Círculo de Las Bellas Artes

Source

If there is one place in Madrid (the Spanish capital), it's the Círculo de Las Bellas Artes. This place is totally recommendable and my favourite place in Madrid. Many people don't know of its existence, despite the fact the views in the Pecera (the fish-tank) terrace are to be envied and its sunsets are the most beautiful you could inhale.

Sunset from the círculo de las Bellas Artes

Source

It's situated in a small hidden street in the centre of Madrid, rather close to the calle Alcalá. Otherwise, I'm remembering badly. I found it rather difficult to find because they were also refurbishing the building's facade during that time and at first, I didn't attribute it as the building I was looking for. We paid around two euros each and got in a lift which brought us directly onto a terrace, called the Pecera.

Source

You can see different divided areas as soon as you arrive as well as views of the whole of Madrid that few people would want to miss. To see Madrid's emblematic buildings from such a height is of an unimaginable beauty. In one of the parts of the terrace (the closest to the interior), we can find a bar where we can enjoy a nice cool beer for not very expensive price (2 euros more or less).

Of course, the price (around four euros) is superb to spend an afternoon with dreamy views of one of Spain's most beautiful cities. The terrace is normally decorated with photographic expositions, which change with the passing of time, putting up new ones.

Honestly, I'm not familiar with the rest of the building but the visit to the terrace alone seems sufficient for me to return and repeat the journey up more than once. You can always find some place from a birds-eye view or observe something you've never seen before.

The Círculos de Bellas Artes is a private, non-profit organisation situated right in the heart of Madrid, just next to the Bank of Spain and right in front of the start of Gran Vía. It has contributed and continues contributing in the diffusion of art and culture, and it is of great importance not only on a domestic level, but also on a continental level in Europe.

The headquarters of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, which is what I am going to be talking to you about in this post, is a work of architect, Antonio Palacios, who is also attributed with many other emblematic buildings in the Spanish capital, namely the former Banco Central.

It's a peculiar-shaped building, especially in terms of the shape of its upper part. It's white, and if you look at the main facade, you will see that it has three important parts that get smaller in size as they go along; one of them that stands out is a tower and another, a black figure. If you look at it from the side, what I personally like the most is the circular-shaped part that has lots of windows, which can actually be seen all over the building. I really like the irregularity of the architecture on the upper part of the building, and thanks to these drop, you can easily recognise the building.

The entrance to the Círculo de Bellas Artes is located on one side of the building. Just after you enter, there are some stairs before you pass by the front desk (there are tape lines that guide you where to walk). And, in front of you, you will see this pretty staircase that later divides into two parts, with one going to either side, and right in the middle, there is a sculpture and a mirror, which, in my opinion, is very elegant.

At the front desk, I bought a ticket to be able to go up to the building's rooftop terrace, which is definitely the best thing about it. And, from there, I headed over to the lift, which is next to a photo booth to the left of the building's entrance. From the ground floor, you travel up to the seventh floor in quite a spacious lift. When you exit the lift, there is another tape line to guide you to the terrace's entrance, where you will find a security guard checking tickets before you can enjoy some incredible views of Madrid.

The terrace is divided into two parts: the upper part, where the tip of the building's tower is, as well as the black figure and some bars; and, the other part on a lower level, with some sofas and views of Madrid in three different directions.

The terrace is impressive for the views that it has, and there's only one part of it that doesn't, which is the bit that covers the tower. I have loved seeing the beautiful white building in Plaza Cibeles, the peak of the Santander Bank building (which has a black and golden dome that reads "METROPOLITAN"), the upper part of the Telefónica building on Gran Vía, the Colón towers... An exceptional collection of Madrid's buildings from up above.

I didn't know that this amazing place existed before, and I would have liked to have gone on a day when it hadn't rained beforehand. It was sunny (with a couple of clouds), but it had been raining all night, so the sofas that you can sit down and relax on were soaked, and that was a big shame. I would also like to repeat this experience at night with all of Madrid's lights illuminating the city, as well as on a hot day with a cloudless sky, as it was very cold up there in January.

Ah, on the terrace, I saw adverts for both Heineken beer and Tanqueray gin on both the tables and the awnings over the bars, but these were actually closed and you couldn't order anything to drink. Admission to the terrace also allows you to go to the bar, "La Pecera". The cost to go up to the terrace is only €3, but it's worth every cent. For an additional €1, you can see the exhibitions here at the Círculo de Bellas Artes, but I didn't have time to do so and, given the person I am, I think I would have been bored by what I was seeing... What I didn't know, however, was that admission only cost €2 with a valid student card. I wish I had known that beforehand, but never mind.

The best way to get to Círculo de Bellas Artes is to take the metro and alight at the stop, "Banco de España", before turning away from Cibeles in the direction of Gran Vía (not towards the Puerta de Alcalá), and you will find it no trouble.