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The capital of Madrid is situated in the middle of the Spanish plateau and is a true metropolis. Experience the bustle of the city when you parade across the large squares and broad boulevards or explore the brimming nightlife. In addition to gastronomy, music, and fashion, this metropolis also offers an interesting variety of museums and art collections. There are no fewer than 73 museums in the city. Admire the masterpieces in 'The Golden Triangle' of art museums: Museo del Prado, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a real must for art enthusiasts! For modern art, you could visit one of the galleries. The Palacio Real, the royal palace, is also worth a visit. The palace is no longer inhabited and its most important rooms and the gardens are open to visitors. If you’ve had enough of all those museums, you could go and relax in the 'Parque del Retiro'. You could walk around the park, or enjoy a tasteful Spanish wine in an outdoor café. In the park itself you will find the Real Jardin Botánico (a botanical garden), two palaces, and a rose garden. You will not get bored in this park, because it has a lively atmosphere. You could watch street performances, concerts and exhibitions, and you could also take a ride in a horse and carriage. In the park, there is a lake where you could hire a small rowing boat. You will also find Madrid’s bustle in its old city centre. Madrid’s centre is characterised by a maze of lively narrow lanes, surprising squares, and parks with wonderful palaces and fountains. Here you will find the city's famous squares such as the fan-shaped Puerta del Sol, Plaza de la Cilbeles with its famous fountains, and the Plaza Mayor, where religious and royal ceremonies used to take place. There are plenty of tapas bars and restaurants in Madrid and this city also has a brimming nightlife. It is also fun to roam El Rasto, Spain's largest flea market, on a Sunday morning. You will find all kinds of knickknacks here, but also beautiful antiques, and modern accessories, such as bags, shoes, and jewellery. Around the market you will find a mixture of department stores, little old shops, and fashion stores in two lively streets in the old city centre. But Madrid has much more to explore. The city tour buses and the underground make it easy to travel to any place in Madrid. Explore Madrid's many quarters, each with its own character.
Places of interest
- Visit the famous Museo del Prado, one of the world’s most important art galleries.
- Two other major museums are the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (with more than 800 paintings, sculptures and tapestries ranging from works by the Dutch Masters to modern works) and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (with works by Picasso, Miró, Dalí, and many others).
- To relax you could go to the 'Parque del Retiro', which has a lake where you could hire a small rowing boat.
- Also pay a visit to the Palacio Real. The most important rooms in the palace and the gardens are open to visitors.
- The convent of ‘Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales’, founded by the sister of Felipe II. Here you could see works of art from the Renaissance and the Baroque.
- El Escorial, the monastery and palace of Felipe II, is a maze of courtyards, corridors, halls, staircases, and chapels. This is something you really should see.
- For animal lovers, a visit to Zoo Aquarium Madrid is also fun. In the zoo, you will find animals from all over the world, and also an aquarium, a dolphinarium, and a bird park.
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More regions of Spain, Andalusia Inland, Aragon/Navarre/La Rioja, Green Spain, Barcelona Maresme Coast, Castile-León, Costa Blanca, Costa Cálida, Costa del Azahar, Canary Islands, Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura, Ibiza, Majorca, Madrid, Minorca, Murcia, Catalonia Inland/Pyrenees, Valencia Region Inland
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