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10: Madrid
Attractions
The
Prado Museum
The
Prado Museum is regarded as one of the world’s great museums.
The multinational exhibits include works by Spanish artists such
as El Greco and Velázquez, Italian painters such as Fra Angelico
and Raphael and Flemish artists as Bosch, Rubens and Van Dyck. The
best known works include Velázquez’s Las Meninas (The Maids of
Honor), Goya’s Naked Maja and Clothed Maja, and Bosch’s The
Garden of Delights.
Palacio
Real
The
Palacio Real has 3,000 rooms, more than any other palace in
Europe. Inhabited until 1941, the palace is now only used by the
Royal family for state occasions. The interiors are magnificently
decorated with frescoes by Tiepolo and Giaquinto, as well as
paintings by Goya, Rubens, Valezquez, and El Greco. There are
dozens of Flemish and Spanish tapestries and endless dazzling
rococo decorations. Check out the Porcelain Salon. Simply
stunning, it is covered in coloured relief tiles illustrating
Chinese scenes. The king's Arabian Salon is a beautiful
reproduction of the Sala Dos Hermanos in the Alhambra. About 30 of
the 300 rooms in the palace are open to the public.
The
Plaza Mayor
The
Plaza Mayor is an impressive 17th century arcaded square in the
heart of Madrid. It has played a vital role in the history of
Spain for over 400 years and has seen bullfights, festivals,
plays, public burnings of heretics, and the crowning of kings. It
is adorned with eye-catching multicolored murals and is surrounded
by baroque architecture. In the 1970s, vehicles were prohibited
from the plaza and as a result, it is a lively place in summer
filled with crowds attending concerts and festivals or simply
milling about. The square plays host to a range of shops and cafés
and to some of the most spirited tapas bars in town!
La
Casa de Campo
La
Casa de Campo is a large park with densely wooded areas, a large
lake, a swimming pool and tennis courts. It is also home to the
Madrid Zoo and the Parque de Atracciones. Originally a hunting
ground for Felipe II and a royal park, the Casa de Campo is now an
area for public entertainment. The zoo houses nearly 3,000
inhabitants and shows are performed daily and the amusement park
offers rides, restaurants and bars.
The
National Archeological Museum
The
Museo Arqueológico Nacional houses artefacts, sculpture, jewelry
and art spanning many centuries. The Dama de Elche and the Dama de
Baza are two amazing sculptures of women standing gracefully on
the first floor. They are both fine examples of Iberian sculpture
from the 4th century BC. There is also a subterranean replica of
the Altamira Cave where 100,000-year-old cave paintings have been
meticulously reproduced. Visit the National Library in the same
building and see a first-edition copy of Cervantes's Don Quixote.
Puerta
del Sol
The
Puerta del Sol is regarded as the true geographical heart of Spain,
lying right in the middle of Madrid. All distance markers along
the roads on the national Spanish highway system use Puerta del
Sol as their reference point and on New Year’s Eve each year
Puerta del Sol becomes Spain's “Times Square” with thousands
of revelers packing the square swallowing grapes at each of the
twelve strokes of midnight. The Puerta del Sol is the most popular
meeting place in Madrid.
Café
de Chinitas
Café
de Chinitas hosts a very impressive display of flamenco dancing.
The show is very popular and tends to sell out very quickly so
reserving is essential. It is regarded as the best location in
Madrid to enjoy authentic flamenco music and dance.
Website:
Cafe de Chinitas
Museo
de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes
Designed
at the beginning of the 18th century, the Museo de la Real
Academia de Bellas Artes houses one of the most important art
collections in Spain. Its riches include works by Goya, El Greco,
Murillo, Velazquez, Correggio, Rubens, and Tiepolo. Make sure to
stop at the Instituto de Calcografia located inside the building
to buy incredible limited edition prints from the original plates.
Buen
Retiro Park
Buen
Retiro is the largest and most beautiful of all Madrid's parks
with over 130 hectares of woodland. Enter through any of its four
fine gateways, located in the Plaza de la Independencia, the Calle
de Alcalá, the Calle de O'Donnell, and the Calle de Alfonso XII.
Hire a boat on the lake, smell the magnificent rose garden, see
the beautiful Cecilio Rodríguez gardens or simply enjoy the peace
by taking a leisurely stroll in the park. You may be lucky and
stumble across an art exhibition at the Palacio de Velázquez and
the Palacio de Cristal located in the centre of the park.
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