Kelli visits magnificent Madrid

July 7, 2023 Kelli Carpenter 4 min read

Before boarding my first voyage onboard the stunning Atlas Ocean Voyages cruise in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, I wanted to experience Madrid for the first time.

I have spent time in both Barcelona and Ibiza but have heard so many wonderful things about Madrid that I wanted to take a few days and see it for myself.

Upon arrival at the Madrid airport, we jumped in our Uber ready to hit the ground running. The good news is that I packed my favorite travel shoes to make it comfortable to do so! As we pulled up to the gorgeous Four Seasons Madrid, I knew we were in for a treat. Our suite was well appointed with every detail you could imagine needing for your stay. And the tapas and Vermut wine were such a local touch reminding us of what was ahead during our stay. Prior to our arrival, the concierge team was helpful in securing any needs we had and the front desk team greeted us and gave us a personalized tour of our suite.

From the rooftop restaurant, Dani, to the delicious dinner and specialty cocktails at Isa, the Four Seasons Madrid was unsurpassed in its culinary offerings.

When visiting a city for the first time, I love to begin with the Hop On Hop Off bus to get an overview of the city. We hopped off the bus at Plaza Mayor to have a beer while watching the soccer fans get ready for the big match happening that day. We then wandered over to a famous food market for lunch. With the huge amount of food stalls and pop-up bars, the Mercado de San Miguel is definitely a don’t-miss stop while in Madrid.

Kelli and wife Anne at the famous Mardid Mercado de San Miguel.

Later that evening, we dined at the oldest restaurant in the world (according to the Guinness World Book of Records), Restaurant Botin. Restaurant Botin was founded in 1725 and was as charming on the inside as it was on the outside. The Four Seasons concierge set us up at the extra cozy Hemingway table where the famed novelist dined many times. Along with some local Rioja wine, we enjoyed garlic shrimp and clams. After dinner, some local musicians came up to our floor and dazzled us with their talents. It was a night to remember.

The next day we booked a Devour Tours, Tapas, Taverns, and History tour. This tour was a small group of 7 of us where we explored Madrid on foot to various tapas bars throughout the city. We learned about local drinks such as Vermut and Tinto de Verano. We tasted fried cod, garlic shrimp, cheese, mushrooms, and peppers. It was an informative and fun way to see the city. Food tours are really my favorite!

Madrid was really magnificent and I cannot wait to return.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any interest in exploring some of the same things that we did while we were there.

Hotel:

Four Seasons Madrid

https://www.fourseasons.com/madrid/

If you book this hotel through my agency, you will receive the following perks: Daily full American breakfast for two guests per bedroom at Dani Brasserie or through In-Room Dining; Hotel/Resort Credit* (based on room category booked); Guest Rooms: USD 100 credit per stay; Suites and Specialty Suites: USD 200 credit per stay; Private Retreats: USD 200 credit per bedroom per stay; Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in.