We had more time to check out shops on our last day in Madrid so we grabbed the opportunity and wandered around the shopping area. It wasn’t really ‘rebajas’ season in Madrid which means sale but we had a good time visiting the shops on Gran Via. We actually wanted to go to the Salamanca District to check on the posh shops but we got lazy and decided to stay in Puerto del Sol area.
As we walked further towards the western part of Gran Via, we arrived at a green oasis, the ‘Jardines de Plaza de Espana’. This is where Gran Via actually begins. Plaza de Espana is a beautiful park with a monument dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, a Castilian who has greatly influenced Spanish literature. His magnus opus, the world-famous novel, Don Quixote.
The garden park is also where the sightseeing buses normally turn around. There was an arts and crafts exhibition so we browsed the stalls and then continued to stroll around the park.
We’ve been out for hours already, shopping and strolling, so it’s time for a quick break. We need to relax, sit down in an outside terrace and drink something before we proceed to the Royal Palace.
From the Plaza de Espana, we turned left on Calle de Bailen and walked past the Senado building. On the left side walk just before reaching the Royal Palace we saw the lone restaurant with an outside terrace called ‘La Mi Venta’. We thought it was the perfect place to sit down and relax.
During this whole trip we’ve only had wine so we decided to treat ourselves to some local beer. We had each a San Miguel pint. The restaurant gave us a nice little cold delicacy as well to go with our beers: boiled potato and black olives in crème fraiche with chives, which was a good match together with the warm weather and the tangy-bitter flavour of the beer.
The restaurant inside has many hanging hams by the way, and in Visayan, which is my mother tongue, la mi or lami means delicious. Thus this La Mi Venta restaurant must be delish. Ah well, too bad we only had beers here. Who knows, next time.
Here we are at the start of Gran Via.
Close-up picture of the busy Gran Via.
Here is the Jardines de Plaza de Espana:
Us with the fountain and Edificio Espana building in our background.
The monument in the middle of the park dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.
Plaza de Espana bordered by the Torre de Madrid on the left and Edificio Espana at the back.
Now, its time to relax a bit and quench our thirst:
Enjoying a cold San Miguel beer.
Beers should only be drank when its cold. Yummy boiled potatoes and black olives in creme fraiche dressing with a hint of chives.
Meson Restaurante La Mi Venta. Its a refreshing place away from the hordes of tourists.
Travel Period: June 2011
Destination: Madrid, Spain