MADRID

Cibeles Square
Cibeles Square

Madrid is the head of the Region of Madrid, and the capital of Spain, too. It is almost at the geographical center of the Iberian Peninsula, and it counts with more than three million inhabitants. The city has its origin in the second half of the eleventh century when Mohamed I built a fortress to be the center of the Moslem "medina" and "alcazar" (city and palace). After the Reconquest, the city within the walls opened up to inhabitate a new area, the Arrabal, fortified at an imprecise date and whose principal gateway was the Puerta del Sol (or Oriental Gateway). Nevertheless its background and resources, Madrid has become a city with an outstanding industry.

It presents a variety of electromagnetic, metallic, chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, graphic arts and construction industries. Moreover, it is the central point for national communications and, of course, the most important burocratic, information and financing centre of the country. The capital is the central seat for the Royal House, the government, the Senate, the Congress, the Constitutional Tribunal, the Supreme Court of Justice and all diplomatic representations.

Places of interest

The Spanish capital is a first-level cultural centre and it offers a thousand different things we cannot miss. It has got very important educational centers - Ciudad Universitaria, special schools for engineerings, etc. -, research centers -Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas with all the departments attached to it-, archives and libraries - the National Library, the Municipal Newspaper Archive, the Archive of the City-, as well as a great number of museums -the Prado Museum, one of the most outstanding pinacoteques in the world, the Arqueological Museum, the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, that counts with one of the most important private collections of art, etc.

Although the city has lost some of its most classic elements due to its constant growth, Madrid still boasts very valuable buildings: San Nicolás and San Pedro el Real Mudéjar towers, the Gothic Temple of San Jerónimo, the Royal Palace, the New Ministeries, the building of the Prado Museum, la Puerta de Alcalá, the Cibeles Fountain, Neptuno or the Plaza Mayor (Mayor Square) and the Monument to Felipe II, which presides the gardens of the Retiro Park.

Tours around

El Escorial is a must for any person coming to the Region of Madrid. The most important treasure of this summer center is the Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial dating from the XVIth century and built under Felipe II. It consists of the Monastery and the Royal Palace, where the royal pantheon is located, as well as the mortal remains of the Spanish royal family. Another important aspect of the monastery is its richness in terms of paintings kept inside its walls. Paintings from El Greco, Velázquez, el Bosco or Ticiano that, together with the library, make this visit a place full of surprises.

Aranjuez is another of the jewels of the Region of Madrid, summer residence for the royal family from the time of Carlos V. The Old Town (Casco Antiguo) has been distinguished as a Historical-Artistic Site, and it is not the only treasure of the town. The Royal Palace, the gorgeous gardens of La Isla, El Principe, Isabel II and El Parterre, the House of the Peasant, the House of the Marines, the Baroque Square of San Antonio and the Cultural Centre of Isabel Farnesio are also noteworthy. Furthermore, Aranjuez has an important industry of spirits, brandys, tanneries, pharmaceutical products, flour, chocolate and glass.

Toledo is a province South to the Region of Madrid. The city of Toledo is one of the most visited ones by tourists coming to Spain and there are many reasons for that. In fact, Toledo itself is a treasure. We must not miss the Cathedral, the Chapel of the Virgen del Sagrario (Virgin of the Tabernacle), the Chapel of the Reyes Nuevos (New Kings), the Chapel of San Ildefondo, the Chapel of San Juan or the one of de la Torre, the Church of Santiago del Arrabal, the Mosque del Cristo de la Luz, San Juan de los Reyes and the Jewish quarter, two beautiful examples of the Old Toledo. The house of El Greco, the Museum of Santa Cruz, the Museum of the Army and San Servando's Castle are also a must.

Segovia is another appealing city for tourists in Madrid. It is the capital of the province located up North to the Region of Madrid, it is not only known by its gastronomy (the specialties are the piglet and the marzipan), but also by its beauty and its numerous architectonical and cultural treasures: the cathedral from the XVIth century, the Roman Aqueduct, symbol of the city, the Fortress-Palace of El Alcazar, the Monastery of El Parral, the Church of the Vera Cruz, the Sanctuary of the Virgen of Fuencisla, the Episcopal Palace or the Casa de los Picos (House of the Peaks).

Links:

Services Directory

Hotels:

HOTEL PALACE *****
Plaza de las Cortes 7
Madrid
+34913608000
465 rooms

HOTEL RITZ *****
Plaza de la Lealtad 5
Madrid
+34914016767
158 rooms

HOTEL EMPERATRIZ ****
López de Hoyos 4
Madrid
+34915638088
www.hotel-emperatriz.com
158 rooms

HOTEL NH ZURBANO ***
Zurbano 79-81
Madrid
+34914414500
www.nh-hoteles.com
266 rooms

HOTEL BAUZÁ ****
Goya 79
Madrid
+34914357545
www.hotelbauza.com
177 rooms

HOTEL VILLA MAGNA PARK HYATT*****
Paseo de la castellana 22
Madrid
+34915871234
http://madrid.hyatt.com/magna/
182 rooms

HOTEL CUZCO ****
Paseo de la castellana 133
Madrid
+34915560600
330 rooms

HOTEL NH EUROBUILDING ****
Padre Damián 23
Madrid
+34913454500
www.nh-hoteles.com
421 rooms

HOTEL NH EMBAJADA ***
Santa Engracia 5
Madrid
+34915940213
www.nh-hoteles.com
101 rooms

Museums:

WAX MUSEUM
(MUSEO DE CERA)
Plaza de Colón
Madrid
913080825
Visiting Hours: Tuesday to Friday: 10-14.30 h., 16-20 h.
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10-20 h.
Admission Fees: General: 5.4 €
Reduced: 3.6 €
www.museodeceramadrid.com

PRADO MUSEUM
(MUSEO DEL PRADO)
Paseo del Prado s/n
Madrid
913302800
Visiting Hours: Tuesday toSaturday: 9-19 h.
Sunday and public holidays: 9-14 h.
Admission Fees: General: 3 €
Reduced: 1.5 €
Free: Saturday 14-19 h., Sunday 9-14 h., senior citizens over 65, pensioners, May 18 (Museum Day), October 12 (National Holiday), December 6 (Constitution Day).
http://museoprado.mcu.es

THYSSEN BORNEMISZA MUSEUM
(MUSEO THYSSEN BORNEMISZA)
Paseo del Prado 8
Madrid
914203944
Visiting Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10-19 h.
Admission Fees: General: 4.20 €
Reduced: 2.4 €
Free Admission: Children under 12.
www.museothyssen.org

REINA SOFIA NATIONAL ART MUSEUM
(MUSEO NACIONAL CENTRO DE ARTE REINA SOFIA)
52, Santa Isabel Street
Madrid
914675062
Visiting Hours: Monday to Saturday: 10-21 h.
Sunday: 10-14.30 h.
Admission Fees: General: 3 €
Reduced: 1.5 €
Free: Saturday 14-19 h., Sunday 9-14 h., senior citizens over 65, pensioners, May 18 (Museum Day), October 12 (National Holiday), December 6 (Constitution Day).
http://museoreinasofia.mcu.es

Restaurants:

Casa Lucio
Adress: Cava Baja 35, Madrid
Telephone: 913653252
Cierra: Sábados al mediodía y el mes de agosto
Price: 36 €

Teatriz
Adress: Hermosilla 15, Madrid
Telephone: 915775379
Cierra: 20 días en agosto.
Price Menu: 18 €
Price medio carta: 30 €

Iroco
Adress: Velásquez 18, Madrid
Telephone: 914317381
Cierra: sábados y domingos de agosto
Price menú: 18 €
Price medio carta: 27 €

Goizeko-Kabi
Adress: Comandante Zorita 37, Madrid
Telephone: 915330214
Cierra: sábados al mediodía y los domingos del 15 de junio al 15 de agosto
Price medio carta: 50 €

El Puchero
Adress: Larra 13, Madrid
Telephone: 914450577
Cierra: Domingos, Festivos, Semana Santa, el mes de agosto y Navidad.
Price medio carta: 24 €

Polenta
Plaza de la Marina Española, 4. Madrid
Tfno. 91 542 38 95

Transports:

Buses
Avenida de América Bus Station South Station
Avenida de América 9 Méndez Álvaro s/n
Madrid Madrid (San Blas)
915626673 914684200

Main destinations from Madrid: Alicante, Albacete, Almería, Ávila, Badajoz, Cáceres, Barcelona, Bilbao, Burgos, Cádiz, Córdoba, Huelva, Sevilla, Cuenca, Castellón, Ciudad Real, Guadalajara, Granada, Jaén, Coruña, Lugo, León, Palencia, Valladolid, Málaga, Orense, Pontevedra, Oviedo, Pamplona, Salamanca, Zamora, San Sebastián, Vitoria, Santander, Segovia, Soria, Tarragona, Zaragoza, Teruel, Toledo, Valencia.

Trains
Atocha Train Station Chamartín Train Station
Plaza del Emperador Carlos V s/n Agustín de Foxá s/n
Madrid Madrid
915066846 913006969

Main destionations from Madrid: Coruña, Albacete, Almería, Ávila, Badajoz, Barcelona, Bilbao, Burgos, Cáceres, Cádiz, ciudad Real, Córdoba, Cuenca, Gijón, Granada, Guadalajara, Huelva, Huesca, Jaén, León, Logroño, Lugo, Málaga, Orense, Oviedo, Palencia, Pamplona, Pontevedra, Salamanca, san Sebastián, Santander, Santiago de Compostela, Segovia, Soria, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid, Vigo, Vitoria, Zamora, Zaragoza.

Emergency:

Emergency 928492112/ 928296600
Cruz Roja 928513290/ 928814866/ 928812222
Centro de Salud Santa Coloma 928815183/ 928803060
Centro Salud San Bartolomé 928520261/ 928520179
Hospital General de Lanzarote 928801636