House of travel Spain, Portugal, Greece & Turkey 2017 | Page 13

Madrid
Madrid, Spain’s already beautiful, feisty capital is being further invigorated, the
aim being a cosmopolitan centre to rival the world’s best. The development is
not all bricks and mortar – Madrid is now officially one of the “greenest” cities
in Europe, with flowers, fountains and trees springing up everywhere. What is
unchangeable however, is Madrid’s cultural heritage: the Prado Museum houses
one of the world’s greatest art collections, including masterpieces by Velasquez
and Goya. The medieval Plaza Mayor is the place to be seen in the evening, order
sangria and watch the passing parade. Browse in El Rastro, a flea market bursting
with intriguing bric-a-brac. Save up energy for the evening though, because this is
when Madrid comes alive.
Our favourite things to see and do
Prado Museum – For art lovers. Home to some of Spain’s
most famous artists like Goya, Dalí and Gaudí as well as some
of the world’s best like Picasso.
The Royal Palace – The Royal Family spend very little time
there so it’s almost always open for you to wander through many
of the rooms and banquet halls which are extremely lavish.
Retiro Park – Used to be the Royal Gardens and definitely
worth wandering through or stopping for a picnic. There are
many street musicians and performers, sidewalk painters,
fortune tellers and jugglers to entertain you.
Plaza Mayor – It’s a wonderful big square which looks its best
at night. It is full of cafés; sit and watch the world pass you by.
Shopping – Try Gran Via and Calle de Serrano for great
shopping. El Corte Ingles, the Spanish department store chain,
sell everything and the best sale time is May-July. Or stroll
down Calle de Serrano for some excellent shoe shopping.
Paseo de Recoletos & Atocha – Wander down the
Paseo de Recoletos to the Atocha train station and see
some wonderful fountains, cafés and sculptures.
The Rastro Flea Market – It’s a popular visit on a Sunday
morning. It is also open on Saturday, which is general ly
quieter, and you never know what you are going to find. Just
keep an eye out for pickpockets.
Flamenco – For a truly memorable experience book
the dinner and show at Torres Bermejas. The dancers
are passionate and you can’t help but be swept up in their
emotional performance.
Plaza de Santa Ana – A great place to start out the night.
The bars and clubs in and around the Plaza are popular
with tourists and locals and really warm up around 11pm on
Fridays and Saturdays.
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