Barcelona & Madrid in 8 Days: Highlights from Our 2025 Rick Steves Tour
Dave, Liz and Gen Run, Ruck and TOUR Spain
Dave's STEPS (walk, ruck, run):
June 12 - 21,867
June 13 - 22,433
June 14 - 16,165
June 15- 23,692
Madrid
Spain’s capital carried weight and scale.
One of our favorites was running and rucking El Retiro Park. It was huge and so well kept. Just steps from the Hotel.
We took a high-speed train to Madrid, which at 185 mph got us there in just under 3 hours. Madrid is inland and above 2000 ft. in elevation, so the weather was hotter but drier, except for a thunderstorm the first day. Barcelona and Tarragona are along the Mediterranean, where we did dip our toes in the water. We stayed at the Soho Congresso Hotel, right near the Congress. The Royal Palace was closed for an event, so we didn’t get to see it, but we did get to see the Royal Collection. In the evening, we saw a great flamenco show. I gained a new appreciation for Picasso at the Reina Sofía where our guide Frederico described in great detail his masterpiece, Guernica. We also really enjoyed our time at the Prado Museum.
We got recommendations and tried to eat like the locals ate. Delicious!
We celebrated Dave's birthday in Madrid. He was treated with a bowl of caracoles.
We ate one of our lunches at the 7th floor rooftop of a large mall. The food was spectacular, not just for a mall but for anywhere. Dave had paella that was pretty good. Shopping center food in the US should be so good.
Thunderstorm rolling in
The Royal Collection and Palace area
The Madrid Stew from Lhardy was a definite highlight!
Guernica. I had no idea. The size, the symbolism, the story behind it. The group was provided with these little radio receivers with headsets. I usually just used only one earpiece. Frederico was a real actor and vibrantly acted out the story of what happened in the city of which the painting is named. I will not think that he "painted like a child" ever again.
285 km per hour!
We also ate at the oldest restaurant in the world!