Madrid is a tremendously historic and monumental city.
Its monuments and sights include the
Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor, the Almudena Cathedral, Puerta del Sol and the city's many historic buildings and squares which make this one of Europe's most attractive cities for sight-seeing.
The city is an excellent combination of modern infrastructure and
historic squares, churches, monuments and city gates. It has several
emblematic landmarks such as the Palacio Real, which is the largest
Royal Palace in Western Europe, the
Plaza Mayor, a spectacular Castilian
square which dates back to the 16th century, the
Puerta del Sol, Madrid
and Spain's spiritual heart, since from this square all points on
Spain's 6 major national roads are measured, and the Gran Vía, one of
Madrid's main shopping streets connecting the spacious Plaza de España
square with the magnificent old city gate of Puerta de Alcalá.
Madrid's art
museums are second to none, with the
Museo del Prado being internationally
recognised as one of the world's premier galleries, particularly for
European art.
The Reina Sofia museum, which houses Picasso's incredible work "Guernica",
and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum, one of
the most important private
collections in the world, make up Madrid's unique Avenue of Art,
together with the new addition of the
CaixaForum.
The less well known
Academia de
Bellas Artes houses a magnificent collection of paintings from the
15th century to the present day.
GoMadrid provides the visitor with practical information on all the city's major
museums, together with the most
important
monuments. And if you would like to see where the most important tourist attractions are
located, please use this incredibly useful
tourist map to guide you round the city.
A visit to Spain's capital wouldn't be complete without a stroll around
its Rastro Flea
Market, which is a Sunday morning tradition for thousands of locals
and tourists alike.
Or take a relaxing walk through one of the capital's large and beautiful
parks.
