Madrid Attractions

Madrid Pictures

At the very heart of Madrid (and therefore Spain) lies the Puerta del Sol the fifteenth century eastern gate of the city, which is surrounded by the oldest parts of Madrid. From here modern Madrid spans out northwards along the Paseo de la Castellana. South of the Puerta del Sol lie the city’s key historical attractions such as the Plaza Mayor.

Above all Madrid is known for the three museums collectively known as the Golden Triangle, located closely together to the east of Madrid they form the Paseo del Arte (Art Promenade). Prado is over two hundred and ten years old and with a four thousand strong collection including such names as Botticelli, El Bosco, Velazquez and Goya among Europe’s greatest galleries. Meanwhile in the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza highlights include works by Renoir and Van Eyck. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia completes the triangle. Here mainly twentieth century Spanish art including Picasso’s controversial Guernica are on display.

The Palacio Real (Royal Palace) offers guided tours taking about two hours, though an alternative is simply to enjoy spectacular views over Madrid from the Palaces’ surrounding gardens. Take the Metro to the stop entitled ‘Opera’. Plaza Mayor (the Main Square) is a beautiful cobble courtyard attracting many tourists (metro stop ‘Sol’ ). Parque del Buen Retiro is a lush one hundred and forty hectare (three hundred and fifty acre) park in the heart of Madrid where you can wander through the rose garden or take a boat ride at your leisure. This rounds off a hectic day nicely with a bit of early-evening tranquility.