5 posts tagged with "2024"

View over Lago di Garda from Riva.

(...) it's the place I will remember for the rest of my life.

I've been meaning to write a yearly review, and I aim to stick to the plan. It's already June 2025 and 2024 came to a close quite a while ago. What can I say? I've been a bit busy, and maybe a bit uninspired. However, 2025 has been for me one of the best years in my life, and I've wanted to share a bit about it. There were some good parts, some not so good, and some that were actually amazing. I've met the love of my life, and for the first time ever, things have beginning to feel as they should have. I feel I'm in the right place and I'm excited for whatever comes next. I'm happy.

Goals for 2024​

In my 2023 year in review, I also set some goals for myself, and there were some successes.

Let's see.

• Finish the A11y course and do 2 more courses on Frontend Masters. Same as last year, but I'll actually do it.

  Did it, it's done. It was a good course, but not as useful as others to be honest. I would recommend it for accessibility beginners, not so much for experienced.

• Read at least 10 books. Again, same as last year.

  Fell short, unfortunately. How short? Keep on reading.

• Go on a trip to Asia. Anything really, Japan, China, Thailand. All three. I don't care, but I want to go there.

  Nope. But I feel 2025 has something in the works.

• Bump Downshift to v9. We do have in plan some API changes, apart from the fixes we want to implement.

  Yep, we're at v9, and we improved the API and Typescript.

• Cook 3 new recipes.

  I didn't. But I "helped".

• Hike at least 6 times. Once every couple of months. Should not be too difficult.

  Exceeded it, by one, and most of the trails were in Tenerife!

• Make a big move. It has been quite some time since I did not do anything radical, ever since I came back from Prague in 2020. I feel that it's time I changed something dramatically about myself.

  Unfortunately nothing to share here.

• Start doing yoga.

  I'm still struggling to do things at home, whether it's yoga, reading, dancing.

It's a mix of things, no doubt. I believe my morning routine suffered a bit, and, as a consequence so did some of my goals.

Coding Stuff​

I became more confident in my role as a Senior Engineer in Microsoft, and led a few critical initiatives, which are now in production by the way. It feels great to see your work used and useful, and I would like this to continue in the future. I am lucky to be able to choose what I would like to work on, and even though these are becoming quite uncertain times for software engineers, I'm confident that my dedication to deliver a great experience for users, build things the right way and learn continously will help me be successful in the future as well.

My Downshift continued, and now I plan to refactor it to Typescript, while also improving its API offerings. The refactor is not a trivial one, given all the generic functions we use, but it's a great challence and I enjoy working on it so far. As part of the developer experience I was able to write an article about how we inform our cosumers about calling the API correctly.

And Downshift was not my only OSS contribution. I'm happy to say I successfully pushed a change in jest-dom and also wrote an article based on this contribution.

Hobbies​

I continued taking salsa classes and feel that I improved quite a lot. I'm not going out as much as I used to, but still joined a couple of dance festivals, in Sunny Beach and Brasov. However, I miss bachata to be honest, but there is literally so much we can do. I am going to the gym 3 times per week, with an extra day which is either basketball or body bump. Working out became a priority since I fell it's becoming more difficult to stay in shape. Maybe it's because I'm not running as much as I used to, and I believe that cardio helped me significantly to lose fat and just feel better.

Land of Legends Antalya	Palermo Architecture

I'm happy that my girlfriend supports my hiking hobby directly, and we went on a few trails both in Romania and in Tenerife. When I went to Tenerife by myself I also included some trails in the itinerary, and they were so spectacular. I will always remember the Mount Guajara trail where I kind of had a heat-stroke, or the trails around Punta del Hidalgo in the Anaga natural park. It always feels great to climb stuff, it helps clear the mind and the sights are always incredible.

Books​

Same as before, 10 books at least, but this year, wow, it has been quite bad. I'm not proud of it, and 2025 feels the same unfortunately. In any case, the books I managed to read were not bad at all.

1. The Great Expectations, Charles Dickens. It was a great tale, a bildungsroman, of Pip, and how he perceived family, friends, love, and society in 19th century England. I might re-read David Copperfield after this, since I remember nothing since I've read it in childhood.
2. The Intelligent Investor, Benjamin Graham. Filled with a lot of terminology and graphics and studies, it actually proved to be quite useful to my amateur investor mindset. Or should I say passive?
3. Animal Farm, George Orwell. Probably my favorite out of the whole list, it opens up a lot of doors of thinking about politics, work and the world in general.
4. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown. I had little expectations from it, given that I'm not really a fan of the genre, but it impressed me by the pace of the story, as well as the plot itself. Really good!

That's it, that's the list. I need to do better next year, damn.

Travelling​

I thought 2023 was crazy. 2024 was incredible. Take a deep breath, here they are:

• Madrid, January. A great start. A great city, simply beautiful, everything about it was great. I fell in love with it, would definitely return for a Real match.
• Athens, February. A great continuation. A trip about coffee, food, long walks, and the Greek architecture.
• Bellagio, March. Biking around Lake Como is always a good idea!
• Tenerife, April. This is paradise. So much to see, so much to do, 2 weeks is simply just not enough. It needs at least one more trip. Oh wait ...
• Palermo, May. It was a great follow up to the Catania trip, and it's the place I will remember for the rest of my life. Will come back for an opera show.
• Prague, June. Working trip, but always great to be back over there.
• Lago di Garda, July. Biking around the Garda lake is always a good idea. It was refreshing to see the lake again, this time on 2 wheels, after a previous cruise we did a few years ago (also a biking trip). Definitely a place to visit again and again.
• Vienna, August. Despite the hot temperatures, the city is a gem, and we enjoyed both the Schonbrunn and mami im vierten brun place.
• Stockholm, September. Interesting city, a great follow up to Oslo from the year before. The cruise around the city canals was really cool, and the pizza was not bad either.
• Antalya, September. Shifting gears, enjoying the beach vibes one last time for 2024. Or not. Anyway, it's great to grab a pumpkin cream cold brew and then go to the beach bar. Antalya probably impressed me the most, apart from Tenerife. Definitely a place I will return soon, and not for the all inclusive.
• Budapest, October. It's one of the best cities to eat in, period. And the sights, wow. The Parliament, Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, and of course, Gellert, the legendary place from Hitman.
• Seville-Tenerife-Valencia, December/January. Because Wizz Air direct flights are expensive. Anyway, one of the best trips in my life. So far.

12 trips in total. I will take that, thank you very much.

Us hiking in Tenerife

Goals for 2025​

Let's see.

• Get promoted at work.
• 1 course from Frontend Masters done.
• Refactor Downshift to Typescript and release useTagList.
• Read 6 books at the very least.
• Go to Thailand.
• Travel at least 6 times.
• Keep doing sports at least 4 times per week.
• Start waking up at 6 AM again.
• Start running again, at least once a week.
• Decrease my phone screen time to 1 hour and 45 minutes per day.

Until next review folks! I hope you also had an amazing 2024, and 2025 will be better!

Rural Park of Anaga view near the ocean.

There's also a Starbies on the promenade, perfect to sip on a Cold Brew while watching surfers just getting destroyed by the waves. Oh, bliss.

Surf's up! It was time for a much more longer trip, and the place we chose was Paradise. Tenerife does have a reputation. It's a go-to place for many Europeans, as it's not very far from home, it's warm, it's beautiful, and there's so much to do, from lying on the beach to hiking next to a volcano. Our hopes were higher than the volcano, honestly, and we were not prepared to be disappointed.

Las Americas & Los Cristianos​

We initially decided to book an airbnb in the Las Americas surfing and slow lifing part of Adeje, but unfortunately, the place turned out to be quite bad, and we moved out the next day. Not a very good start, but we eventually were over it, as we moved to a better apartment in the town next to Adeje, Los Cristianos. As a rule of thumb, make sure the accomodation has great and many reviews, otherwise there may be surprises, and, frankly, you don't want to stay in a dump while in Paradise.

Buenavista del Norte	Pine Forest on the road to Teide

Los Cristianos is a nice place to stay while in Tenerife. The weather is great, it has a few beaches, albeit quite standard city beaches. The more exotic ones are further away, we'll get to those in a minute. We found a nice Romanian owned coffee shop in town, Norio, which was great, even though there was no speciality coffee option. Too bad. However, for food options, well, oh my Lord. Just a few: Palmera for brunch, El Cine for fish and Sal Fina for Italian. What I liked a lot was the promenade along the beach, that stretches from Los Cristianos all the way to Las Americas. It's a great place to have a run during the morning, or a relaxing walk at dusk. There's also a Starbies on the promenade, perfect to sip a on Cold Brew while watching surfers just getting destroyed by the waves. Oh, bliss. Oh, probably important. Rent a car.

Now, I get it. The place is 100% for tourists, no doubt. Half of the UK was there, especially in the Las Americas part. But for good reason. When you just sit on the beach, or on the balcony, and just look into the distance at the landscape filled with picturesque mountains and cliffs, you realise that the place is really special, and you're suddenly happy you're there. I was for sure, and was terribly excited to discover some nature, which brings me to ...

Mount Guajara​

Was it a great idea to choose the Mount Guajara trail for a hiking session? Definitely. Was it so poorly planned that everything turned out to be on the edge? Also yes. At the end of the trip, I was exhausted, sunburned, out of water, the sun was setting and it became quite windy and cold. All worth it, and lessons were learned.

The Teide National Park is probably the number one spot in Tenerife, with a scenery so incredible you'd probably mistake it for Mars. It's really special. Right across the famous Teide volcano, there's another peak, not as high as the former, but definitely imposing: Mount Guajara. And, surprise, surprise, it has a hiking trail that starts from the Cañada Blanca, just off the main road. The trail itself is not easy. There's a lot of walking at the start, then the climbing begins steadily. The difficulty itself is not the climbing itself, but the steady pace you need to have in order to reach the peak in time, as well as come down the other part of the trail, that's more abrupt. It may be a better idea to do it the other way around, climb like hell and then steadily come down to the summit.

Mount Guajara Trail landscape	Teide Volcano

And there's the sun. Look, the landscape does look like you're on Mars, and there are no trees on Mars. No shade. Zero. Consequently, it would have been a great idea to pack enough sunspray, more water, and a cap. Apart from these minor inconveniences, the trail offers incredible views and it's enough challenging such that, when coming back to the car, you're filled with a refreshing sense of accomplishment and happiness. AllTrails was my hero and helped me not get lost, even though the trail itself is quite well marked physically.

And there's the main view, at the top. There are a couple of reasons to climb on top of Mount Guajara. Firstly, you can see Mount Teide very well from the top, and, well, everything else around you. It helped me trully appreciate the beauty of the Teide National Park. And secondly, Mount Guajara served as an astronomical observatory. I would assume that it's a great place to spend the evening and see the stars. All in all, even though the trail really makes you work for the views, I would say it's a must do if you're a hiking fan and plan to go to Tenerife. Just, pack accordingly, please.

Mirador Aguaide​

Chaning gears, but not the car, I chose as my next hike to be in the Anaga Natural Park, also a must see if you're spending time in Tenerife. It's on the opposite side of the island, and it takes a bit more than an hour to get there from Los Cristianos. Once I got there, the scenery changed abruptly yet again. No more Los Cristianos beach vibes, or mountain volcanoes on Mars. This time, I was deep into the Jumanji jungle, and it was just staggering! We parked the car at the Cruz del Carmen, a parking spot that served as the start of the trail, which was supposed to be a downhill hike all the way to Punta del Hidalgo. The parking place is convenient, although it lacks any security cameras, so don't forget to lock your car.

Since the trail was supposed to be quite long all the way to the end, I've decided to cut it short, at least to the Mirado Aguaide, especially because getting back was supposed to be much harder. Starting the trail, your usual vine forest trails, all dark, humid and full of mud. However, after about half an hour downhill into the forest, the trail cleared up, and the really beautiful scenery started to show itself. We were walking on the edge of the cliffs, with a deep valley to our left, and the cliffs were filled with trees, aloe vera as tall as trees and some picturesque houses scattered around. This view, combined with the gorgeous sun rays we cought, made the view so good that it was nothing short of perfection.

Cruz del Carmen Trail Landscape	Masca Landscape

We walked next to ravines, then some people's homes, then through a sheepfold, and eventually we reached the village of Chinamada. There, we took a 2 minutes break, before doing the last part of the hike, a 10 minute uphilll to the scenic spot, Mirador Aguaide, our destination. From here, we could just admire the jagged peaks of the Anaga, like a fortress against the vastness of the ocean. It was quite late and we had to get back, but the view was just intoxicating, and it made me feel so happy to be alive and be part of this beautfiul world. I'm lost for words, but really, if you're in Tenerife, I would definitely recommend going there, either from Carmen, or from Hidalgo, or just by car all the way to Chinamada, although I do believe the feeling is more potent after a few hours of breaking a sweat and enjoying the Anaga hilly landscape.

Life's a Beach​

Enough hiking (for now), let me tell you a thing or two about the beaches in Tenerife. Yes, the ones in the South are quite good to just relax, grab a coffee from Starbies, or two, go for surfing and whatnot. Los Cristianos or Duque ar really good, but it's not setting them apart in any way. Just your regular golden sand beach, close to the shopping center, a few palm trees here and there. Las Teresitas is probably more impressive, due to its size, so if you're planning to stay or take a trip to Santa Cruz, definitely check that out. I especially liked the fact that the water was quite warm, warm enough to go for a quick swim.

Bollullo Santa Ursula Trail Landscape	Benijo Black Sand Beach

On the other hand, I believe that Tenerife is actually more about natural beaches, and there are quite a few of them, especially those with black sand. Those are, indeed, quite special. We went to Bollullo, right next to Puerto de la Cruz, and it was a blast! Great scenery, perfect sand, beach bar up the coast, and a great sunset mix of colors that were perfect for taking pictures. Other great beaches we went to were Playa del Roque de las Bodegas and Playa de Benijo, but these are more up to the north, in the Anaga Park region. However, picture this. You just came back fron a hiking trip in Anaga, it's the afternoon, and you just throw your hiking shoes, crash on a beach with black sand and enjoy the calming sound of the waves.

More Trips and Hikes​

One nice hike we did was around the Plaja del Bollullo, in the Santa Ursula area, which was more like a walk overlooking the beaches. Until the walking stopped, and a full climbing session started, until we reached the Mirador a Santa Ana, with a great view over the area. Afterwards, it was time to enjoy the rest of the day on the Bollullo beach, which you probably guessed by now, it's my favorite. Another good hike we did is in Anaga, starting from Benijo and climbing to the Mirador Cabezo del Tejo. The landscape on that part of the Anaga is not as impressive as the one around Aguaide, but it was still worth to enjoy the Anaga cliffs embracing the ocean. All from an altitude of 900m.

Cabezo del Tejo Trail Landscape	Garachico

Last hike I will mention, which is more of a walk, is on the road to the Teide national park, as you're going from the South. This area is covered with pine trees, which, again is different from other areas of the island. And this is probably the most incredible part of Tenerife. It's not a big island, but there are so many different areas in terms of vegetaion and landscape, that you can easily forget that you're on the same island. Anyway, this walk is through a pine forest, which is split into 2 by a swathe of basalt, a kind reminder that the volcano is still active.

You probably think that all I did during the trip was hiking, but that's not really the case. We also went for day trips to different areas of the island, all of which I really recommend. Some worth mentioning are:

• Mount Teide by cable cart, it's really cool to be on top of the volcano.
• Masca Village, just make sure the driver is not the emotional kind, as the road is really challenging.
• El Rayo Buenavista Del Norte, perfect for a walk close to the ocean and taking pictures with unique landscapes.
• Garachico, which has a great restaurant, Silogia.
• Puerto de la Cruz, where I was introduced to the Zaperoco.

That's a Wrap​

Tenerife is probably one of my favorite places so far, along with the Algarve in Portugal, or New York. There's so much to do, and so much to see, and the weather is almost always great. Consequently, I've went there a second time last year, during the Christmas break, and I would still go there tomorrow if possible. I love it, it deserves the hype, I can't find much against it. As long as you rent a car, book an accomodation that has many good reviews and a great rating, and you make sure to keep your bags secure, the place is really nothing short of Paradise on Earth.

Mount Guajara Trail	Cruz del Carmen - Punta del Hidalgo Trail

Bollullo - Santa Ursula Trail	Benijo - Draguillo Trail

Lecco view of the Lake Como.

Just reading a book and enjoing a coffee. Niiice.

I've been contemplating of booking a cheap flight to Milan, only with a backpack, rent a car, drive all the way to Como to a hotel near the lake and stay for a couple of nights. And, while there, rent a bike, pack a sandwich and a San Benedetto, pick a couple of trails and don't look back. Maybe you should, too.

Found a nice hotel in Bellagio that had breakfast included, Seta. There was also a bike renting shop nearby, Bike It! Bellagio, and the best thing about it was that they had a website which contained a few bike trail suggestions, so it was easy to start the trip with minimum preparation. Bellagio, as a town is quite nice, but there was a lot of construction going around and there weren't many places to eat or have a coffee, at least I did not find any. That was not on the convenient side, but the main topic of the trip was biking, so I forgave the shortcoming.

Bellagio - Como and back​

A quite classic trip to start with, not very hard, but not very easy, as it involved a few ups and downs along the way. The first checkpoint was the town of Nesso, as it was almost half way to Como and had a couple of highlights: a waterfall and a small bridge, Orrido di Nesso. It's worth a visit, don't mind the reviews on Google, you don't need to be a pro climber to take the stairs. There is also a small bar nearby, Bar la Cascata, to recharge the batteries with a authentic Italian espresso and croissant.

View of the Alps on Como	Boat on the Como Lake

Back on the road and Como was not that far away, and the ride was pleasant. Legend says that George Clooney owns a villa somewhere in the area, but I was not lucky enough to find it. Dropping by and enjoing one cup of his Nespresso was totally planned for the trip. Shame. Anyway, arrived in Como, beautiful as ever, and quite crowded for March. The weather was nice, though, so I guess that was the reason for such a large audience. But there was not enough time to loiter, as daylight was not going to last forever in order to bike back to Bellagio. There was a ferry to catch in Griante in order to make it back to Bellagio. This second part of this trip was not that pleasant, since it involved picking up the pace and avoid being on the road at night.

That being said, even with the faster pace, I did manage to enjoy the splendid scenery Como has to offer. Every corner of water, every boat, every villa on the shore, every bird in the sky. Everything was just perfectly part of the scenery and it makes sense why owning a property on the lake is such a good idea. Just reading a book and enjoing a coffee. Niiice.

Overall it was 65km ride and someone deserved some rest.

Griante - Villa del Balbianello - Porlezza and back​

Day 2, and surprisingly, not everything was hurting that much. For the second part of the trip, I chose a route that involved going north all the way to Lake Lugano. It started by taking the ferry from Bellagio to Griante, and a short visit to Villa del Balbianello, in order to start things slow. After enjoying the very well trimmed courtyard, it was time to hit the road again, and the route went north to Menaggio but before entering the city, the route would diverge from the main road, and it was uphill time baby. After this challenging part, the route went west.

Lago di Piano	Villa del Balbianello

The route was actually not that scenic to be honest, but it had a special bike lane all the way, which was much appreciated. However, there was nothing that special about the countryside, just farms, villages and a few cows here and there. Lago de Piano was actually beautiful, with it being next to the mountains, and it proved to be a good place to take a break. After taking a few pics of this gorgeous mountain lake, it was time to finish the first half of the route, in Porlezza. This very cozy town, just next to Lake Lugano, has a very nice boardwalk to enjoy the lake from, and right next to it, a gelato place. How thoughtful!

After a very needed break with coffee and icecream to lift the spirits back up, it was time to head back home. The route back was different until Menaggio, and this time, it was pure torture. It was a lot, and a lot, and a lot of uphill. I died at least 5 times until reaching Naggio, the place where the route would change from uphill to full speed downhill. Which was supposed to be good, right? Wrong, as the downhill part was so steep, and it involved so many turns, it proved that all the torture involved for reaching it proved to be not such a good investment. Ideally, folks, do this one the other way around.

Anyway, the route was shorter than the first one, only 47km, but I believe it was quite more challenging, due to all that uphill part. But eating icecream next to the Lake Lugano? Priceless.

Lecco​

Day 3, time to go back home. Since the flight was scheduled for the evening, Lecco was decided to become the third and last stop of the trip. The weather was a mix of sun and rain, which was not all bad, given the really great pictures I managed to take as a result of the shifting light. The town itself is quite nice to stop for half a day, but the best bits involve the scenery. The view towards Corni di Canzo is simply breathtaking, and I highly recommend going for a walk along the Como promenade and enjoy the views. Quite impressive, and, again, the sunlight really made it even better.

View of the Alps from Bellagio	Sunset over Como from Tremezzo

After going for a pizza (duuuh) at Pizzeria la Rosa and for a coffee (double duuh) at Coffee&Coffee, it was time to take the rental to the car lot, enjoy the airport van ride and the short trip back home. Biking on the Como proved to be an excellent choice for a weekend getaway, and there would be more such trips in the future for sure.

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

But anyway, here I was, Syntagma square, baby.

Ever had that urge to just go some place, do nothing but eat, chill, have a few walks with some coffee in between. Well, folks, how about some Athens in February? After enjoying Madrid and Malaga in January and December, I developed quite a passion for Mediterranean destinations during winter. All I wanted was some place that was still warm, not that crowded but still offering relevant stuff to do. And Athens really hit the nail in the head on this one.

Also, as a side note, notice that I'm writing about my February trip at the end of September. I'm quite behind on this little travel blog I have going on, and I decided to cut my articles short. I'll focus only on the good stuff, throw some of the best pictures and I'll wrap it up sooner than expected. I'm not going aiming to turn this blog into the Song of Ice and Fire.

Athens Food & Walks​

So, Athens. A very short flight from Bucharest. The train from the airport to the city center takes longer than the flight, and it's even less enjoyable. That says a lot considering I travelled low cost. But anyway, here I was, Syntagma square, baby. I took my bags and went by bus to Koukaki, this popular neighbourhood right next to old town, with more restaurants, bars and cats than you can count. So, what's so special about the place? Well, it's the chill place full of stuff to eat and drink that I was looking for. Found the local coffee shop, Caffeine Dealer, and realised that Espresso Freddo and Iced Flat Whites are a thing. Completely changed my life, this. As for eating, hmm, I would probably say Karimino, Neratzia and Bite Box are quite nice, with both brunchy things but also late meals.

Building on the Acropolis	View of Athens from the Acropolis

There's also a nice Turkish place just next to Koukaki, Cappadocia Grill Cafe, where you can enjoy a good old Adana Kebab or some chicken if you prefer lighter meat. However, probably the best place to get something to eat is the city center. There's Usurum Brunch & Cocktails, with one of the best pancakes in the world. There's Choureal, with, well, you can figure this one out. And Dope Roasting, with coffee and some quick bites that are also healthy. This place is also quite popular to work remotely. Right next to old town there's also Coffee Joint, where you can eat the most civilized omelette, have an orange juice and be on your way, no fuss included.

But, Silviu, Athens is a great cultural spot, one of the most relevant cities of the Antiquity, with so much to offer in terms of culture and history and much much more. Yeah, I've been to the Acropolis, it was nice, quite well preserved. Oh well, visiting sights and museums was not the point, so I did not bother that much. Anyway, there was another sight, sort of, that I visited as a recommendation from a friend, and that was the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. Apparently, some naval shipping tycoon built this place and, when I first saw it, I was not sure if I was still in Athens. It seemed like a building you would find more likely in Oslo. It's quite huge, with huge glass windows, and with greenery on top of it. Really fancy, I loved it. I also loved the walk from Koukaki to this place, all (ALL) the way throguh all (ALL) of Kallithea. It was refreshing to walk through a neighbourhood that does not probably make the top list of visiting.

View of the Acropolis from a nearby hill	The garden and a view of Stavros Niarchos

I had some other nice walks as well, like the ones in the Athens National Garden, next to the Syntagma square. Or the ones around Kallimármaro and Kolonaki. Overall, the city has that special something, you can feel it has personality and that it has been around for a while. And that brings me to the part where it's falling apart in many places, with so many ruined buildings, unkept streets and sidewalks. You can feel that, from the economical point of view, it's still struggling.

Even with the last downside, I loved my trip to Athens, it was exactly what I needed at the time, and I'm actually looking forward to return soon.

View over the lake in Parco del Rotiro.

If you think you know already the meaning of tasteful luxury, visit this place and reset your standards.

Today, damas y caballeros, we stay in beautiful Spain, but this time we leave the sunny South for Mardrid, the capital of football, culture and, well, Spain. It was a long time coming, and I was super excited to start 2024 travelling season with this one. I had high expectations, given the reviews I received from my friends, and, honestly, I was still amazed by what the city had to offer.

Royal Palace and Surroundings​

If you like your trips cultural, you're in the right place. We started the trip with the Royal Palace of Madrid, and, Dios mio, what a start. I've seen palaces and museum, and quite plenty, until that point, but the Royal Palace of Madrid exceeded my expectation by far. If you think you know already the meaning of tasteful luxury, visit this place and reset your standards. Every single piece of furniture, tapestry, design and artwork was exactly where it was supposed to be, and the level of detail for every single one of them was incredible, from engravings to finishing touches. They don't let you take pictures inside, and it's really a shame, as it's probably one of the most exquisite places you could feast your eyes upon.

Catedral de la Almueda	Room inside Royal Palace of Madrid

We left the palace exactly when it was closing time, so there was no more time left to visit the Almueda Cathedral unfortunately, but we did enjoy a very nice walk around Plaza de la Almeria, and took some pictures with Campo del Moro in the background. Quite close to the palace there's the Mercado de San Miguel, which is quite a great place to stop by for an hour or two and enjoy some empanadas and cervejas. Back to the hotel and ready for another day. We stayed at the Room Mate Alba Hotel, which is located in the city center, but in a very quiet area, and the hotel itself is quite nice. Between the Mercado and the hotel we passed through Plaza Mayor, which is another landmark worth checking out, given its surrounding buildings, coffee shops and vibrant atmosphere.

Prado Museum, El Rotiro Park, Food and Coffee​

Prado Museum is probably a must go if you're going to Madrid, and for good reason, since it boasts such a vast collection of art pieces from artists such as Francisco Goya and Diego Velazquez. You could spend a few days here without a doubt, but we also had some other places in mind so we were happy to be done in just a few hours. Outside, there's the beautiful park El Retiro, with its signature pond decorated with the colonnades of the Alfonso XII monument. It was a great walk to bask in the sun and forget that it's the middle of January for a few hours. Right next to the park there's also the botanical garden, which would have been a better pick in any other season, but we still enjoyed the impressive collection of bonsai trees.

Monument of Alfonso XII	Madrid Street at Dusk

After leaving the botanical garden we went for a stroll through the upscale Goya neighbourhood. It's nice over here. All buildings are very, very well maintained, and they are simply beautiful and elegant. The city is just amazing, I don't think I encountered anything that was either bad or at least "could be better". Maybe the coffee was not as great as in other places, but there were some coffee shops that were quite good, for instance the Norah Coffee & Brunch in Goya. Don't forget to try the sweets. Another great option is Pascal Specialty Coffee & Brunch, which was closer to the hotel, and features a brunch selection more on the healthy side. If the coffee could have been better, the food was actually amazing. Spain has great food, without a doubt, and other places we could recommend in Madrid are Los Porfiados, for a cozy dinner, or Fiaschetteria La Saletta, if you crave Italian. Other coffee options worth mentioning are Alchemy and Dale.

Santiago Bernabeu, Sorolla Museum and Gran Via​

I'm not much into football, but when I watch it's most probably a Real Madrid game, either in La Liga or Champions League. Visiting the Santiago Bernabeu was something I really wanted to do, especially now with the updates it received. From the outside it's quite a piece of art, I love the facade with its gray shiny blades. On the inside, well, it's huge there are lots of big screens everywhere and a retractable roof, letting you know that it's proudly representing the 21st century. We could not enter the locker rooms, which was quite a shame, but at least we saw the hall of trophies, and there are a lot of them. This team knows what winning is about.

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium	Gran Via

After we left the stadium we went back towards the city center by foot and we stopped at the Sorolla Museum on the way. It's actually the former house and studio of Joaquin Sorolla, who travelled throughout Spain in order to create a considerable collection of paintings. The art pieces inside the museum are organised in a timeline manner, so we could follow along his interests and favorite places as he aged, from his home city of Valencia, to the Spanish countryside and the capital of Madrid, where he was very passionate about his garden. The garden itself is a great place to relax on a bench, looking at the pond and enjoying the shade of the trees.

Sorolla Museum Garden	Sorolla Museum Interior

The last but not least landmark I would like to mention is the Gran Via, and I would not miss it especially during the night, when I believe it really shines. Both the buildings, the landmarks and the street itself are spoiled by huge amount of light and it's a great way to end the day with a stroll to the shops and just enjyoing the vibrant heart of this otherwise amazing city. It's trully a great city, and probably one of my favorites so far. It's amazingly beautiful, it does not seem to be that crowded, the people are friendly, the food is great, the weather is pleasant and there are so many things to do. I would definitely come back here one day, definitely on a Real Madrid match day. Looking forward, hasta luego!