Secretos de Madrid's 50 essential things to do!

Normally, I would not keep posting about another blog. But if you speak Spanish and appreciate Madrid, then you MUST check out Manu's blog, Secretos de Madrid This blogger is truly talented and I sincerely hope he is writing abook on Madrid history for tourists or fans of the city. His last post, The 50 essential things to do in Madrid is phenomenal. And if you are headed for Madrid, bookmark this page! But if you don't speak Spanish, I went ahead and translated it. I hope Manu doesn't mind. But truly, he's presenting a experience to be had that is not touristy. If anything its an authentic way to enjoy my illuminated Madrid.

1) Walk down the rowdy, noisy and bustling street of Gran Via in Madrid.

2) Go back in time visiting the fanatsmic metro line of Chamberi, now a museum.

3) Spend a reflective sunset at the Temple o Debod

4) Enjoy the silence at Las Vistillas Park ( close to La Latina metro stop)

5) See Madrid from above by riding the "teleferico", a cable car/aerial tramway system that soars over the city's Casa de Campo, parks and homes.

6) See the statue of the fallen Angel at Retiro Park

7) Eat, drink and soak in the lively ambiance of one of Plaza de Olavide's terrace cafe's. ( Trafalgar neighborhood, Chamberi district)

8) Walk aimlessly through the old city centre, known as Hapsburg/Asturian Madrid.

9) Stop in the middle of one of Madrid's best known and busiest places, the Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun) and take in all that is surrounds you.

10)Browse the secret garden of wonderful eclectic shops at Hermosilla 26 in the neighborhood of Salamanca.

11)Walk amongst the statues of kings at the Plaza de Oriente````

12) Enjoy the "Pasadizo San Gines", a very special corner thats sells both books and churros.

13) Head up to the "Circulo de Bellas Artes" rooftop and gaze at one of the best panoramic views of Madrid

14) Go shopping on Fuencarral Street

15) Look for sculptures as you walk the terraces and rooftops of Madrid

16) Pass through Plaza Mayor and breathe in its immense history

17) Cross the "Arco de Chucilleros" ( Cutlers Arch), the most famous of nine gates of the Plaza Mayor and find the mini pulpit!

18) Feel as if you are the protagonist in a story from yesteryear at the Capricho Park.

19) Sit on a bench at Plaza del Rey, next to the house of the seven chimneys.

20) Eat a calamari sandwich/sub

21) Traverse "Calle Espiritu" Santo, the best authentic example of the Madrid nieghborhood of Malasana

22)Visit the church of "San Antonio de los Alemanes", a hidden Madrileno gem.

23)Enjoy a reprise at the Plaza Santa Ana with the Hotel Me Iluminado.

24) Take a stroll along the Madrid Rio

25) Admire the extraordinary size and beauty of the Royal Palace

26)Check out the trendy, independent and unique stores of "Barrio de las Salesas".

27) Give yourself some love, sleep in and enjoy a Madrileno Sunday brunch.

28) Head to Madrid's Municipal Museum and admire the detailed map of Madrid created by Teixiera in 1656.

29) Come close and observe the one of the oldest structures in Madrid, the medieval church "San Pedro el Viejo"

30) Take a look at one of the tallest buildings, "Edificio Espana" in all its strength and size.

31) Observe the two distinct sides of the Puerta de Alcala

32) Contemplate the solemn and elegant street of Felipe IV

33) Hobnob with art found along the Paseo del Prado ( and visit some of its museums for good measure)

34) Travel through the Spains Golden Age by walking through "El Barrio de las letras", the Neighborhood of the Writers.

35) Visit one of the most alluring secrets of Madrid, " el Jardin del Principe Anglona" a garden located in the heart of the neighborhood of La Latina.

36) Tour Retiro Park in search of the Cristal Palace

37)Feel tiny amongst the four largest skyscrapers in Madrid located in the four towers business area along the Paseo de la Castellana

38) Spend sunday at the renowned flea market, "El Rastro" and while you there stop by and say hello to the statue of Spanish Solidier, Eloy Gonzalo

39)Take a guided tour inside the Monastery of the Barefoot Royals, a historical treasure of a museum.

40) Look at the giant Schweppes sign and humorously see if the character Santiago Segura from the 1995 black comedy Day of the Beast is hanging from it.

41)Gaze at the most iconic Madrileno image, that of the Metropolis building and Gran Via.

42) Attend of of Madrids continual musical offerings.

43) Appreciate the colorful and sloping Cava de San Miguel

44) Feel as if you are living in another epoch while walking down the elbow shaped Calle del Codo 

45) Finish off the weekend taking a long, slow late afternoon stroll through Malasana

46) Awaken all your senses at the unique and renowned San Miguel open air market.

47)Dine on exotically savory Hindu cuisine at one of the terrace restaurants in the neighborhood of Lavapies

48) Feel like Captain Alatriste admiring Plaza de la Villa

49)Visit the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande

50) Visit Cuesta de la Vega, look at the walls of old Mayrit where everything you just read about all began!

Secretos de Madrid-My secret love.

Most people who know me would tell you that I must be on facebook all the live long day. And with an iphone in my bag of Mommy tricks that was probably true- until recently. I'm actually stepping out on facebook with twitter, its wilder smarter and more mysterious brother. Returning from Madrid, I realized that I could continue exploring my favorite city by following its diverse people. I wasn't wrong in my assumption. Currently, I am following over 300 people who have their own unique angle on Madrid. Over the course of a few months, I began to follow tweets displaying various information on Madrid food, culture, events, music, bars, art, theatre, opera, current events and history.

It was especially facinating finding a twitter feed that led me to a spanish blog which proved as riveting as two books recent read, Ghosts of Spain by Giles Tremlett and The New Spaniards by John Hooper. What made this blog even more desirable to me, was that it zeroed in on the city of Madrid's rich detailed history that could easily be dismissed, discarded or just plain overlooked. Not suprisingly, there are many blogs nowadays but few are really well done or consistent updating content. Secretos de Madrid is a deep well documented history of Madrid told in a random order, inspired by street names, old photos and even heavy metal local inhabitants. And this blogger is dedicated. 

Whether he's covering the story of a misguided angel landing upon Madrid rooftops, following the bittersweet perigrination of the infamous Tio Pepe sign, or the sinister history of the street named after a decapitated head, Secretos de Madrid's posts are written to interest anyone visiting Madrid for a short period or even one of the over 3 million inhabitants that occupy the city, unaware of its beautiful profound detail.

The author of this insightful blog is a thoughtful young gentleman by the name of Manu. I took one of his quotes so as to fully describe what he aims to do.

"Lo que más me fascina de ella es su capacidad de adaptación sin límites, de simple fortaleza a villa, y en apenas cuatro siglos a urbe cosmopolita de primer orden mundial. En agradecimiento infinito a ese recibimiento y en homenaje a esa historia convulsa de cambios y crecimientos sin medida va este blog. Bienvenidos" -Manu

 Here is the my translation in English,
"What facinates me the most (Madrid) is her capacity for limitless adapting, a simple strength of spirit,  with only four centuries of being a first world urban cosmopolitan city. Because I am infinitely grateful for this realization, this blog is a homage to its convulsive changes and its inmeasurable growth.

Secretos solved one of my mysteries. After celebrating our wedding anniversary over a wonderful dinner at La Gastroteca de Santiago, my husband and I decided to walk back to our hotel. From Plaza de Santiago, we decided to find Kathmandu, an old club I used to frequent as a student in the 1990's. Once on Calle Senores de Luzon, a fairly narrow cobbletsone street, we located the club which was closed as it was Madrid's shut down month, August. Well, hey at least it was still open 17 years later and that me feel somewhat young. The street then let us out into Calle Mayor where unbeknownst to me, Plaza de la Villa is located. Andy took a few shots of me walking past the Plaza slowly, looking at the statue and surrounding buildings. It was deserted on a summer Monday night, so it was easy to notice that this medieval plaza must be historically relevant. Except, I had no idea what it represented. I obviously didn't delve enough when I lived in Madrid back in the 90's as I was too busy trying to cover many areas of Western Europe.

According to Secretos de Madrid  Plaza de la Villa is comprised of three buildings- the fiftienth century gothic-moorish influenced Lujanes Tower named after a successful aragon merchant family, the Cisneros House and Casa de la Villa City Hall that for 300 years served as the headquarters for Madrid's city hall. One of the wonderful historical tidbits he provides is that the tower was a prison for the King of France, Francis the First after the Battle of Pavia. As he was being imprisoned, to humilate he him even further, his captors had him enter through door where he would have to bow his head and in those times for a king that was unheard of. 

I loved that Manu likes to begin his route through the great Asturian area of Madrid at the Plaza de la Villa, away from the crazy bustle of Plaza del Sol or the infamous Plaza Mayor. His writing can be personal and yet demonstrative of why someone like me loves illuminated Madrid.