Melodie K

Europe

10 Creative Things to Do in Madrid Day or Night

Day or night, you'll never run out of fun and creative things to do in Madrid. Image is Madrid by Jose Maria Cuellar.

Cities, like cats, will reveal themselves at night. ~ Rupert Brooke

Whatever time of year you choose to visit Madrid, you’ll run into the same problem: Having to decide what to do first from all the fun and artsy activities available there.

Spaniards, you see, are sociable people and those who live in its capital truly enJoy going out with friends, so there’s always something for a creative person to get into in Madrid, day or night.

First off, Madrid is an art lovers dream. From performance art like flamenco to painting and other visual arts, the city has much to offer. Yet, as a visitor, your time there is limited. So below is a list of venues, specifically curated with you and your interests as a creative in mind.  Using it will help ensure you make the most of the time you do have in the Spanish capital.

Included in the list are bookstores where you can find creative inspiration in multiple languages and even attend cooking classes. Finally, you’ll also find some eateries serving specialties that well represent the art that is Spanish cuisine.

So, shall we begin?

ARTS 

Madrid is oozing with them.

But no worries about wearing yourself out in trying to visit them all. These top museums are within walking distance of each other. You don’t have to miss a thing.

  1. Museo del Prado. Spain’s national museum of art is among the world’s best. Here you can roam hall after hall of European art spanning from the 12th through the 19th century, and the best collection of Spanish masters anywhere, including court painters Diego Velazquez and Francisco Goya.
  2. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. For modern and contemporary art, including Guernica, Pablo Picasso’s commentary on the brutality of war.
The best place to view the paintings of Picasso, Goya, Velázquez and other Spanish artists is at the Prado in Madrid. Image: Picasso's Guernica via Wikipedia.

Picasso’s Guernica.

3. Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. Displays 13th through 20th-century works by American as well as European artists.

4. CaixaForum Madrid.  The cultural center houses a wide mix of contemporary, modern, and historic art including multimedia and a vertical garden.

Rodin's The Thinker (@CaixaForum in Madrid) Image is by Carlos Delgado.

The Thinker by Auguste Rodin at CaixaForum. Even he can’t decide among the many creative things to do in Madrid.

EATS

Taverns with terrific tapas (& pinchos).

5. Bodega de la Ardosa. This bar serving pinchos has been making what some call the tastiest potato tortillas in the city for more than 125 years. 

6. Casa Alberto. Madrid-style cooking with warm service and traditional ambiance since 1827, serving some of the heartiest tapas ever.

7. La Berenjena. This gem with capacity for about only 40 people stays crowded, but the food is worth the wait. Whatever you order  . . . skirt steak, mini-hamburgers, or pinchos, it will rock your taste buds.

What, exactly, are pinchos?

Great food in small packages is easy to find in Madrid day or night. Pincho vasco, Spanish appetizer of Basque origen, by juantiagues.

Pinchos are snacks made up of small slices of bread topped with fish (or meat), and various other foods, held together by and eaten with a small wooden spike or “pincho.”

CREATIVE TO-DO’S

Bookstores with a twist.

8. A Punto. A school and bookstore with thousands of Spanish AND English language books dedicated to cooking and the enjoyment of food. Now, how perfect is that? Attend a cooking class with local chefs (available in English on occasion), a food or wine tasting, or one of the weekly culinary tours.

9. Librería Desnivel. Dedicated to the adventure-seekers among us, this bookstore sells maps, videos, novels, and other travel-related books including English and bilingual (Spanish/English) travel guides.

AND

An exceptional venue for groceries and gifts:

10) Anton Martin Traditional Market. Everything you could want in the way of fresh meat, fish, poultry, as well as fruit and veg, is on sale here. Each vendor is as knowledgeable and individual as the next. You’ll also find shops selling handmade soaps, crafts, and clothing, including flamenco dancewear that could make the perfect gift for your friend who has everything.

Watching a flamenco artist dance is a creative thing to do in Madrid, even if strictly at night. Flamenco in Sevilla de Schnobby via Wikipedia.

Flamenco.

BONUS: MORE CREATIVE THINGS TO DO IN MADRID

  • In case you decide to binge on nothing but art in Madrid, and old masters are your thing, don’t miss the Museo Carlos de Amberes. This boutique museum tends to highlight works by Peter Paul Rubens, among other pre-1800 artists, in its quest to promote cultural exchange between Spain and Belgium, Luxembourg, Northern France, and the Netherlands.
  • If you’ll be in Madrid on a Sunday or a holiday, do visit the Rastro: the city’s largest outdoor flea market. All manner of artful merchandise will be on offer from vintage furniture and antique books to jewelry and paintings.

As you can see, Madrid is one of the most exciting cities in the world. You’ll never run out of worthwhile things to do. Even now, with this list in hand, you may be wondering how to fit it all in.

But not to worry: All ten of the museums, eateries, and shopping venues on our list have evening hours, 4-7 days a week. And at least two of the eateries will be there for you until well after midnight if you need a late-night snack.

Indeed, once the sun sets, Madrid is just getting started.

PHOTO CREDITS

Featured image, Madrid by Jose Maria Cuellar; Picasso’s Guernica via Wikipedia; El pensador-Rodin-Caixaforum-2 by Carlos Delgado via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr; Pinchovasco 1 by juantiagues via Flickr; and Flamenco in Sevilla 01 de Schnobby via Wikimedia.

Your Solo Trip to Paris in 7 Easy Steps

Never did the world make a queen of a girl who hides in houses and dreams without traveling. ~ Roman Payne

If you’re a twin or a triplet, you may have experienced something different, but few of us came into this world holding someone else’s hand.

Maybe you needed one or two good pushes from Mom but in the end, you took off boldly ~ and alone ~ on the biggest trip of your life to date.

And you’re still here!

So don’t let being “alone” keep you from traveling where you want to go now.

I had a TERRIFIC time on my last trip to Paris and say so to everyone who asks. Yet I still get the question, “But you went by yourself?!”

You’d better believe it. I traveled solo and arranged it all without much lead time.

Whether you’re going to Paris or any other large city, you can do the same.

Your Solo Trip to Paris

1. DECIDE YOU’RE GOING.  The only thing you “can’t” do is put this off any longer. Prices are not going down and you are getting older. And you will come to regret the great things you didn’t do.

2. MAKE A LIST. Write down all the things you want to do and see in your travels. Get a good guide book to help you. And browse travel magazines like National Geographic Traveler or Afar for articles featuring your destination. Schedule at least one place or activity on the calendar for each day of your trip, but no more than two. You want to leave room for serendipity like enjoying this father-son game of chess at the Musée de Cluny, where you can view the largest collection of medieval art in France.

Watch a living chess game at Musée de Cluny on your solo trip to Paris.

3. ENLIST A CREW. Share your travel plans with like-minded folks who will cheer you on. You may not know many in your circle of friends – if you did, you probably wouldn’t be reading this – but you’ll find oodles of travel lovers online. You’ll also find some among the members of foreign language and cultural groups within your local community. That was how I fell in with a great group of experienced globetrotters who were super-generous with sharing fun, current info about Paris and enthusiasm for the trip I was planning.

Now, there’s a wide sampling of restaurant and attraction reviews at Trip Advisor, of course. But you can strike gold with sites tailored to your specific needs and travel focus, like those dedicated to serving the needs of solo travelers.

4. PRIORITIZE. Certain activities and places will stand out more than others in your research. Zero in on these. Pay attention to those “I-never-thought-about doing-THAT-before” ideas offered by travelers in the crew you’ve enlisted to support you. For instance, I’d never seriously considered going to the Montparnasse Tower before. Such an ugly building that doesn’t belong in Paris, I thought. (Still do.) But, the view from the top is beautiful and now I can say I’ve seen it, too.

Don't miss this sunset view from Tour Montparnasse on your solo trip to Paris.

5. SECURE YOUR NEST. I’m all for renting an apartment if you’re going to stay more than a few days in one location. Lodging in a cozy space with generous sleeping and living space with a kitchen – even if you don’t cook! – will help you feel at home more quickly in an otherwise strange place than a single room hotel unit ever could. And you can often obtain a short-term rental for half the cost of a comparable hotel room.

6. GET LOCALLY CONNECTED. You’ll enjoy yourself more if you know someone there. Typing “Paris” or any other go-to city in the prompt at Meetup.com, for example, is a great way to find others who speak your language and are doing things you like to do. If you’re a person of faith, joining in with groups regularly worshipping in your city is another way, and the route I took. At The Bridge, an English-speaking church on the Paris outskirts, you meet people from all over the world, including France. And you can enjoy a fun time out with the photography club taking pictures, drinking café, and eating chocolates (of course.)

Fruit chocolates like these will "sweeten" your solo trip to Paris.

7. BOOK IT. I recommend you follow a two-step process here. First, research flights by getting an overview of all those offered through sites such as Travelocity, Expedia, or Priceline, to name a few.  Second, once you find your flight(s) of choice, book through the individual airline. The process is smoother. Plus, direct communication with the airline is key when disruptions to your itinerary occur. Like when the day before your return flight an air traffic controller strike causes your flight to be canceled and you need to re-book but quick! (Oh, yeah, it happened to me.)

As for what can happen to you in your travels . . . the ball is in your court.

Where would you like to go and what ~ until now ~ has been holding you back?

Unexpected Paris: Gardens, Art, & Tasty Edibles Galore

Palais-Royal garden with one of its avian residents. one of the fun finds in unexpected Paris.

Nearly all the best things . . . have been unexpected, unplanned by me. ~ Carl Sandburg

The last gold rush began in 1896 when George Cormack went fishing for salmon but found gold nuggets instead. Or so the story goes.

Just like that prospector, you often come upon some of the best things when you’re looking for something else, especially while traveling.

Here are a few “gold nuggets” I stumbled upon in unexpected Paris you might like to find “on purpose:”

Sweet & savory pastries from Francart, one of the fun finds in unexpected Paris.I was on my way to late-night at the Louvre and wanted a little dinner first. So I looked around for a restaurant where I was at the time, on the left bank. I spied this pastry shop across the street and knew “take out” was the way to go. I bought slices of quiche Lorraine and a cake with fruit filling, then hurried across the Seine to a bench in the Tuileries Garden to enjoy them. And at first, I did, taking one, two, then three bites of the most amazing quiche Lorraine I’d ever tasted.

The only problem is the birds caught on and began to gather, eyes fixed on my quiche. The Louvre would have to wait. I packed up my pastry and went home to the studio to eat in peace. That’s how I was able to take this photo of the dessert pastry and what remained of that exquisite quiche.

 Gabrielle Renard and Jean Renoir, 1895; one of the fun finds in unexpected Paris located at Musée de l'Orangerie.The gorgeous collection of Renoir paintings at the Musée de l’Orangerie bowled me over. Especially since I had gone, principally, to see Monet’s Water Lilies (Nymphéas). What do you think about this portrait of Gabrielle Renard and the artist’s infant son, Jean? It’s my favorite of the works on display.

Group of metal musicians in concert at Rueil-Malmaison, one of the fun finds in unexpected Paris.If you like “quirky,” you’ll love this group of metal musicians in the city of Rueil-Malmaison.  You’ll find them performing on the lawn in front of City Hall 24/7. I happened upon them while looking for where to catch the bus back to Paris after a full day of touring the Empress Josephine’s château.

Millie's white chocolate & macadamia nut cookie, one of many fun finds in unexpected Paris.This white chocolate and macadamia nut cookie from Millie’s was SO good! I grabbed it with coffee at the Gare de Lyon metro station while rushing to catch an early morning train to Fontainebleau. And just when I thought I’d end up with no breakfast at all.

What surprising things have you come across in your travels while looking for something else?

Paris Off the Beaten Path: 3 You Must See

François Gérard's 1801 portrait of Joséphine on view at her estate in Rueil-Malmaison, a suburb in Paris off the beaten path.

Paris is always a good idea. ~ Audrey Hepburn as the title character in the movie, “Sabrina.”

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow, Paris is one of the most beautiful cities on earth.

So even in places far from the bustle of the city’s “top attractions” you’ll find locations worthy of your time in the “City of Lights.” Here are three of my favorites for you to consider:

3 Bright Spots in Paris Off the Beaten Path

1) Château de Malmaison (in the Paris “burbs”)

Château de Malmaison in the suburb of Rueil-Malmaison ~ Paris off the beaten path.

This estate 8 miles west of Paris is the residence Joséphine Bonaparte chose for her soon-to-be imperial family. Château de Malmaison is also where, after divorcing Napoleon, she lived ~ quite well! ~ until her death. (Check out her cover-girl pose in the feature photo way up top above.)What a surprise this residence was!

I walked in expecting to be blown away with fine furnishings (and I was.) Yet, I came away most impressed with the charm, wit, and tenacity of the woman whose home this was.

This once impoverished widow and single mother of two escaped death by guillotine to become Empress of France and Queen of Italy.

That takes some sass!

Joséphine commissioned the greatest architects and interior designers of the age to renovate and decorate Malmaison.

However, the elegance and style of the château tells a larger story and belongs to her alone.

Seems Joséphine loved family and looked out for their future as much as for her own. Her children became Prince Eugène (of France) and Queen Hortense (of Holland).  These gave birth to future kings, queens, and emperors of Europe, including some who populate the royal houses of Europe today.

SO DO NOT MISS:

The portraits of the imperial family in the drawing-room, and other family-focused spaces, including the music room where mom and daughter played harp and piano and the billiards room where both Napoleon and Hortense liked to spend time.

Extra time? Tour the garden. The empress was a student of botany who enjoyed cultivating roses.

2) Musée Nissim de Camondo (in Paris)

Here is a sweet change of pace for museum-goers.

Like the Frick in New York City, Musée Nissim de Camondo is more a private collection than a museum.

Moïses de Camondo, the banker who collected 18th century French fine and decorative art lived here. So far more than a cruise through room after room of beautiful things, this is a picture of HOW members of his wealthy early 20th-century family  ~ and their staff ~ lived. And who they were.

Maybe you’ll take notice of the tapestries or the dining room and all that exquisite china; or maybe the elevators and the plush, modern bathrooms.

The gimongous custom oven in the kitchen wing got my attention. Can you imagine the roasts, casseroles, and soups you could serve up on this thing?

Cubain & Sons range oven in kitchen of the Musée Nissim de Camondo in Paris off the beaten path.

Moïses de Camondo bequeathed his home to France to share these precious objects AND the story of his family. And the story of his family, whose members became prominent in France, serving in the banking industry and the military is one that will stay with you, maybe even haunt you, long after your visit.

It does me.

SO DO NOT MISS:

The kitchen (no, really!) for its state of the art 20th-century range, butler’s pantry, and food storage rooms.  Had to be the busiest wing of the house.

The film memorial at the end of your visit; it’s where you learn about the tragedy intersecting the de Camondo family story with ours.

Extra time? Take a walk or sit on a bench and people-watch at nearby Parc Monceau. 

3) Château of Fontainebleau (an hour’s train ride from Paris)

Before Versailles, there was Fontainebleau.

The Château de Fontainebleau was home to seven centuries of French rulers.

Maybe you recognize the château from its fairytale-like horseshoe staircase. But did you know it is one of the few fully ~ and most beautifully ~ furnished royal palaces in France?

And that Napoleon’s throne room is the only such space in any royal residence in France still arranged as originally conceived? (Percier and Fontaine, the duo who renovated Malmaison for Joséphine, designed the throne.) 

Throne room of Napoleon I at Château de Fontainebleau, a former royal residence near Paris off the beaten path.

It’s not hard to imagine yourself every inch the monarch when strolling these rooms. The chapels, library, ballrooms, bedrooms, chapels, and galleries.

Turns out Francis I (1494 -1547) collected art like crazy. Artists, too ~ his patronage wooed Leonardo da Vinci away from Italy to life in France in 1516.

Lots to see!

SO DO NOT MISS:

The gold and mother-of-pearl boudoir of Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France.

Marie Antoinette's boudoir at Château de Fontainebleau, a former royal residence near Paris off the beaten path.

EX-QUI-SITE.

And a bittersweet reminder that, for a while, at least ~ it was good to be the queen. 

Extra time? Riding horseback on the château’s 50,000 acres of surrounding forest.

What lesser-known sights or locations have you enjoyed the most? Have you been to any of those mentioned here? If so, leave a comment below! 

Château de Fontainebleau with its horseshoe staircase (escalier en fer-à-cheval), Fontainebleau, France ~ Paris off the beaten path.

3 Italian Sweets for Your Next Celebration

Serve Italian sweets for your next special occasion. Fireworks, Celebration of Lights-Italy by colink.

Uh-oh! What do you do when that special event is now just around the corner and you’re sure of only one thing:

That you want to serve a dessert that’s anything but ordinary? 

Celebrating with some popular Italian sweets is a good idea.

Of course, the Italian sweets we’re talking about here are beyond the ever-popular tiramisu, fabulous butter cookies, and the creamy inside, crunchy outside phenomena known as cannoli.

Take a peek at these three Italian sweets below. Each is a festive-looking pastry from one of Italy’s main geographic regions…

… that tastes as good as it looks.

We’ll travel to the cream and berry-loving North, the wheat basket of the Center, and the olive oil-rich South. And by the end of our journey, you’re sure to find at least one among this sweet trio you’ll want to try:

1. NORTHERN ITALY ~ strudel

Many people in Trentino-Alto Adige speak both Italian and German. The region was once part of Austria, its neighbor to the north. As a result, Trentino-Alto Adige and Austria share similar culinary traditions. When it comes to sweets, that means puddings, doughnuts, and strudel.

Classic apple strudel served warm hits the spot when it’s cold outside.

In the alpine region of Trentino-Alto Adige, strudel is one of the most popular Italian sweets... natch. Strudel by fugzu.

But one made with fresh cherries seems just right for springtime.

This cherry strudel is one of the berry-best Italian sweets. Cherry strudel by oksix.

2. CENTRAL ITALY ~ rocciata

Umbria, the only landlocked region in central Italy, is the heart of Italy in a geographic sense.  It is also il cuore verde d’Italia ~ the green heart of Italy ~ so nicknamed for the multiple shades of green covering its hills, mountains, and valleys.

Do you like to shoot landscapes? Umbria will be your travel photography dream vacation.

The Central Italian hills are alive with Italian sweets. ;) Castelluccio di Norcia, Umbria, Italy by Eric Huybrechts.

But especially if nuts with raisins, cranberries, or some other dried fruit is a favorite snack, visiting Umbria will put you in your happy place.

Umbria’s green-covered hills make it easy for people who enjoy hiking, cycling, and other outdoor activities to fall in love with it.

So it makes sense that rocciata, a pastry stuffed with dried fruit and nuts, is one of the region’s most beloved desserts.

Think of it as an elegant trail mix, Italian-style.

Italian sweets can be (kind of) healthy in Umbria. Strudel with apples, raisins, and nuts by brhlena.

3. SOUTHERN ITALY ~ cartellate

The region of Basilicata is the arch in the “boot” that is Italy. Its access to both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas makes for a cuisine influenced as much by nearby Greece as the Byzantine and Arab conquests of Southern Italy’s past.

So even if you somehow manage to bypass the city of Matera and its UNESCO World Heritage site, Sassi (Old Town) ~ 

After sampling a dish of Southern Italian sweets, take a walking tour of the nearby sights.L'alba sui sassi di Matera (Dawn on Matera's OldTown) by BORGHY52.

~ you still have much to look forward to with the blend of flavors in local dishes.

Cartellate, small fried pastries with arabesque designs is one of these. As dessert fritters go, they are among the prettiest.

Cartellate are fried Italian sweets of Southern Italy. Cartellate alla Locanda by Antica Locanda Alpiana.

Once fried, you dip them in vincotto, a type of fruit syrup.

Or powdered sugar instead, with chocolate or without.

Now, on the other hand, warm honey and cinnamon might be just the thing … you get the idea. 

WHAT NOW?

1) If going on an Italian food ramble appeals to you, but you don’t know where to begin, check out this Northern Italian cuisine tour. It could jumpstart your gray matter into coming up with all kinds of culinary travel ideas to plan your trip to Italy around. 

2) If you want to learn more about European sweets, consider taking this French Pastry Tour. 

PHOTO CREDITS

Feature image, Fireworks: Celebration of Light by colink; Strudel by fugzu; Cherry Strudel by oksix; Castelluccio di Norcia, Umbria, Italy by Eric Huybrechts; Strudel with Apples by brhlena; L’alba sui sassi di Matera (Dawn on Matera’s Old Town) by BORGHY52; Cartellate alla Locanda by Antica Locanda Alpina.