Madrid Cityguide

Madrid is both traditional and modern. It is at once a big town and a village. The barely eighty-thousand strong town at the beginning of the century has now become a mighty metropolis of four million, and has developed into the national administration, political and cultural centre. Madridlenos are all very proud of this just as they are proud of their hospitality.

Of the sights it is worth mentioning the Palaza Mayor or main square, built in the middle of the XVI century and found in the centre of the town. It is one of the most typical examples of a Castilian town square surrounded by vaulted arcades. Under the arcades a stamp and medal fair is held on Sunday mornings but visitors will find portrait painters, musicians, clowns and comedians strolling the square every day of the week. The square leads onto one of the city's most famous streets, the Calle Mayor.

At the other end of the Calle Mayor is the Palacio Real or Royal Palace. Next to it is Madrid's most beautiful park, the Campo de Moro, which runs up to the plaza de Espana which is dominated by a monument to Cervantes and two bronze figures of Sancho Panza and Don Quixote. Another famous statue is the fountain of Cibeles, the goddess of fertility, being drawn in a triumphal carriage by lions at the Palaza of the same name. Designed in 1781 the Madridlenos regard this as the true symbol of the town to the extent that Real Madrid supporters splash about in it water after a victorious match.

Madrid is not short of parks either, perhaps the retiro is the best known. You can go boating on the artificial lake, children can enjoy free puppet shows and the park fills with musicians, stall-holders, card-readers and fortune tellers and of course Madridlenos. The Retiro also boats probably the world's only statue of the devil, the Fallen Angel.

You would need weeks to see the Prado, Madrid's most famous museum, but for a first visit it is enough to look at the El Grecos, Velazquezs and Goyas, not forgetting the extraordinary works of Hieronymus Bosch. The other "obligatory" gallery is the Thyssen-Bornemisza private museum which is filled with medieval and Renaissance works as well as 20th century paintings. If you would like to see more of Picasso and Dali then you should visit the third gallery in Madrid's museum trinity, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. While the Interactive Science Museum will keep bored children amused for the afternoon.

For a day trip out of the city do not miss Toledo with its extraordinary Jewish-Christian-Muslim remains and monuments. Planned as a monastery and mausoleum by Philip II, Escorial looks more like a fortress than a palace and can also be reached easily from Madrid. If you would prefer to walk a little then visit the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains and go to the small towns of Cerecedilla or Navacerrada which can be reached by "tren de cercanias" the little local trains.

Last but not least a word must be said about Spanish cuisine. Madrid is full of fairly cheap restaurants where you can choose from a variety of tapas. Castilian specialities include oven roasted Cochinillo or pork, cordero asado or lamb and callos or tripe and then there are chick peas, cocido, cooked, with meat or vegetables. The sea also provides many delights like crab and calamari and of course the famous Paella.

In the summer try sangria (red wine flavoured with oranges and lemons) or tinto de verano, red wine mixed with a sparkling soft drink. Many people also drink beer in this way which is known as clara. One of the favourite spots for drinking on summer night are the terraces laid out in the pedestrian part of the Pasco de la Castellana.

And don't forget to visit the Fleamarket or Rastro which is held near the Tirso de Molina metro station every Sunday morning.

Judit Xantus