Madrid tourist information

With over 3.600.000 inhabitants, Madrid is apart from being the capital city of Spain, also the largest city of the country. It is located in the centre of Spain and therefore ideal as a base to travel a little further away. When staying in Madrid, you can easily visit Avila, Toledo and Segovia. But there is no need to travel outside the province, as Aranjuez and Alcala de Henares are definitely worth a visit.
Madrid has Spain biggest airport, used as an airstop for many long flights. Why not take advantage of this and take a walk around this great city instead of waiting for 5 hours in the airport? You can take the subway and be in the sparkling city centre in about 20 minutes. You can of course also rent a holiday apartment in the city and enjoy a city-trip and get to know all the secrets this city has to offer you!

For culture lovers among you, Madrid has a fine collection of art to be visited in different museums and art galleries. The most famous among them are “El Prado”, the “Thyssen” museum and the “Reina Sofia” museum, also called the GOLDEN TRIANGLE
There are more than 50 000 shops to buy absolutely everything you want, there is nothing you can think off that can’t be found in Madrid.
During the day you can take a long and romantic walk in the big “El Retiro” park (photo 2) which counts 15000 trees on a land of 119 hectares.
At night you can either go to bed, but not before walking around this city that never sleeps! Madrid counts hundreds of pubs, restaurants and bars with different types of music, good food, etc., all the ingredients for a good night out in this cosmopolitan city.
Visit Madrid, definitely a MUST-DO in your agenda…

What to visit?

-->definitely the 3 biggest museums..they show a fine collection of art and history of Spain.

--> Plaza de la Cibeles (photo 1)
Considered by many to be the most pleasing of Madrids plazas, it features a well known statue of the Goddess Cibeles. The plaza is located between many of the citys most noteworthy buildings, including the ostentatious Spanish Royal Mail Office.


--> ROYAL PALACE: Although an official Royal Palace, the Palacio Real de Madrid is used only for ceremonial purposes. The original building on this site (the Alcázar) was destroyed by fire in 1734 and the "new" palace was finished by the middle of the same century. The interior rooms of the Palacio Real are gorgeous and decorated in style that is striking.
Be sure to see the Throne Room (preserved intact since the reign of Charles III), the Kings Chamber, and the Porcelain Room.
In addition, visit The Royal Armory, as its collection of medieval armor is world renowned.
The gardens surrounding the Palace, known as the Campo del Moro (the Moors field), are beautiful and worthy of a short stroll. End your visit at the nearby Plaza de Oriente, so named because it is located to the east of the Palace

SHOPPING:

Fashions for men, women and children and Spanish and international designers take up shop around the streets of Almirante and Conde de Xiquena, as well as in the district of Salamanca which concentrates the best shops for jewelry, shoes, leather goods, furniture, gifts, etc.

Concentrated in and around the Plaza Mayor are an assortment of shops selling traditional articles such as espadrilles, fabrics, ropes, hats and religious articles.

Large department stores are located in the vicinity of the Puerta del Sol, and on the streets of Princesa, Goya and Castellana.

Open-air markets. The Rastro is the most famous of the flea markets which opens on Saturdays and Sundays between the Plaza de Cascorro, La Latina and the street of Embajadores. Everything imaginable can be found here from valuable antiques to used clothing, including collector cards, books, records, paintings, etc.

Feria del Libro Antiguo y de Ocasión. This book fair for old and used books is held on the Paseo de Recoletos at the beginning of May.

Feria del Libro sobre Madrid. This books fair held in May features books about Madrid. Plaza de Isabel II.



NIGHTLIFE:

Nightowls wil find Madrid a paradise every night of the week. Visitors must keep in mind the late dining hours; restaurants do not even open until eight or nine oclock. Many night establishments are open until the early morning hours.

*In the vicinity of the Plaza de Santa Bárbara, the Glorieta de Bilbao and Alonso Martínez, a large number of popular bars, pubs, fast food restaurants and ice cream parlors are concentrated.

*The bars in the districts of Arguelles and Moncloa are generally frequented by University students and a younger crowd.

*Malasaña, in the vicinity of the Plaza de Dos de Mayo, has countless cafés and bars with live music, in addition to moderately-priced restaurants.

*The streets of Paseo de la Castellana, Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado boast quality restaurants, cafés and popular night spots.

*In the Summer months and specially at night, open-air terraces abound in the areas of the Paseo de la Castellana and the Parque del Oeste.