The Making of Madrid
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Three Museums that Reveal Madrid Through the Ages
From when mammoths stalked the Manzanares River to when Napoleon stomped through the city’s gates, these three museums reveal Madrid through the ages. And the good news is, they’re all completely free! The Museum of San Isidro: The Origins of Madrid The first of my three museums that reveal Madrid through the ages is The Museum…
Quiet corners of the Prado
Out of the pandemic, there’s no perfect time to visit the Prado. Even if you visit first thing in the morning or during lunchtime – that’s 2 pm to 4 pm in Spain – you’ll still have to contend with crowds swarming around the museum’s greatest masterpieces. And while Velazquez’s Las Meninas, Goya’s Black Paintings and…
Best Day Trips from Madrid
While Madrid boasts fantastic art galleries and fabulous museums, if you’re interested in Spain’s Roman and medieval history, a day trip is your best bet. Only a short train or bus ride away, destinations like Segovia, Toledo, and Alcala de Henares never disappoint. Toledo Once the Visigothic capital of Spain, Toledo’s history goes all the way…
Three Myths About the Spanish Inquisition
Founded in 1478 to root out false Jewish converts to Christianity, the Spanish Inquisition was a bloodthirsty organization that killed between 5,000 and 10,000 people during its 350 year existence. Given these horrifying statistics, it might seem odd to say that the Spanish Inquisition wasn’t quite as bad as it has been made out to be…
Recent blog posts
Books about Madrid
Photo from Guide to Madrid’s Literary District by John Dapolito Last month my book A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District was published by Secret Kingdoms. To celebrate the launch, I’ve put together a reading list of other great books about Madrid that will give you a good grounding in local lore. Whether you’re a history buff…
What is Madrid made of?
Artists Minty Donald and Nick Millar of Erratic Drift answer the question, “What is Madrid made of?” in this special guest post written ahead of their exhibition opening. A close look at the city When we visit a city as tourists, we’re often urged to stand back and look up to appreciate the architecture, or to…
Cervantes: The Ultimate Late Bloomer
The ultimate late bloomer World Book Day on April 23 marks the date of Miguel de Cervantes’ death. The celebrated Spanish writer was the ultimate late bloomer. Even though he scribbled away for years, he didn’t find success until he was pretty long in the tooth. When I was writing my new book, a Guide to…
Book launch: A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District
I’m delighted to announce that A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District will be officially launched in Secret Kindoms bookshop on April 20, 2024! Illustrated by Nathan Brenville and published by Secret Kingdoms, the book is a glossy bilingual guide to Barrio de las Letras. In honour of Cervantes, the launch of A Guide to Madrid’s Literary…