Spain's capital city is also one of the most interesting, cultural and vibrant places to visit in the whole country. As well as a choice of thousands of bars and restaurants, you can take your pick from museums dedicated to almost every aspect of Spanish history, art and even sport!
Madrid is a very large city, and it would be easy to miss something out if you don't have an idea beforehand of what you would like to see. There are several companies that offer open-top bus tours of the city, allowing you to see the sights as well as enjoying some of the Madrid sunshine. Many of these tours also provide a commentary in English, so you can learn more about the places you are passing and decide if you want to spend more time there later. The best kind of tour to take is one that allows you to “hop on and hop off” the bus, so that you can use the bus ticket to help you travel the sometimes large distances between tourist attractions. Otherwise, you would be relying on the excellent, but cramped, public transport system or the very expensive taxis. Most tours take in the big attractions; the Royal palace, the old town and the Calle Mayor, the Puerta del Sol and Santa Ana region as well as the Paseo del Prado, home to some of the most famous museums in all of Europe.
The Prado Museum is Madrid's equivalent of the Louvre and is also home to some of the most impressive masterpieces from Spanish and European art. If you prefer modern art, then the Reina Sofia museum, in its intriguing new building, features works of art from the 19th century inwards, including Picasso's masterpiece 'Guernica'. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is another art gallery, featuring the highlights of a private collection of paintings and sculptures, dating from medieval times to the modern day. If art isn't your thing, or one art gallery is enough, then you could always visit a museum with a difference, dedicated to the history of one of the city's most famous institutions, Real Madrid. Entrance to the museum, which tells the history of the club and features footage of some of their most famous games, also includes a tour of the stadium that allows you get to right to the side of the pitch. Tickets for some league games are actually quite easy to get hold of and much cheaper than in the UK, so if you're a sports fan it would be worth finding out if Real are at home when you're in town.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Madrid? Then below is a selection of holiday apartments in Madrid and holiday villas in Madrid that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
