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Madrid, Spain
As a tourist destination, Madrid is filled with many fascinating areas to explore. There are the wide tree lined avenues and boulevards, the trendy and cosmopolitan buildings, in contrast with the old areas that twist and wind with quaint streets and relaxed cafes.
Madrid by day is a social city, but the fun doesn't end with the sunset. It is near impossible to describe the city's endless list of night time activities. The night spots in Madrid generally stay open until early morning, which gives visitors plenty of time to explore the restaurants, bars, cafes, jazz and night clubs.
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 Royal Palace of Madrid
+34 914 54 88 00
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Calle de Bailén s/n.
28071 Madrid
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Few European royal residences still show the splendor of Madrid's Royal Palace. This is the official residence of the King of Spain and its majestic rooms contain important artistic treasures. Although The King and his family do not reside there, The Palace is still used for many official occasions and may not be accessible during your visit.
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Museo del Prado
+34 902 10 70 77
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Paseo del Prado s/n.
28014 Madrid
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Founded as a museum of paintings and sculpture, the Museo del Prado also has important collections of drawings, prints, coins, medals, almost 2,000 decorative objects and works of art and more than 700 sculpted works. The picture collection, however, so rich both in terms of size, with 8,600 paintings, and quality, has eclipsed the other areas.
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Plaza Mayor
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Calle de Alcalá s/n.
28013 Madrid
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This grand arcaded square in the center of Madrid is perhaps the most architecturally and historically significant spot in Madrid and is very popular with tourists and locals alike. At the center of the square is a bronze statue of King Philips III, constructed in 1616 by the Italian sculptors Giovanni de Bologna and his apprentice Pietro Tacca.
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Parque del Retiro
+34 915 88 87 90
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Plaza de la Independencia, s/n
28001 Madrid
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This 320 acre large royal park opened to the public in 1868 and is Madrid's biggest and most famous park. The park is also home of the Palacio de Cristal, a beautiful metal and glass building built in 1887 to shelter exotic plants from the winter weather. The Park is located east of the city center, not far from the Museo del Prado.
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Puerta del Sol
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28013 Madrid
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Puerta del Sol is the geographical center of Spain and is the most popular and commercial area in the old town. The square is famous for being the center of the national road network. A stone plaque is located here which denotes "kilometer 0". The distance between Madrid and every other part of Spain is measured from this point. Also located here is the El Oso y El Madroño, a statue of a Bear and Madroño tree, which is the symbol of Madrid.
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Photo credit: Council of Madrid
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