2023 Christmas Season Family Reunion Trip to Spain – Classical Toledo and Conventional Madrid

December 18

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

First, take the AVE train from Madrid's Atocha station directly to Toledo station. The earliest train departs at 6:50 a.m., and the latest at 9:50 p.m., with departures roughly every hour. The journey takes 33 minutes, and a one-way ticket costs €13.90. Second, take the Alsa bus from the bus waiting hall 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 travel time of 1 to 1.5 hours. A one-way ticket for three people costs €25.48 for the outbound trip and €18 for the return trip, with three buses departing every hour. Tickets can be purchased directly from the self-service ticket machines in the waiting area, which is much cheaper than the train. Both options are simple and fast. If you don't want to ride for too long, the AVE train is recommended; if you are not in a hurry, you can take the bus and enjoy the scenery along the way.

Exiting the bus station, we could see the old town of Toledo hundreds of meters ahead and above. When we went up the mountain, we walked to the top through the Bisagra Gate, the main gate built in the mid-16th century. From here, you can stay away from tourists and feel the ancient city that still retains its medieval appearance. The slope was steep, the temperature was low, but my underwear was still a bit damp from sweat. We took it as morning exercise. Another, easier way is to use the kilometer-long escalator from the tourist center to go up directly. We came down by the escalator on the way back, which was much more convenient.

Toledo Cathedral (Cathedral of Toledo), one of the largest Catholic cathedrals in the world, is the pinnacle of Gothic art and the best historical witness. The Cathedral of Toledo was the first cathedral of the Spanish Catholic Church's archdiocese and is the second largest cathedral in Spain. The ceiling atrium is the most eye-catching part of the entire church, and words cannot describe the shock it gave us! Following the guidance of the gods and angels, looking along the light toward the magnificent dome, it felt like a staircase ascending to heaven.

The historic Franciscan monastery, the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, is a historic Catholic Franciscan monastery in Toledo, Spain. The double cloisters of the monastery are exquisite: the first floor is in the late Gothic style, and the second floor is balanced with Mudejar decoration (a blend of Arabic and Roman styles). The Islamic carvings on the cloisters are exceptionally exquisite and well worth admiring carefully. The delicate stone carvings inside the church and the quiet courtyard also give this monastery a unique serene atmosphere.

The monastery is far from the square, so you need to allow enough time to view it. From here, we went deeper into the old town where there are fewer tourists. There are very few modern buildings in Toledo's old town, still maintaining the appearance of the 16th century. The stone roads look polished and shiny after the baptism of time. In such a refined little city, strolling through the ancient streets itself is a pleasure. Looking at the buildings that seem frozen in time, try to slow down and let your life also slow down.

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

Tips for independent travel: Public restrooms in Spain are scarce, making using the toilet a concern during travel. Toilets at long-distance bus stations usually charge a fee. It is recommended to use the restroom after finishing a visit to a paid attraction or after eating at a restaurant.

After returning from Toledo to Madrid, we went straight to the Prado Museum. The museum is open until 8:00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Prado Museum is one of the world's top ten art galleries, housing masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens, Raphael, and other great painters. It is the most authoritative and comprehensive art museum for Spanish paintings. For friends interested in art treasures, you should reserve at least a whole day at the Prado. No matter which section, it's hard to leave: being surrounded by so many art treasures is a great visual pleasure and spiritual shock! We spent about three and a half hours inside, and my husband, exhausted from the day's hiking in Toledo, ended up collapsing in the museum for a long time. Tickets cost €15 per person, and our daughter got in free with her UK student ID.

December 19

We originally planned to visit the Royal Palace today. The night before, we found that tickets were 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 central Madrid. Take Metro Line 3 to the terminal station Moncloa, then transfer to bus 625 to Las Rozas. Buy the ticket on board, costing €2.60 per person. Besides line 625, you can also take lines 628 and 629. Buses 625, 628, and 629 all stop at the bus stop opposite Las Rozas Village. I had previously compared 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, shop, shop – especially cost-effective.

We first returned to the hotel to drop off our bags of purchases and found a Hunan restaurant near the hotel called Xiang Yu. We were delighted to find we could order by scanning a QR code – indeed a Chinese-owned restaurant. But after ordering, we waited a long time for our food, until the waitress came over and asked what we had ordered, and we realized we had scanned the QR code for takeout. They then repackaged the takeaway meals and served them on plates. Indeed, if you don't know, you must ask; you cannot assume you already know.

December 20

The good weather that had lasted for several days was gone. Although the sun was still shining brightly, the temperature was low and the wind was strong. Today our destinations were several attractions in Madrid city.

Madrid has many squares of various sizes, the most famous being Sol Square (Puerta del Sol) and Plaza Mayor. It was the Christmas season, and day and night the streets were packed with people, with continuous Christmas decorations. My husband said he hadn't seen such a lively scene with so many people shopping in a long time. The busiest was Puerta del Sol, located at the zero kilometer starting point of Spanish roads. The famous statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree on the square is the coat of arms of Madrid and one of its symbols. On the way to the Royal Palace, we passed Plaza de España. The square has a monument to Cervantes and a statue of Don Quixote. Don Quixote rides his thin horse, followed closely by his servant Sancho Panza on a donkey.

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the third largest palace in Europe, after the Palace of Versailles and the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. When we approached the main entrance, we saw many people waiting. After a few minutes, the changing of the guard ceremony began at noon. Soldiers carrying long guns, wearing tall boots, riding large horses... Exotic yet full of pride. The horses participating in the ceremony stepped in unison as if they understood the rhythm of the military music, almost every hoof landing on the drumbeat.

The palace has a square layout, with a square called the "Arms Square" in front of the main entrance, which is magnificent. Inside the palace, there are countless collections of gold and silverware, musical instruments, tapestries, paintings, sculptures, and royal furnishings. The Porcelain Room, the Throne Room, the Dining Room, etc., were all built according to the tastes of successive kings, with strong personal touches. Although the styles vary, they are all magnificent and extremely luxurious. It is a pity that the most essential parts of the palace cannot be captured by photos. The stone lions of the Royal Palace of Madrid look adorably dumb.

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the most popular attraction in Madrid. To avoid being unable to buy tickets on the day, it is recommended to book in advance on the official website, saving time queuing on site.

After coming out of the palace, we walked to the San Miguel Market. This is a famous food market in Madrid, about 1km from Plaza de España, a ten-minute walk. It is a large structure of steel and glass covering 1,200 square meters, opened in 2009 after renovation. There are many stalls and bars where you can buy and eat on the spot. When we bought our food and leaned against the bar by the glass wall to eat, suddenly a gust of wind blew over the umbrella of the restaurant opposite, and leaves swirled in the air for a long time without falling. Three strong young men struggled to lift the umbrella, hoping 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 reconstructed, preserving its original east-west orientation. It is one of the few such artifacts to be seen outside Egypt. No admission fee is required. The temple's viewing platform offers panoramic views of the city and is also a good 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. Although it was less than an hour before the sunset forecasted, we couldn't help but give up.