#MustTravel: Madrid should be on your list if museums are your jam

Madrid offers a wide range of delightful experiences, the madding crowd notwithstanding. I’ve travelled to this city four times and still haven’t had my fill of its exceptional museums. Amongst the most memorable I’ve visited is the Herzog & de Meuron-designed, CaixaForum—it has many special architectural details. In particular is a stairway that’s straight of out 2001—A Space Odyssey, and a monumental vertical garden, that could easily blend into a set piece on Avatar. The Palacio de Cristal is another stunning structure—the palace features a breathtaking cupola, and is built almost entirely with glass, looks beautiful from the outside. El Retiro Park is another visual delight, peppered in equal measure with galleries, sculptures, and flora of all kinds. The view from the roof of the Círculo de Bellas Artes is quite simply spectacular. I usually head there for a drink to catch the sunset and an unrestricted, bird’s-eye view of the entire city. I also make sure I attend a flamenco performance whenever I’m in the country, and the Teatro Flamenco—listed as the world’s first flamenco theatre—is one of the best for this. I would also recommend visiting the Mercado de San Miguel, where you have about 20 restaurants under a very beautiful roof, offering you a wide gamut of flavours.
 

Do Try: I’ve always been a raging shoe collector, and Spain has some of the finest craftsmen in this trade. Carmina Shoemaker, a 150-year-old brand from Majorca, is eminently praiseworthy. Meermin Mallorca is another favourite, and I inevitably spend a few hours in both of these studios.

My Tip: If you like flea markets, make sure you’re in the city on a Sunday. El Rastro is the biggest one, and the market has been in business every Sunday for nearly 200 years. It’s the perfect hunting ground for souvenirs.

Compiled by: Meghna Sharma 

Lead Image: Getty Images

Photos: Arvind Vijaymohan