e-travel-to Madrid
 Madrid Facts
- Area 607 sq km / 234 sq miles
- Population 3,000,000
- Time Zone GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Sightseeing Tours in Madrid
Gastronomy Madrid
Madrid Tourist Attractions & Sights
Madrid Bars & Cocktail Lounges
Madrid Subway
Map
Hotels Madrid
Last Minute Hotels Madrid
Recommended Hotels Madrid
Hotels with Special Hot Deals in Madrid
Most Popular Madrid Hotels
Apartments Madrid
Airport Transfer Madrid
Madrid is Spain’s financial and political capital, it is home to the
Parliament and the Royal Family as well as boasting the extraordinary
cultural riches of the so called ‘Golden Triangle’; the Prado, Reina Sofia
and Thyssen museums. Situated at the very center of Spain it has a
population of over three million, making it Europe’s fourth largest city.
Madrid is located three hundred km (two hundred miles) from the sea on a six
hundred and fifty-meter high plateau. In the winter temperatures can
therefore drop quite low whereas in the summer it gets very hot.
Qatar Airways launches Flights to Barcelona 18/06/2010
Qatar Airways has launched daily flights between Doha and the vibrant Spanish city, Barcelona.
Barcelona is Qatar Airways' second city served in Spain, after Madrid, and is expected to receive great response from leisure and business travellers ...
Madrid Card 14/06/2009
Madrid is crammed with art galleries, museums, royal palaces, flamenco shows...and you'll see them all with the Madrid Card and save money! Choose between a 1-day, 2-day or 3-day pass, and gain prioritized access to Madrid's big four attractions: ...
Emirates Cup 2009 Teams Confirmed 13/05/2009
Arsenal to Host Atletico Madrid, Rangers and Paris Saint-Germain in Pre-Season Tournament
Following the huge success of the two previous Emirates Cup tournaments in 2007 and 2008, Arsenal Football Club and Emirates are delighted to announce that ...
Emperador Madrid 15/04/2009
This 4-star hotel offers elegant, luxurious accommodation and excellent service in a prime location, right on Madrid?s famous Gran Via, in the heart of the city.
The superb, central location means that all of the sights and attractions of the ...
Madrid Tapas Night Walking Tour 10/03/2009
Sample Spanish nightlife and Madrid's tasty tapas on an evening walking tour that will tantalize your taste buds! Led by an entertaining foodie guide, this walking tour is the best introduction to the laid back Madrileno lifestyle. You'll visit ...
Attractions
The Greater Madrid area is full of attractions for all ages. As Europe's
most elevated city (2,120 feet), warm, welcoming Madrid also is quite
compact. Its main north-south artery, Paseo de la Castellana (turning into
Paseo de los Recoletos and Paseo del Prado), links the city's two primary
train stations, Chamartín and Atocha. The oldest quarters are between Paseo
del Prado (with fabulous galleries) and Palacio Real to the west. Modern-day
Madrid stretches east into the 19th-century grid of the Barrio de Salmanca
and north through neighborhoods of Chamberi and Chamarti. Midway, the
barrios southeast of Puerta del Sol lead to the Lavapiés district, filled
with restaurants, bars and cafes. The densest concentration of overnight
accommodations are around Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Santa Ana and the barrios
of Malasaña and Chueca (for pensiones and hostales) and along the Gran Vía
(for hotels). The section of Madrid worthy of culinary exploration is in the
center, between the Royal Palace and midtown forest, the Parque del Buen
Retiro. No other European capital has a city center so congested so late
into the night, as though city ordinances demand that no one retire for
slumber too early. Madrid restaurants, eateries and bars provide a
kaleidoscope of nocturnal revelry. Despite ambitious modernization programs
in the works, Madrid residents take pride in knowing their city remains
refreshingly distinct from Paris, London, Rome, or other capitals.
Botanical Garden
 Just south of the Prado, the Jardin Botanico provides a relaxing respite
from museum touring. Grounds are embellished with plants, flowers and cacti
from around the world gathered under direction of King Carlos III.
Garden / Arboretum, Park Retiro. Call (91) 420-3017 for more information.
Casa de America
As a cultural center and art gallery, Casa de America focuses on Latin
America. The casa within the Palacio de Linares is said to be haunted by its
builder, who made a fortune in the New World and returned to a life
involving disturbing deaths.
Paseo de Recoletos 2. Call (91) 595-4800 for more information.
Church of San Nicolas
The red brick tower of the Church of San Nicolas is one of the oldest
buildings in Madrid, possibly built as part of an Arab mosque. Others
believe it was built after the Christian conquest of 1085. Brickwork and
horseshoe arches indicate it was crafted by either Moorish workers or
Spaniards. Exhibits inside detail the Islamic history of early Madrid.
Plaza San Nicolas. Call (91) 559-4064 for more information.
Museum of Archaeology
Sharing a neoclassical building with the National Library, the Museum of
Archaeology’s big attraction is a replica of prehistoric café paintings
found underground in Altamira and Cantabria, where access is quite
restricted.
Calle Serrano 13. Call (91) 577-7912 for more information.
The Prado Museum
The Prado, Madrid’s chief attraction, was commissioned in 1785 by King
Carlos III as a natural science museum. By completion in 1819, emphasis had
shifted to art gathered by royalty since the era of Ferdinand and Isabella.
Works of Spanish masters Goya, Valazquez and El Greco are here along with
masterpieces of Flemish and Italian artists.
Paseo del Prada. Call (91) 420-3662 for more information.
Queen Sofia Art Center
Madrid’s modern art museum, often called the Sofidu after the Pompidou
modern art center in Paris, showcases Picasso’s famous Guernica, depicting
the horror of 1937 Nazi bombing of the Basque town of Guernica. Also on
display are major Cubist and Surrealist works including Salvador Dali’s The
Great Masturbator (1929), and The Enigma of Hitler (1939).
Santa Isabel 52. Call (91) 467-5062 for more information.
Plaza Santa Ana
Plaza de Santa Ana is one of the prettiest and most vibrant, and Plaza de
la Paja is tranquil, tumbling down the hill in the heart of Madrid's oldest
barrio, or neighborhood.
Plaza Mayor
The Plaza Mayor is an extremely grand 17th-century arcaded square in the heart of Madrid.
In the past, the square was the location of great festivals, ceremonies,
plays, and even the crowning of Kings. Unfortunately, it has also seen some
less than savoury events such as bullfights and the public burnings of
heretics. What can’t be disputed is that the Plaza Mayor has played a vital
role in Spanish history.
Royal Palace
Opulence reigns within the 2,800 Royal Palace rooms where a two-hour
guided tour winds along for more than a mile of gilded splendor. Highlights
include King Carlos III’s private Rococo décor apartments, the grand throne
room and the banquet hall seating up to 140 for state dinners. The royal
library has a first edition of Cervantes’ Don Quixote, the royal music
museum has five stringed instruments by Stradivarius, and the royal pharmacy
has vials and flasks used for the king’s medications.
Calle Bailen. Call (91) 559-7404 for more information.
Royal Tapestry Factory
Operating continuously since 1721, the Royal Tapestry Factory crafts rugs
and tapestries for Spain’s royals. Both modern methods and traditional
tapestry-making techniques are showcased alongside an exhibit of tapestries
created through the years representing what is on display at palaces
throughout Spain.
Fuenterrabia 2. Call (91) 551-3400 for more information.
Taberna de Antonio Sanchez
As Madrid’s oldest tavern, looking much as it did when opening in 1830,
the Antonio Sanchez has dark walls lined with bullfighting paintings, a zinc
bar and a pulley system for hoisting wine casks from the cellar. Meals are
served in a rear dining room, with bull’s tail stew among specialties.
Meson de Paredes 13. Call (91) 539-7826 for more information.
Thyssen Museum
As the newest of Madrid’s three major art centers, the Thyssen’s
collection of 800 paintings traces the history of Western art. Showcased are
examples from 13th century Italian Gothic through 20th century American Pop.
Works were assembled by Swiss industrialist Baron Hans Heinrich
Thyssen-Bornemisza and his father. In 1993, the baron, urged on by his wife
(a former Miss Spain), gave the collection to Spain.
Paseo del Prado. Call (91) 330-2800 for more information.
|
