Madrid, the capital of Spain, is a cosmopolitan city that combines the most modern infrastructures and its status as an economic, financial, administrative and service centre with an immense cultural and artistic heritage, heritage of several centuries of an exciting history.
Strategically located in the geographical center of the Iberian Peninsula, at 646 meters above sea level, Madrid has one of the most important historical centers of the major European cities living in perfect harmony with the most modern and comfortable infrastructures that constitute a complete offer of accommodation and services as well as the most advanced technology in audiovisual means and communication. These conditions, combined with the growth of a dynamic and open, but also cheerful and welcoming society, have made this metropolis one of the major capitals of the Western world.
Populated since the lower paleolithic, it was not until 1561 that king Philip II made Madrid the capital of his vast empire. The historic centre, also known as “Madrid of the House of Austria” and the impressive Plaza Mayor, inaugurated in 1620 and one of the most popular and typical places in Spain, are living testimony to the city’s burgeoning Splendour in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Close to Plaza Mayor is the “aristocratic centre” where the royal palace stands, a monumental building dating back to the 17th century, made of a hybrid of baroque and classicism. At his side, The Place de Oriente, the theatre of the opera and the modern cathedral of the Almudena, consecrated in 1993 by Pope John Paul II. The Plaza de la Puerta del Sol, surrounded by a varied and chosen shopping area, and The ” Paseo del Arte “, so named because of its incomparable museums, palaces and gardens, complete this monumental complex where one will notice the building of the Bank of Spain, the one of the posts and telecommunications, and the fountains of the Cibeles and Neptuno squares.
Art and culture occupy a very special place in Madrid’s activities. The capital has more than 60 museums that bring together all human knowledge. These include the Prado Museum, which houses one of the world’s most important pinacotheques, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which exhibits more than 800 canvases from the early Flemish to the avant-garde movements. Or the Reina Sofía National Art Centre, dedicated to contemporary Spanish art, which exhibits works by Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí and Juan Gris, among others.
Large parks and well-maintained gardens, such as the Retiro, a former resort of the Kings of Spain, the Casa de Campo, The Juan Carlos I park, allow you to enjoy the sun, to take a walk or a boat ride on their artificial lakes, or even to feed squirrels, in the heart of one of the greenest capitals in Europe. At the same time, the importance of its international airport, with more than a thousand flights arriving every week from all over the world, its two Congress halls, The Modern exhibition grounds of the Campo de las Naciones, and the 80 000 places that the many other meeting centres offer, make Madrid one of the most attractive business centres in Europe.
But if there is one thing that characterizes Madrid, it is its deep and contagious passion for life, which is reflected in the friendly character of its people. The concerts, exhibitions, ballets, plays, cinema premieres, the best Spanish and international gastronomy, the charm of its bars and taverns, represent only some of the leisure options of Madrid. In addition, there is an impressive range of shops and the possibility of shopping both in traditional shops and in the main establishments of the best international brands.
The nightlife in Madrid is also one of the main attractions of the Spanish capital, thanks to the variety and ambience of its bars, pubs, discos and tablaos, which can be alternated with the traditional verbenas (popular festivals) or the Feria taurine of San Isidro, considered the most important in the world.
