Spain History

Escorial & Valley of the Fallen Tour 2025: A Madrid Day Trip Review

by

Escorial & Valley of the Fallen Tour 2025: A Madrid Day Trip Review So, you are in Madrid, and honestly, the idea of another day in the city, well, it just isn’t what you are looking for right now. You are kind of searching for a trip that offers a bit more substance, you know, something with a lot of history packed into it. That is where a day trip to the Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen literally comes into the picture. Frankly, this is not just a simple sightseeing excursion; it’s almost like stepping into a …

Read more

A Walk Through Madrid’s Hidden Islamic Past: A 2025 Tour Review

by

A Walk Through Madrid’s Hidden Islamic Past: A 2025 Tour Review You know, when you picture Madrid, your mind pretty much goes straight to grand plazas, royal palaces, and maybe some really amazing tapas bars. Honestly, that was me, too. I mean, I had this whole idea of the city built around the Hapsburgs and the Bourbons, stuff like that. So, it was kind of a surprise to learn that Madrid’s story, its very beginning, actually has completely different roots. As a matter of fact, the city we see today stands on the foundations of a 9th-century Islamic citadel called …

Read more