Tourist information
Madrid is the capital of the Kingdom of Spain. It is also the capital of the region of the same name (Comunidad de Madrid). It is Spain's largest city, with a population (city) of 3.228 million (July 2005) and 5.843 million (metropolitan area).
The small moorish village of Magerit, founded by Mohamed I of Toledo in the XI century, became the capital in 1561 under the reign of the king Felipe II. With a fascinating history, the current Madrid offers its broad, leafy boulevards, Renaissance neoclassical monuments, endless museums and a passion for nightlife. Spain´s first city welcomes a steady stream of visitors from quieter corners of the world. For example, Madrid was the European city of culture in 1992 and now it would like to host the 2016 Olympic Games.
At the cross roads between America, Europe an Africa, it has excellent connections by air with the main cities of the world.
Centuries of art and culture have endowed Madrid of 78 museums and some beautiful palaces. A city where the history, art and culture combine to offer a wide range of activities. Moreover, Madrid has managed to preserve not only its special places and the friendly nature of its people, but also the old traditions, which give the city its very own identity.
MADRID INFORMATION TOURIST OFFICE
Information about tourist and cultural offer in Madrid. This service includes: delivery of leaflets, planes and Opening Hours. Customer service available in Spanish, English, French, Italian and Portuguese.
Address: Plaza Mayor, 3
Opening Hours: From Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm. Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm.
Telephone: 91 588 16 36 / 91 366 54 77
Website: http://www.esmadrid.com
See also the Spanish Official Tourist Information Website: http://www.spain.info/TourSpain
GETTING AROUND
By metro
Using the Metro de Madrid (Madrid's Subway/Underground) is efficient and usually easier than using the buses, especially if one is new to the city. Single trip tickets with unlimited changes within Madrid city (zone A) cost € 1,00. If you plan to make at least six metro trips, think about buying the Metrobús tickets which offer a better value of 10 rides. You can buy these tickets at Metro stations, news-stands, and estancos (tobacconists'). They are valid not just on the Metro but also on city buses (the red ones), including the night bus network (the Búhos - night owls). Stamping the ticket one time allows you to use the Metro network as long and far as you like - make sure you stay inside the Metro zone, once you leave it, you'll have to stamp your ticket again. When travelling by bus, the ticket needs to be stamped each time you enter a bus.
Websites:
http://www.metromadrid.es/
http://www.ctm-madrid.es/
By bus
A single trip costs € 1 (buy ticket on boarding), or buy a Metrobús ticket in advance (see "Metro" above). There are special night buses (called Búhos "night owl"). All the Búhos start at Plaza de Cibeles, going to all directions from there. In weekends, there are also night buses following all of the metro lines and stops, though sometimes they don't stop straight in the metro exits due to the narrow streets surrounding some of them.
By taxi
Taxis in Madrid are cheaper than in other European cities but much more expensive than traveling by bus or Metro. They are widely available at all hours except Friday and Saturday night when they are difficult to catch due to diners and party-ers. Unlike in other European cities, there are few taxi ranks; just stand by the side of a major road or bus stop and wave your hand for a free taxi passing by. Available taxis have a green libre sign in the windshield and a green light on top.
Official Taxis are white, and have a red stripe and the flag of Madrid on the front door. The tariff is displayed on top of the car (a 1 during daytime, a 2 during the night). There are special surcharges if you go tosome specific places (as the airport) and for big luggage. A normal ride to /from the airport is about € 20-30.
SEE
Golden (art) Museum Triangle
- Museo del Prado, Paseo de Prado s/n, +34 90 2107077, Metro:Atocha or Banco de España, Bus lines 9, 10, 14, 19, 27, 34, 37 and 45, http://www.museodelprado.es/. Tu-Su: 9:00 - 20:00, Closed on Mondays and some holidays. Tickets 6 €, students, children, etc. 3 €. One of the finest art collections in the world and the best collection of classical art in Madrid. Includes many different Collections: the Spanish (El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya), the Flemish and Dutch (Rubens, van Dyck, and Brueghel), Italian (Botticelli, Tintoretto Caravaggio, and Veronese) and German (Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, and Baldung Grien). Some highlights not to miss at the Prado:
- The Bosch masterpiece The Garden of Earthly Delights.
- The famous Velázquez piece Las Meninas.
- The Black Paintings of Goya.
- The Third of May 1808 also by Goya.
- Adoration of the Shepards by El Greco.
- David with the Head of Goliath by Caravaggio.
- Reina Sofía National Museum and Art Center, Santa Isabel 52, 28012 Madrid, metro Atocha.), +34 91 774100, http://www.museoreinasofia.es/. Mo-Sa: 10.00 - 21.00, Su 10.00 - 14.30. Madrid's best collection of modern art. It includes many of Pablo Picasso's most revered works including the renowned Guernica. The Reina Sofía also houses masterpieces by Miró, Kandinsky, Dalí, Bacon, and more. € 6.
- Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum of Art, Paseo del Prado s/n, metro Banco de España, http://www.museothyssen.org/. Opens from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. The ticket office closes at 6:30 p.m. Contains a large art collection including masterpieces by Monet, Goya, Degas, Renoir, Van Gogh, Picasso, Mondrian, Bacon and Lichtenstein. Tickets are about € 6.
Other Major Museums
- National Archeology Museum, Calle Serrano 13, Metro: Serrano, +34 91 5777912, http://man.mcu.es/. Hours Tu-Sa: 09:30 - 20.00, Sun and Holidays 09.30 - 15.00, Price: About 3 €. This well designed museum houses an incredible collection of archaeological finds from across the peninsula. It leaves the visitor with a sense of the chronology of civilization in Spain (Iberian, Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Visagoth, Arab, and into the modern age).
- Museo de Lázaro Galdiano, Calle Serrano 122, Metro: Gregorio Marañón, +34 91 5616084, http://www.flg.es/. Hours We-Mo: 10:00 - 16:30. Entry 4 €, free on Sundays. This museum houses the stunning collection of Spanish entrepreneur José Lázaro Galdiano (1862-1947) and is considered to be one of the best private collections in Spain. Not only will you find works by Goya, Velázquez, El Greco and others, the museum is also filled with jewelry, furniture, sculpture and ceramics. This is an excellent museum that is usually not crowded and well worth the price of admission. Closed: Tuesdays.
- Real Academia de Bella Artes de San Fernando, Calle Alcalá 13, +34 91 5240864, Fax +34 91 5231599, Metro: Sevilla or Banco de España, http://rabasf.insde.es/. Hours Tu-Fr: 9:30 - 19:00, Sa-Mo: 9:30-14:00. Entry 3 €. Highly impressive art collection with paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints. Several Goya masterpieces.
- Museo de América, Avda. Reyes Católicos 6, Metro: Moncloa, +34 91 5492641 and 91 5439437, http://museodeamerica.mcu.es/. Hours Tu-Sa: 9:30 - 15:00, Su: 10:00 - 15:00, Closed Mondays. Entry 3 €, students 1.50 €, free on Sundays, free for seniors and children. An excellent museum housing thousands of artifacts from the Americas. The exhibit displays objects from many native cultures from before European conquest to colonial times and beyond. Don't miss the Tesoro (Treasure) de los Químbayas, a collection of gold objects that was given as a gift by the Colombian government. Also of interest is the Tudela Codex, an Aztec law book from the 1500's.
Places of Interest
- Palacio Real, Calle Bailen s/n, +34 91 4548800, Metro: Opera, http://www.patrimonionacional.es/. Mo-Sa: 9:00 - 17:00, Sundays and holidays: 9:00 - 13:00, closed occasionally for official ceremonies. Entry 8 €, guided tour 9 €, students and children 3.5 €, free on Wednesdays for EU citizens. The Palacio Real (Royal Palace) is an enormous palace, a two-story collection of medieval weapons and armor. In spite of its name, it is not the residence of the current royal family. The Royal Palace is considered to be one of the most emblematic and beautiful buildings in Madrid, not only for its location but also for its architecture and the artistic. Also located within the palace is the Pharmacia, which contains hundreds of bottles of early medicines and a reconstructed laboratory.
- Plaza Mayor - Metro:Sol or Opera. The best known plaza in Madrid, this impressive square is now one of the main stops on any tourist visit. Originally built outside the city walls, this square has played host to bullfights, markets, symphonies, tournaments and executions. The statue of Felipe III sits in the middle across from the beautifully painted Casa de la Panadería, the former headquarters of the bakers guild.
- Puerta del Sol - Metro: Sol. This plaza is the "heart" of Madrid and one of the busiest places in the city. On the north side of the plaza there is a famous statue of an oso (bear) climbing a madroño (strawberry tree), which is the symbol of Madrid.
- Atocha Railway Station (Metro: Atocha RENFE) A large train station across the street from the Reina Sofia Museum of Art. The interesting thing about it is the palm garden inside the old building, complete with a pond full of small turtles.
- El Retiro (Metro: Retiro or Atocha) is considered to be the "Central Park" of Madrid, the perfect place to take a rest during a sunny day, or take part in the drum circles around the statue of Alfonso XII on summer evenings. There is a large boating lake where one can hire a rowing boat
- Catedral de la Almudena. This cathedral can be found facing the Palacio Real.
- Gran Vía. (Metro: Gran Via, Callao, Plaza de España, Banco de España), Literally, "Broadway", Gran Via is one of the busiest avenues in Madrid, what you could call the main street of Madrid, and the location of the cinema district.
- Plaza de Cibeles (metro: Banco de España) houses one of Madrid's emblems, the fountain of Cibeles, and the City Hall.
- Plaza de España (Metro: Plaza de España) has a sculpture of Cervantes and his famous Don Quixote and Sancho Panza characters.
- Templo de Debod - Paseo del Pintor Rosales 2, +34 91 765108, Metro: Plaza de España, Tu-Fr: 10:00 - 14:00 and 18:00 - 20:00, Sa-Su: 10:00 - 14:00, closed Mondays and holidays. Free. An Egyptian temple, located in one of Madrid´s most beautiful parks. Near the Royal Palace and Plaza de España, it was a present given to Spain for its role in saving the temple of Abu Simbel from the floodwaters of Lake Nasser following the construction of the Aswan
10 THINGS YOU MUST DO BEFORE YOU LEAVE... (OR FOR THE NEXT TIME YOU COME TO MADRID)
- Get lost in the Museo del Prado.
- Go shopping in Calle Fuencarral (trendy) or Salamanca district (posh)... it's up to you!
- Eat a bocadillo de calamares (squid sandwich) near Plaza Mayor.
- Struggle among the crowds in El Rastro market on a sunny Sunday morning.
- Go to a theater on Gran Via and enjoy a musical show.
- Go for some tapas in La Latina (don't forget patatas bravas).
- Spend an afternoon in El Retiro.
- Get back to 16th century in Plaza de la Paja and surroundings.
- See a sunset at the Templo de Debod.
- Have a chocolate con churros breakfast.
(Now you are an authentic madrileño!)
SHOPPING
- Sol-Salamanca districts: The most convenient area for tourists is around Calle de Preciados, between Sol and Gran Vía. The smartest shopping district is Salamanca northeast of the center, around Calle Serrano with most of Top designers names.
- El Rastro: Madrid's largest flea market, only open on Sunday mornings, featuring rows upon rows of private vendors selling a variety of homemade goods, and a wealth of live entertainment.
- Chueca and Fuencarral Street Area: Thanks to the gay community, old shops have been taken over and turned into the coolest places of Madrid. Today, it is an example of modernity, a paradise for entertainment where everything is possible.
EATING
Madrid, as is the case for any European Capital of similar size, has a wide variety of restaurants serving both Spanish and practically all types of international cuisine. Both quality and prices vary tremendously.
Don't forget that the usual lunch time in Spain is 2 pm, whereas dinner is never before 8 or 9pm; many restaurants do not open until this time. You will have a wider selection if you wait until later in the evening.
Spanish dishes popular throughout the country are also widely served in Madrid, examples of which are the following:
- Tortilla de Patata - Also known as the Spanish omelette perhaps one of the most emblematic Spanish dishes.
- Bocadillo de Calamares - Fried battered calamari served in a ciabatta sandwich with lemon juice.
- Patatas Bravas - Fried potatoes which have been previously boiled, served with a spicy sauce.
- Sepia con alioli - Fried cuttlefish with garlic mayonnaise. Very popular among tourists.
- Paella - The world renowned rice-dish from Eastern Spain.
- Gazpacho - Cold soup from Southern Spain. Is also widely served in Madrid.
- Empanadas - Meat or Tuna pies are also very popular in Madrid. Originally from Northern Spain.
- Setas al ajillo / Gambas al ajillo - Shrimps or wild mushrooms fried in garlic.
- Boquerones en vinagre - Anchovies marinated in vinegar with garlic and parsley.
- Jamón - Pork ham... one of the peaks of the Spanish ingredients. Also tray chorizo (sausages) or morcilla (black pudding generally made with rice or onion).
- Seafood. It is ironic that Madrid, located right in the center of Spain is known in the country as the "Best port in Spain" having higher quality seafood than most coastal regions.
- Tapas - All the dishes above (together with a wide variety of other recipes) can be served as tapas, the celebrated small portions of food typical in many bars of Madrid.
GETTING OUT
Madrid is both a city and a region in Spain and as such has a number of sights within easy reach. Popular destinations include:
- Aranjuez - A UNESCO World Heritage site, Aranjuez is an excellent day trip away from Madrid. Highlights include the Palacio Real, the summer home for the Kings.
- El Escorial - A UNESCO World Heritage site. A mountainous retreat home to Spain's largest monastery, the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
- Segovia - A UNESCO World Heritage site. Medieval city home to the famous Roman aqueduct and the Spanish Mint.
- Toledo - A UNESCO World Heritage site. Medieval walled city previously home to the kings of Spain. It's about a 50 minute train ride from Madrid with plenty of art and architecture.