Canadian World Traveller Fallr 2016 issue American World Traveler Fall 2016 issue | Page 15

Start with the Royal Palace, which rivals Versailles with its gilded rooms and frescoed ceilings. It’s big--more than 2,000 rooms, with tons of luxurious tapestries, a king’s ransom of chandeliers, priceless porcelain, and bronze decor covered in gold leaf. While these days the royal family lives in a mansion a few miles away, the palace is still used for formal state receptions, royal weddings, and tourists’ daydreams. One highlight is the throne room, where red velvet walls, lions, and frescoes of Spanish scenes symbolize the monarchy in a Rococo riot. Another eye-stopper is the dining hall, where the king can entertain as many as 144 guests at a bowling lane–size table. The ceiling fresco depicts Christopher Columbus kneeling before Ferdinand and Isabel, presenting exotic souvenirs and his New World "friends" to the royal couple. Hieronymus Bosch’s fantastical Garden of Earthly Delights altarpiece. 15 As you walk back to Puerta del Sol, reflect on this bustling capital--home to more than four million people. Despite economic uncertainty, today’s Madrid is energetic. Even the living-statue street performers have a twinkle in their eyes. After every trip to this exciting city, the impression I take home is that of a thriving people with an enduring culture. © 2016 Rick Steves' Europe. All rights reserved. Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at [email protected]. The next stop is Plaza Mayor--a stately, traffic-free chunk of 17th-century Spain. In early modern times, this was Madrid’s main square. It is enclosed by three-story buildings with symmetrical windows, balconies, slate roofs, and