Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. Situated in the heart of the kingdom, it is also the capital and most populous city of the Community of Madrid. As the state capital, it is home to most of the country's political institutions, including the Royal Palace, the seat of government and parliament. With a population of about 3.2 million intramural inhabitants over a total area of 604.3 km2, within an urban area of about 6.5 million inhabitants in 2014, including its intramural population Madrid is the third largest city in the European Union, behind London and Berlin.
A global city, it is home to the headquarters of many institutions, including the World Tourism Organization, the Organization of Ibero-American States, the Spanish Royal Academy and the Cervantes Institute. Considered one of the main financial centres in Southern Europe, it shares the status of Spain's economic heartland with Barcelona. It is home to the headquarters of the country's largest companies, such as Telefónica, Repsol and Iberia.
Recent architectural buildings stand side by side with neo-classical buildings such as the Alcalá Gate, Cybèle Square or the Almudena Cathedral. The city of art, its three main museums, the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, are among the most visited in the world. Madrid is home to two of the world's biggest football clubs, Real Madrid and Atletico de Madrid.
Close to the Plaza Mayor is the "aristocratic centre" where the royal palace, a monumental 17th century building of hybrid construction between baroque and classicism, stands. Next to it is Oriente Square, the opera house and the modern cathedral of the Almudena, consecrated in 1993 by Pope John Paul II. The Plaza de la Puerta del Sol, surrounded by a varied and selected commercial area, and the "Paseo del Arte", so called because of its incomparable museums, palaces and gardens, complete this monumental complex where the Bank of Spain building, the Post Office and Telecommunications building, and the fountains of the squares of Cibeles and Neptuno, stand out.
Art and culture occupy a special place in Madrid's activities. The capital has more than 60 museums that bring together all human knowledge. The Prado Museum, which houses one of the most important picture galleries in the world, or the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which exhibits more than 800 paintings from Flemish primitives to avant-garde movements. Or the Reina Sofía National Art Centre, dedicated to contemporary Spanish art, which exhibits works by Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí and Juan Gris, among others.
Large, well-kept parks and gardens, such as the Retiro Park, a former holiday resort of the kings of Spain, Casa de Campo and Juan Carlos I Park, allow you to enjoy the sun, go for a walk or a boat ride on their artificial lakes, or even feed the squirrels in the heart of one of the greenest capitals in Europe. At the same time, Madrid is one of the most attractive business centres in Europe thanks to its international airport, where more than a thousand flights from all over the world land every week, its two congress centres, the modern grounds of the Campo de las Naciones exhibition centre and the 80,000 or so seats offered by the many other meeting centres.
But if there is one thing that characterizes Madrid, it is its deep and contagious passion for life, reflected in the friendly character of its people. Concerts, exhibitions, ballets, ballets, plays, first films, the best Spanish and international gastronomy, the charm of its bars and taverns, are just some of the leisure options in Madrid. Added to this is an impressive offer of shops and the ability to make purchases in traditional shops as well as in the main establishments of the best international brands.
Madrid's nightlife is also one of the great attractions of the capital of Spain, thanks to the variety and atmosphere of its bars, pubs, discotheques and flamenco tablaos, which can alternate with the traditional verbenas (popular festivals) or the taurine feria of San Isidro, considered as the most important in the world.
Places of interest in Madrid to discover absolutely:
Puerta del Sol
The Puerta del Sol in the centre of Madrid is always full of people. On the spot you will find many shops, bars and discotheques. Near Sol is the Plaza Santa Ana - a beautiful square full of bars and cafés. If you cross the Santa Ana square you will arrive at the "de las Huertas" street, the heart of the "Huertas" district. The "de las Huertas" street is a good place to find different places to go out in the evening or to drink coffee during the day.
Tip: Go for churros with San Ginés coffee chocolate, place San Ginés 5, Métro Sol.
Plaza Mayor
The Plaza Mayor is the main square of Madrid. It is located in the centre of the city, a few minutes walk from the "Puerta del Sol". Even though prices are high in restaurants and bars under the arcades, it's a great place to sit, taste Spanish wine and savour tasty tapas while watching people pass by. Due to its location in the historical centre of the city it is an ideal area to visit monuments and points of interest.
Palacio Real
The Palacio Real is right next to the Plaza España. You can see the court of the kingdom on your left where is the church of Almudena, patron saint of Madrid. You can take great pictures of this impressive church, especially at night. There are also gardens around the Palacio Real and Plaza de Oriente, where the theatre is located. If you continue towards Sol you will find the Opera House area. It is a charming neighborhood, with fantastic architecture and very pleasant bars and cafés.
Tip: the gardens of Sabatini - these gardens are next to the Palacio Real. You can rest between the trees in artistic forms.
Retiro Park
Next to the Botanical Gardens you will find an entrance to the Retiro Park, Madrid's largest park. You have the possibility to take a boat trip on the pond or if you prefer you can also attend a show or listen to music, you will always enjoy your stay. There are also exhibitions in the "Palacio de Cristal" which is located inside the park of Retiro.
Tip: Take a Sunday walk in the park, there are many percussionists playing around the pond monument.
The Plaza de España
The "Plaza de España" is located at the beginning of the Gran Vía, it is a very pretty place with fountains and is full of people who walk around.
La Gran Vía
Gran Vía is one of the arguments that makes Madrid one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. You will find everything you want: theatres, cinemas, restaurants, shops, lots of traffic, lights and night activities.
The Rastro
On Sundays, starting at 9am,"El Rastro", the biggest flea market in the city opens its first stands. You will find everything, try to get there early, the market closes around 2pm. At lunchtime, in the nearby streets of Rastro, in Latina, people take a break to drink a beer, have a glass of wine, a coffee or a meal.
Tip: Stop and have a drink instead of Latina.
Campo del Moro del Moro
Somewhat hidden, but really very beautiful, you have to go and see the "Palacio del Moro" at the "Palacio Real". The entrance to the park is "Paseo Virgen del Puerto" (Metro. Príncipe Pío). The colours and magnificent gardens are home not only to a great variety of peacocks that have no fear of visitors, but also to other animal species. Relaxing on a garden bench while listening to the birds singing is a very relaxing way to take a break in this busy city.
The Plaza de Toros
Despite the controversy among young people over taurine festivities, bullfighting continues to take place in the "Monumental de Las Ventas", the largest bullfighting square in Madrid, built in 1931. The bullfighting season starts on the first weekend of March and ends on the last weekend of October.
