Phrases about Madrid - Learn Spanish

Madrid may not have the history and tradition of other Spanish cities (its historical importance begins in 1561, when King Philip II made the city the capital of the kingdom), but in these few centuries, it has attracted many thoughts and inspired many quotes. Let's remember some of them.

• “From Madrid to Heaven”. It is a proverb that every Madrileño has said at least once in their life, whether with the sincere feeling of referring to a divine city, or with a certain irony by mentioning that the stress of the big city will kill us one day. It is attributed to Luis Quiñones de Benavente, an author of the Spanish Golden Age.
• “I left Granada, and came to see the great town of Madrid, this new Babylon, where you will see the most subtle wit confused in varieties and languages” said the brilliant playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca. The genius of this phrase is that it could just as easily be a compliment as a critique of the capital's hustle and bustle.
• “Farewell, I said to my humble hut; farewell, Madrid; farewell to your Prado and fountains, which flow with nectar and rain ambrosia” was what Cervantes wrote in “Journey to Parnassus.” Despite the troubles it gave him, Cervantes seemed to love Madrid: a feeling that many of today's Madrileños would agree with.
• “Madrid; for there is no town, as far as the sun gilds and the sea bathes, more pleasant, beautiful, and timely, whose greatness adorns and accompanies the Court of the Caesars of Spain”. We won't add anything more to this epic and powerful phrase by Lope de Vega.
• “Madrid is a beautiful city, but I hope they find the treasure soon” was what the witty actor Danny DeVito said when he saw something that Madrileños have been suffering from practically since 1561: the fact that there is always something being repaired or under construction.
• “Madrid, in any case, is a curious place. I don't think anyone likes it the first time they go. It doesn't have the look one expects Spain to have. It isn't picturesque. And yet, when you get to know Madrid, it is the most Spanish of them all” wrote Ernest Hemingway. The great traveler experienced something similar to what many tourists feel when they come to visit us—they arrive without many expectations but in the end find themselves in a beautiful European capital.
• “People in Madrid walked differently, looked, dressed, and spoke differently, with a kind of boldness”. These lines written by Carmen Martín Gaite could still apply today. Madrileños always move as if they are in a hurry to arrive: we like to think it's because there is always something to do in the city and we don't want to be late.

What else can be said about Madrid? Undoubtedly many more things, and we hope that in a future expansion of this article, some of yours will be included. All that’s left is to say goodbye with a huge “Welcome to Madrid.”