|
Elevated in 1561 to a capital city from its lowly status as a provincial
town, by Felipe II, there is minimal historical reference to Madrid until
approximately the 10th century. At this time Madrid was the Muslim seat of
Magerit, which was to be relinquished in 1083 to Alfonso VI. Ever since the
influence of Felipe II, Madrid has continued to expand. The city has always
had its connections to the government, however new industries are being
lured to the capital's 21 districts (barrios). Numerous enhancements to
infrastructure and the launch of new venues and facilities have increased
appreciation of and access to culture.
Luxury Madrid hotels are some of the most expensive in the world,
although many have reduced weekend discount rates. However, a wide array of
Madrid hotels and lodging is available to choose from, which covers the
price scale, including some good Madrid budget hotels. At the bottom end of
the city's accommodation are the hygienic but rudimentary rooms of the
Madrid boarding houses (pensiones), guest houses (casas de huspuedes),
hostels (hostales), and inns (fondas). Significant quantities of budget
places to stay are in the rundown areas of the city and it is advisable to
steer clear of these. Madrid has an impressive selection of accommodation,
so it is rare to have difficulty acquiring a room, perhaps barring the most
fashionable districts. Booking as much in advance as feasible and telephone
confirmations are recommended.
Surprisingly Madrid's city centre is compact with many of its foremost
attractions being concentrated in a few regions. This means sightseers may
cover much of the capital by foot. Alternatively, visitors may wish to avail
themselves of the first-rate public transport schemes, including the metro
(underground) system. Countless metro stations and roads are assigned names
of historical individuals who have never been heard of beyond Spain.
Tourists should not be troubled if they find themselves temporarily
disoriented as every metro station street entrance has an enormous city map
and roads are well marked.
Madrid is a city with ever evolving things to see and do and it offers a
diverse range of activities and attractions. After all this is the world's
capital for bullfighting. The profuse number of museos (museums) would keep
any tourist occupied for the duration of their visit. The term museo in
Spanish does not allude to museums alone but also refers to non-commercial
art galleries, thus explaining the Museo del Prado (Prado Museum) one of the
world's leading collections of fine art. For art aficionados, and indeed for
people with other interests, the Prado, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and the
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reine Sofía, one of Europe's top centres of
contemporary art, are well worth a visit. In some cases the buildings in
which the art collections are held are of as much interest as their
exhibits.
There are many instances of architectural and artistic styles spanning
the range of medieval to modern throughout the city. Attractions that
demonstrate a baroque style include Fuente de la Fama (Fountain of Fame),
Convento de San Antón (St. Anton's Convent) and San Isidro. San Jerónimo el
Real is essentially Gothic in appearance. Neoclassical architecture may be
seen in the Puerta de Alcalá (Alcalá Gate) and Palacio de Bibliotecas y
Museos (National Library and Museum) whilst the Botero Statues and Faro de
Moncloa are distinctly modern.
As Europe's lushest capital Madrid has an abundance of pleasant parks and
open spaces, such as the Real Jardín Botánico (Royal Botanical Garden), Casa
de Campo (Home Field) and Parque del Oeste (Park of the West), which offer a
diversion from the hubbub of the city. These areas are also arenas for a
multitude of leisure activities, for example visitors to the Parque del
Retiro (Retreat Park) may wish to unwind by rowing out on the lake.
Madrid is the ideal base for explorations into the countryside
surrounding the capital. Ávila, Segovia and Toledo are cities steeped in
history and El Escorial; a luxurious summer palace in a formal setting, are
all within a day visit of Madrid. To appreciate Madrid to the fullest
visitors should modify their routes to those of the Madrileño, the city's
inhabitants. Spaniards dine and retire for the night late and operate on
less sleep than almost every other country's population. Madrid is an
amiable focus for cafés, restaurants, nightclubs and theatres. It is not
unusual for bars to be busy at 01:00 during the week and to return home at
03:00 is considered to be having an early night. Madrileños are even known
to start the weekends clubbing late on a Thursday night and continue
straight through to 09:00 on a Monday morning. Which nightclubs to go to
depend upon where's in vogue during a visitor's stay, however, the usually
fashionable discotecas (clubs) are Pachá (Calle de Barceló, 11), El Sol (Calle
de los Jardines, 3), Joy Esclava (Calle Arenal, 11) and Palacio Gaviria (Calle
Arenal, 9).
When eating out in Madrid visitors can experience a variety of regional
Spanish fare. The cuisines of País Vasco (the Basque country) and Catalunya
(Catalonia) are the greatest admired. Purrusalda, a leek and potato soup
frequently including bacalao (cod), is an example of Basque cookery whilst
llagosta a la catalana, Catalan lobster in a pepper, tomato, brandy and wine
sauce sometimes with almonds and chocolate, is a must if it is on the menu.
A speciality dish of Madrid is bartolillos, triangles filled with custard
that are then deep-fried. Probably the best selections of tapas bars in the
city are located around Plaza Santa Ana (St. Anna's Square).
With among the finest shops in Europe and an almost inexhaustible supply
of sights and cultural activities including concerts, opera, Zarzuela
(unique Spanish form of operetta), films and theatre, Madrid is one place
visitors can return to again and again and still not see everything.
Festive Madrid
More Madrid Information / Facts
- Country: Spain / España
- Status: capital city
- Area: 605.8 square kilometres / 376 square miles
- Population: 4.2 million in the city, 41 million in Spain
- Language: Castilian Spanish
- Currency: Euro (EUR)
- Time zone: 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
- Country dialling code: +34
- Telephone area code: 91
- Religion: Roman Catholic
- Electricity: 220 volts, 50 Hz - round two-pin plugs are used
- Average daily January temperature: 9ºC / 48ºF
- Average daily July temperature: 31ºC / 88ºF
- City height above sea level: 655 metres / 2,148 feet
|
Madrid,
Spain's capital city is situated almost at the geographical epicentre of the
country on a high central plain (meseta) and is at the heart of the Spanish
economical, political and communications systems. A thoroughly modern city,
Madrid could not be described as handsome and does not hold the historical
pull of other European cities, such as Paris or Rome. However, visitors to
this dynamic metropolis cannot help but be drawn to the vibrant spirit of
the city that can be found in its streets and people. There are several
tourism and tourist information offices situated in the city centre of
Madrid and these provide up-to-date information about Madrid tourist
attractions, museums, events, Madrid festivals, Madrid travel, Madrid
sightseeing and general Madrid tourism and tourist information.
Panoramic
Madrid and Bullfight
Emperador
Hotel Madrid
