During February half term, a group of twenty Year 10 students spent 5 days in Madrid, accompanied by Mrs Magowan, Mrs Brown and Mr Mansfield. 

 

We were incredibly lucky with the weather. Madrid had been under a rain cloud for weeks and we were lucky enough to arrive on the first day of fine weather. We walked a lot, 15 km some days, so we were very glad that it was dry and we even had warm sunshine at times.

 

We had a very informative walking tour with a guide on our second morning. We visited the busy Plaza Mayor, the Puerta del Sol square with its famous statue of a bear and  the plaque on the ground known as Kilómetro 0, the starting point for all major radial roads in Spain. We learned how to spot shops that had been in business for over one hundred years and we saw Botín, the oldest restaurant in the world. After lunch, which for the most adventurous students was a calamari sandwich, we made our way to the busy El Rastro flea market.  In the afternoon, we went to the luxurious Royal Palace where, amongst many other rooms with countless jaw-dropping chandeliers,  we could see the Throne Room and the Banqueting Hall,  which are still used to entertain dignitaries today.  That evening, we went to a Flamenco show, with stunning performances by a group of dancers, a singer and a guitarist. The next day, we went to the Buen Retiro Park with its beautiful views and boating lake. In the afternoon, we went to the Reina Sofia art gallery which features Picasso's Guernica. That evening we had a cooking lesson with a brilliant teacher who taught us how to make Paella, Spanish omelette and Tarta de Santiago (an almond cake). This was also our very tasty evening meal. The staff were very complimentary about our group who listened attentively and were very polite and enthusiastic throughout the class. 

 

We discovered an amazing covered market on our route one morning and we were amazed at all the fresh produce on display. Some of the girls got very excited and bought a lot of fruit! 

 

One highlight was Tuesday's trip to the Bernabéu Stadium (which Mr Mansfield was delighted to visit!) and quite a few euros changed hands in the gift shop! We had a relaxed meal at a buffet restaurant in the evening and we then made our way back to the hostel through the colourful, busy streets. 

 

Wednesday was time to check out of the hostel, do some souvenir shopping and then we took the metro back to the airport to return home to a very rainy England! 

 

This was a very enjoyable trip, and we the teachers felt very fortunate to have such a happy and enthusiastic group of students with us. 

 

To view the complete Madrid 2026 photo gallery, click here.