The Spanish capitol is a pleasant easy city to navigate. We are staying a little bit out of the centre in Salamanca which is a classy suburb with tree lined boulevards and boutiques. The historical centre is similar and fascinating.
Traditionally the Plaza del Sol has been the meeting point for many protests. It is immortalised in Goya’s painting May 2 1808 when the Catholic Spaniards defeated the French troops of Napoleon Bonaparte. It houses a number of tourist places but today it is a sea of tents and young unwashed radicals protesting. The protests started as a response to the housing crisis here but as is always the case has been hijacked by left wing radicals with socialist banners and Palestine flags, none of which have anything to do with unaffordable housing.
Our final organised tour is through the Royal Palace and just like the Prado it proves to be a revelation. Built in the 18th century it is the largest palace in western Europe. It occupies the site of a former Islamic place (Alcazar) which burned down in 1734. Legend has it that members of the court of King Philip V started the fire to enable the construction of a Versailles style palace. The result is a massive opulent palace which still houses the Spanish Royal family to this day.
