Madrid has a lengthy and complicated history. Center of power of a monarchy that for centuries ruled half the world, it really is now 1 of the major tourist spots of Europe. As soon as ground zero of the Spanish Inquisition it can be now most effective known for its zestful nightclubs, outstanding shopping centers and life-celebrating art.
Any trip to Madrid will reward the visitor with first-rate bullfights or soccer, shopping third in Europe only to London and Paris, art museums which are second to none and parks as excellent as those in New York's Manhattan. In short, be ready to spend some time here.
Art lovers will would like to pay a visit to the Prado, to be sure. But there is the equally outstanding Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, a recent addition to the city's offerings. Founded by the wealthy industrial family's Baron Thyssen and his wife, a former Miss Spain, it houses over 700 of Europe's treasures from the 13th-20th centuries. For people who want some thing a lot more modern, the Queen Sofia houses sufficient 20th century art to satisfy fans of New York's MoMA (Museum of Modern Art).
But there's a lot extra to see and do than stroll around art museums. For a lovely walk in Madrid's warm sunshine, you'll want to pay a visit to the Parque del Buen Retiro. Though only about a third the size of Manhattan's Central Park, and much smaller than London's Hyde Park, it's second to none in beauty. Besides the lovely grounds you'll find lakes, sculpture along with the Crystal Palace to see and get pleasure from.
Even though you are thinking about London, go to the Basilica de San Francisco El Grande. Having a dome bigger than St. Paul's Cathedral, and almost as a lot art as St. Peter's in Rome, you won't be disappointed.
For extra outside pleasures there are a number of other significant selections. The Puerta del Sol is the geographical and civic center of Madrid and all of Spain. The paving slab marked Km 0 is the literal beginning for the country's six significant highways, radiating outward from there.
Plaza Mayor isn't far away. Visitors can appreciate a meal at one of the dozens of cafes or restaurants or just sit within the shade and watch the folks go by. The square, nearly 100m on each side, is surrounded by buildings that have seen every thing from bullfights to beheadings.
Don't miss seeing the Palacio Real, the Royal Palace, either. Long the home of Spain's monarchs, it still contains the throne room, the Royal Armory plus the Royal Pharmacy. You may stand in some of its 2,800 rooms and imagine what it should have been like to rule half the world from there. That is easy to do when you see El Cid's sword, or the hundreds of jewels, porcelain vases along with other objects on display.
But leave some time for shopping. Anything from the El Corte Inglés department store to the El Rastro flea market will have you knee deep in choices. Gran Via is Madrid's most well known avenue for shopping but you will discover dozens of others: Calle Alcala, Calle Montera, Calle Princesa... the list is endless. Whether you would like a fine antique, a brand new pair of elegant shoes or some of Europe's ideal fashion, you'll discover it in one of Madrid's boutiques.
It may possibly not take you 400 years (the time it has been Spain's capital) to see all that Madrid has to supply, but be ready to spend some time here.
Any trip to Madrid will reward the visitor with first-rate bullfights or soccer, shopping third in Europe only to London and Paris, art museums which are second to none and parks as excellent as those in New York's Manhattan. In short, be ready to spend some time here.
Art lovers will would like to pay a visit to the Prado, to be sure. But there is the equally outstanding Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, a recent addition to the city's offerings. Founded by the wealthy industrial family's Baron Thyssen and his wife, a former Miss Spain, it houses over 700 of Europe's treasures from the 13th-20th centuries. For people who want some thing a lot more modern, the Queen Sofia houses sufficient 20th century art to satisfy fans of New York's MoMA (Museum of Modern Art).
But there's a lot extra to see and do than stroll around art museums. For a lovely walk in Madrid's warm sunshine, you'll want to pay a visit to the Parque del Buen Retiro. Though only about a third the size of Manhattan's Central Park, and much smaller than London's Hyde Park, it's second to none in beauty. Besides the lovely grounds you'll find lakes, sculpture along with the Crystal Palace to see and get pleasure from.
Even though you are thinking about London, go to the Basilica de San Francisco El Grande. Having a dome bigger than St. Paul's Cathedral, and almost as a lot art as St. Peter's in Rome, you won't be disappointed.
For extra outside pleasures there are a number of other significant selections. The Puerta del Sol is the geographical and civic center of Madrid and all of Spain. The paving slab marked Km 0 is the literal beginning for the country's six significant highways, radiating outward from there.
Plaza Mayor isn't far away. Visitors can appreciate a meal at one of the dozens of cafes or restaurants or just sit within the shade and watch the folks go by. The square, nearly 100m on each side, is surrounded by buildings that have seen every thing from bullfights to beheadings.
Don't miss seeing the Palacio Real, the Royal Palace, either. Long the home of Spain's monarchs, it still contains the throne room, the Royal Armory plus the Royal Pharmacy. You may stand in some of its 2,800 rooms and imagine what it should have been like to rule half the world from there. That is easy to do when you see El Cid's sword, or the hundreds of jewels, porcelain vases along with other objects on display.
But leave some time for shopping. Anything from the El Corte Inglés department store to the El Rastro flea market will have you knee deep in choices. Gran Via is Madrid's most well known avenue for shopping but you will discover dozens of others: Calle Alcala, Calle Montera, Calle Princesa... the list is endless. Whether you would like a fine antique, a brand new pair of elegant shoes or some of Europe's ideal fashion, you'll discover it in one of Madrid's boutiques.
It may possibly not take you 400 years (the time it has been Spain's capital) to see all that Madrid has to supply, but be ready to spend some time here.
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