On our second day in Madrid, we drove around the city once more, but this time stopped at some of the major landmarks – Royal Palace, Sabatini Gardens, Almudena Cathedral, Basilica de San Francisco El Grande, Plaza de Cibeles, Puerta de Alcala, Buen Retiro Park, Gran Via, and Puerta del Sol, where we had the chance to take some pictures and do some souvenir shopping. By noon, our Tour Director left us at Plaza Mayor to enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants around the ar

We arrived in Madrid in the mid-afternoon and received a grand welcome as we entered the Puerta de Alcala. This is the famous gate erected in 1778 and was the first arch built in honour of the triumph of Europe. Madrid is Spain’s capital city, the seat of government, the residence of the Spanish monarchs, and the centre of politics, economy, and culture. Yet, despite the modern infrastructures, it has preserved the look and feel of its historic neighborhoods. Like school chil