Visiting Madrid by Motorhome
After arriving at Bilbao, we’re traveling on the motorway, driving about 4 hours South. Visiting Madrid by motorhome is hopefully going to be straight forward enough, but it’s one city we haven’t been to before.
The weather is really chilly on this March morning, with thick clouds and snow. Snow ploughs are waiting on the roadside, but luckily our route is clear. After re-filling with fuel and taking a lunch stop, our journey continues South.
A city campsite stay
We aren’t sure where to stop the night, but as we approach Madrid we make a decision to try Camping Osuna on the outskirts. This city campsite stay seems to be the ideal location for our overnight stop. At 30 euro a night without electric (that’s 8 euro extra) it’s not the cheapest, but they have space and it has spotless facilities.
In fact, there’s loads of vacant pitches, with a choice of where to park up amongst quite a large area.
The best part is the convenience, being just a short 5-10 minute walk to the Metro.
Taking the Metro – Visiting Madrid by Motorhome
No sooner have we found our pitch and we’re off to explore Spain’s capital city. There is just one problem though, we can’t find the Metro despite following directions! After asking a friendly local, we realise we’re heading in the right direction. Then, an unassuming sign behind some buses shows the way down flights of steps to the station.
Here we’re on Line 5 – a green line and the stop is Canillejas. Buying the tickets at the station machine is a little confusing and we end up opting for 2 x 10 journey tickets costing 6.75 euro each. We’re not too sure what’s happening, then the machine happens to spit out one card only!
Placing it into the card slot of the machine checks the balance, opting for an English language to aid us. Sure enough there’s 20 journey’s showing, with the card valid until 2034!
The metro is clean, regular (every 5 minutes or so) and very busy. We don’t feel unsafe at all and the 25 minutes journey into the center of Madrid goes by in a flash.
The equivalent of Oxford Street
The metro takes us to the middle of Madrid’s main shopping area, a stop going by the name of Gran Via.
We emerge onto the street, resembling a Spanish equivalent to Oxford Street. There’s the bright lights, large department stores, lovely architecture and masses of eager shoppers.
This is a Saturday, so perhaps it’s much busier than a weekday, but either way, we’re a little lost for a moment. Gathering our bearings, it becomes apparent that Madrid has virtually no tourist signs! Luckily for us, our Lonely Planet guide and campsite map of the capital help us navigate this bustling city.
Freezing cold – Visiting Madrid by Motorhome
Not only is Madrid busy but it’s bitterly cold too. We are freezing! The chill is biting through our layers, so it’s a relief to be wearing lots of them.
Our navigating isn’t a work of art, more of a keep walking and hope for the best. Madrid is big, compact, busy and really difficult to get a sense of direction.
Walking along the Gran Via brings numerous off-shoots of small roads, tidy plaza’s and opulent buildings.
Everywhere is immaculate, despite the crowds and size of this city. There are few international accents, with Madrid in Winter seeming to be a city of locals with just a few obvious tourists, but surely we’re not the only ones?
Royal Palace and vast cathedral
Our rather sporadic route through Madrid reaches the most beautifully grand building – the Palacio Real or Royal Palace.
This huge Royal palace of 2800 rooms is only in use for occasional Royal ceremonies, but its splendor is undoubtedly magnificent.
Wrought iron railings surround the palace courtyard, bringing similarities to Buckingham Palace with its impressive design and beautiful setting. Adjacent to the palace is the Plaza de la Armeria, where we look back and admire the fabulous architecture.
It’s here where the bells of the vast Catedral de Nevestra Senora de la Aludmena ring out above us. Their lingering chimes dominating the cold Winter air.
Inside there is a service about to begin, as the priest and a nun address the congregation. This pristine, yet relatively plain interior has a cavernous feel, with ceilings so high but stonework lacking the often ornate detailing of a place of worship. The feeling here though is one of peace and reflection.
Plaza Mayor
In front of the palace complex is a neat, hedge-lined garden with seating to sit and admire the serenity within the gardens.
This Plaza de Oriente is a beautiful place, but it’s too cold for us to linger. Once again, we follow our instincts to guide us. We want to find the Plaza Mayor and somehow stumble across it by chance.
This glorious square of glowing red facades appears in the grandest of greetings. Walking through a narrow entrance on a busy side street brings us face to face with the vast space which reminds us of St.Marks Square in Venice.
The opulent architecture dates back to the 17th century and its past has been nothing but remarkable, if not gruesome at times.
Here have been executions, burning at the stake and bull fights to name a few. Although it’s also been a centerpiece for gatherings of celebrations too. Balconies provide a viewpoint for those admiring the square from above, whilst restaurants serve customers on neatly pressed linen tablecloths.
Tapas and a Burger
Madrid is a city of plaza’s where streets of historic value surround intimate open areas. This vibrancy and feel good sentiment fills people of all ages with the best of what Madrid has to offer.
Tapas is just one of those pastimes, with restaurants and cafes in every bit of free space possible. It seems you just can’t help but join in!
The only downsize – where to start? There’s so much choice and everywhere seems popular. As darkness descends, we opt for a restaurant specializing in Burgers of all things! It’s fancy, busy and efficient as we take to dining out in Madrid and one of the best burgers we’ve ever tasted!
Now we’re exhausted, so decide to return to our cozy heated camper back at Camping Osuna. The night air is colder than ever, I think we’ve seen enough for one day, but this isn’t enough to see Madrid.
Day 2 in Madrid – A huge flea market
Heading in again on the easy Metro brings us to day 2 in Madrid. It’s a Sunday and the streets of La Latina district have been taken over for the largest flea market you’ve ever seen, El Rastro.
Our Metro stop was La Latina where we begin to explore the heart of the market. It’s absolutely huge and packed out. There are never ending stalls, stretching the entire length of roads, with more and more filling side streets.
We’re shoulder to shoulder, shuffling along in the madness. Second hand clothes are in abundance, in a jumble-sale style hunt. There are so many vintage stalls, selling fur coats, leather jackets and sports wear from the 90’s. This is vintage en-masse, a crazy experience in the best possible way.
It’s not just 2nd hand clothes here but bric-a-brac and antiques too. We could spend a few hours rumaging, and before we know it we already have!
Food market
The stalls of the flea market are endless, sloping down a hillside to the lower districts before normality opens out in the form of another plaza. Here it’s busy with locals swapping collectors cards, this is like something from a bygone age, it’s incredible.
Back up the hill we walk to find the famous food market – Mercado San Miguel. We find it behind the Plaza Mayor and it’s sensational. Tapas of every description fills the hall and even better there are toilets here, the only ones we’ve seen so far in Madrid. This is an exciting find, but it’s absolutely packed out. So much so, that we decide, reluctantly, to eat elsewhere.
Around the corner we take a table for charcuterie tapas and Sangria, which proves to make us quite giddy -wow! We didn’t expect Sangria to be so strong.
Chocolate Cafe – Visiting Madrid by Motorhome
Next we’re on a mission to find the famous chocolate cafe with a difference. The Chocoluteria de San Ginés is a Madrid icon, having been part of this city since the 1800’s. Of course, there’s a queue, so we join the back and wait our turn.
This cafe is also like no other, not only is there this building but they seem to have expanded across several adjacent ones along the street. Ordering at the counter and taking a guess at a Chocolate with 6 Churro’s for 6 euro each allows us to join a 2nd queue for a seat.
It’s only a couple of minutes before we’re taken to a table and as quick as magic our chocolate offerings appear.
Melting chocolate
The two cups of melted warm chocolate come with a large stack of Churro’s which are a waffle-like substance in the shape of a stick (bad description!!). 12 sugary churro’s are waiting to be dipped into the chocolate cup, this is so out of character for us and far too much to eat.
They turn out to be quite donut-like, these sweet, sticky treats are an extravagant indulgence. Afterwards, we feel guilty for the super calorie overload but surprisingly not too queasy.
The walls of the cafe are covered in black and white photo’s of famous people who’ve also been here dipping their sticks into the thick, chocolate mix!
Madrid has been great
Our time in Madrid has come to an end. It’s been a great city, a wonderful capital and fabulous experience but we’re exhausted!
Visiting Madrid by Motorhome has been easy, with the metro helping make it stress-free and the campsite being clean, spacious and convenient.
After arriving back to Canillejas metro station after a busy Sunday in the center, we’re ready for an early night and a drive further South tomorrow.
Our feet our tired but our minds alert to Spain’s very cold but extremely warm-hearted capital.
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