After a full day of fabulous sights and vegan dining in Barcelona, I was ready to explore yet another Spanish city! Bright and early the next morning, I set forth on the 2 1/2 hour journey by the AVE “fast train” from Barcelona to Madrid! My visit would be a brief one. I only had one day to spare, so I carefully planned and timed each attraction to see and each meal to consume from early morning until my 8pm train took me back to Barcelona.

Upon arrival in Madrid, I was pleased to find that the Reina Sophia Museum was located just a short jaunt across the street from the Atocha train station. This world class art museum showcases renowned, contemporary Spanish artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Joan Miro. I spent approximately an hour focused on the works of the three aforementioned artists. Chills ran up my spine as I examined and contemplated Picasso’s famous piece “Guernica” which boldly depicts the consequences and devastation of war.

His “lighter” subjects were showcased throughout the museum as well.

Walking through town, I admired the Spanish architecture with its wrought iron balconies and colorful orange and yellow hues.

The Caixa Forum is a contemporary-looking building that is used as a museum and a cultural center. It is a noted landmark on the road to the world famous El Prado Museum.

After a brief 15 or so minute walk from the Reina Sophia, I arrived at the next place on my itinerary; the El Prado Museum. This museum showcases exhibits from more classical period artists including El Greco, Goya, and Velasquez. Artists from other regions of Europe are also on display. Due to my time constraints, I focused solely on the Spanish artists. My visit gave me just enough exposure to the major Spanish artists and their works!

A statue of the Spanish artist Goya stands near the entrance to the museum. I highly recommend a visit to this superb museum while in Madrid!

The lunch time hour had brought me to a vegan restaurant. Madrid is home to approximately seven, all vegan restaurants. Fortunately, the one that I had chosen for my mid-day meal, was a fairly quick walk from El Prado. Rayen Vegano (Rayen Vegano Restaurant) offers a wonderful weekend brunch!

I selected the hearty full brunch as my meal. A hot white tea started off my lunch selection.

Next, a toasted grain bread with tomato and olive oil was brought to me.

The special brunch included a raw juice, so I selected a mixed fruit juice containing apple, grape, mango, apricot, and orange.

A large bowl of granola arrived next. It included muesli, fruits, agave syrup, and homemade vegan yogurt.

Thusfar, everything tasted great! I loved the muesli and especially the homemade vegan yogurt!

The included soup was a tasty spinach and apple.

Another filing item arrived next: a tofu scramble with baked potatoes and greens. It was really good!

Finally, dessert arrived. I opted for the chocolate cake slice with caramel frosting. It was really scrumptious! What an amazing brunch! I recommend this option for those who want a great meal and to fuel their energy to walk around the city non-stop for many hours.

Plaza Mayor was next on my agenda. Around its perimeters, one can find various performers such as this mime.

The square is the main central plaza in the city. Built in the 16th century during King Philip III’s reign, the plaza was designated for political events and as a marketplace. It is currently used for restaurants, shops, and entertainment purposes. A statue of King Philip resides in the center.

Puerta del Sol was the next plaza that I visited. This is one of the busiest plazas in the city. A clock bell is rung on December 31st at midnight each year to mark the eating of the Twelve Grapes. Tradition teaches this is a a way to start the year with good luck. Many street performers can be found here, as well. The plaza was initially one of the gates in the city wall that protected Madrid during the 15th century. During that time period, it was also the spot where locals would go to hear the latest news proclaimed.

One of the popular landmarks in the Puerta del Sol Plaza is the El Oso Y El Madrono (the bear and the madrone tree):the symbol of Madrid. It is a must-do photo opp for any tourist in town!

As I strolled through the area, I again stood admiring the Spanish architecture and colorful buildings in my sight.

A few vegan shops were unable to fit into my schedule. EcoCentro(EcoCentro) is a vegan health food store and deli. Planeta Vegano (Planeta Vegano) is a vegan shop that sells vegan cheese and other foods, as well as vegan cosmetics. Justo Aki Ekoethicshop (Justo Aki Ekoethicshop) sells vegan shoes and handbags.

The Church of San Gines is one of the oldest churches in Madrid, from the medieval period of the 12th and 13th centuries. It is dedicated to Saint Gines.

I walked by a couple of medieval squares including Plaza de la Villa, on my way to the Royal Palace. The former town hall, constructed in the year 1644, is located here. The oldest building in the plaza is the Lujanes Tower, built in the 15th century and designed in the Mudejar style.

Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena is the main church of the Catholic diocese of Madrid. Construction began in 1883 but not completed until 1993.

Across the walkway is located the Royal Palace of Madrid. I was fortunate enough to tour its interior. The massive residence contains a wealth of artwork. Its exquisite furnishings and elaborately ornate walls and ceilings make it one of the most gorgeous palaces that I have ever visited! Though the palace is noted as the official home for the royal family in Madrid, it is typically used for state ceremonies only.

After my phenomenal tour of the palace, I headed across the street to Plaza Oriente to catch the metro to my dinner destination. The plaza is actually a park with beautiful gardens and examples of wealthy Spanish apartments from that time period.

Riding on the metro is easy to navigate. I arrived at the vegan tapas restaurant “VEGA”(VEGA Vegan Tapas Bar) just in time for dinner, before needing to get to the train station for my return journey to Barcelona! Tapas are traditional Spanish foods. Each small portion is similar to an appetizer. Spaniards typically go to tapas bars in early evening or late night to satisfy their hunger pangs before dinner or later in the night as a a snack. I dined on several tapas, thus making it my full dinnertime meal.

This all vegan tapas bar offer a nice variety of Spanish tapas, soups, salads, and main entrees. I chose a few tapas for my dinner meal. My selections included: foccacia with marinated aubergine, peppers and mushrooms; roasted potatoes with salsa; and mushroom croquettes. They were accompanied by a vegan mayo dip. The mayo contained flavorful herbs. What a delicious meal! Each and every tapas was unique and presented my palette with tasty morsels! I really loved my dinner! I highly recommend that vegan visitors to Madrid find some time in their schedule to dine at VEGA!

My time touring Madrid had come to a close. It was time to head back to the train station. However, before going into the station, I made a stop at a churros cafe. These treats are popular in Spain. Churros are vegan by nature. They are similar to fried dough, but shaped into long strips. I purchased a couple of them and sprinkled some cinnamon on top. They were a wonderful tasty treat to end the evening!

When the train arrived back in Barcelona, I had to catch some sleep, before getting up bright and early for my flight back home to the United States. The next morning, I headed to the airport feeling really pleased that I was able to accomplish and see everything on my itinerary during this short visit!

During the flight, Aer Lingus succeeded again in meeting my expectations for a decent vegan meal! An entree of rice and white beans with steamed broccoli, peppers, and mushrooms was served to me. It was accompanied by a salad and a bowl of mixed fruit.

I really enjoyed my visit to Spain! Though it was brief, I was able to see everything on my itinerary and feel as though my mini-vacation captured the essence of Barcelona and Madrid! The attractive architecture, stunning artistic exhibits, impressive medieval old town sights, and scrumptious vegan dining made this a memorable holiday!