This past weekend, my study abroad group and I went to Madrid and Segovia (a small town about one a half hours north of Madrid) for the weekend. We left Friday morning at 8:30 am and got to take the AVE! We arrived in Madrid around 11:30 or so, checked into the hotel, and got right into visiting the sites!
We first visited El Museo del Prado, which had a ton of artwork from El Greco, Goya, Velázquez (all from Spain), and other artists such as Tiziano, Rubens, and Rembrandt (I'm very much a fan of the art between the 12th and 18th centuries!) After, we went to lunch and then El Congreso de los Diputados, and also El Palacio Real, which was one of the official residences of the King of Spain. Very interesting, but a lot of information! We spent a few hours at each place. Then we walked around the city where our guide talked about the Austrian influence within Spain. Then some friends and I walked around the city and had a meal of churros and chocolate (healthy, huh?) and later we went out for a glass of wine!
Segovia
Saturday morning, we got up at 7:45, had breakfast (of chocolate croissants and cafe con leche- so delicious, I had to stuff a couple extra croissants in my purse!) and then we got on a bus and headed to Segovia. The ride to Segovia was amazing, the country side was so beautiful, it was nice to get away from the big cities for a day! Note: Listening to Pavarotti on an iPod and admiring the countryside is the perfect combination.
I fell in love with this city. It's a small city (about 60,000 people- so compared to Madrid and Barcelona it felt tiny!), but it's full of so much history! There was so much Roman and Jewish influence! We first visited Alcazar de Segovia , which use to be an Arab fort then a residence of the kings of Castile. After, we had lunch and then walked around the city for awhile. Our guide was describing each part of the city, but I have to admit that I was off in my own world because the city was so amazing! I was lagging behind everyone because I was taking so many pictures!
We then got back onto the bus and arrived in Madrid around 7:00 pm. At 8:00, we all had dinner together and then returned to the hotel to prepare for La Noche en Blanco where everything in the city was open until the early morning! Our two professors who were on the trip with us encouraged all of us to go out and enjoy the city. Well, we did (and it was a lot of fun I might add). But the next morning we had to get up 7:45 am and see more of the city! (I had about three cafe con leches at breakfast). We were all so exhausted! We visited El Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Reina Sofía which was cool to see, but I have to admit I enjoyed the other museum better. After, we headed back to the hotel, grabbed our things and went to the train station to board the AVE back to Barcelona.
We then got back onto the bus and arrived in Madrid around 7:00 pm. At 8:00, we all had dinner together and then returned to the hotel to prepare for La Noche en Blanco where everything in the city was open until the early morning! Our two professors who were on the trip with us encouraged all of us to go out and enjoy the city. Well, we did (and it was a lot of fun I might add). But the next morning we had to get up 7:45 am and see more of the city! (I had about three cafe con leches at breakfast). We were all so exhausted! We visited El Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Reina Sofía which was cool to see, but I have to admit I enjoyed the other museum better. After, we headed back to the hotel, grabbed our things and went to the train station to board the AVE back to Barcelona.
It sounds like you are having a BLAST AM!! I am so jealous! Love you and miss you tons!!
ReplyDeleteTara