A group of 12 people got together for a special art, wine and food-focused trip to Madrid, Sevilla and Barcelona. Hotels, activities and food adventures were curated by me, and our own private guide Luca made all the museums accessible and fun. By the end of our time together, we were all great friends!
First was Madrid, where we stayed at the beautiful Villa Real across from the Palacio de las Cortes. Comfortable rooms with large bathrooms perfect for 2, everyone was very happy here. Also, there is an amazing permanent exhibit of Egyptian art that belongs to the owners of the hotel. Breakfast each day was a true delight – fresh, sweet fruit, hand-made pastries and breads, the best iberico ham (and I’ve had enough to know this was truly special!), eggs made to order, coffee drinks, etc. We were full for hours! The days we didn’t eat at the hotel, we visited Brown Bear Bakery just around the corner and that was fabulous – but, of course, pretty crowded most of the time. Excellent eggs, coffee, ·breakfast pastries, and even some lunch items.
The first night we met at the Villa Real cafe for tapas – wines, tortilla (which is a Spanish egg and potato dish), ham croquettes and I had picked up an assortment of holiday cookies for everyone to try: roscas de vino, polvorones, mantecados, etc. Most were made with almonds and everyone loved them. Several people also stopped at the turrón place to taste Spanish turrón which in its traditional form is a hard nougat made with honey and almonds and is quite delicious. These days, the turrón company sells so many varieties it is mind-boggling!
Dinner was at Zeraín, a Basque restaurant within walking distance from the hotel. I created a menu for everyone so that they could experience food they may not have tried or known to order. The menu was such that food restrictions were accommodated and everyone was able to eat things they would not normally have had. It was a hit!
Of course, we visited the Prado, The Thyssen, the Reina Sofia and the House of Sorolla, with Luca providing a presentation each evening of what we would see the next day and with ideas how to pace our time. At the museums, we stood close by as he highlighted specific pieces of art. Next time we’ll bring our own ” whisper system” with headphones and a mic for Luca so we can hear his insights. After each museum visit we had tapas and debriefed on what we saw and what we learned.
This is just highlights from first third of the trip, next blog post we’ll cover Sevilla and Barcelona.
