3 Hours In Madrid

What does a gal do with her last 3 hours on a sunny morning in Madrid?

Well, she grabs a quick bite to go with her espresso (in her Rodarte for Target tshirt and Banana Republic cashmere cardigan) at a hip, light-filled restaurantthat looks out at the Puerta de Alcalá.

Then on a caffeine high she speedwalks to the Plaza de Cibeles (goddess of fertility), where the grand, white post office–that’s now the mayor’s office–can be found.

With two hours left, it’s a brisk stroll through the Parque del Buen Retiro which I’d mentioned to you on my first entry about Madrid. This park takes center stage, literally, in the heart of a bustling Madrid. You could easily spend an entire day in this large park. A lovely spot to visit is the Rosaleda del Retiro (rose garden). And there are stretches of paths for running or strolling.

In another part of the park you can find an art gallery inside the Palacio de Cristal. It is still rather cold this morning, and there is ice instead of water in most spouts!

The park is so enormous that it can accommodate an artificial pond, Estanque del Retiro, that surrounds the Monument to Alfonso XII.

So that’s how this gal spent her last 3 hours in Madrid. I can’t wait to come back!

February 4, 2010