Madrid

Jeff had a work conference to attend in Madrid so I was ready to tag along and do some sightseeing on my own. This time in the beautiful country of Spain!! October has already brought cooler weather in Geneva, so I was so looking forward to going a bit further south for some warmth and sun!!

Spain is in the light ivory color in the southwest part of Europe.
Madrid is the capital located right in the center of the country. 

Madrid is a beautiful city!! The architecture is amazing!! The food is great. I love tapas and sangria =) I've never taken one of the bus tours any of the cities we've visited. This time I decided since we just had a few short days there that I wanted to see all the sights first from the bus. Then I could see how close everything really was in relation to each other and decide what I still wanted to spend more time seeing. I really enjoyed it and it was a great way to get a feel for the city.

Perfect weather for a city tour via an open air bus!

The Metropolis building is an iconic landmark along the Gran Via, a grand street built to connect the historical downtown to the northwest part of the city in the early 1900s.

This amazing building was originally the post office up until about five years ago when it became the headquarters for Madrid City Hall.  

Plaza Mayor, Madrid's main square, lined with cafes and restaurants
The building with the frescoes painted on it in this picture dates back to 1590 and was the last constructed in the square.

The Catedral de Santa Maria Real de la Almudena was started in 1883 and not completed until 1993. . . yes, over 100 years later!! This was mainly due to a conflict between dioceses. When complete it was consecrated by Pope John Paul II, the only Spanish cathedral to have been consecrated by a Pope.

Inside the cathedral. . .I really like that the portraits and ceiling are super colorful.

A close-up of the designs painted on the ceiling

A very grand side altar

The Royal Palace, the largest in Western Europe, built in 1737.

The palace sits right next to the Cathedral. 

Jeff & I in front of the Royal Palace

Check out the massive statues on top of this building!

A look up the Gran Via. . .the tall building in the distance is the only building commissioned by an American architect. Many say it looks like a building that belongs in Chicago.