Madrid is the biggest city in the country, with more that 3 million inhabitants. Located in the center of the plain, it is the capital of the kingdom of Spain, as wells as the seat of the State Government, the Presidency and the three state powers. Madrid is a modern and cosmopolitan city, with an ancient history and impressive artistic wealth.
Madrid has a wide range of theatres, music halls, museums, palaces and monuments, as well as a cheerful social life in its taverns and bars. It´s a city that never sleeps and is known worldwide for its unique nightlife. Its traditional and popular celebrations set off the demanding entrepreneurial, financial and business life of the city.
Madrid boasts an excellent public transport network which connects the nerve center of the city with all its residential districts and historical surroundings.
The Best of Madrid:
Museums
There is a stunning number of internationally renowned museums and galleries in Madrid. three of which are essential in any tourist itinerary: The Prado Museum hosts the largest Spanish art collection in the world; the Thyssen-Bornemizsa gathers a comprehensive collection of Western art from the 14th Century to date, while the Reina Sofía museum outstands for its excellent collection of modern art. Other significant galleries, such as the Lázaro Galdeano foundation, are true Madrilian jewels not only for their art, but for the magnificent mansions in which they are housed.
Cultural Life
With its numerous theatres, auditoriums, and cinemas -mainly concentrated around the old Madrid, and Gran Vía and Fuencarral streets – Madrid currently hosts one of Europe´s most vibrant leisure scenes, reflected in a varied offer of musical and theater shows.
Taverns
You could say that the first commercial venue to open in Madrid was a tavern. In the 14th century, there were already 50 of them on the streets surrounding the Plaza Mayor (Main Square) and the Plaza de la Villa (Town Hall Square). Two hundred years later, the number had grown to 800. Today, more than 100 traditional taverns established during the 19th century are still open.
Architecture
Madrid has been described as “the city with a thousand faces”, and it might well be due to the wide range of architectural styles it houses.
