Travel Like James

Ritz, Madrid Spain

 

The Ritz is a living legend among Madrid hotels, and its incomparable facade -- declared a national monument -- and interior high ceilings and graceful columns evoke the early-20th-century Belle Epoque era. One of Les Grands Hôtels Européens, the Ritz was built in 1908 by King Alfonso XIII, with the aid of César Ritz, in a time when spaciousness and luxury were standards. Therefore, the spacious and luxurious rooms -- all now tastefully modernized -- boast large closets, antique furnishings, hand-woven carpets, and bathrooms equipped with robes, dual basins, deluxe toiletries, and tub/shower combos. (Frommer's Madrid, 3rd Edition)

 

Mercado de San Miguel - Madrid, Spain

When in Marid, be sure and walk through the recently restored market near Plaza Mayor.

“It’s a traditional market for the 21st century,” said Ana Martín, a publicist for the 33 vendors loosely linked side-by-side under a soaring wood-and-iron roof. By day the Mercado woos residents and visitors alike, with purveyors hawking everything from produce to fish, fresh pastas to pastries, cookbooks to cooking utensils. After hours, the crowd shifts focus to beers and tapas; the frutería closes; a wine bar draws a genial mob. (NY Times 6/26/09)