Sightseeing in Madrid

There are many instances of architectural and artistic styles spanning the range of medieval to modern throughout the city. Attractions that demonstrate a baroque style include Fuente de la Fama, Convento de San Antón and San Isidro. San Jerónimo el Real is essentially Gothic in appearance. Neoclassical architecture may be seen in the Puerta de Alcalá and Palacio de Bibliotecas y Museos whilst the Botero Statues and Faro de Moncloa are distinctly modern. As Europe's lushest capital Madrid has an abundance of pleasant parks and open spaces, such as the Real Jardín Botánico, Casa de Campo and Parque del Oeste, which offer a diversion from the hubbub of the city. These areas are also arenas for a multitude of leisure activities, for example visitors to the Parque del Retiro may wish to unwind by rowing out on the lake. Thanks also to the Prado, Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museums, Madrid is a top port of call on the European art tour. Madrid's main sights occupy a compact area between the Palacio Real and the gardens of El Retiro. However, monuments are not really what Madrid is about. To get a feel for the city you need to branch out a little, and experience the contrasting character of the various barrios. The most central and rewarding are the areas around Plaza de Santa Ana and c/Huertas, east of Puerta del Sol; La Latina and Lavapiés, south of Plaza Mayor, where the Sunday market, El Rastro, takes place; and Malasaña and Chueca, north of Gran Vía.

 

Puerta del Sol

The Puerta del Sol is one of the most important squares in Madrid. Nowadays it lies in the heart of the city, but back in the 15th Century it used to be one of the city entrance gates in the eastern part of Madrid (that's why it's called Puerta del Sol, 'The Gate of Sun'). In the middle of the square there is a monument of Karol III and a statue of the Bear of Madrono Tree, the heraldic symbol of Madrid. The most important building located on the square is the old Post Office, today the seat of government of the Madrid Community. Puerta del Sol is the main spot for demonstrations, but it is also the location for a New Years Party. Directly north of the Post Office there is the Kilómetro Cero, a point representing centre of Madrid and Spain.

 

The Prado Museum

Absolutely recommendable is a visit of the famous "triangle of art" most importantly the Prado Museum which is, together with the Louvre in Paris, one of the world’s most famous. Exhibitions include works from artists such as Bosch, Goya, Dürer, Tiziano, Tintoretto, El Greco, Velázquez and Rubens. Ranked among the foremost art galleries in the world, a paradise for art lovers and an absolute must-see for any visitor to Madrid, the Prado Museum sits magnificently on a large leafy Paseo del Prado running through one of the city's most alluring districts.

 

Museo de Arte Reina Sofía

The museum is named after Queen Sofia of Spain. The museum is mainly dedicated to Spanish art. Highlights of the museum include excellent collections of Spain's two greatest 20th century masters, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. Certainly the most famous masterpiece in the museum is Picasso's painting Guernica. The Reina Sofía collection has works by artists such as: Juan Gris, Joan Miró, Julio González, Eduardo Chillida, Antoni Tàpies, Pablo Gargallo, Pablo Serrano, Lucio Muñoz, Luis Gordillo, Jorge Oteiza, José Gutiérrez Solana and others.

 

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

The Thyssen Museum, along with the Prado and the Reina Sofía, is one of the main attractions on the Art Walk. With a collection of over 1,000 works of art, the Thyssen-Bornemisza is a key stop on one of the world's most singular cultural and artistic touring routes. It has the largest collection of private art in the world with works from the 17th to the 20th century from such great artists as Van Gogh, Carpaccio, Dürer, Caravaggio, Rubens, Frans Hals, Gauguin, Monet, and Kandinsky.

 

The Palacio Real

Palacio Real de Madrid, also known as Palacio de Oriente, is the official residence of the Spanish king Juan Carlos and his family. In reality, the palace is only used for official ceremonies, as the royal family reside in the smaller Palacio de la Zarzuela, situated on the outskirts of the city. With a combined area of more than 135,000 square metres and over 2,800 rooms, Palacio Real is considered the largest royal residence in Western Europe. The historical residence of the King of Spain is adorned with sumptuous decorations, tapestries, works of art, furniture, porcelain and paintings.

 

Madrid’s central park "El Parque del Retiro"

A green oasis of peace in the middle of the city, is the ideal place to relax or go jogging in the afternoon. Los Jardines del Buen Retiro (Gardens of the Pleasant Retreat) is a wonderful park facility in the very urban heart of the Spanish capital which provides numerous delightful pastime activities to its visitors. It is not only the best-known city park in Madrid but it is also the largest one with an area of 1.4 square kilometres of greenery. The Buen Retiro Park, as it is most commonly called, is the perfect place for a relaxing family stroll in the afternoon or for a romanitc walk. The park has a wide range of hot spots such as the glorious Crystal Palace and the magnificent Monument of Alfonso XII, as well as a spectacular collection of statues and other pieces of art. Moreover, the Buen Retiro Park is very close to some interesting sites like Prado Museum (a museum of fine European art) and the Alcala Gate (a historical monumental gate).

 

Real Jardin Botanico

Central Madrid has a lot to offer in terms of green spaces and Retiro Park is not the only famous urban park in this part of the city; so is the Botanical Garden (Jardin Botanico), which rightly deserves its place among the often visited gardens. It owes its fame to its location in the vicinity of attractions such as the renowned Prado Museum and the Buen Retiro Park, as well as to its own qualities. The Botanical Garden stretches out over 8 hectares filling them with over 30,000 samples of diverse species of flora from America and the Pacific. These plants were gathered in specially organised expeditions and every plant is tagged with its name and origin so that the main purposes of the Garden, to educate, is fulfilled.

 

Madrid’s bullfighting arena the "Plaza de Toros de las Ventas"

Plaza Toros Las Ventas is the third largest bullring in the world. The largest is the Plaza de Toros México in Mexico City, and the second largest is Plaza de Toros Monumental de Valencia in Venezuela. Plaza Toros Las Ventas is of course the largest bullring in Spain. It can seat 25,000 people and it measures an impressive 60 metres in diameter. It is one of the most important bullfighting ring in the world. It is here where the greatest bullfighters test their wits in front of a demanding public.

 

The Plaza Mayor

Built in the 17th Century, still is the historical and social centre of the city. The Plaza Mayor has been the site of executions, tournaments, weddings, bullfights and Inquisition trials. This very large square is surrounded completely by one very large square building from which onlookers perched to view the festivities in the square.

 

The Madrid Zoo Aquarium

Madrid’s Zoo Aquarium is located at Casa de Campo. Its exhibits include the zoo, a petting zoo, an aquarium, a dolphin exhibit and an aviary. Facilities include several restaurants, a boat tour and train tour. The Zoo takes part in many international breeding programmes and is considered to be one of the worlds leaders for certain species. Justifiablly so the Zoo is proud of this reputation and is more than happy to explain wildlife conservation to all ages.