Madrid - City Guide
Eating
Nearly every bar offers tapas and there is no shortage of places to eat and drink in Madrid. For pintxos, the Basque version of tapas, go to Txakoli (Calle Cava Baja, 26; 34-91-366-48-77).
In Madrid specialities include 'patatas bravas' (deep-fried potato in a spicy sauce), fried pig's ear (orejas) and tripe (callos). Spanish omelette (tortilla) and deep fried squid rings (calamares) are perennial favourites and you'll find excellent shellfish tapas arriving daily from the coast. Seafood tends to be excellent and Madrid's fish market is the world's second largest after Tokyo. Quite surprising when you think the nearest coast is over four hours away.
In the contemporary, light-infused dining room at Pan de Lujo, Alberto Chicote brings Spanish fusion to Madrid's Gucci-toting upper class. Don't miss the homemade apple tart that's as thin and stylish as the patrons.
Botin Restaurant, Cuchilleros 17, near Plaza Mayor. According to the Guinness Book of Records, this is the oldest restaurant in the world, dating from 1725. It has excellent food, specialities being cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) and cordero asado (roast lamb). The restaurant consists of four floors of tiled, wood-beamed dining rooms, with caste-iron ovens several centuries old.
Spain might be Europe's liveliest country for nightlife. Within Spain there is nowhere that compares with Madrid for bar life as locals and visitors alike crawl their way through some of the city's thousands of varied drinking and tapas bars before heading off to a nightclub until sunrise.
There are bars to suit everybody's taste ranging from ultra chic cocktail bars to traditional tiled tabernas and well stocked tapas bars. Opening hours, until relatively recently, didn't exist and drinking through the night was not a problem. Today you'll find the typical tapas bars will open all day and close around midnight according to how busy they are whilst the more trendy 'copas bars' will continue well into the night.
What to do
The Habsburg family dominated the history of Madrid until the 1700s and the oldest part of Madrid is known as los Austrias. Plaza Major is a very elegant arcaded square with buildings covered in murals. Back in time, this was the place where all the bull fights, carnivals and festivals were held. Today there are markets here on Sundays and countless "terrazas" (outdoor restaurant seating) for a drink or something to eat. The plaza's interior is magnificently illuminated at night.
Directly south of Plaza Major in Calle Toledo are the twin baroque towers of the imposing church of San Isidro. The area around here is the oldest part of the city with churches and buildings dating back to the 12th century. The city is easy to get around on foot. The narrow, labyrinthine streets of the medieval quarter contrast with the grand boulevards, laid out in the 18th and 19th centuries - the period when Madrid began to take on the trappings of a modern capital.
If you are interested in art, Madrid is the place to be. The city boasts several world class museums along the Paseo del Prado, including the Museo del Prado, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and the Thyssen museums.
The Prado features one of the world's finest collections of European art from 12 to 19th centuries and over 7000 paintings. It has the world's best collection of Spanish art - including works by Diego Velazquez and Francisco Goya, as well as works by Raphael, Botticelli, Peter Paul Rubens and Hieronymus Bosch.
The Centro de Arte Reina Sofia acts as a partner to the Prado and contains modern and contemporary works including works by Picasso, Dali and Miro.
The Museo Thyssen Bornemisza contains an enormous collection of key Spanish painters such as such as El Greco and Rembrandt, as well as modern masters. Baron Thyssen's prized art collection was awarded to Spain in the 1980s after it outgrew its previous housing in Switzerland. This collection is worth an estimated one to three billion dollars and is housed in a beautiful neo-classical palace.
Also in this part of town is the Retiro park - the former Royal Gardens. This area is the perfect place for a peaceful stroll with its large lake and tree canopy paths. On Sundays you can buy paintings, jewellery and all kind of things from the vendors or watch games of pelanque.
The Botanical Garden is just below the Prado museum and contains more than 30,000 plant species.
The Plaza Puerta del Sol is the perfect starting point to explore Madrid and is the most photographed square in Madrid. This bustling, centrally located square is one of the city's most lively places. Now the heart of Madrid's historic center, this site used to be on the eastern border of the city. The plaza's name originates from the eastern city gate located here in the 15th century. The gate was probably called after a sun drawn on it, hence the name Puerta del Sol or 'Sun Gate'. The current semi-oval square was created in the 19th century.
In the middle of the square is a large equestrian statue of King Carlos III looking out over the beautiful 18th century red brick building, the former main post office. In front of this building on the pavement is the 'kilometer 0' plaque, marking the center of the Spanish road network. It is the starting point from where all the highway distances are measured.
The Royal Palace
The Palace (Palacio Real) was built during the 18th and 19th centuries and is considered to be one of the finest in Europe. It is the official residence for the Royal family, but is mainly used now for state ceremonies. The rest of the time it is open to the public.
It replaced the former medieval castle which was burnt to the ground in 1794. The present day Royal Palace of Madrid was decorated to the tastes of Charles III, and is extremely lavish inside. Visitors can wander through many of the rooms and banqueting halls. Outside the Palace you will find the Sabatini gardens and the Campo del Moro (the field of the Moors) - the latter offering fine views up from the Manzanares river.
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