Madrid - El Rastro, El Prado, Parque del Retiro

Another magical and long day in Madrid. We are getting our 20,000 steps in each day.

El Rastro market

With a later start we took some time to wander El Rastro, the Sunday open air flea market. We saw second hand goods, old vinyl records, and lots of trashy new goods like you’ll typically see in markets like this. It was crowded and vibrant.

After a lunch stop near the museum, we ventured into Museo del Prado for a three hour visit. We each had a self guided audio tour and saw as much as our brains and time would allow. Favorites: Las Meninas, The Garden of Earthly Delights, and The Cardinal.

The lake at Retiro

Up hill from the Prado is Retiro Park, where we stopped from a rest and beverage and enjoyed the people watching. Things got very active around the lake and Alfonso XII monument, with many boats in action and the lawn filled with picnicking groups.

Vermouth cocktail

We dined on a rooftop with the family of a friend of Mike’s, a now typical 3 hour affair that we are slowly getting used to. I convinced everyone to stop by a local vermouth bar (Taberna La Concha) and try the city’s signature cocktail. They had their own bespoke vermouth and my guess on the recipe: martini glass with ice and sweet vermouth, and splash of gin, and maybe a half ounce of Campari. Very tasty and a nice way to finish the evening.