Lately, Wednesdays have quietly become my favourite day of the week. And this one, in particular, explains exactly why. Last Sunday, I checked my schedule and realised I had no classes on Wednesday. Perfect timing, because my boyfriend was visiting that day. With no lectures to skip and no deadlines, I decided to plan the best Wednesday of 2026 so far.
A Strong Start: Breakfast and the Gym
The day started early, with a gym session together. An almost empty gym, him training me, and an upper-body day ahead of me. Before training, we stopped at SantaGloria for a quick breakfast. Training on an empty stomach is a big no for me, and their avocado salmon toast is my absolute favourite.
After about an hour and a half of slight suffering, it was time to move on with the rest of the day.
A quick mandatory gym mirror picture.
The Bernabéu, But Different
Once we got ready, we headed to the metro towards the Santiago Bernabéu. He had never seen the stadium from the inside, and as a huge football fan, this is a must when visiting Madrid.
The last time I did the tour, it was incredibly busy and the dressing rooms weren’t open to visitors. This time, we got lucky. We booked a flexible ticket, which meant we weren’t stuck moving at the pace of a large group. At times, it genuinely felt like the stadium was almost ours.
Having spent quite some time in the press zone recently, I experienced the tour differently this time, with more appreciation for everything that happens behind the scenes.
Afterwards, I finally did it. I bought my first-ever football shirt, something I wanted as a memory of this Master’s year. We also stopped for a coffee at the Starbucks inside the Bernabéu. Even if you don’t have time for the full tour, grabbing a coffee there still gives you a great view of the stadium.
Some behind the scenes photos.
Trying Something New: Venezuelan Food
Next on the list was something completely new for me. I had wanted to try Venezuelan food for about a year and a half, and this felt like the perfect moment. We went to Con Sazón O’Donnell, located between Goya and Retiro.
Since it was my first time, I let my boyfriend choose what we ordered, as he is the expert on Venezuelan food. We went for the bandeja de degustación, which included tequeños, sweet arepitas, assorted arepas, yuca sticks, tostones with chicken and beef, plus an empanada filled with meat and cheese. I also had to order a passion fruit juice, my all-time favourite.
Everything was delicious. The only thing that wasn’t fully my taste was the arepa with cheese and plantain, but my favourites were definitely the arepas and the tostones with beef. The flavour reminded me of rendang, an Indonesian dish that’s easily in my top ten foods ever. One thing is certain, I’ll be back to try more.
The Venezuelan food in question.
The Main Event: Danny Ocean Live
The reason this Wednesday existed in the first place was the concert. Four months ago, I impulsively decided we were going to see Danny Ocean. I’ve been listening to his music for years, and with my boyfriend being Venezuelan-Portuguese, seeing this Venezuelan artist in Madrid felt like a no-brainer.
And it was perfect. Truly the best night I’ve had since moving here. The setlist was spot on, I danced and sang the entire time, and I don’t think the smile left my face for two hours. Just pure joy, music, emotion, and memories being made.
He even brought out Elena Rose and Sech, performing songs I absolutely love. One of those nights you wish you could rewind.
One of my favourite (if not favourite) Danny Ocean songs: imagínate.
And another beautiful song: fuera del mercado.
One Last Stop
When the concert ended around 11 p.m., we made a last-minute decision to stop by De Vinos for one drink and a proper debrief of the night. At this point, it’s tradition. There hasn’t been a single visit in Madrid where we haven’t ended up there for at least an hour or two.
The night officially ended with a Five Guys burger and a walk home in the rain. Somewhere along the way, I realised I had lost my keys. Not ideal. But even that couldn’t ruin what was, without a doubt, the most perfect Wednesday of 2026 so far.
