Vegan and an Urban Vega.

Across the M-30 we go and into the Calle de Lira.  We are going to a Vegan restaurant.  Once such a thing would have been heard of. Now it exists although the veggie option is still a bit rarer out in the provinces. 

Cookaluzka is LGBTQ+ friendly, woman owned and opens 9am - 5pm, 8-11pm Tuesday to Friday, 12.30-5pm and 8-11pm on Friday and Saturday and 12.30-5 on Sunday.  It gets 4.7 stars from 1711 reviews. Two days ago Antonio stated ‘Everything was delicious and well-made. The pizza arrived a little cold, perhaps because they were serving all four pizzas at once. I'll order again.’ A week ago Emilie described ‘A fantastic vegan restaurant in Madrid. The service, the ambiance, and of course the food are simply unbeatable. The interior is incredibly cozy with warm lighting, lots of plants, and books. There are also a few tables outside. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive.

Our family celebrated a birthday here and ordered a variety of dishes. Everything tasted wonderful, even to the non-vegans. The nachos deserve special mention; they are truly outstanding, as do the artichokes. Most of the dishes are also gluten-free.’

Calzados Walia 2 is a shoe shop. We probably need new shoes. 4.8 stars glitter from this place.   Vanessa declared ‘Honestly, at almost 50 years old and with a shoe store that's been around forever, I'll take my grandchildren there, and in the meantime... I find all the shoes I'm looking for that are good, beautiful, and affordable. I love going there; it's a classic neighborhood shop. I love it, I love it... I'm in LOVE with Walia Shoes, and I highly recommend it. ‘

Ahead of us is Dante Gate and the Retiro.  Wilowil sums it all up. ‘Located at the southeastern edge of the famous Parque del Buen Retiro, the Puerta de Dante owes its name to the spectacular bronze bas-relief dedicated to the author of The Divine Comedy. Created by the Italian sculptor Angelo Biancini, the work was donated by Italian publishers in 1968 to honor the Florentine poet. The monument, which was never officially inaugurated, was installed in its current location in May 1969’

Parque del Buen Retiro has a splendid history and, of course, we will now go into some detail.  When Phil-2 moved the court to Madrid he was looking for place for a stroll. The Jeronimites built a new church in 1505. Phil added a royal retreat into the church and got his architect, Juan Bautista de Toledo to add some tree lined avenues.

In the 1620s the Duke of Olivares handed over some land and in the 1630s he had the place the landscaped with water features. The 17th century Habsburgs liked the place and had plays staged in it. The Bourbons added to the overall joy. Philip V had created a French-style parterre. Ferdinand VI had Italians operas staged and Charles III… had old railings replaced.

The Napoleonic Wars were not kind to the parks. The French Army turned the park into the defences for the city. It was later restored but after Queen Isabella II’s overthrow saw another change of ownership - it was given to the public.

We are wandering past the Fountain of the Fallen Angel.  It was made in 1877 by Ricardo Bellver and inspired by Milton’s Paradise Lost. It won first prize in the National Exposition of Fine Arts. The Spanish Government acquired it and sent it to the Universal Exhibition in Paris the following year. Brought back to Spain it stands, somewhat pleasingly, 666 metres above sea level.

We will end today by the Fuente de la Alcchofa. Izzat gives copious and welcome detail.  ‘Most people walk right past this fountain without realizing they are looking at one of the weirdest and most specific flexes in Madrid’s history. It is a grand, serious Baroque monument designed by the legendary Ventura Rodríguez, but instead of crowning it with a king or a saint, he put... a giant artichoke on top.’

‘It sounds like a joke, but back in the 1700s, the artichoke was a status symbol for health and fertility, so this is basically an 18th-century health food influencer post carved in stone.  The real 'pro tip' here is that this is the original limestone fountain. There is a bronze replica down at the busy Atocha roundabout that everyone sees, but this one inside Retiro is the authentic 1781 masterpiece. It’s tucked away in a quieter corner (Plaza de Honduras), so you don’t have to fight crowds to appreciate the details, like the triton and mermaid holding up Madrid’s coat of arms.

It’s a great spot to pause and appreciate how much Madrid loves its food—enough to build a monument to a vegetable. Definitely worth the detour if you want to see something unique that isn’t just another statue of a guy on a horse. ‘