Madrid is a thrilling city with a wealth of cultural attractions: lots of theater shows, opera, dancing and many famous museums. Madrid also possesses lots of restaurants, bars and countless other forms of nightlife. The many stunning parks and gardens provide tranquil spots to stroll, and the numerous little tapas bars offer a warming ambiance all year round. The popular center of Madrid is the famous square, the Puerta del Sol, the main shopping district and hub of the city's nightlife.
Madrid's most historic square, the Plaza Mayor, is enclosed by arcades sheltering a variety of craft shops, restaurants and tapas bars. It was completed in 1617 during the reign of Philip III. During the middle ages the site was just a market place outside the city walls, however, the construction of the new Plaza Mayor turned the site into a real, large square, measuring 120 meters long and 90 meters wide (394ft. x 295ft). It was surrounded by wooden buildings, at one point up to six stories high. Fires have destroyed all buildings around Plaza Mayor three times in history; in 1631, 1672 and 1790. Each time they were rebuild, the last reconstruction after the fire in 1790, is what we see today.
Among the most visited tourist attractions in Madrid are: El Rastro, an enormous outdoor market. There are market stalls stocking excellent value items, and you can buy almost anything. It gets very busy, so you have to be prepared to go with the slow moving flow of people, but is is full of color and makes for an interesting mornings shopping.
The Prado is one of the world’s most famous art museums, containing masterpieces from the 12th to the 19th century. There are both temporary and permanent exhibitions, and the works of Goya, Rubens and Murillo are amongst the masterpieces on display. The museum is large, and art lovers will easily pass half, if not the whole day inside.
The Reina Sofia art museum makes up part as another of Madrid's selection of famous museums. It houses an extremely important collection of 20th and 21st century art. Picasso's famous Guernica is well worth a look, as are the works of Miró and Dalí.
Retiro Park is a wonderful oasis to the east of the center of Madrid. The park was once a palace garden, and it contains a boating lake and many majestic fountains.
The Palacio Real is an enormous and imposing building constructed during the 18th and 19th century. It is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, although they only use it for state occasions. It's sheer scale and vast courtyard is impressive, and you can enter the palace to get a look at the lavish halls, the banqueting rooms, throne room, residential areas, the Royal Armory and the Royal Pharmacy.
The majority of first time visitors to Madrid want to stay somewhere near Puerto del Sol and Grand Via, mainly because this is the central tourist area. The 5 star options tend to be located in more upmarket areas outside this tourist center, but the efficient public transport system in Madrid makes getting around to any place in the city quick and easy.
Luxury Madrid hotels are some of the most expensive in the world, although many have reduced weekend discount rates. Madrid has hotels in all categories and price scales to choose from, including some good budget hotels. At the bottom end of the city's accommodation are the hygienic but basic rooms of the Madrid boarding houses (pensiones), guest houses (casas de huspuedes), hostels (hostales) and inns (fondas). Significant quantities of the budget places to stay are in the rundown areas of the city and it is advisable to steer clear of these. With so many hotels in Madrid it is rare to have difficulty booking a room, perhaps with the exception of the most fashionable districts. Booking as much in advance as feasible and telephone or e-mail confirmations are recommended.
Remember that a hotel's official published rate is the "rack rate", and in many cases you can get lower rates than those officially quoted. Check directly with your hotel of choice by internet, or by calling the individual hotel´s reservation desk. High seasons are Easter and Christmas, so avoid those periods if you can. If you decide to go to Madrid during the very hot months of July and August, the capital's low season, you'll usually be able to pick up some very good bargains in the higher priced hotels.
