Madrid,
Spain
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Destination Guide |
Europe > Spain
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Madrid has stood in the center of the Iberian
Peninsula as the capital of Spain since 1562.
Its southern and elevated location allows for
warm, dry summers and cool winters, making for
excellent traveling weather all year round. As a
tourist destination, Madrid is filled with
fascinating areas to explore. There are the
wide, gracefully tree lined major avenues and
boulevards, the trendy and cosmopolitan
buildings, and in contrast, the old areas that
twist and wind with quaint streets and relaxed
cafes. Together, these combine to provide many
days of discovery of the treasured past and the
exciting present of Madrid.
One cannot help but notice a prominent green
blotch on the map of Madrid. Parque Del Retiro
is more than a nature walk. In fact, many
visitors return several times during their stay
for the ever-changing offerings of street
performers, boating, skating, and puppet shows.
The city offers many interesting museums, with
the world-famous Prado National Museum
leading the way.
Housed in an 18th-century building, the Prado
features the works of Rubens, Goya, El Greco,
Bosch, Velazquez, Titian and many others.
Madrid's most famous contemporary art museum is
the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia.
Its centerpiece is Picasso's enormous antiwar
masterpiece, Guernica. The fabulous works
of the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection are
displayed at the Villahermosa Palace.
The historic quarters of Madrid teem with
interesting sights and structures. Columns,
arches, churches, fountains, even an Egyptian
Temple await the traveler. The
Madrid Card is a wise
purchase, as it combines a transportation pass
with free entry to various museums and
attractions, among other discounts.
Madrid has hills and
mountains in abundance for the climber and
hiker. There are twenty local golf
courses, some of which welcome nonmembers.
Parque de Nieve is the amateur athlete's dream.
This is an indoor, artificial slope that can be
configured with different terrains. There are
separate areas for skiing, snowboarding and
tubing, as well as an ice wall for climbers.
Bicycling is also a popular sport, and bike
trails are available. Spain's national
sport is futbol (soccer), and Madrid
boasts three home teams. The season runs
from September to June. A close second in the
hearts of Madrilenos and Spaniards is the
corrida (bullfight), for which the season is
from March to October.
Madrid has impressive venues and well-regarded
companies providing b allet,
contemporary dance, orchestral concerts, opera,
and theatrical productions. Shopping in
Madrid is a delight.
The shopping area of Serrano, just east of Paseo
de la Castellana, is full of boutiques,
home-decorating stores and stylish shops,
including Chanel and Armani. Calle Ribera de
Curtidores located in the heart of the
Rastro market, has the largest concentration of
antique shops in Madrid.
The
streets around Puerta del Sol form a more
traditional (less exclusive) shopping area,
where you can still find shops that have been in
business since the 1800s.
Long lunches will be a necessity, as the rich
variety of sights and sounds of this fabulous
city require time for assimilation and
reflection. Fortunately, to relax is to be
Spanish. People sleep late. Shops seem to open
and close of their own accord. Hundreds of
restaurants, cafes and bars line the streets,
not for the purpose of continuous eating and
drinking, but because sociability and enjoyment
of life as a community are cultural necessities.
Lunch is more than a meal; in the right company,
it can become an all-day activity.
Madrid by day is a social city, but the fun
doesn't end with the sunset. It is nearly
impossible to describe Madrid's unending list of
evening activities. Nightspots in Madrid
generally stay open until 4AM, giving visitors
plenty of time to explore the excellent
restaurants, tapas bars, open-air cafes, jazz
and night clubs.
Most travelers arrive in Madrid with plans to
stay for a day or two before striking out for
other parts of Spain. Many, however, stay longer
once they realize the infinite possibilities
Madrid offers for food, drink, and fun.
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