First-Timers' Exploration of Spain: Madrid, Toledo, Barcelona & Montserrat

THINGS TO DO IN MADRID

Most likely, when coming to Spain, you will be flying into Madrid's Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD). As the nation's capital, Madrid is the political hub of Spain. Although it is a modern cosmopolitan city, it still has maintained some historic neighborhoods featuring narrow streets.

The first day of any trip, I like to explore the city with a walking tour to get some background on the city. Although walking tours do not go inside buildings, they help set the tone for exploring the rest of the city. After a long day of traveling, the walking tour is the perfect way to start your trip without doing too much. Afterwards, go to the Market of San Miguel, a covered market serving a vast variety of tapas (small plates). From fresh seafood to superb cheeses, the market allows your palate to experience different tastes and textures of Spanish cuisine.

If you still have some energy on your arrival day, go to Retiro Park, a beautiful park where you can just relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. If you want, you can visit the Crystal Palace, a greenhouse that was built in the 1800s.

Start off your first full day at the central square of Madrid, the Plaza Mayor. The square you see today is not in its original form. With many fires that swept through the area, it has been changed and modified several times. In the square you will find government offices, cafes, souvenir shops and more.

Make your way to the Royal Palace of Madrid, current home of the royal family, where you can admire the marvelous architecture and stunning frescoes and tour the palace and its grounds.

Just across from the palace is the Almudena Cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral, which houses one of the largest crypts in the country.

Stop in a cafe for a snack, order a glass of sangria and a plate of delicious jamón ibérico — a dry cured ham from the leg of a pig. The color and taste are different depending on the how long the jamón was cured. You will find jamón on every menu in Spain.

After a day of sightseeing, have dinner at one of the many delicious restaurants and try some authentic paella followed by churros with a thick hot chocolate. For an evening delight, go experience a flamenco show and feel the passion of the music and dance.

THINGS TO DO IN BARCELONA

Travel within Europe is very easy, and the high-speed train is the quickest way you can get to Barcelona.

Barcelona is such a special destination full of very eclectic architecture inspired by the works of Antoni Gaudí. When you look at his work, you will be in disbelief and uncertain how he came up with the ideas.

My first recommendation, as I said before, is to do a walking tour to get some overall information about the city.

Basilica Santa Maria del Mar, located in the Gothic Quarter in the Ribera district, is a good example of Catalan Gothic architecture, and the details on the facade are so intricate. It is free to just walk around on your own but you can also choose to get a guided tour for a small fee.

Barcelona Cathedral, located in the Gothic Quarter, was built on the site of a Romanesque church. lt has over 200 gargoyles around watching over the city.

Take a midday break and walk over to the large open food market, La Boqueria. Here you will find so many vendors selling everything your stomach desires — from fresh produce to pastries and fresh meat to seafood — and many restaurants and bars to sample different foods. Coming on an empty stomach here can be dangerous, as everything looks so delicious and you will want to try it all.

Any time of the day, walk down La Rambla, a bustling mile-long street that connects Placa de Catalunya (a square in the center of the city) with the old city. Here you will find restaurants, shops, florists and street artists. You can relax, admire the different facades, have a drink and just people-watch. Although this is a very touristy area, you still need to pay a visit day or night.

Plaça del Rei is a very important square in the Gothic style that houses the Grand Royal Palace and other medieval buildings. It is believed that on the stairs of this palace, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella welcomed Columbus when he arrived home from his first voyage to the New World. Under the Plaça del Rei, you can tour the ruins that housed the Romans and get an idea about how they lived.

Now starts the Gaudí part of your trip —his work exceeded the architectural styles of this era. He used nature as an inspiration to majority of his works.

In one day you can visit the Casa Vicens, the first house that Gaudí was commissioned to design and which completely broke the norm of the period with its Hispanic Arabic inspiration. Every section of it, from the way the roof slopes to the way the railings were installed, was completely thought-out and had a specific purpose. You can purchase tickets for the tour when you get there.

Next is the Casa Battló, also known as the "House of Bones" due to its exterior appearance, which was designed to look like no other house. Every intricate detail inside is absolutely fascinating, from the walls that resemble fish scales to the design of the lightwell. You walk around there in absolute awe and amazement. The line to enter can be pretty long, but you can purchase tickets online to save time. It is also cool to visit Casa Batlló at night when it is lit up.

The next stop is Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera, meaning "stone quarry." This is a total work of art both from a constructional and functional point of view. Every doorknob and piece of furniture is placed in such a way to make it easy to operate. The rooftop has 28 chimneys that all were grouped specifically to serve a purpose. You can also buy tickets online here ahead of time.

On another day, buy your ticket online and start your morning by visiting the Park Güell, a magical park consisting of gardens and mosaic-tiled buildings. The park gets very busy, so the morning is the best time to visit. You can spend as little or as much time here as you want. Take a memorable picture on the iconic bench or just stroll around and admire all the architecture. Next, make your way to the Güell Palace, a mansion designed by Gaudí and commissioned by Güell. As you enter the home through the front iron gates, originally designed for horse-drawn carriages to enter, you are yet again just completely stunned by the ornate walls and ceilings.

The final absolutely must-see architectural landmark is the La Sagrada Familia, Gaudí's final project that he was working on when he died. This unique temple has been under construction for over a century and finally has a completion date of 2026. You must buy your tickets ahead of time — just select a time that you would like to enter and you'll be given a short window. If you miss your time, you do not get to enter. The best time to come is in the early morning or later in the day when the sun illuminates through the stained glass windows and disperses colors throughout. Certainly an amazing sight to see. This basilica really displays Gaudí's engineering intelligence and his love for nature. When you enter, the columns look like curved tree branches and the carvings of animals in the walls are spread throughout. Definitely go visit the crypt, the oldest part of the basilica, and see where Gaudí is buried.

Now it's time to make your way to the Castell de Montjuic, an old military fortress built on top of Montjuïc Hill. You can take a car, do an uphill walk or use the cable car. It's definitely worth a visit to get beautiful panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea. You can buy tickets onsite once you get there or purchase ahead of time online to avoid the lines.

Of course, Barcelona is the perfect destination to do some shopping. The Passeig de Gràcia is the luxury shopping street where you can find all the big luxury brands. Just don't forget you need to bring your passport with you if you intend to make any purchases.

If you are a soccer fan, check to see if there are any games during the course of your stay. Honestly, even if you aren't a big soccer fan, you should go to experience the atmosphere and passion that the fans exude. Walking up to the stadium, you see the vast number of people wearing jerseys, scarves and hats and showing their support for their team. It truly is an amazing experience.

DAY TRIP TO TOLEDO FROM MADRID

From Madrid, in less than 40 minutes by train, you can visit Toledo. Once the capital of Spain, it is a very important part of Spain's history. It is known as the "City of Three Cultures" due to the influence of the Catholic, Jewish and Muslim religions. These groups lived and worked in unity, giving Toledo the rich cultural foundation that made this medieval city so special. When you visit, you will see a variety of churches, synagogues and mosques throughout. Make sure you wear your comfortable walking shoes so you can fully immerse yourself in the rich history as you walk through the windy streets.

Take a stroll to the Jewish Quarter, where you will find the Sinagoga Di Transito and the Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca, the oldest standing synagogue building in Europe that was later turned into a church.

Visit the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, a beautiful temple built by Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand to commemorate the birth of their son. The grounds are beautiful to walk around.

The Cathedral of Toledo is a majestic, Gothic-style cathedral with intricate details and stunning religious artwork. You can climb up to the rooftop to see the panoramic views of the city.

The Alcazar of Toledo is a fortress at the highest point of Toledo now housing the army museum.

DAY TRIP FROM BARCELONA TO MONTSERRAT

An easy train ride from Barcelona, Montserrat means "separated mountain" and has a Benedictine monastery, which houses one of the few Black Madonnas and is situated at the top of an unusual rock mountain. The line to get close to the Black Madonna can be long, so keep that in mind if that is something you are interested in seeing. You can take a scenic cable ride up to the top, but to get even higher and experience more stunning views of the landscape, take the funicular. You can hike the several trails or just stroll around the town.

Places to eat in Madrid

• Lunch

  • Ástor: A delectable tapas bar that also has many gluten-free options

• Dinner

  • Sobrino de Botín: The world's oldest restaurant happens to be in Madrid

  • Street XO: This restaurant located inside the El Corte Inglés department store is a MUST! They don't take reservations, so you should arrive early to secure a seating at a reasonable time. You will most likely stand in a winding line of people in order to enter the restaurant. When you enter, you will feel like you're at a nightclub with dance music and bright colors. Most interestingly, the servers are all wearing straitjackets as their uniform. This place is known for their many delicious works of art but also for their unique cocktails. It truly is worth the wait!

  • Los Montes de Galicia: A cozy, not fancy place to try traditional Galician cuisine.

• Drinks

  • Stroll on Cava Baja street and you will find many bars serving a variety of wine and cocktails.

  • Rooftop at the Hyatt Centric

• Dessert

  • Chocolatería San Ginés: A very famous chocolate shop that opened in 1894 and serves churros with a thick hot chocolate.

Places to eat in Barcelona

• Lunch

  • La Boqueria: Go to the market and pick whatever your heart desires.

  • PinotXO: A great restaurant inside the market

• Dinner

  • Ciudad Condal: A very good tapas bar. They don't take reservations, so get there early to reserve your spot in line.

  • Cera 23: Off the beaten path, inside an alleyway, this is a fantastic place to have dinner with its innovative menu.