Things to Do & See

MONUMENTS

1. Palacio Real & Almudena Cathedral

The Royal Palace of Madrid was designed during the 18th century inspired by Bernini's sketches for the Louvre in Paris.

Although it is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, it is used exclusively for receptions, ceremonies and official acts. Highlights include the Royal Armoury, one of the most important collections of its kind, and the painting gallery, with paintings by Caravaggio, Velázquez, Goya and Sorolla, among others.

Every Wednesday and Saturday you can see the changing of the Royal Guard at the Puerta del Príncipe from 11:00 to 14:00 in the winter and from 10:00 to 12:00 in the summer months. In addition, on the first Wednesday of each month the Solemn Changing of the Royal Guard takes place, just as it did in the 19th century.

To see more: here

2. Plaza de la Villa

The square, of medieval origin, was a key place during the economic and demographic development of Madrid, since three of the most important buildings of the time are located there: The Casa y Torre de los Lujanes, a 15th century palace, is one of the oldest civil constructions in the city, the Casa de Cisneros and the Casa de la Villa, the former headquarters of the City Council.

3. Fuente de Cibeles

Symbol of the city built in marble and stone in 1782. The goddess Cybele represents the earth, agriculture and fertility. She is surrounded by the buildings of the Buenavista Palace (Army Headquarters), the Linares Palace (Casa America), the Cibeles Palace (current City Hall) and the Bank of Spain.

4. Plaza Mayor

This arcaded square is the heart of Habsburg Madrid, the old town of the city and the ideal starting point for a visit to one of the most charming districts.

The Plaza Mayor was built on the site of the old Plaza del Arrabal, where the most popular market in the town was held at the end of the 15th century. For centuries it has hosted popular festivities, bullfights and even coronations.

5. Puerta de Alcalá

Puerta de Alcalá is one of the five old royal doors that gave access to the city, to replace an earlier one dating from the 16th century. This monumental door, built by mandate of Charles III and inaugurated in 1778, is one of the tourist icons of Madrid. It is a neoclassical style triumphal arch designed by Francesco Sabatini. It was the first built in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, a precursor of others known as the Arc de Triomphe in Paris or the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

6. El Retiro y el Paseo del Prado

Extraordinary urban landscape, from the mid-sixteenth century, considered the first of the tree-lined promenades of the European capitals. It has an area of 190 hectares, of which 75% are green spaces. It forms a complex designed for the enjoyment of the citizens with trees, fountains and institutions representative of Madrid and Spanish society. In addition, on Sundays from 9:00 to 16:00 it is free from traffic. It has presented its candidacy to become part of the UNESCO World Heritage list in the category of Cultural Landscape.

7. Templo de Debod

It is an Egyptian temple from the second century BC. installed in the Park of the Mountain Barracks, near the Plaza de España. The temple was donated to Spain by the Egyptian government for its collaboration in saving the temples of Nubia. It is recommended to attend for the sunset and its entrance is free.

MUSEUMS

1. Museo Nacional del Prado

In 1819, one of the most important art galleries in Spain and the world was founded. It has more than 700 sculptures and the largest collection of Spanish paintings. From the Renaissance, some of El Greco's most unique works are preserved, such as The Knight with the Hand on his Chest. The Golden Age is widely represented with paintings by Murillo, Zurbarán and Velázquez, of whom Las Meninas is particularly noteworthy. From the 18th and 19th centuries, Sorolla and works by Francisco de Goya stand out: such as Los Fusilamientos, Saturno devouring his children, among others. There is also an important collection of Italian paintings, such as Titian's The Emperor Charles V on Horseback in Mühlberg, or Fra Angelico's The Annunciation; and from the Flemish school, Rubens' The Three Graces and El Bosco's The Garden of Delights, among many other works.

To see more:

https://museodelprado.museumsmadrid.org

2. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía

Founded in 1990 at the Old General Hospital in Madrid, it takes a look at the history of Spanish contemporary art. In addition to Picasso's Guernica, you'll find other paintings from the early 20th century, including Joan Miró and Salvador Dalí; works from the period after World War II by Spanish artists such as Antoni Tàpies and Jorge Oteiza, and international ones such as Francis Bacon; and creations from the 1970s onwards by Luis Gordillo, Dan Flavin and Sol LeWitt, among others.

To see more:
https://www.museoreinasofia.es/

3. Museo Nacional Thyssen- Bornemisza

It possesses a collection of more than 1,000 works of art that covers European painting from the 13th century to the end of the 20th century. Highlights include the movements of the Italian Trecento; the primitive Flemish school with Jan Van Eyck's Diptych of the Annunciation; Impressionism, with works by Monet and Degas' Tilting Dancer; Post-Impressionism, with Gauguin's Mata Mua and Van Gogh's Les Vessenots; and the avant-garde movements of the 20th century with Kandinsky's Painting with Three Spots n.196 and Hopper's Hotel Room, among others.

To see more:

https://www.museothyssen.org/

DISTRICTS OF INTEREST

Barrio de las letras (Artists’ neighbourhood)

Barrio de las Letras is much more than just elegant buildings. In its streets Lope de Vega, Cervantes, Calderón de la Barca, Bécquer or Echegaray left their mark on the streets of the Barrio de las Musas.

Located in the heart of Madrid, we can find design shops, art galleries and emblematic buildings, such as the Teatro Español (Theatre house) or the House of Parliament. On the first Saturday of every month, the Mercado de las Ranas is held: an open day where the shops take to the streets their commercial offer, turning the neighbourhood into a huge open market.

Barrio de Malasaña

The Malasaña district is linked to the cultural and social revolution that emerged in Madrid during the 1980s and had its epicenter in this neighbourhood of Madrid.

It is named after Manuela Malasaña, icon of the uprising of May 2, 1808 against the French troops. It is a neighbourhood where the old and the modern coexist perfectly: vintage clothing stores are mixed with the latest trends, barber shops for hipsters, classic cafés, flea markets... It has a great cultural and gastronomic offer.

La Latina

One of the most popular neighbourhoods in old Madrid.  Proof of this are the remains of walls, churches and even the Segovia viaduct and the Puerta de Toledo (Door of Toledo), which mark the boundaries of the neighbourhood.

The place is very popular due to its numerous bars, pubs and traditional taverns full of charm in streets like Cava Baja, Cava Alta or the same squares (plazas) of Cebada and Paja.

More information: here

 

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