Spain Family Reunion Trip in Christmas Season 2023 - Classical Toledo and Conventional Madrid

December 18

Today is a one-day trip to Toledo. As the former capital of Spain, Toledo's historical importance is self-evident. There are two transportation options from Madrid to Toledo.

One is to take the AVE train directly from Madrid's Atocha Railway Station to Toledo Railway Station. The earliest train departs at 6:50 a.m. and the latest at 9:50 p.m., with trains approximately every hour. The journey takes 33 minutes, and a one-way ticket costs €13.9. The other option is to take the Alsa bus from the bus terminal on the second floor of Madrid's Plaza Elíptica metro station. The earliest bus departs at 6:00 a.m. and the latest at 11:00 p.m., with a journey time of 1-1.5 hours. A one-way ticket costs €25.48 for three people on the outbound trip and €18 for the return trip, with three buses departing every hour. Tickets can be purchased directly from the automated ticket machines at the bus terminal, which is much cheaper than taking the train. Both methods are simple and fast. If you don't want to sit for too long, the AVE train is recommended. If you're not in a hurry, you can take the bus and enjoy the scenery along the way.

Exiting the coach station, you can see the old town of Toledo perched hundreds of meters ahead. When we ascended, we entered through the Bisagra Gate, the main gate built in the mid-16th century, and climbed to the top. From here, we could get away from the tourists and experience this ancient city that still retains its medieval appearance. The slope was steep, and although the temperature was low, our underwear felt a bit damp from sweat. We treated it as morning exercise. Another easier way is to take the kilometer-long escalator from the tourist center directly up. On the way back, we took the escalator down, which was much more convenient.

The Cathedral of Toledo, one of the largest cathedrals in the world, is a masterpiece of Gothic art and the best witness to history. It was the first cathedral of the Spanish Catholic Church's primate see and the second largest cathedral in Spain. The ceiling skylight is the most captivating part of the entire cathedral; words cannot describe the awe it inspired in us! Following the guidance of the celestial beings and angels, we looked up along the light toward the magnificent dome, as if it were the stairway to heaven.

The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, a historic Franciscan monastery in Toledo, boasts a beautiful two-story cloister. The first floor is in a late Gothic style, while the second floor is balanced with Mudéjar decoration (a blend of Arabic and Roman styles). The Islamic carvings in the cloister are exquisitely detailed and well worth careful appreciation. The intricate stone carvings inside the church and the tranquil courtyard also give this monastery a unique serene character.

The monastery is a bit far from the square, so make sure to allow plenty of time for viewing. From there, we ventured deeper into less touristy areas of the old town. There are very few modern buildings in Toledo's old town; it still maintains its 16th-century appearance, with stone streets polished to a shine by the passage of time. In such an exquisite small town, strolling through the ancient streets is a pleasure in itself. Looking at the buildings that seem frozen in time, try to slow down your pace and let your life slow down too.

The only fast food during this trip was McDonald's in Toledo. I marveled at how big the burgers are here! Please note there is a restroom here.

Travel Tips: Public restrooms are scarce in Spain, making going to the toilet a concern during travel. Restrooms at long-distance bus stations usually charge a fee. It is recommended to use restrooms after visiting paid attractions or after dining at restaurants.

After returning from Toledo to Madrid, we went straight to the Prado Museum. The museum is open until 8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, and until 7 p.m. on Sundays. The Prado is one of the world's top ten art museums, housing masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens, Raphael, and other great painters. It is the most authoritative and comprehensive museum of Spanish paintings. For those interested in art treasures, at least a full day should be reserved for the Prado. No matter which hall, it's hard to tear yourself away: being surrounded by so many artistic treasures is a great visual delight and spiritual shock! We spent about three and a half hours inside, and my husband, exhausted from the day's walking in Toledo, ended up collapsing on a bench in the museum for a long time. Tickets were €15 per person; our daughter got in free with her UK student ID.

December 19

Today was originally planned for the Royal Palace. The night before, we found that tickets were already sold out online. So we booked tickets for the 20th to visit the palace, and today we went shopping at Las Rozas Village near Madrid.

This outlet is only a 30-minute drive from downtown Madrid. Take Metro Line 3 to the terminus Moncloa, then transfer to bus 625 to Las Rozas. Buy tickets on the bus, €2.6 per person. In addition to Line 625, you can also take buses 628 and 629. Buses 625, 628, and 629 all stop at the bus stop opposite Las Rozas Village. I had previously compared with the Barcelona outlet village, which takes two to three hours one way from downtown Barcelona, so I decided to do my shopping in Madrid.

Spain is not as expensive as other European countries; it is almost the cheapest country in Europe. Moreover, it has the highest tax refund rate in Europe. Low prices + high tax refund = shop till you drop, very cost-effective.

We first went back to the hotel to drop off our bags of purchases. Near the hotel, we found a Hunan restaurant called Xiang Yu. We were delighted to see that we could order by scanning a QR code, thinking it was indeed a Chinese-run restaurant. However, after ordering, we waited a long time for our food. Finally, the waiter came over and asked what we had ordered. Only then did we realize that the QR code we scanned was for takeout orders. They then repackaged the prepared takeout and served it to us. Indeed, if you don't know, you need to ask; you can't assume you know.

December 20

The good weather of the past few days was gone. Although the sun was still shining, the temperature was low and the wind was strong. Today, our destinations were several attractions in Madrid city center.

Madrid has many squares, large and small. The most famous are Puerta del Sol (Sol Square) and Plaza Mayor. It was the Christmas season, and whether day or night, the streets were packed with people, and Christmas decorations were everywhere. My husband said it had been a long time since he had seen so many people out shopping. The liveliest was Puerta del Sol, located at the zero-kilometer starting point of Spanish highways. The famous statue of the bear and the strawberry tree in the square is the city emblem of Madrid and one of its symbols. On the way to the Royal Palace, we passed Plaza de España, which has a monument to Cervantes and a statue of Don Quixote. Don Quixote rides his skinny horse, with his servant Sancho Panza on a donkey following closely behind.

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the third largest royal palace in Europe, after the Palace of Versailles and the Hofburg in Vienna. As we approached the main entrance, we saw many people waiting. After just a few minutes, the changing of the guard ceremony began at noon. Soldiers holding rifles, wearing tall boots, and riding horses... they displayed pride amidst the exotic atmosphere. The horses participating in the ceremony stepped in perfect rhythm, as if they could hear the military band, with almost every hoofbeat landing on the beat of the drum.

The palace has a square layout, with an open space called the Plaza de la Armería (Armory Square) in front of the main entrance, which is magnificent. Inside the palace, there are countless treasures of gold and silverware, musical instruments, tapestries, paintings, sculptures, and royal artifacts. The Porcelain Room, the Throne Room, the Dining Room, etc., were all built according to the tastes of successive kings, each with a strong personal touch. Although the styles vary, they are all sumptuous and extremely luxurious. It is a pity that the most exquisite parts of the palace cannot be captured in photographs. The stone lions at the Royal Palace of Madrid look adorably goofy.

The Royal Palace is the most popular attraction in Madrid. To avoid not getting a ticket on the day, it is recommended to book in advance on the official website, saving the time of queuing on-site.

After leaving the palace, we walked to the San Miguel Market. This is a famous food market in Madrid, about 1 km from Plaza de España, a ten-minute walk away. It is a large building made of steel and glass, covering 1,200 square meters. The market was renovated and reopened in 2009. There are many stalls and counters where you can buy and eat on the spot. When we bought some food and leaned against the glass wall at a counter to eat, a sudden gust of wind blew over the sun umbrella from a restaurant opposite, and leaves swirled in the air for a long time without falling. Three sturdy young men struggled to lift the umbrella and tried to move it away.

The Temple of Debod is an ancient Egyptian temple. The stones of the temple were transported piece by piece from Egypt to Madrid and carefully rebuilt, maintaining its original east-west orientation. It is one of the few Egyptian artifacts to be seen outside Egypt. Admission is free. From the temple's observation deck, you can overlook the city, and it is also a great place to watch the sunset in Madrid. It is not far from the palace, but the wind was so strong that day that we were already dizzy from the gusts. Although it was less than an hour before the forecasted sunset, we couldn't help but give up and leave.