November in Madrid

I think that Paris is overrated. Yes, it's a splendid city but I can't think of anything that I can only find in Paris and not in Madrid. Maybe it's because I'm not really a romantic. Or maybe it's because I'm Spanish and our countries have many similarities.

Let's analyse the situation.
What makes Paris so dreamy?
Is it the pretty cafes? Madrid has plenty, for instance Salon des Fleurs the coffee place + flower shop that stole my heart.

Is it the food? Spanish cuisine is also famous all around the world. El Perro y la Galleta is a must if you are in Madrid.

Is it the architecture? Here you can see a few of the things that the capital of Spain has to offer.

I believe it's all been a remarkable marketing strategy. The French have created an aura of romanticism around Paris. They came up with the je ne sais quoi philosophy and the fabulous French girl.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not starting a campaign against Paris. I'd be happy to visit every once in while. I just think that Madrid (and other European cities) deserves much more love than it gets.

Today I want to show you a bit of the beauty of Madrid. How spectacular it looks this season. The good thing about living in a big city is the variety in terms of leisure. You never run out of new places. On the 1st of November, which is a holiday in Spain, my husband and I had made plans to eat out and enjoy an afternoon stroll around El Retiro afterwards.

We had a delightful lunch at Ultramarinos Quintin. This place is part market, part restaurant which focuses on Spanish food made with fresh local ingredients. The menu is pricey but given the quality of the products it's worth it. The light inside is quite low which creates a cozy ambiance. We started with pumpkin soup, then had a seafood salad to share and my main dish was pork with red cabbage and caramelized chestnuts. Guys, I'll never forget the caramelized chestnuts, it's one of the most exquisite things I've ever had! I wish they had sold it in jars to buy it. Finally, for desert we had their delicious homemade ice-cream. Needless to say, we loved the place and it has entered our list of Madrid favorites.

Our next and final stop was El Retiro. Beautiful any time of the year, the autumnal colors make it even more magical during this season.