Ilove ice skating (Image: Portia Jones )

Let the record show that I am a Christmas girlie. Give me overpriced festive markets, ice skating and twinkling lights, and I'm as happy as a clam in cheap mulled wine. So when my husband suggested spending a few days during the holiday season in a typically sun-soaked European city, I was a tad sceptical but curious.

Spain's capital, Madrid, is known for scorching sunshine and tapas, but what would it be like during Christmas ? Could I expect decorations? glühwein and seasonal joy, or would it be a total letdown? Like the intrepid journalist I am, I went to investigate.

The first thing you notice about Madrid is that the elegant Spanish city brims with polished boulevards, grand architecture and vast parks trimmed to perfection, with the glo

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