#45 Enjoy the Madrid skyline from the cable cars (teleférico)

We interrupt your regularly scheduled program (Semana Santa) to bring you this news story. Mainly because I started writing about Austria and got bored and this is a much shorter and easier post. Anyway, I've been really dying/dreading doing this one. I've heard that the teleférico is really cool and gives you some great views of the city, but I'm terrified of heights and the idea of being 40 meters off the ground with the only thing keeping the cable car from crashing to the ground is a thick cable doesn't really help that fear. But, I've ridden ski lifts before, and if I could do that, I could do this.

Teleférico over Casa de Campo. Madrid skyline in the background.

Totally worth it. So the teleférico (built in 1969) goes from the neighborhood of Argüelles to the center of Casa de Campo, the biggest park in Madrid. During the ride, you can see much of the Madrid skyline (although as far as skylines go, Madrid doesn't really have the most impressive), including the four Chamartin towers, buildings in Moncloa and Plaza de España, the royal palace, and the Almudena cathedral. It also crosses the Manzanares River (which, as far as rivers go, is not particularly impressive either). Lastly, you can also get a nice view of the mountains north of Madrid. But regardless of the somewhat lacking skyline, it's still a really pretty view, particularly of the palace and the cathedral. And it's particularly nice if you do it in the evening while the sun's setting. When Maddie visited me a couple of weeks ago we decided to check it out, and as I said, it was definitely worth it!

Royal palace and Almudena cathedral.

Madds in the cable car.

Over the Manzanares River.

Every time I think about the cable cars I get "Over My Head (Cable Car)" by the Fray stuck in my head. Not such a bad thing though. An oldie but a goodie.