A lot of people fly in or out of Madrid when they come to Spain, but it is often overlooked as a destination itself. I spent a few weeks there when I was in college and was excited to return. We were staying right in the center of town, near the Peurta del Sol. We arrived in the afternoon and after a short taxi ride, were settled into our hotel. We ventured out on foot and walked immediately into the Puerto del Sol a couple blocks away. By now it was early evening, and the plaza was packed! It really is the central gathering place for locals and tourists alike. It seemed especially crowded, and I was wondering if there was a special occasion. We later learned it was not, and it really is just that busy every night! Not only was the plaza busy, but all the streets that fed that plaza were packed with walkers as well. This is one of the things I love most about Spanish culture - the social gatherings in the evenings. People of all ages come out to walk and visit with friends and strangers alike. Whether they are out to shop, eat or simply be with people they take the time in the evenings to just relax, walk around and talk and laugh with their friends and family. We walked by the royal palace and the cathedral, through countless parks and plazas before settling in to a little corner bar for a glass of wine and a couple tapas. Eight euros later, we were full and happy and ready to turn in for the night.
We woke late the next morning but after a quick breakfast and cafe con leches, we headed off to the Reina Sofia Modern Art Museum. The museum was filled with famous modern art, including my two favorites artists, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picaso. The art was fascinating, and you could spend hours looking at each one of the pieces. The highlight of the museum is definitely Picaso’s Guernica, which is a very political piece that fills an entire wall of the museum. It depicts the small town of Guernica that was bombed during World War II. The sadness and destruction is shown through Picaso’s own style, and I suspect it will stay relevant for years to come.
The rest of our time in Madrid was just spent walking, eating tapas and drinking wine, then walking some more. I felt that we covered a lot of ground on foot in just a couple days. There is always more to see but the central part of Madrid is worth at least a couple days, and the perfect introduction to our two weeks in Spain.
The agent had great response to questions and coordinated well to create an itinerary that met our expectations.
Bob Sunshine
1 day ago
Very responsive to all questions
Teresa Cardoso
2 days ago
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!
Scott Gibson
2 days ago
Adventure Life is definitely a first-class safari tour company, and our representative was Franny Friesz. First of all, she responded immediately after we contacted Adventure Life. We told Franny that we had never been on a safari, and she was more than eager to offer a mountain of information about the trip. She informed us fully about all the ups, downs, and all arounds! She even prepared a number of packages for us to review -- even after we made changes to the areas we wanted to explore. Friendly, helpful, professional, and extremely knowledgeable -- these words describe Franny, and what a wonderful trip she prepared! We couldn't have asked for better service than Franny of Adventure Life. We HIGHLY recommend her and her outstanding company! Bon Voyage!
Prima Burke
3 days ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.