha train station with its beautiful garden with exotic memory of the terrorist attack of 2004.
We end the evening with a stroll downtown and the Chocolate Paradise de S. Gines savor an exquisite chocolate. What better way to end a cold day.

Tuesday, March 31

Finally, the sky is clear, we decide to spend the last half day in Madrid doing a long walk around: Gran Via, Callao, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, buy the latest gifts, we return to the hotel to take the suitcases meters and takes us back to the airport.
The flight, via Milan, punctual us back to Naples.
Hasta sight !!!!!

Gennaro