Spanish city is devilishly good
Who needs a river when you have a palace, parks, and a lucifer statue?
AS European capitals go, Madrid is a bit of an oddity.
Unlike Rome and Lisbon it’s nowhere near the sea.
And it doesn’t have a major river artery running through it like London or Paris, which allowed trade to transform her into a metropolis.
Instead, positioned slap bang in the middle of the country, Madrid couldn’t be any further away from water.
It’s almost as if someone simply put a pin in the map to decide where the heart of Spain should lie (imagine if Harthill in Lanarkshire was Scotland’s administrative hub if you can).
Actually that’s more or less exactly what they did – and they weren’t even Spanish.
It was the occupying Moors who decided to create their Spanish capital here 2000 years ago.
Despite its rich history, modern Madrid is not some ancient ruin but a bustling and vibrant city.
I’m here with my wife staying in one of the best hotels the city offers – the five-star Barcelo Torre de Madrid.
The last time I was here was nearly two decades ago when I came with a pal and a shoe-string budget.
Then, our digs were somewhat basic – far from the case at Barcelo.
Situated on one of the city’s most prominent squares, Plaza de Espana, its location makes it an ideal base camp to explore Madrid.
Unlike other capitals, Madrid is pretty compact and with a metro connecting the airport to the city centre, it only takes half an hour from disembarking the plane to discovering our swish suite.
The hotel boasts first-class facilities including a stylish bar, gourmet restaurant and spa (although you need to pay a bit extra for it).
Adjusting to the 36-degrees temperature, we decide to keep things local on the first night and eat at Somos, the hotel’s restaurant.
Madrileños (yes, that’s what people who live in Madrid are called) eat an amazing amount of seafood, despite the city’s distance from the ocean, and Somos boasts quality fare.
We opt for octopus and scallops to begin with and a Spanish take on fish and chips for the main.
Both are excellent and despite some comical language barrier problems (when I order a gin and tonic the waiter brings out a ginger ale) the service is superb.
Our junior suite has a balcony looking directly on to one of the city’s main thoroughfares – Gran Via – which is a stunning view.
However, there is little time to waste in the room as we have a city to be reacquainted with. Since I
last visited Madrid, the city has embraced cycling.
There’s a host of bike lanes dotted around the city centre, putting Edinburgh and Glasgow to shame.
We opt for a bike tour with one of the many companies offering the service.
It’s an excellent way to spend four hours navigating the many tourist hotspots including the palace, as well as the multitude of famous plazas and parks. The cycle isn’t particularly taxing despite the stifling heat and hilly landscape.
Also worthy of a visit – as long as you have a spare seven hours – is one of the best museums in the world, the Prado.
It has the best single collection of the paintings of Spain’s premier artist Francesco Goya, as well as other classics.
And the nearby Buen Retiro Park is also worth dropping by, if only to say you’ve seen the world’s only statue of the Devil. Legend has it the Monument Of The Fallen Angel – built 666 metres above sea level in 1877 – was the setting for nocturnal black masses during Victorian times.
Nowadays you are more likely to see rollerbladers and cyclists circling the fountain than any worshippers of Lucifer.
And while I have little sympathy for the Devil, I must say, I can see why he’s stuck around Madrid for so long.
This great European capital really is the beating heart of Spain.