Entering the Castle: Spain – Travel Recommendations
Greetings, my name is David Smith and I will be your co-host while in Avila, Spain.
Caroline and I are extremely excited about this workshop/Tour and want to make sure all questions are answered.
David Smith recommendations:
- Remember to book your flights.
Please consider booking your connecting Domestic/International flights to Madrid using our fantastic travel agent. Hal@ayelet.com
Flights should be under $1,200 but can`t be guaranteed until one year before the flight date. This is an airline rule, not ours.
Monday the 20th, is the day to leave from USA to Madrid, Spain. You loose a day while traveling to Spain, so you will arrive Tuesday the 21st. in the afternoon. Remember, Spain is 7 hours forward from Chicago time. - Spend your arrival day in Madrid.
Madrid, is spectacular and if nothing else, go to the Museo del Prado. A couple hours is all you need… It will be memorable. Leave for Avila 22th - the next morning/afternoon. - Monday April 27, is the final workshop in Avila.
After the workshop, take the train back to Madrid and stay the night April 27th. Flights back to the USA leave early in the morning on the 28th, so get a good night sleep in Madrid.
Any questions: E-mail is the best option:
David Smith • david@myss.com • 847 404 4938
Arriving in Madrid
There are mainly 3 ways to get to the city center: - Metro is the least expensive. As you go out the gate, turn right till you reach the T2 terminal, (you can buy Metrobus Ticket, good for 10 trips in Metro or Bus). - Bus: As you go out of the airport, cross the lane after the taxis and look for the bus stop. - Taxis: the most expensive at around 25 euros one way to Puera del Sol, to Chamartin Railway Station, or to Plaza de Espana, depending on the time of day and traffic conditions.
- Taxi drivers will easily take you directly to your hotel. (I recommend a taxi direct to your hotel.~David Smith)
- Madrid Airport & Ground Transportation
Culture – Siesta Time
Spain is known for its siesta (nap) and for its quality of life: Work to live instead of live to work. And taking a nap in the middle of the day is indeed a wonderful invention.
What you have to understand though is that Madrid (and most of Spain for that matter) shuts down from about 2 pm until 6pm in the evening. The regular business hours are indeed from 9:00am or 10:00am in the morning till 1:30pm or 2:00pm, and from 5:00pm till 9:00pm. The 3 hour break is the lunch and siesta time.
So from 2pm to 6pm approximately, you will not find an open store, except for convenience stores like El Corte Ingles. Other exceptions are construction workers, particularly road workers, who are out all day; and tourist-oriented places, such as museums, have reduced siesta hours, closing at two and re-opening at four. So keep this in mind when scheduling your days, especially if you have a limited amount of time.
Traveling from Madrid to Ávila
There are two main train stations in Madrid. It is recommended that you take the train from Madrid to Ávila which leaves from CHAMARTÍN STATION (not Atocha Station). Be certain that you depart from the correct train station.
The trains depart daily and fares (one way) are approximately 10 euro, for the trip that will take under two hours. Trains departing at from 8:30 am and throughout the day. Every 2-3 hours.
Click here for train itinerary
Upon arrival in Ávila, you will arrive at the train station outside the city walls. Take a taxi directly to the guest hotel Palacio de Los Velada, or Palacio Valderrabanos a short drive from the train station. We will inform you later to your specific hotel accommodations. Both hotels are next to the famous Cathedral of Avila.
Staying in Madrid, Spain
Although the city has numerous hotels, the following are a few selected hotels that are centrally located, have on-line reservation access and are within walking distance to cultural attractions, dining establishments and historical sights.
FIVE STAR HOTELS
Westin Palace Plaza De Las Cortes 7, Madrid
Right by the Museo del Prado. Find the Neptune fountain and you're right there! The location is fantastic and makes a visit to Madrid easier. There are local grocery stores nearby, where to buy bottled water, snacks and lunch items at really affordable prices. The Puerto del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Museo del Prado were within 5 minutes walking.
Price: $180 - $300 US
www.westin.com
(Wonderful Hotel ~ David Smith)
Hotel Ritz Madrid
The Ritz, located in enviable surroundings, in the heart of Madrid. Hotel Ritz has long provided the capital's most elegant entertainment. To stay at the Hotel Ritz is to step inside a baroque palace, an experience you won't forget. The hotel's location alone constitutes a luxury. The Hotel Ritz is situated between the beautiful Retiro Park, the elegant Teatro de la Zarzuela, and Madrid's most important museums: the Prado, the Thyssen Bornemisza and the Centro de Arte Moderno Reina Sofia.
Prices: US $280 and up
www.ritzmadrid.com
Husa Paseo del Arte
The Husa Paseo del Arte Hotel enjoys a privileged setting in the heart of Madrid's Golden Cultural Triangle, next to three of Madrid's most important museums: el Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. Consists of 260 rooms and suites, all with heating / air conditioning and outfitted with modern amenities and the most recent advances in technology.
Prices: US$ 300 and up
Husa Paseo del Arte Hotel Website
ADDITIONAL QUALITY ACCOMMODATIONS IN MADRID
Urban Hotel Madrid
Carrera de San Jeronimo, 34 28014 -, , Madrid
The Hotel Urban is one of the hippest places to stay in Madrid. The hotel is also partly an ethnographic museum, as the decoration combines futuristic and elegant scheme in dark tones with an important collection of antiques and handy-crafts from the most exotic countries. The result is a sophisticated, somewhat posh and definitely *urban* atmosphere with no rival in such a central location in Madrid. The museums on the Paseo del Prado, the Retiro, the picturesque Madrid de los Austrias and the animated Litterary District are all within walking distance from the hotel.
Price: US$180 and up
Urban Hotel Madrid Website
(Wonderful Hotel ~ David Smith)
Hotel Husa Moncloa
Hotel Husa Moncloa is located in the same architectural complex as El Corte Inglés department store and commercial, entertainment and dining centers, and within walking distance to cultural attractions such as the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor and the Opera House.
Price: US $170 and up
www.hotelhusamoncloa.com
Hotel Husa Princesa
Princesa 40, Madrid, Madrid 28008
This is a 5-star hotel on one of Madrid's busiest boulevards (Calle Princesa). The rooms are nicely furnished, everything in top condition. There's a gym in the bottom floor of the hotel that allows guests to use its facilities.
Price: $160 and up
www.hotelhusaprincesa.com
Grand Hotel Conde Duque
Pz Conde Del Valle De Suchil 5, Madrid, Madrid 280
Comfortable lounge, good food, comfortable rooms, with good bathroom facilities, conveniently located. The hotel is central - close to the underground railway network and relatively quiet.
Price: US$120-180
www.hotelcondeduque.es/
Wellington Hotel
Velazquez 8, Madrid, Madrid 28001
The Wellington is a fine five star hotel at very reasonable prices. There is hardly any street noise, especially in the rooms onto the inner court. The Wellington is in a good location, near Retiro park and the upscale market shopping streets of Salamanca. There are some very nice restaurants two blocks away in a cozy alley called Callejón de Puigcerda.
Price: US$80-120
www.hotel-wellington.com
Hotel Quo - Puerta Del Sol
The hotel is one of the most unique expressions of design in Madrid. A majestic building decorated by Tomás Alá, one of the most recognized interior designers in Spain. Next to Puerta del Sol and just a few minutes walk to El Prado Museum as well as the Royal Palace and Opera House.
Price: US$80-120
Phone: 34 91 5329049
www.hotelesquo.com
Hotel Plaza Mayor
C/Atocha, 2 Madrid, Spain 28012
The Plaza Mayor is a very nice hotel, perfectly located over Plaza Santa Cruz and only a block from Plaza Mayor. Rooms are immaculate clean, modern and comfortable. Many rooms and the facade have been recently renovated. Service is super-friendly.
Price: US$80-120 Phone: Tel: 34-91-360-0606 www.h-plazamayor.com
Nh Nacional Paseo
Prado 48, Madrid, MA 28014
The hotel is located in what is called the “Art Triangle”, close to the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, the Prado Museum and the Reina Sofía Art Centre. It is beside the Atocha (AVE) train station in the very centre of Madrid, in front of the Botanical Gardens.
The hotel has 214 rooms, direct-dial telephones, satellite TV, pay per view cinema and videogames, Canal +, wireless internet connection, internet connection, independent telephone lines for modems, mini-bar, air conditioning, bathroom kit, hair dryer, piped-in music, pillow menu (latex, eiderdown, cervical pillows,) Breakfast buffet, breakfast for early risers, room service, rooms for the handicapped.
Price: US$80-120
Phone: 914296629
www.hotelnhnacional.com
TRH Cortezo Hotel Madrid: Best Western
De Cortezo 3, Madrid, MA 28012
Hotel Cortezo is very centrally located. All major tourist attractions are within walking distance and there is a bus station nearby. The hotel is located on Calle Dr. Cortezo in the centre of Madrid. This is a peaceful street just hidden from the bustle of the city's life.
Price: US $40-80
www.hotelcortezo.com
Emperador Hotel Gran
Via 53, Madrid, Madrid 28013
The Emperador is a deluxe hotel located in the heart of Madrid. The Hotel Emperador combines the elegance and comfort of a classical hotel together with the newest amenities of a four stars hotel in the heart of Madrid. Located in Grán Vía, you will be able to walk to the historic center of Madrid, as well as having easy access to trains and the metro. The view from the rooftop pool is fantastic and the service is impeccable.
Price: US$40-80
www.emperadorhotel.com
Recommended sights while in Madrid:
The center of Madrid between the Palacio Real (East) and the Retiro Park (West) is ideal for walking. A stroll through the narrow alleyways and along the broad avenues offers many hidden views of the city. Monumental plazas and fountains, cafes and bars always invite for a short break. One of the beautiful treats in Madrid are the surprises in architectural details, tile work, mosaics, sculptures, etc. You pass a little hole in the wall and marvel at the intricacy and charm that has been so lovingly preserved all these years.
Museo del Prado surely is one the most important museums of fine arts of the world; it houses an amazing collection of paintings of the masters. The masterpieces of the greatest Spaniard and world painters like Velázquez, Goya, Murillo, Zurbarán, Manet, El Greco, Rubens, Breughel - this is your Art History 101come to life before your eyes. Don't miss the Goya Black Paintings. Eerie, haunting, and unforgettable. www.museoprado.es
Incredible museum.. a must see (David Smith)
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is a fantastic museum and is in one of Europe’s largest buildings. It houses Spain's national museum of Modern art including the world famous Guernica by Picasso. There are 2 glass lifts that slide up and down the outside of the former 18th century hospital. Two floors have permanent collections and the other two contain temporary collections. http://museoreinasofia.mcu.es/
Thyssen-Bornemisza -- Since 1992, the "Palacio de Villahermosa" houses the art collection of baron Thyssen Bornemisza; there you can find all kind of works and styles, from Italian primitives to pop-art, from Rubens to Picasso, from Vermeer to Kandinsky... really amazing. Diagonal from the Prado, this art collection is unmatched in scope on an intimate scale. The Thyssen-Bornemisza family amassed the collection from the beginning of the 20th century, through two generations. It was made available to the public through an agreement with the Spanish government in the 1980's, and finally was offered to the city in 1993. The collections ranges from Gothic and Early Renaissance pieces to Italian, Dutch, Flemish, Romanticism to Impressionism and Expressionism, experimental art, American and European Modernism, surrealism, and Pop Art. http://www.museothyssen.org
Grán Vía District is a popular place to stroll around taking in the fine architecture & history There are many places to stop for a drink & watch the world go by. Grán Vía is the city's theatre district hosting some fine world class performances and theater. Just at the corner of Calle de Alcalá and Gran Vía is this magnificent building, built at early 20th century by French architects. The Grán Vía is to Madrid, what Broadway is to New York... Grán Vía is a long and very busy street, it has theatres, stores and restaurants...very urban and literally all kinds of people and tourists.
Puerta de Alcalá: A grand entrance to a grand city
This proud gateway to the city on the Calle de Alcalá , constructed in 1778, is a showstopper by day and by night. During the day, brave the traffic of the rotary to get great views through the five arches of the Plaza de Cibeles and the Grán Vía. In the evening, it is beautifully lit and lovely to see. A popular Spaniard song says: "... and there it is, looking time goes bye... the Gate of Alcalá ..." This awesome monument is a classic, situated at the well-known and elegant Calle de Alacalá, where you will find some other monuments, important buildings and the beautiful Parque del Buen Retiro (Good Retreat Park)
Plaza Mayor is in the heart of Madrid just a stroll west of Puerta del Sol. The Plaza Mayor, built in 1619 by Philip III, is a vast, cobbled, traffic-free chunk of 17th-century Spain, with its centerpiece: a statue is of Philip III. There are nine arched gateways leading into this great square which was the hub of life in Renaissance Madrid. Each side of the square is uniform. Much Spanish history was lived in this center: bullfights, fires, royal pageantry, and the scene of "autos de fe", the public punishments imposed by the Inquisition. This is where the locals and obviously hoards of tourists hang out on a sunny day in one of the many bustling cafes, moaning at the ridiculous prices of drinks & tapas ....Loads of street entertainers may be found here, as well as artists, musicians and so on. So you can be rest assured that every day will always be a different experience at Plaza Mayor. The colored murals on the front wall of the Plaza is the bakery that was built in the 16th century known as the Real Casa de la Panderia.
A must see in Madrid is The Royal Palace. It is usually open every day of the week except for the occasional official function. Although the King and Queen don't live here, whenever foreign diplomats are in town they usually have lunch or dinner at the palace. These things aren't announced in advance so if you get to the palace and its closed, that's probably the reason. The Royal Palace or Palacio Real is very impressive from the outside, and parts are open to the public and are known to be in perfect condition.
The Plaza de España is one of Madrid's largest and most popular squares. It is usually filled with street vendors, tourists and locals. The square is located at the end of the Grán Vía, one of Madrid's busiest streets. The green square is surrounded by streets, but it is still a very relaxing place during daytime. It features a large fountain and famous statue honoring the Spanish writer Cervantes.
Almudena Cathedral - This Neo-gothic Cathedral is located opposite to main entrance of Palacio Real (Royal Palace). The building of this cathedral lasted over 100 years (1883-1993). Inside can you see the pictures from XVI century - Virgen de la Almudena and from XII century - Virgen de la Flor de Lis. The picture Virgen de la Almudena is renowned for many miracles.
The Retiro Park is one of the most famous parks you can visit in Madrid and is situated in the centre, near La Puerta de Alcalá. Centuries ago, La Puerta de Alcalá was the borderline between centre of Madrid and suburbs but nowadays is a place which is visited by hundred of people. Retiro park has a romantic lake and fantastic tree collections, some of which are exclusive. Here you can find the oldest tree which has grown in Madrid, (near Alfonso XIII´s gate). The Retiro Park is a wonderful contrast to the nearby Prado Museum. It gives you somewhere to sit and stroll, away from the crowds. There are numerous gardens and green spaces and the water.
Bull Fights -- Plaza de Toros "Las Ventas" is the most popular and important arena in Spain. You can see here corrida every Sunday (March to October). The arena holds 50.000 people. Around the building there are some sculptures of the best toreros (bullfighters). If you're in any way attracted to the exciting, complicated and colorful world of bullfighting, you'll love this museum, located in the world's most important bullring – Plaza de las Ventas. It contains a fabulous collection of the "suits of lights" worn by the most famous bullfighters along with portraits of great bullfighters, like Belmonte and Vicente Pastor
Side Trips / Day Trips:
Most hotels and numerous travel agencies throughout the city offer day trips with tour groups to the following locations:
Toledo - This medieval town just outside of Madrid is a must. Not only does it have cute little streets and shops selling medieval style artifacts (it's heaven for anybody looking for replicas of medieval swords and knives), but it is also home of one of the most famous paintings of El Greco: "The Burial of the Count " It is painted on the wall in one of the town's small churches, and hence this is the only place where you can see it!
El Escorial is probably the most remarkable example of Renaissance architecture in all of Spain. It was begun in 1563 by the architect Juan Baupista de Toledo and completed 21 years later by his assistant Juan de Herrera. The complex was commissioned by Felippe II to be a mausoleum monastery. However his successors tended to have more elaborate taste and filled the complex with the highest quality of art available at the time. Philip II contributed the most of the collection with the recommendation of Peter Paul Rubens who worked for the Spanish Royal Family during this time. There are magnificent works by Titian, Tintoretto and El Greco throughout the building. Today you can visit the lavishly decorated Royal Library and Royal Apartments. There are also the tombs of the Royal Family of Spain that can be visited.
Information courtesy of The Virtual Tourist, Expedia.com, RENFE and España Sin Fronteras
Thank you Daniel Garcia for all of your help in organizing this Workshop/Tour