Spain's warm winter family travel - Madrid (full of details)

**Day 1: History and Art Meet in Madrid** Due to jet lag, our family of three woke up at five in the morning! The winter in Madrid is like a child who stays in bed and lingers until eight o'clock when the sun finally rises. Wrap yourself in a thick coat and rush out the door with your breath breathing out - the early morning chill is instantly dispelled by excitement! The first stop is Puerta del Sol, which is the "heart of the city" in Madrid! The statues of the bear and strawberry tree in the center of the square are so cute (the emblem of Madrid!), and the little one immediately rushed over to take a photo. Look down and find the **"Zero Point Landmark** (Kilómetro Cero) on the ground. All the road mileage in Spain is calculated from here. If we round it off, we are now "standing at the center of the country"! Next to it is a statue of King Carlos III riding a horse. This 18th-century "Madrid transformation maniac" is still nicknamed "the coolest mayor" by locals - after all, he built the street lights and sewers! Then we went into the alley and found the century-old shop Chocolatería San Ginés. This churro shop has been "feeding" the people of Madrid since 1894. The golden and crispy churros are dipped in thick hot chocolate, and you will instantly become a god after one bite! The little guy had a mouth full of "chocolate beard" and solemnly declared: "It tastes better than the donuts at Disney!" After filling your stomach, rush to the largest royal palace in Europe - **Palacio Real in Madrid**! This 18th-century Baroque building was formerly an Arab castle. In 1734, a fire burned for three days and three nights. Philip V slapped his thigh and said, "Build me a cool one!" So the Italian architect Sabatini took charge of the construction, and it took 26 years to complete! When I walked into the palace, I was so dazzled that I couldn't open my eyes: - **King's Hall** (Salón del Trono): The walls are covered with red velvet and gold leaves, and the Rococo style is extremely luxurious. There is also a painting of Titian's "Glory" hanging above the throne; - **Porcelain Hall** (Salón de Porcelana): 4,600 pieces of blue and white porcelain are pieced together to create a Chinese-style mural, custom-made during the Qianlong period, a perfect blend of Chinese and Western styles; - **Royal Armoury**: The little one stares at Charles V's golden armour with his eyes shining, "Mom! This is cooler than Iron Man's suit!" At noon, rush to **Mercado de San Miguel**, a food paradise under the glass dome! The ham slices looked like works of art, the olives were stuffed with salmon, the croquettes were bitten open and cheese flowed out like a waterfall... The little guy walked around the venue holding the tapas, and finally declared with his hands on his belly: "Spanish food is the most delicious science experiment in the world!" In the afternoon, I rushed into the free session of the **Prado Museum** (18:00-20:00 free!), and went straight to the three giants of the town: 1⃣ **Velázquez's "Las Meninas"**: Even Picasso copied this "painting within a painting" 58 times! The mirror reflects the king and his wife, and the painter himself is also peeking at you in the painting - the little guy counted for a long time: "Who is looking at who?" 2⃣ **Goya's "The Naked Maja"**: The Spanish version of "Mona Lisa", which almost led the painter to the Inquisition! The little boy asked a soul-searching question: "Why does the "clothed Maha" next to him have to wear clothes?" (Because the church is coming to inspect!) 3⃣ **Bosch's "Garden of Earthly Delights"**: A medieval version of "The Jungle Book", with rare and exotic animals flying all over the sky, leaving the whole family stunned - this imagination can be used as a science fiction movie script now! It started to drizzle when we left the museum, and Madrid in the winter rain seemed to be covered with a soft light filter. We walked on the wet cobblestone road, recalling the moonlight and Bosch's fantasy described by Goya, and ended this magical day. **✨ Travel Tips** - The Royal Palace of Madrid is now only used for state events, and the king and his family live in a small villa in the suburbs (Versailles: I didn’t expect it!) - Las Meninas Royal Palace of Madrid Prado Museum Puerta del Sol Torres Bermejas Flamenco Show San Miguel Market