Madrid & Castile

The Prado is one of the three most important art museums in the world — on par with the Louvre and the Hermitage. What makes it unique: The collection is not a random accumulation but the result of 500 years of royal collecting passion. Each work was consciously selected by monarchs who were passionate art connoisseurs. The result is an unparalleled density of masterpieces.

The absolute highlights

• Diego Velázquez: Las Meninas (1656) — Spain's most famous painting and one of the most enigmatic in art history. Velázquez paints himself painting the Infanta Margarita, while the royal couple appears in the mirror in the background. Who is looking at whom? A picture you can study for hours.
• Francisco de Goya: The Third of May 1808 — A scream against violence that has retained its power for over 200 years. And right next to it: the Pinturas Negras (Black Paintings) — Goya's disturbing late works, including "Saturn Devouring His Son". Nightmarish and brilliant.
• Hieronymus Bosch: The Garden of Earthly Delights (1490–1510) — The triptych masterpiece depicts paradise, earthly delights, and hell in surreal detail. Spain's kings were obsessed with Bosch — the Prado owns the largest collection of his works worldwide.
• Other heavyweights: El Greco (The Trinity, The Nobleman with His Hand on His Chest), Titian (Charles V on Horseback), Rubens (The Three Graces), Raphael, Dürer, Caravaggio.

The Prado is huge — over 8,000 paintings, of which about 1,300 are on display. Plan: At least 3 hours, better half a day. Focus on Velázquez (Room 12), Goya (Rooms 64–67 + Black Paintings Room 67), and Bosch (Room 56A).

The Parque del Buen Retiro is Madrid's green soul — 125 hectares in the middle of the city, since 2021 together with the Paseo del Prado a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally laid out in the 17th century as a royal pleasure garden, the park was opened to the public in 1868 and has since been the place where Madrileños soak up the sun, jog, row, read, kiss, and spend Sundays with family.

The Highlights

• Estanque Grande — The large lake with the monument to Alfonso XII. Rent rowboats (€6 for 45 min.) and glide across the lake — a classic.
• Palacio de Cristal ★★★ — The glass palace (1887, inspired by the Crystal Palace in London) on the shore of a small lake is one of Madrid's most beautiful buildings. Free temporary exhibitions of the Museo Reina Sofía inside. Magical in sunlight.
• Palacio de Velázquez — Another exhibition space of the Reina Sofía, surrounded by gardens. Free.
• Rosaleda (Rose Garden) — Over 4,000 rose bushes, most beautiful in May/June.
• Paseo de las Estatuas — The promenade with statues of Spanish monarchs, originally created for the Royal Palace but too heavy for the roof.
• El Ángel Caído — The world's only public statue depicting Lucifer (the fallen angel). Fittingly stands at exactly 666 meters above sea level.

Madrid's Plaza Mayor is the city's grandest square — a closed rectangle of three-story arcade buildings with 237 balconies, built 1617–1619 under Philip III (whose equestrian statue stands in the center). Bullfights, executions, coronations, and carnival festivities took place here. Today, Plaza Mayor is primarily atmospheric: street performers, stamp market on Sunday, Christmas market in December.

The restaurants under the arcades are touristy and overpriced — Bocadillo de Calamares (squid ring sandwich, Madrid's most famous street food) is better and cheaper at La Campana or El Brillante in a side alley.

Around Plaza Mayor

• Mercado de San Miguel ★★ — The cast-iron market hall (1916) next to Plaza Mayor has been converted into a gourmet passage: oysters, Ibérico ham, wine, Tapas. Pretty, but expensive and touristy (Tapa €4–€8). Still worth a visit, especially in the evening.
• Calle de Cuchilleros — Madrid's oldest street leads steeply downhill from Plaza Mayor. Here lies Sobrino de Botín — according to the Guinness Book, the oldest restaurant in the world (since 1725). Suckling pig and lamb from the wood oven. Main course €22–€35. Reservation required.
• La Latina & Cava Baja ★★★ — Just a few steps south of Plaza Mayor begins Madrid's best Tapas mile. Cava Baja is an alley full of taverns, bodegas, and wine bars — here you hop from place to place in the evening. On Sundays, La Latina transforms into a single folk festival during the Rastro (flea market, 9:00 AM–3:00 PM).

The Palacio Real is with over 3,400 rooms the largest royal palace in Europe — larger than Versailles and Buckingham Palace. Built 1738–1764 on the site of the burned medieval Alcázar, the palace is a manifesto of Bourbon power: Italian Baroque on the outside, Rococo and Neoclassicism on the inside, with a splendor that leaves one speechless.

About 50 of the 3,400 rooms can be visited, including:

• Throne Room (Salón del Trono) — Ceiling fresco by Tiepolo, Venetian mirrors, Rococo perfection.
• Banquet Hall (Comedor de Gala) — 400 guests fit at the table. The Tiepolo ceiling paintings are breathtaking.
• Stradivari Room — Five string instruments by Antonio Stradivari, still playable.
• Royal Pharmacy — Hundreds of ceramic vessels from the 18th century. Curious and fascinating.
• Armory (Real Armería) — One of the most significant in the world: armor of Charles V and Philip II, tournament equipment, and ceremonial weapons.

The palace is used for official state functions, the royal family resides in the much more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela outside the city. During state receptions, the palace is closed — check the website beforehand.

The Jardines de Sabatini (north) and the extensive Campo del Moro gardens (west, entrance via Cuesta de la Vega) are free and offer the best view of the palace facade.

The Puerta del Sol is Madrid's navel — the square where all streets converge (literally: the Kilómetro Cero, the zero point of all Spanish national roads, is embedded in the pavement). Here stands the statue of the Oso y el Madroño (Bear and Strawberry Tree), Madrid's coat of arms. And here, on New Year's Eve, tens of thousands gather to eat a grape with each of the twelve chimes — those who manage all twelve will have good luck in the new year.

The square itself is not a beauty (it was completely redesigned and made car-free in 2022), but it is the energetic center of the city. Everything radiates from here.

Gran Vía ★★

Madrid's grand boulevard (1910–1929) stretches 1.3 km from east to west through the city — a parade of Belle Époque facades, cinemas, musical theaters, and flagship stores. The most beautiful buildings:

• Edificio Metrópolis — The iconic corner dome with the winged Victoria is Madrid's most photographed building.
• Edificio Telefónica — Spain's first skyscraper (1929, 89 m). During the Civil War, it was an artillery target because it served as a lookout tower.
• Edificio Capitol (Schweppes Building) — Art Deco jewel with the famous neon sign. Most beautiful at night.

At the western end of Gran Vía lies Plaza de España with the Cervantes monument (Don Quijote and Sancho Panza) and the recently renovated park — a pleasant oasis after the hustle and bustle.

Toledo — the "City of Three Cultures" — perches on a granite rock above the River Tajo and is one of Spain's most impressive places. Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived here together for centuries, leaving behind a city that feels like an open history book: Gothic cathedrals next to synagogues next to mosques, along with El Greco's masterpieces and winding alleys that have hardly changed since the Middle Ages. UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.

The Highlights

• Cathedral of Toledo ★★★ — One of the largest and richest Gothic cathedrals in the world (1226–1493). The Sacristy houses works by El Greco, Goya, Titian, and Caravaggio — a museum within the church. The Transparente (Baroque altarpiece with light shaft) is spectacular. Admission €12.50.
• Alcázar — The fortress on the highest point of the city houses the Army Museum. Impressive structure, panoramic view from the terrace. Admission €5.
• Synagogue del Tránsito ★★ — The most beautifully preserved synagogue in Spain (1356) houses the Sephardic Museum on the history of Jews in Spain. Mudéjar decor of enchanting beauty. Admission €3.
• Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes ★★ — Franciscan monastery (1477) with one of the most beautiful cloisters in Spain. Outside still hang the chains of prisoners freed by Christians during the Reconquista.
• Iglesia de Santo Tomé — Here hangs El Greco's masterpiece "The Burial of the Count of Orgaz" (1586) — worth the day trip alone. €3.

Practical

Getting there: Train from Madrid-Atocha, 33 minutes, from €13. Trains every half hour. At Toledo station, take Bus 5 to the old town or walk 20 minutes uphill. Tip: The Mirador del Valle on the other side of the river offers the classic panoramic view — which El Greco painted for his famous cityscape. By Bus 71 or on foot (30 minutes).

Segovia enchants with three superlatives: the best-preserved Roman aqueduct in the world, a majestic cathedral, and the Alcázar, which inspired Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle. The small town (55,000 inhabitants) on a rocky plateau between two rivers seems like something out of a fairy tale book and is the perfect day trip from Madrid.

The Highlights

• Acueducto Romano ★★★ — 28 meters high, 813 meters long, 167 arches — and all without a drop of mortar. The 20,400 granite blocks hold together solely through their own weight and precise stonemasonry. Built in the 1st–2nd century AD, the aqueduct transported water from the mountains 17 km into the city. It was still in operation until 1973! From the Plaza del Azoguejo at the foot of the aqueduct, it appears most impressive.
• Alcázar de Segovia ★★★ — The castle on the rocky spur above the confluence of Eresma and Clamores is a masterpiece of medieval architecture. Slender turrets, pointed roofs, a drawbridge — the castle every child would draw. Inside: the Throne Room with Mudéjar ceiling and the Hall of Kings with 52 royal portraits. Climb the Torre de Juan II (152 steps) for the best view of the Castilian plateau. Admission €9, with tower €12.
• Cathedral of Segovia ★★ — The "Lady of Cathedrals" (1525–1577) is the last great Gothic cathedral in Spain and one of the most elegant. Harmonious proportions, airy height. Admission €4.

Dining

Segovia is famous for its Cochinillo Asado (suckling pig from the wood oven) — so tender that it is traditionally cut with the edge of a plate. The best addresses: Mesón de Cándido (since 1786, an institution, €25), José María (local favorite, €22). Reservation required on weekends.

Practical

Getting there: AVE high-speed train from Madrid-Chamartín, only 27 minutes, from €12. The station (Segovia-Guiomar) is 5 km outside — Bus 11 to the center (2 €, 15 min). Alternative: Direct bus from Madrid Moncloa (La Sepulvedana), 1h 15 min, from €9, stops in the center.

Madrid is Spain's culinary capital — not because Madrileños have their own regional cuisine, but because all of Spain's cuisines come together here: Basque Pintxos, Andalusian fish, Galician octopus, Catalan creations, Asturian cheese. Plus, a Tapas culture that is among the best the country has to offer.

Tapas Districts

• La Latina / Cava Baja ★★★ — The ultimate Tapas mile. Dozens of bars over 300 meters. Top addresses: Txirimiri (Basque Pintxos, €2–€4 each), Juana la Loca (Madrid's most famous Tortilla, with caramelized egg and onion, €14), Casa Lucas (creative Tapas, €6–€12), El Tempranillo (over 200 wines, hearty Tapas).
• Malasaña — Hipster district with craft beer bars, brunch cafés, and international cuisine around Plaza del Dos de Mayo. Try La Musa (modern Tapas, €8–€14) or Bodega de la Ardosa (Vermouth from the barrel since 1892, legendary Tortilla).
• Chueca — LGBTQ+ district with some of the best restaurants in the city: Mercado de San Antón (gourmet market on 3 floors, rooftop terrace), Yakitoro by Chicote (Spanish-Japanese fusion by star chef Alberto Chicote).

Classics

€ Budget:

• Casa Toni · Calle de la Cruz 14 — Since 1959, the best Patatas Bravas in Madrid. Crispy, spicy, perfect. €4. No fuss, pure Madrid.
• El Brillante · Plaza del Emperador Carlos V 8 — Bocadillo de Calamares (squid ring sandwich), Madrid's No. 1 street food. Eat at the counter next to the taxi drivers. €4.50.
• Casa Labra · Calle de Tetuán 12 — Since 1860, cod croquettes and fried Bacalao at the counter. Here, the Socialist Party PSOE was founded in 1879. 2 croquettes for €1.70.

€€ Mid-range:

• Lateral · Paseo de la Castellana 89 — Elegant Tapas in a modern setting. Tartar, croquettes, Braseada. €8–€16.
• Sobrino de Botín · Calle de Cuchilleros 17 — The oldest restaurant in the world (since 1725). Suckling pig and lamb from the original wood oven. Hemingway had his last dinner here in "The Sun Also Rises". €22–€35.

€€€ High-end:

• DiverXO · Calle de Padre Damián 23 — 3 Michelin stars, Dabiz Muñoz, Spain's most extravagant restaurant. Tasting menu from €250. Avant-garde, crazy, brilliant.
• Smoked Room · Calle del Barquillo 11 — 2 Michelin stars. Meat temple with its own smoker. Tasting menu from €165.

Nightlife

Madrid has the wildest nightlife in Europe. Here, you go to dinner at 10:00 PM, to the bar at midnight, to the club at 2:00 AM, and for Churros con Chocolate at Chocolatería San Ginés (since 1894, open 24 hours, €4.20 for churros + hot chocolate) at 6:00 AM. The main districts:

• Malasaña — Indie, rock, alternative. Bars: Tupperware, La Vía Láctea. Clubs: Ocho y Medio (Indie-Electro).
• Chueca — LGBTQ+ scene and beyond. Bars: Museo Chicote (legendary cocktail bar since 1931), Macera (own infusions).
• Huertas / Barrio de las Letras — Mainstream, salsa, international crowd. Bars along Calle de las Huertas.
• Clubs — Teatro Kapital (7 floors!), Mondo Disko (Electro), Siroco (Live music), Sala Sol (Rock/Punk).