Celebrating the Christmas holidays in Spain. We explored Madrid and Barcelona. And enjoyed many tapas, which are like appetizers. Wine and beer are a big part of Spain's meals, and are available at many restaurants for less than 2 euros - some places even include wine in their menus. Know your limit.
Madrid
We stayed at Melia Princesa in Madrid, walking distance from Gran Via shopping district and the Royal Palace.
Mercado de San Miguel (large food market), plazas, and Crystal Palace in Parque del Retiro.
Templo De Deblod, originally built in Egypt. The temple was dismantled and donated to Spain, where it was rebuilt in a park in Madrid.
Cable car ride, which goes between Oeste park and Casa de Campo park. Great views of Madrid, including the Royal Palace and cathedral.
Royal Palace of Madrid, the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, and is mainly used for state ceremonies. The palace is beautiful, outside and inside.
Cathedral of Madrid. There are also bell performances on Sundays.
Barcelona
We took a high speed train Madrid to Barcelona, less than 3 hours ride. Barcelona hosted the summer Olympics in 1992, and the city grew into a major tourist destination since then. The city is a popular stop for cruises. We stayed at H10 Casanova hotel - they welcomed us with champagne.
La Rambla, a busy pedestrian street filled with restaurants and shops. Our favorite restaurant is La Fonda, just a couple blocks off La Rambla. La Fonda has meal combo deals where you have a starter, entree, dessert, and wine for 10-20 euros. Plus, the restaurant has an upscale atmosphere. There are some great sights near La Rambla, including the Columbus Monument, cathedral, and Barcelona History Museum (where you walk through a Roman temple underground).
Montjuic, a hilltop park with gardens and museums. There are great views of Barcelona from Montjuic. Montjuic was the site of the 1992 Olympics, and visitors can see the stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies were held as well as track and field events. There is also a cable car ride up to the Castell de Montjuic, an old fortress.
La Sagrada Familia, a Roman Catholic Church and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Construction started in 1882, and is ongoing today with 2026 as the scheduled completion year. Gaudi oversaw the project until his death in 1926. The church is an architectural marvel filled with colors. Lines to get in can be very long, so I recommend purchasing timed tickets in advance online. We waited around 5 minutes to get in with our advanced tickets.
Park Güell, a large park on Carmel Hill filled with architecture reflecting the design of Gaudi. The park has Gaudí House-Museum which Gaudi lived in for nearly 20 years. Great views of Barcelona, the Mediterranean Sea, and Montjuic.
New Years Eve in Barcelona, at the Magic Fountain in Montjuic park.
Madrid
We stayed at Melia Princesa in Madrid, walking distance from Gran Via shopping district and the Royal Palace.
Mercado de San Miguel (large food market), plazas, and Crystal Palace in Parque del Retiro.
Templo De Deblod, originally built in Egypt. The temple was dismantled and donated to Spain, where it was rebuilt in a park in Madrid.
Cable car ride, which goes between Oeste park and Casa de Campo park. Great views of Madrid, including the Royal Palace and cathedral.
Royal Palace of Madrid, the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, and is mainly used for state ceremonies. The palace is beautiful, outside and inside.
Cathedral of Madrid. There are also bell performances on Sundays.
Barcelona
We took a high speed train Madrid to Barcelona, less than 3 hours ride. Barcelona hosted the summer Olympics in 1992, and the city grew into a major tourist destination since then. The city is a popular stop for cruises. We stayed at H10 Casanova hotel - they welcomed us with champagne.
La Rambla, a busy pedestrian street filled with restaurants and shops. Our favorite restaurant is La Fonda, just a couple blocks off La Rambla. La Fonda has meal combo deals where you have a starter, entree, dessert, and wine for 10-20 euros. Plus, the restaurant has an upscale atmosphere. There are some great sights near La Rambla, including the Columbus Monument, cathedral, and Barcelona History Museum (where you walk through a Roman temple underground).
Montjuic, a hilltop park with gardens and museums. There are great views of Barcelona from Montjuic. Montjuic was the site of the 1992 Olympics, and visitors can see the stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies were held as well as track and field events. There is also a cable car ride up to the Castell de Montjuic, an old fortress.
La Sagrada Familia, a Roman Catholic Church and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Construction started in 1882, and is ongoing today with 2026 as the scheduled completion year. Gaudi oversaw the project until his death in 1926. The church is an architectural marvel filled with colors. Lines to get in can be very long, so I recommend purchasing timed tickets in advance online. We waited around 5 minutes to get in with our advanced tickets.
Park Güell, a large park on Carmel Hill filled with architecture reflecting the design of Gaudi. The park has Gaudí House-Museum which Gaudi lived in for nearly 20 years. Great views of Barcelona, the Mediterranean Sea, and Montjuic.
New Years Eve in Barcelona, at the Magic Fountain in Montjuic park.
