Sorolla musem

There is a precious little museum in the center of Madrid. It is the former house and studio of a painter who is, strangely, not really well known outside of Spain. Joaquín Sorolla had a wonderfully impressionistic style and way of capturing the light in Spain that is utterly captivating. I did not attempt to take photos within the museum, click on his name above or do a google search for his work it will be worth your time.

The first I ever heard about the museum was from the "Notes in Spanish" podcast. Which is a podcast in Spanish by a Madrileña and her husband from Oxford (UK) about Madrid and Spain. If you are learning Spanish, I can not recommend this podcast enough. Just listening to their conversation has improved my Spanish immensely. I tend to listen to it while I am walking or on the metro to "warm up" my Spanish for the day.

When my beautiful Sister-in-law and partner came to Madrid over New Years, we only had the time to go to one museum out of the many in Madrid and we chose the Sorolla. I am so glad that we did. It is the perfect size for a museum, not too small, not too big. The rooms of the house (mansion) are filled with light, the beauty of his art and his collections. But your visit will start with the gardens...

The gardens, by the way, are free. I am sure that they are magnificent in Spring, but even in winter they are something to see. What I have here is just a taste of what you can expect.

He was a man enchanted with the Alhambra and the style of his garden reflects this.

The garden is not large (by US standards) but there is art tucked away everywhere you look.

I highly recommend a visit. 

Has anyone ever been?