If you want to see a Spanish city offering it's very best; if you wish to live the Spanish life right around the clock then there is only one city in Spain to head for...Madrid. Nowhere else in Europe is there a place where you can sightsee, eat, drink and party right around the clock and in such a frenetic and exciting environment than this city right in the centre of Spain.
Madrid is a cosmopolitan city, a business centre, headquarters for the Public Administration, Government, Spanish Parliament and the home of the Spanish Royal Family, Madrid also plays a major role in both the banking and industrial sectors. Madrid is a city of great monuments. Among its highlights are the medieval center dating back to the Habsburg Empire and the Prado Museum.
But Madrid is not just a cultural destination. It is also a lively metropolis with many pubs, cafes, discotheques and nightclubs open late into the night and only closing as the sun comes up. Don't be surprised if you get stuck in a traffic jam at four in the morning!
Madrid is currently supporting her bid for the 2016 Olympic Games so this is one place to surely aim at visiting in the lead up.
Places to See...
Museo del Prado - Located in an 18th building designed by Juan de Villanueva, the Prado is considered one of the most important art galleries in the world. It houses masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Zurbarán, Ribera, Titian, Raphael, Botticelli, Fra Angélico, Rubens, Bosch, Van der Weyden, Poussin, Lorrain, Watteau, Rembrandt, Dürer and Mengs, among others.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza - This museum houses a splendid collection ranging from primitive Flemish to contemporary works. More than 800 paintings and sculptures, carvings, tapestries and other items are displayed.
Casa de Campo - Located on the right bank of the Manzanares River to the west of Madrid, the Casa de Campo is a large park with an area of about 4000 acres. Rowboats can be rented for a ride around the artificial lake. Swimming and tennis can also ve enjoyed. The Parque Zoológico or Zoo and Parque de Atracciones, a large amusement park, are found in the southern part.
Parque Quinta Funte del Berro - A small, quiet park crisscrossed by paved pathways and dotted with fountains and flowers beds.
Just Outside Madrid:
Alcala de Henares - This is 30km from Madrid and is an urban complex full of artistic and historic sights. In the old part the former university is outstanding. It used to be the most important one in Spain and was founded by Cardinal Cisneros in 1496.
Shopping:
Madrid will surely make you pull out your cash or credit cards as it is a shoppers delight, particularly if you are a follower of high fashion. 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.
Nightlife:
This is where Madrid really comes into it's own. 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 o'clock as opposed to the early opening/closing times in France, so if you have just travelled via France be aware. Many night establishments are open until the early morning hours, so this is not a city for those who like an early night!.
In the vicinity of the Plaza de Santa Barbara, 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. Malasana, in the vicinity of the Plaza de Dos de Mayo, has countless cafés and bars with live music, in addition to moderately-priced restaurants. 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.
The climate:
Madrid is located on a plateau right in the centre of Spain; be aware that the summer season (from June to August in particular) brings VERY hot temperatures with temps often reach 44C by midday for days at a time. There are no beaches of course so make use of the very popular public swimming pools. This probably explains why everything comes to life at night when it is considerably cooler -but not THAT cool!
Getting here...
By Air:
Madrid is Spain's biggest international transport hub, so it's easy to reach by air from just about anywhere. Madrid must have the best airport-city connections of any European capital. All flights to Madrid arrive at the Barajas International Airport, which now has 4 terminals: T1, T2, T3 and T4.
The metro connection is fast and very comfortable. Take line 8 from the airport to Nuevos Ministerios (12 minutes) and connect to your final destination. An airport bus runs to Plaza de Colón in the city centre. Taxi is another option, or you can take the AeroCITY minibus door-to-door (from the city centre) service. Terminal 4 is connected to the rest of the airport (and the metro) by a shuttle bus service.
By Rail:
Trains arriving from abroad and from the South, East, and West of Spain, including the high-speed AVE trains, arrive at the railway station of Atocha which has a metro station: Atocha Renfe. Trains to and from the north depart from Chamartín train station.
By Car:
Madrid has 7 main highways entering and leaving the city: the A-1 to A- 6 and the A-42. The city has three major ring roads, the inner-one known as the M-30 circulates inside the urban centre, and therefore, it often has heavy traffic, the outer ones are the M-40, which stretches round the suburban Madrid and the M -50 which runs across what are still today fields.
Unless you are very familiar with the Madrid road system, or are just very brave, I suggest you avoid driving into and around the city itself. Parking is a nightmare and in general it is usually extremely congested. Make use of the excellent train/bus system instead.
Photo courtesy of Spain Tourism
