Castile: historic cities, religious palaces and cloisters

MADRID

We get up very early and drive to Parkingo. At that hour there's almost nobody there; we quickly take care of the paperwork and very soon they accompany us to Terminal 2 at Malpensa for our super-cheap Easy Jet flight. Even with Easy Jet, strangely, no problems (usually it's always late) and, pretty much on time, we reach Madrid. Shortly after 8.00 we're already there. Very quickly they hand us our luggage and just as quickly, at the Alamo/Atesa office, they hand us the car, strangely without even trying to stick us with some extra cost. The price is the one agreed upon at booking with E-noleggio. The car is a Peugeot 207, 4-door with air conditioning. Madrid airport is rather close to the center. In 30 minutes we reach our Hotel located in front of the Prado museum. It's a very modern 4-star hotel: not beautiful but functional: HOTEL LOPE DE VEGA.

Even though it's only mid-morning, our room is already ready. The hotel has its own garage located under the hotel: expensive but very convenient. In fact, for the whole period we stay in Madrid the car isn't needed. Maybe it would have been better to rent it only when leaving the city (we would have saved 50 euros in parking). We immediately start sightseeing in the city. First of all we buy a 2-day metro pass. It doesn't cost much but then, at the end of our Madrid visit, we realize we've only made 4 metro trips each. At that point it would almost have been better to buy single tickets. Unfortunately we immediately notice that, near our hotel, there's no metro stop nearby. The closest is about 500 m away (too many for a person who hates walking like me) and this fact will completely limit our evening outings.

First we visit the Royal Palace: a large white palace, with furnishings, decorations, a beautiful ancient pharmacy and royal armory. Right after, by metro we reach the Retiro Park: a large park similar to many others but with a big lake in the center where the monument to Alfonso XII stands out. We're tired and go back to the hotel to freshen up with the efficient air conditioning system in our room. For dinner we choose a restaurant very close to the hotel (Restaurant El Prado) with both Spanish and Italian food and also pizza. After dinner we notice nearby a Starbucks with pleasant outdoor tables, in front of a beautiful fountain; we have coffee, cake and decide to come back there for breakfast, considering that, at the hotel, breakfast is not included in the room price.

Madrid

The early bird catches the worm and then, in the morning in Spain, the temperature is really nice (about 25°). So: breakfast at Starbucks and then by metro we reach Puerta del Sol. From there begins our itinerary (recommended by the Mondadori Guide) through old Madrid, among ancient buildings, picturesque shops, the covered market. We also decide to visit the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales. The visit is guided (in Spanish but understandable) and you have to book the tour slot a few hours in advance. At the agreed time we show up at the entrance and visit the many rooms of the Monastery, with a beautiful decorated staircase, cloister and chapel. We then decide to have lunch at one of the outdoor tables of the Plaza Mayor, the heart of Madrid.

We then go back by metro to the Hotel: I, Daniela, decide to stay there to rest; Max, on the other hand, visits the Prado Museum, right in front of the hotel. For dinner, we don't feel like walking to the metro so we decide to dine at the same place as the previous evening. Here, however, we get the biggest rip-off of our trip. We order a plate of cured ham, Jamon Serrano but Max lets the waiter convince him to order some Jamon Iberico (which should be more prized). Result: a plate of ham 24 euros and it was practically identical to the Jamon Serrano we ate in Plaza Mayor.

EL PARDO, EL ESCORIAL, AVILA

Breakfast at Starbucks and then we leave Madrid, which we don't consider to be our favorite European capital: too few interesting things to visit; in 1/2 days, at most, you can see it all. We drive to the province of Madrid to visit the second Royal palace of our trip: PALACIO EL PARDO. It's a palace used, in the past, especially by Generalissimo Franco. Currently it's used to host visiting foreign heads of state. Like all the royal palaces we'll visit (4), this one too is richly decorated, quite large and with many visitable rooms. Outside, discreet gardens. The visit is guided, in Spanish but painless. The guide is quite fast also because the group consists of just the 2 of us and, because of this, they make us wait a bit (in vain) before starting the visit. Second stop of the day is the Escorial complex. It's an austere ensemble of religious buildings.

Precisely because of all its austerity and its grayness, I, Daniela, don't like it much. Max, on the other hand, appreciates it. I prefer the church (free visit) and the gardens (free) as well as the beautiful visual impact of the water basin in front of the facade. All things that could have been seen for free. Among other things, it starts raining and we have to go back to return the audio guides (don't take them) to the entrance point, far from the exit. What a pain! For lunch we find a Burger King along the way and take advantage: Burger King and Mc Donald will represent my salvation (Daniela) for eating decently at low prices. Then we reach Avila. The city strikes us immediately upon arrival with the beauty of the walls and the little towers that surround the whole city. Our hotel, beautiful, is located right in the square of the Cathedral.

It can easily be reached by car and the garage is under the hotel. The hotel is charming, a palace with a central cloister. The rooms are located on the upper floors all overlooking the cloister. The covered cloister is used as a bar and relaxation area. Our room is nice, large, however the air conditioning system isn't very efficient: it works but cools little. Fortunately the day isn't very hot and it's enough to open the windows. We visit the center of Avila, a small town with a succession of little squares and many churches. In the center we notice a tourist train, the first of a long series that will accompany us in every city, and so we take advantage for a complete visit of the pretty little town on board it. For dinner we decide on a modest pizzeria: MONTEVIDEO, but with convenient and clearly displayed prices, to avoid the rip-off of the previous evening.

Then, we stroll through the little streets of Avila, take a few photos as soon as it gets dark (the numerous storks on the church bell towers are distinctive) and also visit a crafts market set up for that day. A coffee in the splendid cloister of our hotel with background music and then off to bed.

SALAMANCA

The breakfast in Avila is one of the best of our trip: set up in a splendid covered cloister, with a gigantic and high-quality buffet (both sweet and savory foods including the famous ham). There are also the splendid Churros, which I knew from previous trips to Spain, that is, long, narrow, ridged fritters to eat, preferably dipping them in melted chocolate. We leave Avila to reach Salamanca. The distances between one city and another, on this trip of ours, are minimal. Every stop is max 200 km. By mid-morning we're already at the hotel in Salamanca which we find easily thanks to our Tomtom navigator (indispensable). The hotel is in an ideal position since it's located just outside the historic center of Salamanca. You can therefore easily reach it by car, without pedestrian zone problems, but with the historic center just a step away.

The garage is under the hotel, complete with a valet service that takes the car to the garage and brings it back for us. The hotel is the ALAMEDA PALACE, a 5-star but with really modest prices, like all the hotels of our trip. The average price of a room per night was a total of 100 euros, sometimes even with breakfast included, but excluding parking (15/20 euros a day). As in every hotel where we stayed, the rooms are always ready from the morning. After dropping off our luggage in the room we start visiting Salamanca. The city, in Renaissance style, all in golden Salamanca stone, is truly interesting, monumental, very rich in palaces, churches all with richly decorated facades. Curious the inexplicable "astronaut" on the facade of the 1600s cathedral (mystery?). We visit the old and new Cathedral: the new one is free while the old one requires payment.

Be that as it may, I, Daniela, liked the new cathedral more (which is anyway from the 1600s, while the old one is from the 1400s). Outside the cathedral we notice the ever-present little train and immediately get on board for a complete visit of the city: for 4 euros you can comfortably see the whole city without walking too much. We have lunch at Mc Donald and then return to the hotel to rest. We go out again around 18 to be able to visit the University. Salamanca is a university city and the ancient University is a historic building visitable in the afternoon. Already its fully decorated facade is a spectacle but then, inside, you visit the beautiful monumental staircase, the ancient classrooms (including the very old theology classroom), the ancient library and the church. Very interesting. In a shaded little square we drink a glass of sangria while waiting for dinner time.

We dine in a little alley near the university with a mixed grill: good and abundant.

CASTILLO DE COCA, SEGOVIA.

Good and abundant breakfast in our beautiful hotel and then departure. First we head toward the Castillo De la Mota in Medina del Campo. However, the visits start in the late morning and so we only see it from the outside. Instead we visit the nearby Castillo De Coca but it's a real disappointment. Don't go in: tons of stairs to see nothing. Save money and effort and settle for taking a photo from the outside. Then, heading to Segovia where we'll stay overnight. We reach our hotel SAN ANTONIO EL REAL. As the name itself says, it's an ancient Monastery turned into a hotel. Like every self-respecting Monastery it has a beautiful open cloister, with a beautiful fountain in the center. Around it all the bar tables. The rooms all overlook the perimeter of the cloister. Our room is obviously nice though a bit austere with a hint of a canopy bed.

The reception tells us that the center can be reached with a short walk on foot. That's not exactly true: the walk is rather long and we'll later decide to return by taxi. The center and symbol of the city is the scenic Roman aqueduct, with multiple arches that dominates the main square of the city. Max visits the cathedral with cloister and Capitular Museum. Another building absolutely worth visiting is the Alcazar, all little towers in fairytale castle style. The interiors are interesting and the visit is quick. We have the unfortunate idea of having lunch with a sandwich at the bar DAOIZ. But the clumsy waiter breaks my coke glass and the shards give me a little cut on my hand: they'll give me a band-aid but only that; they don't even offer us a coffee. After the visit to the Alcazar, on the way back, we come across a Taxi parking area and decide to take one to return to the hotel.

The ride is really cheap: about 3 or 4 euros and we decide to use it in the evening for dinner too. First though, in a bar near the aqueduct, we order a curious Tropical granita, blue in color. We then have dinner in a restaurant, located on a flight of steps near the aqueduct with some very good and tender steaks and french fries. We take a taxi back and return to the hotel for the usual coffee ritual in the cloister.

GRANJA OF S. ILDEFONSO, CUENCA

Right after breakfast we leave the Segovia hotel and arrive early at the very nearby Granja de S. Ildefonso. We wait patiently for the opening of the third Royal Palace and in the meantime we take a few photos of the gardens in front of the entrance. We're lucky: in Spain, on Wednesdays, many museums are free. So we can enter without paying anything. The visit is fortunately self-guided so we quickly visit the many rooms and, given the time, in perfect solitude. As in many museums, it's not possible to take photos inside. However, every palace is well organized and, at the end of the visit, there's always a well-stocked book shop waiting for us with postcards and various publications. The rooms of the S. Ildefonso palace are very many and beautiful. A true royal palace! Moreover, outside, very large gardens extend with fountains and water features.

Unfortunately the fountains are only turned on in the afternoon (who knows why: in Spain nothing works in the morning). So, we recommend organizing the times better and dedicating an afternoon visit to this splendid palace We leave S. Ildefonso to tackle the longest stretch of our trip: destination Cuenca. We're there by lunchtime though. Cuenca is a city made up of a horrible modern part (which we skip) and the ancient part called "ciudad encantada". Indeed it's truly enchanting and then our hotel, that is the Parador, stands right in the most enchanting spot. The Paradors are always exceptional places: the best solution for staying in Spain. On this trip too, I absolutely wanted to choose a couple of them to stay in and the first is precisely the one in Cuenca.

A parador never disappoints: the Parador of Cuenca is located in an ancient Monastery right in front of the wrought-iron pedestrian bridge that connects to the entrance of the old town, crossing the sheer drop. Beyond the bridge, the scenic "hanging houses": houses perched on the mountain wall. And here you take endless photos, by day as by night. The ancient city of Cuenca is very small, so the visit is rather quick. We eat a ham sandwich in the Plaza Mayor, which is a rather small square. The only monument to visit inside is the Cathedral; but it's closed and we don't understand at what time it opens. We wait a bit and then give up.

A few purchases in the few shops and then off to our splendid Parador, where a pool awaits us right below the mountain: what a pleasant feeling, after days of traveling! We dine in the beautiful cloister of the Parador since we really don't feel like tackling the climb to Cuenca: unfortunately the choice of food, at the bar, is truly poor and the sandwich is really disappointing. Never mind: we'll make up for it tomorrow with the Parador breakfast which we know is always spectacular. After dinner, nighttime photos of the bridge and the hanging houses.

TOLEDO

The breakfast doesn't disappoint: there's everything and then the atmosphere of the Parador is truly one of peace and tranquility even at the breakfast buffet. We then leave for Toledo. We easily reach our hotel: HOTEL REAL, but we can't say we arrive just as easily at the parking. The latter turns out to be a tragic thing. Basically, the garage would be located under the hotel but, to reach it, you have to access from another street, going halfway around the city. But that's not the problem: the problem is the access to the parking itself. Truly impossible. In fact, the reception clerk first asks us the type of car we have to verify that the car can pass through the access alley. Initially, taking the wrong street, we risk getting stuck with the car in a kind of tunnel (perhaps pedestrian only) and, then proceeding in reverse, grazing the walls, we manage to get out of the jam.

Then, we realize we've reached the hotel parking, when we notice a Mercedes stuck, which can't go forward or backward and, in the end, inevitably, scratches its side a bit. We manage to enter without difficulty; however we'll have some trouble, the next day, getting out. In short: after the comforts of the Parador, this 3-star hotel, with all these parking problems, really disgusts us: DON'T GO THERE. The location isn't really bad: it's just inside the walls. However, to reach the very center of Toledo, you have to do a good uphill walk. Truly Toledo is all uphill. In short: visiting the city is a bit tiring especially if combined with the slightly higher temperature compared to the other cities visited. In the afternoon the thermometer read 41°!. That's why we didn't complete the walking itinerary suggested by the guide.

Fortunately in the main square we see the usual tourist train that will take us on a splendid tour outside the walls. So we see the city with an external view: the enchantment of the walls, the scenic entrance gates and the river flowing all around. It's truly worth it. Max visits the cathedral of Toledo and says it's truly spectacular. Moreover, in Toledo there are lots of shops: swords especially but also fans and typical Spanish crafts. The shopkeepers here, however, are of the worst kind. They're the kind who assault the tourist trying to stick them with anything and without giving time to think. And then, they won't hear of credit cards, coming up with absurd justifications like: the amount is too low. Or worse: they pretend the card doesn't work (making you worry and embarrassing you in the shop). In these cases do as I do: punish them by giving up the purchase.

We dine near the hotel, in a pretty little square with outdoor tables: La Estrella, on calle de Las Arosas, near Puerta de Bisagra. We eat really well at very low prices. Go there. After dinner we stroll around the beautiful Puerta de Bisagra. We reach the nearby park with many bars with outdoor tables. We choose one in the middle of the park and sit near the pretty fountain.

CHINCHON

After a truly pathetic breakfast in that disgusting hotel (no croissants, no pastries. Only bread but we had to expressly ask for it), we risk getting stuck at the parking exit. What a scare! If we damage the car we have to pay the deductible! I, Daniela, get out to give signals. We manage it and we get out of the parking. Next stop will be the fourth Royal palace and precisely the one in Aranjuez. From the outside it doesn't strike us much even though we notice it's enormous; but, inside it turns out to be absolutely the best. Moreover it's surrounded by hectares and hectares of park. We visit on foot the most beautiful gardens, those immediately near the palace with canal and little waterfalls. To visit the more distant gardens, we take the tourist train present in the park. However, we understand that the other gardens aren't that exceptional.

Maybe it wasn't even worth taking the train; but we have time anyway. Then we head to the small town of CHINCHON, near Madrid, where we'll stay overnight at the Parador. The town of Chinchon is very small and everything develops around the characteristic town square: naturally called "Plaza Mayor" but completely different from the elegant main squares visited previously. The square of Chinchon is characteristic in that it's all in Spanish style, with wooden balconies. The center of the square is occupied by the setup of the "Plaza de Toros" to host bullfights. We're particularly unlucky because, that day, the whole town is bustling for the setup in the square of the concert of an important Spanish rock group: "Pereza" (never heard of them but in Spain they're very popular among young people). So, the square is cluttered by the stage.

The Parador, located near the square, given the concert, isn't reachable by car as it should be.

PASTRANA

According to our original plan, today we should have gone home. Instead, because of the canceled flight, we had to book an additional night in a great hurry, choosing the town of Pastrana, since it was mentioned in the guidebook and not far from the Madrid airport. We received a reply from a single hotel: HOTEL PALATERNA. So we booked here. The hotel is located in the center of the town and is not reachable by car because, that day, there are big celebrations in the town (presumably their August holiday). So we try to get as close as possible to unload the luggage and then Max will go park outside the town. The hotel doesn't turn out so bad, also because the price is similar to that of a Parador. Despite being a simple 2-star, the room is practically a mini apartment complete with a small living room, 2 televisions, air conditioning, a refrigerator, and...

surprise surprise, a whirlpool tub in our bathroom (not even at the Parador was there one). We visit the little town, go into the church, and then notice that the entire center of the town is surrounded by iron grilles. We ask for explanations at the hotel and they tell us that this is due to the fact that in the afternoon an ENCIERRO is scheduled. They explain that it's the running of the bulls through the streets, like in Pamplona. All enthusiastic, we absolutely don't want to miss the event. However, we're a little disappointed because the bulls aren't as ferocious as seen on TV in Pamplona. They're rather calm and don't run much, and so the people running in the street don't face great danger. In any case we always stay behind the iron grilles, at a certain distance. Also because, on one occasion, a bull came right up to gore the gate in front of us.

We have dinner in a secluded restaurant, an old convent (CONVENTO SAN FRANCISCO) with little outdoor tables and a fountain, with a mega hamburger. The night is very troubled. Here they celebrate their August holiday in grand style, with people wandering the streets, getting drunk and singing until 9:00 in the morning. All night long we hear trumpets, singing, and choruses under the windows. I sleep badly and have a headache. But what is there to celebrate so much about!

Return

The night is very troubled. Here they celebrate Ferragosto in a big way with people wandering the streets, getting drunk and singing until 9:00 in the morning. All night long we hear trumpets, singing and choruses under the windows. I sleep badly and have a headache. But what is there to celebrate so much about! SUNDAY, AUGUST 15: Return. The icing on the cake is a truly (lousy) breakfast at its bare minimum with coffee with milk, 1 slice of toasted bread and 1 jam. We look for the cleanest route to drag our trolleys along: the streets are dirty with every kind of liquid left over from human debauchery, on top of what the bulls have left behind. Calmly we make our way to the airport where we return the car, which behaved wonderfully for the whole trip. A round of applause for Alamo! We take care of the boarding formalities but, just for a change, the Easy Jet flight is an hour late.

Oh well. We expected it. We've gotten used to it. On the bright side, our vacation was absolutely perfect. This time we didn't put a foot wrong. And now a few costs: - Easy Jet round-trip flight Milan-Madrid: € 80.00 per person- 10-day car rental with Alamo (through E-noleggio): € 350.00- Average price per night in a hotel: € 100.00 per room- Average price for car parking: € 15.00 per night (in Madrid € 24.00).- Average price of admission to a museum/palace/church: €6/8 per person- Average price of lunch: € 20.00 per couple- Average price of dinner: € 30.00 per couple.- Cost of gas: slightly less than in Italy - Highways: almost always free - Open-air car parking at Malpensa at Parkingo: € 45.00 for 10 days.DANI AND MAX for more information, visit our website: