MADRID
As Spain’s main international hub, most
visits start and/or end in the capital city
of Madrid. Perhaps no other European city (yes, even Paris) boasts a
greater collection of world-class art than Madrid, most housed in its
three grand museums. Many first-time visitors start at Museo del Prado, displaying about 1,300 works created between the 12th and early
19th centuries by renowned artists including Francisco de Goya, Diego
Velázquez and Titian. You could easily spend an entire day wandering
the Prado’s cavernous halls, but also beckoning is the adjacent Parque
del Retiro, where Madrileños come to play, picnic and simply stroll.
On another day, choose between the other two members of Madrid’s
Golden Triangle of Art: Museo Reina Sofía primarily highlights Spain’s
HOTEL RITZ by Belmond
for classic baroque opulence just a stone’s throw
from the Prado
20th-century masters like Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso, while the
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza fills in the gaps of its sister galleries with
Renaissance pieces from across Europe, plus impressionist and expressionist paintings from the latter 20th century.
Madrid is also the perfect training ground for that most Spanish of dining traditions, the tapas crawl. Saunter between lively bars in the compact city center, sipping the best tempranillos of the Rioja region and
choosing from the inventive small plates on the menu (or sometimes
GRAN MELIA FENIX
on display). Octopus and salt cod-based dishes are popular, along with
seemingly infinite varieties of ham.
for a modern, vibrant-chic vibe in the trendy
Salamanca neighborhood.
LUXURY LINK LIFESTYLE
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