Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the central capital of Spain with elegant boulevards and large well-kept parks, such as the Buen Retiro. It is famous for its rich collections of European art, with works by Goya, Velázquez and other Spanish masters in the Prado Museum. The heart of old Habsburg Madrid is the portico-lined Plaza Mayor and nearby is the Royal Palace and the Armory, displaying historic arsenals.
Culture
Gran Vía
Founded between 1910 and 1929, Gran Vía is the most famous boulevard in Madrid. It connects the Salamanca and Argüelles neighborhoods and brings together shops, restaurants and some of the most iconic buildings in the capital.
Plaza Mayor
The Plaza Mayor is located in the heart of Madrid, a few meters from the Puerta del Sol and the Royal Palace. It was designed by Juan de Herrera and Juan Gómez de Mora in the Baroque style and is one of the essential visits in Madrid.
Puerta del Sol
Puerta del Sol is one of the most famous squares in Madrid and the meeting point par excellence for locals and tourists. It houses some of the most significant points and buildings in the capital, such as Kilometer Zero.
Puerta de Alcalá
The Puerta de Alcalá is one of the most emblematic and photographed monuments in Madrid. It is located at the beginning of Calle Alcalá, in Plaza de la Independencia.
El Retiro
El Retiro is one of the main parks in Madrid and, since its inauguration in 1868, it has become a haven of history and peace. Discover what to see in the Parque del Buen Retiro, the lung of Madrid.
Plaza de Cibeles
Located in the center of the city, at the crossroads between Paseo del Prado and Calle Alcalá, Plaza de Cibeles is one of the most representative spaces in Madrid. Especially for Madridistas!
Palacio Real
The Royal Palace of Madrid, also known as the Palacio de Oriente, was designed during the 18th century and is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family.
Santiago Bernabéu
Located on Paseo de la Castellana, the Santiago Bernabéu is the stadium of the beloved and hated Real Madrid Football Club, as well as one of the most frequented places in Madrid with more than a million visitors a year.
Museums
The museums in Madrid are generally open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. Although most are closed on Mondays, there are always exceptions that can be visited every day of the week, or some that are closed on Tuesdays or Sundays.
Museo del Prado
The Prado Museum is the best-known museum in Madrid and one of the most important art museums in the world. The museum is the work of Juan de Villanueva and was inaugurated in 1819. The Prado Museum’s collection is mainly based on paintings from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Among his paintings, he has masterpieces by painters of the stature of Velázquez, El Greco, Rubens, El Bosco or Goya.
Museo Reina Sofía
The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is one of the most important museums in Madrid and offers visitors an extensive collection of works of contemporary Spanish art. Founded in 1992, the Reina Sofía continues the eras not covered by the Prado Museum, beginning to exhibit works from 1881, the year Pablo Picasso was born.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is one of the most important art museums in Madrid and complements the collections of the Prado and Reina Sofía Museums. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum collection is made up of nearly 1,000 works that the Spanish State bought from the Thyssen-Bornemisza family in July 1993.
Museo Nacional Arqueológico
The National Archaeological Museum of Madrid is the most important archaeological museum in Spain. Inside you will find works as valuable as La Dama de Elche, among many other architectural gems. Since its reform completed in 2014, the National Archaeological Museum (MAN) has become one of the most visited museums in the capital with more than half a million visitors a year.
Gastronomy
Composed of consistent and tasty dishes, Madrid cuisine is a mixture of the different cuisines that we find throughout the Spanish geography. Madrid is an excellent city to go for tapas as many of its typical dishes are served in small portions that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. For not being a coastal city, Madrid also stands out for its high consumption of fish. A well-known dish for all the inhabitants is the squid. In the Plaza Mayor you will find dozens of bars where the star offer is the squid sandwiches.
Typical dishes
Madrid has numerous typical dishes that sometimes present small variations if we compare them with those served in other places. Here are some of the most popular dishes:
- Oreja a la plancha
Grilled pork ear that usually has garlic and parsley. - Gallineja
Fried lamb viscera. - Caracoles a la madrileña
Snails in meat broth that are usually somewhat spicy. - Cocido madrileño
Consistent dish made up of soup, chickpeas and meat. - Callos a la madrileña
Stewed pork tripe with chorizo, ham, tomato and paprika. - Soldaditos de pavía
Pieces of battered and fried cod that are usually accompanied by red peppers. - Huevos estrellados
Fried eggs with potatoes and ham, chorizo or chistorra.
- Pastas del consejo
Also known as «Pastas del Senado», these small lemon pastes were first made for Alfonso XII. - Rosquillas tontas y listas
Typical donuts that are prepared during the month of May. The lists have a layer of fondant sugar on top. - Rosquillas de Santa Clara
Anise flavored donuts coated with a sugar glaze. - Bartolillo
Fried sweets filled with pastry cream. - Barquillo
Thin sheet of flour and sugar paste.
Shopping
Madrid has small boutiques of great designers, well-known clothing chains and large shopping centers, a paradise for shopping lovers. In Madrid you will also find numerous shops selling typical products where you can find everything from souvenir figurines to complete preparations for paella and delicious pata negra hams. These are some of the most outstanding areas.
Gran vía
In addition to being one of the main arteries of the city, Gran Vía is full of popular fashion stores surrounded by the beautiful historic buildings in the area.
Fuencarral
With an incessant coming and going of passers-by, Calle Preciados -along with Calle del Carmen and Calle Arenal- makes up one of the main commercial areas of the city. Located between Plaza de Callao and Puerta del Sol, it is one of the few shopping areas with pedestrian access that can be found in the city.
Preciados
With an incessant coming and going of passers-by, Calle Preciados -along with Calle del Carmen and Calle Arenal- makes up one of the main commercial areas of the city. Located between Plaza de Callao and Puerta del Sol, it is one of the few shopping areas with pedestrian access that can be found in the city.
Serrano
Located in the stately Barrio de Salamanca and flanked by splendid buildings of classical architecture, Calle Serrano is a distinguished shopping center where the most prestigious and luxurious fashion firms can be found. In the area is the well-known «Golden Mile», a paradise for lovers of jewelry and accessories.
El Rastro
With more than 400 years of history behind it, the Rastro de Madrid is much more than a market where antique items and curious objects are sold every Sunday, since over the years it has become an excellent tourist attraction.