Plaza Oriente, an unforgettable corner of Madrid

In Hotel Europa Madrid we feel very fortunate not only for being in the middle of Puerta del Sol but for having just one step away from one of the most beautiful corners of Madrid: the Plaza de Oriente. Its atmosphere and gardens make it an ideal place to read or rest on the lawn, accompanied by a good book, music or a chat with friends.

Its western side is chaired by the Royal Palace, official residence of the kings of Spain that currently hosts a varied collection of historical and artistic works belonging to the Spanish crown.

Opposite, on its eastern side, we find the Teatro Real, the opera house in Madrid. It is an imposing neoclassicist building that is among one of the most emblematic monuments of our city.

The Plaza de Oriente is rectangular, and the center of it is presided by the equestrian statue of Philip IV. Around it a succession of grid-shaped gardens extends, with a series of flower beds with hedges and flowers. In it we can see twenty statues of the kings of Spain that formerly adorned the facade of the Royal Palace, among which there are five Visigoth kings and fifteen Christian monarchs from the time of the Reconquest.

There are also numerous cafés with terrace where you can have a snack quietly. Among them, the Café de Oriente stands out, considered one of the great literary cafés in Europe and built on the remains of the old Convent of San Gil (16th century). Chairs such as the Madrid philosopher and mayor Enrique Tierno Galván, or the humorist Antonio Mingote have sat at their tables.

Categories: Guías Madrid