Madrid was our second choice after Taipei for moving abroad. After spending 10 days there – and despite the terrible heat – we agreed we would be happy to live in this enthralling city.
Madrid seamlessly blends the action of a big metropolis with the charm of a historic place. It is vast but also concentrated. Each neighborhood has plenty of awesome restaurants, shops, and things to see/do. The population is diverse, which means more options for international cuisines. 😋
On our first full day in Madrid, we went to Retiro Park, which is a massive green oasis in the middle of the city. It’s beautiful – perfectly manicured lawns, rose gardens, lakes, playgrounds and even a public library nestled inside! It was a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Madrid.
We stopped for lunch at Casa Toni, a restaurant famous for making offal tapas. We munched on spicy pig ears, tripe, sweetbreads, and lamb intestines. Our favorites were the pig ears and sweetbreads. I’m glad C and O have an adventurous appetite.
Afterward, we walked down the block to eat gambas al ajillo, or shrimp with olive oil, garlic and parsley. It was a tapa I absolutely loved when I visited Spain 14 years ago – and it’s still as good as I remembered! It’s one of the pricier tapas at around €12 per plate.
Of course we also had to stop by the Museum of Jamón.
At this point, the heat was getting intense and the kids were complaining. This is where bribes can come in handy! 😆 We brought the boys to the historic San Ginés Chocolate Shop and had churros with chocolate, a favorite treat in Madrid. The churros were airy and light, and the chocolate was silky smooth and not too sweet. The boys were satisfied with this bribe.
We lived in the Moratalaz district of Madrid. It’s a quiet residential neighborhood with mostly locals but it was so far from the city center that we had to commute 30-40 minutes by bus each day. Thankfully, we had 10 days so there was enough time for traveling back and forth, but it’s not a neighborhood we’d recommend for short stays. (There was however, a fabulous outdoor pool near our Airbnb that we loved hanging out at!) If we were to move to Madrid, our neighborhood picks would be either Retiro (we just love Retiro Park!) or ChamberÃ, also a quiet residential area but very central.
Hongs Abroad 