What to do in Madrid
The Madrid of the Austrias
The nickname for this part of the centre of Madrid has its history: The area where the Habsburg dynasty created the historic buildings of a village they chose as the capital of Spain.
To visit the area we can walk around Sol and Plaza Mayor, if we go up the street Esparteros we can see the Plaza Santa Cruz, where the building of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs live. We then go down the street to Calle Toledo and Plaza de Puerta Cerrada, next to the Plaza Mayor. From the Calle Toledo we let ourselves down Carrera de San Francisco, and continue to the Basilica of San Francisco, we then turn right and cross the viaduct towards Bailén, that offers superb views of southern Madrid.
Then we see the Almudena (Madrid Cathedral) and the Royal Palace. Calle Arenal will return you to Sol.
Royal Palace
The Royal Palace is the official residence of the king of Spain. It Is the largest palace in Western Europe in extent, with 135,000 m² and more than 3,418 rooms.
It is home to a valuable historical and artistic heritage, as the Palatine Stradivarius and very important collections of other art forms such as painting, sculpture and tapestry.
Another of the names used to refer to the building is the “Palacio de Oriente”. This name originates from the square which bears one of the balconies of the palace, the Plaza de Oriente, which is also the Teatro Real.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena
The Cathedral of Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena is 102 meters long and 73 high, built during the XIX and XX in a mixture of different styles: neoclassical on the exterior, Gothic and Romanesque inside the crypt. It was consecrated by Pope John Paul II on his fourth trip to Spain on June 15, 1993, thus being the only Spanish cathedral consecrated by a pope. Located in the heart of the city. The main facade faces the Royal Palace. The facade facing the street, and access to the crypt is by the Cuesta de la Vega, at the end of the Calle Mayor. Unlike most Christian churches, the cathedral has a north-south orientation, the result of its construction as part of the ensemble Royal Palace.
Gran Vía
The Gran Via is one of the main streets of Madrid. Starts in Alcalá Street and ends at the plaza de España. It is an important landmark in the city since its construction in the early twentieth century as seen from the point of view oftourism and leisure. In the latter aspect it is famous for its theaters, though in recent years some have closed and others have been converted with great success into musical theaters, thus being name as the Broadway of Madrid.
Plaza Mayor
Its origins date back to the fifteenth century. The Plaza Mayor was converted from the beggining, not only into the main market of the town, but also into the scene of many public events such as bullfights and public performances. Also held in the Plaza Mayor, the beatification of San Isidro, patron saint of Madrid.
The Plaza Mayor is now a major tourist spot. In commercial premises located under the arcades, catering shops abound. It is also a very used for festivals such as concerts offered free to the locals during the festival of San Isidro. All the months of December, we celebrate the traditional Christmas market, a practice that remains in effect from 1860.
Puerta del Sol
The Puerta del Sol was originally one of the entrances of the walls around Madrid in the fifteenth century. Here is since 1950 the so-called ‘Kilometro Cero’ Spanish.
The oldest building in the Puerta del Sol is the post office and it highlights the clock tower, that was built and donated in the nineteenth century by José Rodríguez de Losada, whose stroke of 12 pm on December 31 mark the traditional twelve grapes making the vast majority of the Spanish start the feast. The Puerta del Sol is a meeting place, a place of transit between different parts of Madrid. Sightseeing is a must.
Reina Sofía Museum
This is the old hospital of San Carlos, from the eighteenth century. Today is a museum and houses a large collection of art devoted to the twentieth century, bearing the name of the present Queen of Spain.
Prado Museum
Keeping an extraordinary collection of Spanish painting of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, is itself one of the world’s largest art galleries and one of the 10 most visited museums, which highlights the works of Velázquez and Goya, as well as many other painters.
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
Thanks to the donation to the state of almost all collections of art that were in possession of the Thyssen Bornemisza family, the museum receives thousands of visits per year and represents, next to the Prado and Reina Sofia, the Madrid Triangle of Art.
Parque del Retiro
Along with the Casa de Campo it represents the lungs of Madrid, visited daily by thousands of people who come to the park to relax and to play sports, and also to take a boat trip around the Monument to Carlos III.
