This document provides a guide to routes around Madrid, Spain. It lists 14 numbered routes that highlight important landmarks, buildings, and areas in the city. For each route, it briefly describes several notable sites such as the Royal Palace, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Almudena Cathedral, and Plaza de Oriente. The guide aims to inform visitors about Madrid's historical and cultural attractions.

1. History,LEISURE,CULTURE,SHOPPING,museums...
INDISPENSABLEGUIDEOF

2. If you wish to be kept up to date with the very latest news and
events from Madrid, register at www.esmadrid.com/recuerdamadrid.
There you can download the form, fill in your personal
details and send it to recuerdamadridptm@munimadrid.es.
GUÍA IMPRESCINDIBLE DE MADRID
PATRONATO DE TURISMO DE MADRID
Área de Gobierno de Economía, Empleo y Participación Ciudadana
Ayuntamiento de Madrid
h Plaza Mayor 27, (Casa de la Panadería)
28012 MADRID
Diseño y Maquetación:
E.M. Promoción Madrid
Depósito Legal:
Imprime:

3. Dining out
Shopping
in Madrid
Madrid
for kids
50
Madrid
nights
4840
Must-see
museums
32 36
06
CHRONOLOGY
OF MADRID
Must-see
Madrid
20
PARKS AND
GARDENS
58
74
Getting
around
Madrid
Bullfighting
66
Routes
around
the city
16
“Discover
Madrid”
guided tour
programme
30
Practical
information
68
Sports
64
INDEX
Flamenco
67

4. GREETING FROM THE MAYOR As well as being the capital city, Madrid is also the economic,
social and cultural engine of Spain. It is a city that boasts a rich
cultural past, but with its sights clearly set on the future. Proof
of this can be seen by the major urban transformation that the
city has undergone over recent years, as well as other ground-
breaking projects being carried out in a number of fields in order
to improve the quality of life for all its inhabitants, to better satisfy
the expectations of its visitors, and positioning itself at the forefront
of European capitals.
At the same time, Madrid is a modern metropolis that has ma-
naged to hold on to its traditions and customs; a cosmopolitan
capital, which welcomes citizens from all around the world with
open arms ; it is pioneering, and focuses on accessibility and
sustainability; it is an entrepreneurial metropolis. In conclusion, it
is a city where visitors immediately feel at home; being in Madrid
is the same as being from Madrid.
In a number of studies, Madrid has been acknowledged as one of
the top ten cities to live in, to work in, to invest in and to visit. In
fact, it has become one of the most appealing tourist destinations
in Europe, as can be seen by the more than seven million tourists
who choose to visit Madrid each year. Our cultural activities, sho-
pping, food and drink and recreational activities are wide ranging
and constantly evolving. Added to this are its numerous parks
and gardens, which position Madrid as the number two capital
in the world for the number of green spaces, and the city has a
large number of sports centres and facilities where you can enjoy
practicing sports.
Madrid invites you to discover all this for yourself, to enjoy the
multitude of experiences and sensations that this wonderful city
has to offer. We are sure that your trip will awaken your desire to
return to Madrid in the future. And this is exactly what we hope
to achieve.
Welcome to Madrid.
Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón
Mayor of Madrid

5. Mohammed I (852-
886), son of Abder-
ramán II, orders the
construction of a cita-
del and the fortification
of the hamlet of Mayrit,
thus creating a walled
town. The site chosen
to build the citadel is
the same as the later
Trastamara Castle, the
Hapsburg Palace and
the present-day Royal
Palace built during the
Bourbon dynasty.
King Alfonso VI of Cas-
tile captures Madrid as
part of his successful
campaign to conquer
Toledo.
The drawing up of
the Fuero de Madrid,
a series of municipal
bi-laws and legal and
penal regulations.
This year marks the
death of Isidro de Merlo
y Quintana who, in the
17th
century, was cho-
sen as the Patron Saint
of Madrid.
Alfonso XI creates
a special Chamber
whereby open debate is
substituted by 12 town
counselors, 2 mayors
and a sheriff. It is con-
sidered to be the pre-
cursor to the present-
day City Hall.
Work begins on expand-
ing the Plaza de San Sal-
vador, the present-day
Plaza de la Villa.
Creation of the first per-
manent Magistrate of
Madrid.
King Fernando III as-
cribes the city’s coat-
of-arms: a rampaging
bear eating the fruit
from a strawberry tree,
quite a common tree in
those times.
Madrid enters the Royal
Court. The Town is of-
ficially recognized as a
“municipality” with rep-
resentation in the Span-
ish Court.
King Henry IV grants
Madrid the title of Muy
Noble y Muy Leal (Very
Noble and Very Loyal)
for loyalty shown to-
wards his person.
ALFONSO VI OF CASTILE PLAZA DE LA VILLA
HENRY IV
865 11721083 1202 1346 1460 14771222 1433
1435 1465
7
CHRONOLOGYOFMADRID
PALACIO DE LOS LUJANES
mADRID
mEDIEVAL
CHRONOLOGY
OF MADRID

6. Start of the Hapsburg
Dynasty (the House of
Austria). Charles I is
crowned King of Castile.
Madrid joins the
Comunero Movement
under Juan de Zapata.
Francisco I of France is
held prisoner in the Lu-
janes Tower.
Emperor Charles V en-
ters the city.
Madrid surrenders af-
ter the defeat of the
comuneros in Villalar.
Philip II chooses Ma-
drid as the permanent
headquarters of the
Spanish Court. The city
becomes the centre of
a vast empire.
Building of the
Casa de la Panad-
ería –the Bakery.
Writer Miguel de Cer-
vantes dies at his home
in Madrid.
Charles I confers the
title of Imperial y Coro-
nada (Imperial and
Crowned) to Madrid on
request of Deputy Juan
Hurtado de Mendoza.
Philip II orders the con-
struction of a city wall,
the third in the history of
the city.
Building of the first
General Hospital.
Philip IV orders the con-
struction of the fourth
city wall that lasts until
the middle of the 19th
century.
Painter Velázquez dies
in Madrid.
Philip III purchases
what is now known as
the Retiro Park, later
adding additional gar-
dens and fountains.
Playwright Lope de
Vega dies at his home
in what is currently calle
de Cervantes.
Building work begins on
the Buen Retiro Palace.
Of the original build-
ings, only the Salón de
Reinos and the Ball-
room (The Buen Retiro
Villa) still remain.
Culture flourishes in Ma-
drid and city is home to
writers such as Góngo-
ra, Quevedo, Calderón
de la Barca, Lope
de Vega and
painters such
as Velasquez.
9
CHRONOLOGYOFMADRID
CARLOS I
PARQUE DEL RETIRO
MIGUEL DE CERVANTES FELIPE IV
CASÓN DEL BUEN RETIRO
1516 1521 15251520 15361524 1561 1590 16161544 15961566 1625 16601618 16351630
Charles I orders the
reconstruction of the
Palace of Madrid, con-
verting it into a royal
residence.
THE Hapsburg
(16th
-17th
century)
DYNASTY

7. The establishment of the
Bourbon dynasty. Philip
V claims the crown as
heir to Charles II.
Foundation of the Royal
Academy of Language.
King Charles III of Naples arrives in Madrid,
instigator of the urban planning and the
construction of buildings such as the Real
Aduana (Royal Customs House) (1769),
the Royal Post Office (1768), the Office of
Natural History, the present-day Prado
Museum (1785), the Royal Botanical
Gardens (1781), as well as the Cibeles
(1782), Neptune (1784), Apollo (1780)
and Alcachofa (1782) fountains.
The former Palace is
destroyed in a fire on
Christmas Eve. Four
years later, construc-
tion work begins on
the present-day Royal
Palace. It is completed
in 1764.
Dos de Mayo (2nd of May), the people of Madrid rise up against the invading
French army. For 5 long hours, they fight against immeasurable odds, resulting
in a thousand dead.
King Fernando VII
grants Madrid the title
of Muy Heroica (Most
heroic) for the actions of
its citizens on the Dos
de Mayo.
José Bonaparte orders the tearing down of all
areas of congestion in the city turning them into
squares and public footpaths. He creates the area
known nowadays as the Plaza de Oriente.
Definitive building work
on the Plaza Mayor,
giving it its present-day
appearance.
Construction of the
Puerta de Alcalá (The
Alcalá Gates).
Building of the new San
Antonio de la Florida
Hermitage.
Siglo XVIII Siglo XIX
11
FUSILAMIENTOS DEL 2 DE MAYO - GOYA
FERNANDO VII
ángel caido - parque del retiro
FELIPE V
CHRONOLOGYOFMADRID
PUERTA DE ALCALÁ
1700 1734 1769
17781714 18081759 17981790
1854 1808 -1813 1814

8. Alfonso XIII officially
launches the project
to demolish various
buildings in order to
widen the Gran Vía.
Work continues until
1929. This area sees
the mergence of the
first department stores
/ markets, and other
specialized sectors
such as banks, insur-
ance companies, cin-
emas and offices.
Building work begins
on the Ciudad Uni-
versitaria, founded by
Alfonso XIII.
The proclamation of the
Second Republic at the
Puerta del Sol. Build-
ing work is completed
on the building of the
Ventas Bullring. Madrid-
Barajas airport opens.
The Ciudad Lineal ur-
ban planning project,
the brainstorm of Ar-
turo Soria, is approved.
Opening of the first
stretches of tramways
between Sol & Ser-
rano and Recoletos &
Hipódromo.
Construction of the Eliz-
abeth II Canal and the
aqueduct infrastructure
to bring water from
the river Lozoya
to Madrid.
Elizabeth II places the
foundation stone of the
National Library.
Restoration and exten-
sion of Puerta del Sol.
Building work begins
on the Bank of Spain on
the site of the former Al-
cañices Palace. Work is
completed in 1891.
On the 19th of Novem-
ber, the Prado Museum
first opens its doors to
the public.
1851
18581819
13
CHRONOLOGYOFMADRID
monumento a alfonso xii - parque del retiro
1910 19311929Siglo XX1857
1861 1898189218841866

9. 1990 1992 1997 20101993 2007
Start of the “movida
madrileña” (a counter
cultural movement), with
the emergence of cultur-
al icons such as Pedro
Almodóvar and Alaska.
Madrid, European Capital of Culture. During the
course of the year, the following venues are of-
ficially opened: the new Puerta de Atocha Train
Station with AVE high-speed trains running from
Madrid to Seville; the Reina Sofia Museum and
Art Gallery; the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum;
the City Museum; the Madrid Theatre, la Casa
de América (former Linares Palace); the Argan-
zuela Greenhouses; the Rodríguez Sahagún park;
the Juan Carlos I park; the “Lighthouse” and the
transport hub at Moncloa.
Opening of the National
Music Auditorium in
Príncipe de Vergara.
Reopening of the Royal
Theatre for opera pro-
ductions.
Centenary celebrations
of the Gran Vía, whose
very name evokes the
essence and splen-
dour of the shopping,
the architecture, the
culture, the fun and di-
versity of Madrid.
Opening of the new
extension to the Prado
Museum and the re-
structuring of the M-30
ring road.
Pope John Paul con-
secrates the Almudena
Cathedral.
1934 1943 19541932 19471936
Building work begins on
the viaduct above calle
Segovia that replaces
the iron structure built in
the 19th century.
Founding of the Gale-
rías Preciados.
Construction of the
Torre de Madrid building
in the Plaza de España.
Building work begins
on Nuevos Ministerios
on the site of the former
Hipódromo (horse-rac-
ing track).
The start of the Civil
War at which point
Madrid is besieged for
three long years.
The project to length-
en the Castellana is
approved.
1975 19801967 1979
Monarchy is re-
stored with King
Juan Carlos I.
Opening of the new
Chamartin Station and
the tunnel that links it
with Atocha. In 1971,
Chamartin station was
extended.
April 3rd. First demo-
cratic municipal elec-
tions.
15
ALMODÓVAR & McNAMARA
CHRONOLOGYOFMADRID
edificio telefónica - gran vía

10. 12
13
14
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
ROUTESAROUNDTHECITY
Puerta del Sol
Royal Post Office
(Bourbon, 18th
century),
the Mariblanca sculp-
ture (reproduction of
the 17th
century origi-
nal), statue of Charles
III on horseback (20th
century), the Bear and
the Strawberry Tree
sculpture (20th
century).
Calle de Bailén:
Almudena Crypt and
Cathedral (19th
and
20th
century).
Cava de San
Miguel
Olde worlde restau-
rants,theBotín(1725),
the Arco de Cuchil-
leros (Hapsburg, 17th
century).
Calle Arenal
& surrounding
area
San Ginés Church
(Hapsburg, 17th
cen-
tury), Monastery of the
Order of Descalzas
Reales (16th
century).
De La Vega Hill /
Emir Muhammad
I Park
Remains of the city
walls (9th
and 10th
century).
Plaza Mayor
(Hapsburg,
16th
century
and Bourbon,
18th
century)
Casa de la Panadería
(the Bakery), Casa
de la Carnicería (the
Butcher’s), statue of
Philip III on horseback.
Plaza de
Elizabeth II
Royal Theatre (Eliza-
bethan, end of 19th
cen-
tury), sculpture of Eliza-
beth II (20th
century).
Calle Mayor
the Duque de Uceda
Palace. Home to the
State Council and the
Military Headquarters
(Hapsburg, 17th
cen-
tury), the Sacramento
Church (Hapsburg,
17th
century), remains
of the Santa María
Church (11th
and 12th
century), Abrantes
Palace, present-day
Italian Institute of Cul-
ture (Hapsburg, 17th
century), San Nicolás
Church (Plaza de San
Nicolás, 13th
century).
Plaza de la
Provincia
Santa Cruz Palace
or former Court Gaol
(Hapsburg, 17th
cen-
tury), (19th
century).
Plaza de la
Encarnación
Monastery of the En-
carnation (Hapsburg,
17th
century).
Plaza de la Villa
Lujanes Tower (15th
century), Casa de
Cisneros (16th
cen-
tury), Casa de la Villa
(Hapsburg, 17th
cen-
tury), sculpture of Don
Alvaro de Bazán (19th
century).
Puerta del Sol
Royal Post Office
(Bourbon, 18th
cen-
tury), Kilometre Zero
(20th
century).
Plaza de Oriente
Sculpture of Philip IV
(17th
century), sculp-
tures of the Spanish
kings and queens (18th
century), Royal Palace
(Bourbon, 18th
century).
Calle Mayor
House of Calderón de
la Barca (Hapsburg,
17th
century), Queen
Mother’s Pharmacy
(dating from the 16th-
century, building from
the 20th
century), San
Miguel Market (19th-
century).
01
03
05
07
09
11 13
02
04
06
08
10 12
14
ROUTES AROUND
THE CITY
17
Approximate length: 2 hours
Route 1

11. 01
010102
03
04
05
06
07
08
091011
12
1314
ROUTESAROUNDTHECITY
Puerta del Sol /
Calle del Carmen
El Carmen Church
(Hapsburg, 17th
century).
The Retiro
Park (17th
-20th
centuries)
Monument dedicated
to Alfonso XII, The Ce-
cilio Rodríguez Gar-
dens, The Velasquez
Palace, The Crystal Pal-
ace, The Rose gardens,
Fountain of the Fallen
Angel, the Duque de
Fernán Núñez pathway.
Carrera de
San Jerónimo
Spanish Parliament
Building (19th
cen-
tury), Sculpture of
Miguel de Cervantes
(19th
century).
Cuesta de
Moyano
Mercado de libros de
la Cuesta de Moyano.
Glorieta del
Emperador
Carlos V (Atocha)
Atocha Train Station
(19th
century), The Rei-
na Sofía Museum and
Art Gallery (18th
centu-
ry building, with addi-
tions made in both the
20th
and 21st
centuries).
El Barrio de las
Letras (Writers’
Quarter):
Area of taverns, Span-
ish Theatre or the
former Principe Thea-
tre (Plaza de Santa
Ana, dating from the
17th
century, building
from the 19th
century),
Royal Academy of His-
tory (Calle de León,
Bourbon, 18th
century),
the Trinitarians Con-
vent (Calle Lope de
Vega, Hapsburg, 17th
century), the Juan de la
Cuesta Printing House
where Don Quixote
was first printed in
1604 (Calle de Atocha,
87), the Lope de Vega
House (Calle de Cer-
vantes, 11, Hapsburg,
17th
century). Austrias,
siglo XVII).
Calle de Alcalá
Royal Customs House
or Ministry of Revenue
(Bourbon, 18th
cen-
tury), San Fernando
Royal Academy of
Fine Arts (Bourbon,
18th
century), Madrid
Casino (20th
century),
Calatravas Church
(17th
century), Metróp-
olis Building (20th
cen-
tury), San José Church
(18th
century), Circle of
Fine Arts (20th
century),
Cariátides Building
(20th
century), Bank of
Spain (19th
century).
Paseo del Prado
Royal Botanical Gar-
dens, Prado Museum
(Bourbon, 18th
cen-
tury, 20th
century ex-
tension work).
Carrera de San
Jerónimo
Lhardy restaurant (Eliz-
abethan, 19th
century).
Plaza de Cibeles
Cibeles Fountain
(Bourbon, 18th
centu-
ry), Buenavista Palace
(18th
century), Casa
de América or Linares
Palace (19th
century),
Cibeles Palace (20th
century).
Calle de Philip IV
San Jerónimo El Real
Church (15th
century),
The Buen Retiro Villa
and the Salón de Rei-
nos (the Hall of King-
doms) of the Buen Re-
tiro Palace (Hapsburg,
17th
century), Spanish
Royal Academy of Lan-
guage (19th
century).
Puerta del Sol
Calle de Alcalá
Puerta de Alcalá (Bour-
bon, 18th
century).
Plaza de Canovas
del Castillo
(Neptune)
Madrid Stock Market
(19th
century), Monu-
ment to the Fallen of
“Dos de Mayo” (19th
century), Neptune
and Apollo foun-
tains (Bourbon, 18th
century), Thyssen
Bornemisza Museum
(19th
century).
01
03
07
08
10
12
02
04
05
06
09
11
14
13
Route 2Approximate length: 3 hours
19

12. Getting to grips with a city like Madrid, especially one with more than a thousand years of history behind it, is a daunting and
often time-consuming task. If your time in Madrid is limited, we have taken the liberty of compiling a list of monuments and places
that visitors to Madrid should definitely not miss out on.
The Art Walk is a singular setting that combines art, architecture and nature and is located in one of the most characteristic areas of
the city: the Paseo del Prado. It makes for a very pleasant stroll taking you past the Botanical Gardens as well as three of the most
renowned museums in the world:
The Art Walk
Considered by many to be “the best art
gallery in the world “, the Prado Museum
is, if not the best, then one of the most
respected art centres and is a must-see
on any visit to Madrid. Its walls are decked
with the best collections of works of art of
the Spanish School from the 16th through
to the 18th century. It also houses large
collections from both the Flemish and
Venetian schools, as well as smaller co-
llections by German, French and English
artists. The museum has been recently
expanded and, thanks to a technically
difficult overhaul by architect Rafael Mo-
neo, now includes the Claustro de los
Jerónimos (Cloister of the Jeronimos).
h Paseo del Prado
f Banco de España / Atocha
k Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 8pm.
Closed Monday
€ Free entry Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm
to 8pm and Sundays from 5pm to 8pm
b 902 107 077
+info: www.museodelprado.es
Housed in the Villahermosa Palace, this
is the world’s largest private art collection
and brings together some 1,000 works of
art that cover 700 years of art from around
the world, all the way from the 13th cen-
tury up to the up to the latest tendencies
of the 20th century. The addition to the
palace, located in the adjoining building,
is home to the private collection of the
widow of Baron Thyssen, Carmen Cer-
vera, and contains works of art from the
17th century through to the 19th century
of both Spanish artists and artists from
around the world.
h Paseo del Prado, 8
f Banco de España / Atocha
k Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 7pm
b 91 369 01 51
+info: www.museothyssen.org
Prado Museum
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
MUST-SEEMADRID
MUST-SEEMADRID
2120
MUST-SEE MADRID

13. This renowned museum, as well as housing
Guernica (1937) by Picasso, is home to
works of art by some of the most important
artists of the latter part of the 19th century
to the present-day - mainly Spanish in ori-
gin (Dalí, Miró, Juan Gris, Julio González,
Tapies, Chillida...). The museum is located
at the site of the former General de San
Charles Hospital, designed by Sabatini du-
ring the reign of Charles III and restored to
its former glory in the 1980s. In September
2005, building work on the latest addition to
themuseumwascompleted.Thenewaddi-
tion (designed by architect Jean Nouvel)
consists of three buildings that house galle-
ries and temporary exhibitions, auditoriums
and a library all of which can be accessed
directly from the Sabatini building.
h C/ Santa Isabel, 52
f Atocha
k Monday to Saturday from 10am to
9pm. Sunday from 10am to 2:30pm.
Closed Tuesdays.
€ Free entry Mondays, Wednesdays,
Thursdays and Fridays from 7pm to 9pm,
Saturdays from 2:30pm to 9:00pm and
Sundays from 10am to 2:30pm.
b 91 774 10 00
+info: www.museoreinasofia.es
MUST-SEEMADRID
23
The idea of creating a Navy Museum dates
back to the 18th
Century, and as well as a
library, the idea was to have all the natural
sciences required for the comprehensi-
ve training of the Spanish Navy, housed
under one roof. Through the museum’s
galleries, boasting historic artefacts such
as the Juan de la Cosa Map, the first map
to have included America, visitors can get
a glimpse of all the major decisive events
from the Catholic Kings and the discovery
of the Americas through to the Battle of
Trafalgar, with special focus on the 18th
Century Spanish ship building. Visitors will
learn about the history of Spanish navy,
mostly with a military focus, during the
crucial times in Spanish history.
h Paseo del Prado, 5
f Banco de España
k Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 8pm.
Closed Monday.
€ Free entry
b 91 523 87 89
+info: www.museonavalmadrid.com
“La Caixa” cultural centre is also located
along the Paseo del Arte and houses some
fascinating temporary exhibitions as well
as hosting other cultural activities. Built on
the site of the former power station – one
of the few examples of modern industrial
architecture to be found in the historic cen-
tre of Madrid – designed by architectural
firm Herzog and De Meuron, entry to the
centre is decorated with a breathtaking
vertical garden, the work of French artists
Patrick Blanc.
h Paseo del Prado, 36
f Atocha / Banco de España
k from 10am to 8pm. Guided tour of
the building Mondays and Saturdays
at 1pm and Fridays at 7pm. Advance
bookings can be made at the informa-
tion desk
€ Free entry
b 91 330 73 00
+info: www.obrasocial.lacaixa.es
Furniture, pottery, glassware, jewellery, ta-
pestries, oriental art, etc. and up to 30,000
different objects, which over the course
of history have been used to decorate
houses, palaces and monuments of di-
fferent cultures. The oldest objects in the
collection date back to the 4th
Century BC,
and go all the way through to the first half
of the 20th
Century.
h Montalbán, 12
f Banco de España / Retiro
k Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30am to
3pm and Thursdays, Fridays and Sa-
turdays from 5pm to 8pm. Sundays and
public holidays from 10am to 3pm. Clo-
sed Monday.
€ Free entry Thursdays from 5pm to
8pm, Saturdays from 2pm to 3pm and
Sundays.
b 91 532 64 99 / 91 532 68 45
+info: http://mnartesdecorativas.mcu.es
Reina Sofia Museum and Art Gallery Naval Museum
CaixaForum Madrid National Museum of Decorative Arts
MUST-SEEMADRID
22
Open Mondays

14. MUST-SEEMADRID
MUST-SEEMADRID
PLAZA DE LA VILLA Royal Palace and surrounding areaPLAZA MAYOR
The Palace, built in the 18th
century on
the orders of the first king of the Bourbon
dynasty (Philip V), houses treasures com-
parable to other great European palaces.
The surrounding urban landscape is very
representative of Madrid’s colourful history
and contains such emblematic buildings
as: Plaza de Oriente, Teatro Real (Royal
Theatre), Almudena Cathedral, Campo
del Moro Gardens, Monastery of the
Encarnation, Sabatini Gardens...
The gates of the Royal Palace are the ve-
nue for the Relevo Solemne de la Guardia
Real (the Solemn Changing of the Royal
Guard) a re-enactment of a ceremony that
used to take place during the reigns of
Alfonso XII and Alfonso XIII. It takes place
at midday on the first Wednesday of each
month (excluding July, August and Sept-
ember, and on days of official acts of state
or in inclement weather conditions) with a
total of 429 military staff and 105 horses
taking part.
Every Wednesday from 11am to 2 pm, visi-
tors can also see the Relevo de la Guardia
en la Puerta del Príncipe del Palacio Real
(the Changing of the Guard at the Prince’s
Gate of the Royal Palace) - excluding days
of the Solemn Changing of the Guard and
official acts of state or in inclement weather
conditions. Regaled in their dress uniform,
each “post” (consisting of 2 foot soldiers
and 2 riders on horseback) falls into for-
mation in front of the Puerta del Príncipe
(Prince’s Gate) to the musical accompani-
ment of fife and drum.
This spectacular porticoed square has been
thefocalpointofthecitysincePhilipIIsettled
onMadridastheofficialresidenceoftheSpa-
nish Royal Court in 1561. In its lifetime it has
been used for a variety of purposes: theatre,
civiccentre,market,etc.,thefocalpointbeing
the Casa de la Panadería (the Bakery). It
standsoppositetheCasadelaCarnicería(the
Butcher’s) and both buildings can be easily
recognized by their characteristic towers.
Over the course of history, the square has
suffered three fires, the last one in 1790 that
resulted in it having to be rebuilt by Juan de
Villanueva. Where the streets joined, the
square was walled in with half-point arches,
and dwellings were built above them. The
only condition for owners of the proper-
ties was that they were required to rent out
their balconies (presently 237 in total) during
celebrations. The higher the balcony, the
higher the rental price.
In the centre of the square stands the statue
of Philip III on horseback, work of Flemish
sculptor Juan de Bologna and Pietro Tacca
that dates from the 17th
century. It was pla-
ced here in 1848, having been moved from
its former home in the Casa de Campo.
h Plaza Mayor
f Sol
Located in an area of the city popularly
known as Hapsburg Madrid, it is home
to buildings from the 15th, 16th and 17th
Centuries, namely the Casa de la Villa, the
Lujanes Tower and the Casa de Cisneros.
In the centre of the square stands the stat-
ue by Mariano Benlliure of Álvaro de Bazán,
Marquis of Santa Cruz, who was Admiral
of the Spanish Armada during the reign of
Philip II. The Casa de la Villa, designed by
architect Juan Gómez de Mora, is a two-
storey building with towers on each of its
four corners, and has changed little since it
was first built. The only exception is the bal-
cony that now faces onto calle Mayor that
was built in the 18th century by Juan de Vil-
lanueva so that the Queen would be able
to see the Corpus Christi Processions. The
building still has two of its original doors
that date back to the days when it was first
the town hall and later the city gaol.
Linked to the Casa de la Villa by a small
passageway – built at the beginning of the
The Presentation of Credentials is one
of the most solemn acts in the life of a
diplomat where the sending Head of State
presents the new Ambassador to the King.
The ceremony involves 377 members of
the Royal Guard.
h C/ Bailén
f Ópera
k WINTER (October-March) Monday to
Saturday from 9:30am to 5pm. Sundays
from 9am to 2pm. SUMMER (April-Sep-
tember) Monday to Saturday from 9am to
6pm. Sundays from 9am to 3pm. May be
closed for official acts of state.
€ Free entry on Wednesday.
b 91 454 88 00
+info: www.patrimonionacional.es
20th century – is the Casa de Cisneros,
built in the first third of the 16th century
(1537), a great example of plateresque
architecture and commissioned by the
nephew of Cardinal Cisneros.
On the left as you enter the square stands
the Lujanes Tower (15th century) in Mude-
jar style (Spanish/Moorish). It is one of the
oldest civic buildings still standing in the
city and according to legend King Fran-
cois I of France was imprisoned there after
being taken prisoner in the battle of Pavia
in 1520.
h Plaza de la Villa
f Sol / Ópera
k Guided tours of the Casa de la Villa
available on Mondays (excluding public
holidays) at 5pm. Advance bookings at the
Madrid Tourism Centre (Plaza Mayor, 27).
€ Free entry
+info: www.esmadrid.com 2524
Open Mondays

15. MUST-SEEMADRID
MUST-SEEMADRID
Built in the 17th
century during the reign
of Philip IV, this is the most important
(historically and artistically speaking) of
all the parks in Madrid and is one of the
most beautiful city parks in the world. The
park was originally home to a set of buil-
dings that comprised a large palace, and
a garden with a host of features: hermita-
ges, grottos, covered paths, ponds etc.
Its most attractive and unrivaled features
are the Cecilio Rodríguez Gardens, the
Alfonso XII Monument, the Retiro Lake,
the ruins of the San Isidro Hermitage, the
Velasquez Palace, the Crystal Palace, the
Fuente del Ángel Caído (Fountain of the
Fallen Angel), the Ciprés Calvo trees (Bald
Cypress), the Alcachofa Fountain, etc.
f Retiro
k WINTER (from October to March): from
7am to 10pm (gates start to open at 6am,
with all gates open by 7am and closing
starts at 9:30pm, with all gates closed by
10pm). SUMMER (from April to Septem-
ber): from 7am to midnight (closing starts
at 11:30pm, with all closed by midnight).
Guided tours Saturdays at 11am. Advance
bookings on 911 273 988.
€ Free entry.
+info: www.madrid.es
The Puerta del Sol is the nerve centre of
Madrid – par excellence. There is probably
no other spot in Madrid that best reflects
both the blend of cultures and the wel-
coming and cosmopolitan nature of the
city. There are many icons that have been
associated with the square over the years:
the clock that rings in the New Year, the
celebrated statue of the Bear and Straw-
berry Tree (symbol of Madrid), “Kilometre
Zero” – the epicentre of the Spanish road
network, and the last survivor of the neon
advertisement boards that once covered
the rooftops, that of Tío Pepe. In its early
days, in around the 15th
century, this was
one of the access points through the large
wall that surrounded the city.
h Puerta del Sol
f Sol
Birthplace of the very first edition of Don
Quixote and home to the major figures of
Spanish literature, this traditional Madrid
neighbourhood is today one of the nerve
centres of the historic centre of Madrid
being both the focal point of theatres, res-
taurants, hotels and stores, as well as for
its well-preserved streets, squares and
historic buildings. This unique setting in
the very heart of Madrid is of historical,
cultural, tourist and economic significance
and is often a rendezvous point for night-
time revelers.
f Antón Martín / Sevilla / Atocha
In the popular La Latina district, Sundays
and public holidays are the opening days
of this famous open-air flea market that
has been going strong for more than 400
years. The main street of this incredibly
popular bazaar is the Ribera de Curtidores
that starts at Plaza de Cascorro and conti-
nues through to the Ronda de Toledo. On
Sundays, sellers set up their stalls on the
pavement to sell the most diverse array of
wares. And the variety of goods is mind-
boggling: from valuable antiques to small
objects that at first glance would appear
to serve no purpose at all!
h C/ Ribera de Curtidores and surroun-
ding area
f La Latina / Tirso de Molina / Puerta
de Toledo
k Sundays and public holidays from 9am
to 3pm.
The Retiro Park puerta del sol Barrio de las Letras TheRastroflea-market
2726
Teatro Real
The Teatro Real was opened in 1850, co-
inciding with the birthday of Queen Isabel
II, on the site of the former open-air theatre
that specialised in Italian opera and was
called Caños del Peral. It was torn down
in 1817. It was designed by architects An-
tonio López Aguado and Custodio Mo-
reno, who were commissioned to build a
magnificent, irregular-shaped, hexagonal
building. Its size is breathtaking, and it is
estimated that in the stage area, which is
some 60 metres high, you could fit the Te-
lefonica building on Gran Vía. After a major
refurbishment, in 1997 it was reopened as
an opera house.
h Plaza de Oriente
f Ópera
k Guided tours Monday to Friday, exclud-
ing Tuesdays and days when, for technical
or artistic reasons, they can not take place,
from 10:30am to 1pm, and Saturdays,
Sundays and Public Holidays from 11am
to 1:30pm, subject to change.
b 91 516 06 60 / 91 516 06 96
+info: www.teatro-real.com
Open Mondays

16. MUST-SEEMADRID
MUST-SEEMADRID
This is one of the most beautiful, most
centrically located and the most renowned
plazas of Madrid, a fusion of both ancient
and modern, and is flanked by four mo-
numental buildings built during the 19th
and 20th
Centuries: the Linares Palace,
the Cibeles Palace (home to Madrid City
Hall), the Bank of Spain, and the Buena-
vista Palace.
In the very centre stands the iconic Cibeles
Fountain. Together with the Apollo and
Neptune Fountains, these are the decora-
tions per se of the Paseo del Prado and are
the brainchild of King Charles III (18th
cen-
tury). You may be interested to note that
the Cibeles Fountain and the immediate
surrounding area is the traditional meeting
point for fans of Real Madrid football club
when celebrating their championship titles.
h Plaza de Cibeles
f Banco de España
k Guided tours of the Linares Palace Sa-
turdays and Sundays at 11am, midday
and 1pm. For ticket reservations, please
call: 902 400 222.
On the Bernabéu Stadium Tour, visitors
can access all areas of the stadium: the
pitch, the Presidential Box, the players
tunnel, the players’ benches and the chan-
ging rooms. And the pièce de résistance,
a visit to the Trophy Room Exhibition, the
best way to fully appreciate the legend that
is the Real Madrid football club.
h C/ Concha Espina, 1 (Santiago Berna-
béu Stadium, gate 20)
f Santiago Bernabéu
k Monday to Saturday from 10am to
7pm. Sundays and public holidays from
10:30am to 6:30pm. On match days, tours
available until 2 pm.
b 902 311 709
+info: www.realmadrid.com
The deep electric blues skies that generate
beautiful sunsets almost every day of the
year are characteristic of Madrid. Might we
suggest that you watch the sun go down
from one of the many great vantage points
around the city: the Debod Temple, in the
Parque del Oeste (Western Park), from the
dome of the Almudena Cathedral or from
the Vistillas Park or from one of the low hills
in the Cerro del Tío Pío Park.
f Ventura Rodríguez / Ópera
141 (para llegar al Cerro del Tío Pío)
The Bullring, with a neo-Mudejar design
(Moorish/Spanish), and with a crowd ca-
pacity of 25,000, is the work of architects
José Espeliú and Muñoz Monasterio, and
first opened its doors to the public in 1931.
There is bullfighting each Sunday from
March until October, but the highlight of
the year in the renowned San Isidro Festi-
val, during the month of May. Inside there
is a bullfighting museum that bares testa-
ment to some of the incredible moments
in the art and history of bullfighting.
A guided tour of the bullring is available to
the public from Tuesday to Sunday from
10am to 2pm, with Tauro Tour Las Ventas
(information and reservation number 91
556 92 37).
h C/ Alcalá, 237
f Ventas
b 91 356 22 00
+info: www.las-ventas.com
Designed towards the latter part of the 19th
century, building building work began in
1910. It represented a major accomplish-
ment in city planning and was envisaged
to modernize the Madrid by linking the
city’s historic centre with the neighbour-
hoods that had sprung up thanks in part
to the city’s growth (Argüelles, Salamanca,
Chamberí). Throughout its construction,
which continued through to the middle
of the 20th
century, this was the home to
some of the most contemporary architec-
tural projects in the capital and became a
veritable storefront of architectural styles.
This grand avenue, of almost one and a
half kilometres in length, has become one
of the most emblematic thoroughfares of
Madrid, not only from the city planning
point of view, but for the social, economic
and cultural role it has played in the life
of the city - over the recent years, it has
become the home to opening nights for
both national and international musicals
and is popularly known as the “Broadway”
of Madrid.
h Gran Vía
f Banco de España / Gran Vía / Callao /
Santo Domingo / Plaza de España
k Guided tours Sundays at 12pm. Advan-
ce bookings at the Madrid Tourism Centre
(Plaza Mayor, 27).
b 91 588 29 06
+info: www.esmadrid.com
Architecturally speaking, 20th
and 21st
cen-
tury Madrid can for the most part be found
on the flanks of this sprawling boulevard,
namely the Paseo de la Castellana that,
along with its characteristically huge buil-
dings, has grown to become the city’s
financial district. Some of the major city
planning projects of the past century have
sprouted up along the length of the Caste-
llana, such as the Colonia del Viso, AZCA,
the Puerta de Europa Towers, the new
Cuatro Torres Business Area (CTBA) on the
Castellana, with a height of between 223
and 250 metres, or the future International
Convention Centre.
h Paseo de la Castellana
f Gregorio Marañón / Nuevos Ministerios
/ Santiago Bernabéu / Plaza de Castilla
/ Begoña
Las Ventas Bull-ring Puesta de sol - SunsetPLAZA DE CIBELES GRAN VÍA Bernabéu stadium tourContemporary Madrid
2928
Open Mondays

17. “DISCOVERMADRID”
GUIDEDTOURPROGRAMME
¡FROM
less
than 5€!*Throughout the year, and
as a great way to discover
the city, the Madrid Tourist
Board and its Discover
Madrid Programme offers
visitors a great selection of
fascinating tours that are
available in a variety of lan-
guages (Spanish, English,
French, German, Italian,
Portuguese and Japanese).
Story time
A one-hour playtime activity for children
between the ages of 5 and 10 aimed at
getting them to use their imagination to
discover the secrets of an “enchanted”
Madrid. Story time is a one-of-a kind ex-
perience that can be carried out both in-
doors and outside and that tells the story
of Madrid in terms that a child will fully
understand, appreciate and enjoy.
The Hands-on Lecture Series
offers detailed, comprehensive information
about specific aspects of the history, the
art, customs, traditions and ways of life of
the City of Madrid. Activities are divided
into two halves:
1st
Half. LECTURE: focusing on the spe-
cialized subject matter.
2nd
Half. EDUCATIONAL TOUR: guided
tour that brings participants face to face
with the places and monuments referred
to in the preceding lecture.
DISCOVER
MADRID
Choose between:
Bicycle
tours
Skate tours
Family tours
Theatrical
and musical
tours
Indispensable
Madrid Guides
Tour
Specially adapted tours for
the physically, mentally and
sensorally handicapped.
“Made-to-
measure”
group tours
You decide the day and the subject matter.
Simply contact us via email (descubrema-
dridptm@munimadrid.es) or by phone on
914802036, and tell us what type of tour
you are looking for.
+info:www.esmadrid.com/descubremadrid
Ticket sales:
Madrid Tourism Centre
h Plaza Mayor, 27
k Winter schedule (16th
Sep-14th
Jun)
Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 8:30pm.
Saturdays from 11am to 5pm. Sundays
from 9:30am to 3pm.
Summer schedule (15th
Jun-15th
Sep):
Monday to Friday: 9:30 am to 8:30 pm.
Sataurday: 12 noon to 5 pm. Sunday 9:30
am to 14:30 pm
Tele sales: 902 221 424
Caja Madrid ATM network
www.entradas.com
2011 estimate rates
*
03
“DISCOVERMADRID”
GUIDEDTOURPROGRAMME
3130

18. MUST-SEEMUSEUMS
Exhibition of archaeological, colonial art, and
ethnographic collections brought to Spain
between the 16th
and 20th
centuries. An an-
thological approach that breaks down the
collections into themes – of special note are
the Treasure of the Quimbayas, Shellwork
from the Conquest of Mexico and the oldest
European collection on the Prairie Indians.
h Avenida de los Reyes Católicos, 6
f Moncloa
k Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30am to
3pm and Thursdays from 4pm to 7pm.
Sundays and public holidays from 10am
to 3pm. Closed Monday.
€ Free entry on Sunday
b 91 549 26 41 / 91 543 94 37
+info: ttp://museodeamerica.mcu.es
Located beneath the flyover that links ca-
lles Juan Bravo and Eduardo Dato, the
museum houses an excellent collection
of Spanish abstract sculpture. Civil engi-
neers José Antonio Fernández Ordóñez
and Julio Martínez Calzón, who designed
the bridge, and artist Eusebio Sempere
came up with a concept to successfully
bring the citizen face to face with the very
latest tendencies in modern art.
The other interesting characteristic of this
museum is that it is part of an urban lands-
cape where the functional elements – the
bridge, approaches, pedestrian walkways,
etc., - create a sense of unity where the
sculptures on exhibit and their setting are
at one with each other.
h Paseo de la Castellana, 41
f Rubén Darío
k Unlimited access
€ Free entry
b 91 588 86 72
+info:ww.esmadrid.com/museosdemadrid
The museum aims not only to illustrate
the artistic value of the artifacts, but also
their didactic qualities, this being the un-
derlying theme of the exhibit. Through the
use of these artifacts, it is hoped to explain
the ritual of Catholic mass, its origins and
evolution, up to its present-day format. Of
particular interest are the recently opened
Chapter House and Vestry by renowned
artist P. Marco Rupnik, S.J., creator of the
famous Redemptoris Mater Chapel in the
Vatican. After the tour, visitors can climb
to the top of the Dome where they will get
an incredible panoramic view of Madrid.
h Plaza de la Almudena (access through
the main Cathedral entrance)
f Ópera
k Monday to Saturday from 10am to
2:30pm. Closed Sundays as well as on
religious festivals or special mass.
b 91 559 28 74
+info: www.archimadrid.es
The house was purchased by Lope de
Vega in 1610 and it is where he lived out
the remaining 25 years of his life (1610-
1635). The different rooms give a pretty
clear picture of 17th
century life in Madrid
- home life, society, religion and culture of
the times - in a spot that, almost 400 years
after his death, is still very much identified
with this writer from Madrid.
h C/ Cervantes, 11
f Antón Martín
k Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 3pm.
Closed Monday
€ Free entry. Due to the characteristics of
the house tour, group tours, with a maxi-
mum of ten people, are available upon
prior request and these will be accompa-
nied by a guide. Tours begin every 30 mi-
nutes and last approximately 45 minutes.
b 91 429 92 16
+info: www.madrid.org
This royal monastery was founded in the
16th
Century by Princess Juana de Aus-
tria, daughter of Emperor Charles I, whose
tomb lies in one of the Monastery chapels.
Inside visitors will discover a rich collection
of works of art, many of them donated by
noble families whose daughters entered
into the order to dedicate themselves to
a life of contemplation. Of special note
amongst the works of art are the frescos
on the stairway of the Capilla del Milagro
(Chapel of Miracles), Brussels tapestries,
numerous masterpieces, etc.
The collection of José Lázaro Galdiano
(1862-1947) is one of the best examples of
private collections in a country where the-
se are quite rare. The Museum is housed
in the former residence of the collector,
the so-called Florido Park, in honour of
his Argentinean wife, Paula Florido. The
collection includes some wonderful or-
namental pieces and an outstanding art
gallery, which includes masterpieces from
the Spanish School such as Murillo, Goya,
Ribera..., the Flemish masters such as
Van Eyck, Mabuse or Bosch, a piece that
has been attributed to Leonardo da Vinci
,as well as a large public library with a
fascinating collection of antique books
and manuscripts.
h C/ Serrano, 122
f Núñez de Balboa
k Wednesday to Monday from 10am to
4:30pm(Mondays,Wednesdays,Thursdays
and Fridays, the third floor closes at 2pm).
Closed Tuesday
b 91 561 60 84
+info: www.flg.es
h Plaza de las Descalzas, 1
f Callao / Sol / Ópera
k Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sa-
turday from 10:30am to 12:45pm and from
4pm to 17:45pm. Friday from 10:30am to
12:45pm. Sunday and public holidays from
11am to 13:45pm
€ Free entry on Wednesday.
b 91 454 88 00
+info: www.patrimonionacional.es
It was commissioned by Queen Margarita
of Austria, wife of Philip III, to architect Juan
GómezdeMoraandwasbuiltbetween1611
and 1616. Of special note is the church, with
a beautiful Escorial façade finished off with a
verysimplepedimentandisthebasisforthe
architecturalstyleoftentermedMadridBaro-
que. The walls are home to an important co-
llection of 17th
and 18th
century painting and
sculptures, and it is well worth paying a visit.
One of the highlights is a mysterious seclu-
ded Baroque treasure chamber that houses
a large collection of brass engravings, hard
woods, ivory and coral. It is also home to a
vial containing the blood of San Pantaleón,
which, according to tradition, turns to liquid
on the anniversary of the death of the saint.
h Plaza de la Encarnación, 1
f Ópera
k Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sa-
turday from 10:30am to 12:45pm and from
4pm to 5:45pm. Firdays from 10:30am to
12:45pm. Sundays and public holidays
from 11am to 1:45pm
€ Free entry on Wednesday
b 91 454 88 00
+info: www.patrimonionacional.es
MUST-SEE MUSEUMS
MUST-SEEMUSEUMS
Museum of the Americas Public Art Museum
Lázaro Galdiano Museum LopedeVegaHouse&Museum
Almudena Cathedral
Museum
The Monastery of
the Encarnation
Monastery of the Order
of Descalzas Reales
3332
Open Mondays
Open Mondays

19. The Museum is housed in the actual residen-
ce-studioofpainterJoaquínSorollayBastida,
donated by his widow so that it be turned
into the museum, and surrounded by a small
garden with strong Andalusian influences,
designed by the painter himself. The main
floor and studio have been left in their original
state. The museum houses the best Sorolla
collection in the world with sculptures, ce-
ramic ware, furniture and jewelry that were
typicalofa19thcenturybourgeoishousehold.
h Paseo General Martínez Campos, 37
f Iglesia / Rubén Darío
k Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30am to 8pm.
Sundaysandpublicholidaysfrom10amto3pm
€ Free entry on Sunday
b 91 310 15 84
+info: http://museosorolla.mcu.es
The fundamental aim of the Costume Mu-
seum is to promote information about the
historical evolution of the clothing industry
andoftherichethnologicalheritageexempli-
fiedbythedifferentregionalculturesofSpain.
Forthisreasontheexhibitionisbrokendown
chronologically into a series of smaller exhi-
bitsthatdatefromthe18th
tothe20th
century.
h Avenida Juan de Herrera, 2
f Moncloa / Ciudad Universitaria
k Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30am to
7pm. Sundays and public holidays from
10am to 3pm
€ Free entry on Saturdays after 2:30pm and
on Sunday.
b 91 550 47 00
+info: http://museodeltraje.mcu.es
MUST-SEEMUSEUMS
MUST-SEEMUSEUMS
h Glorieta de San Antonio de la Florida, 5
f Príncipe Pío
k Tuesday to Friday from 9:30am to 8pm.
Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 2pm.
€ Free entry
b 91 542 07 22 / 91 701 18 63
+info: www.esmadrid.com/museosde-
madrid
A large convent complex built in the 18th
Century to replace the then existing me-
dieval Franciscan monastery. A large dome
crowns the circular central floor some 58
metres high with a 38-metre diameter, and
is one of the largest in the world. There is
an exhibition of paintings that date from
the 17th
to the 19th
century. Special men-
tion should be made of the frescos on the
inside of the dome.
h Plaza de San Francisco
f La Latina / Puerta de Toledo
k Tuesday to Friday from 11am to
12:30pm and from 4pm to 6:30pm. Satur-
days from 11am to 1:30pm (if there are no
religious services). In the month of August
from Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to
12:30pm and from 5pm to 7:30pm
b 91 365 38 00
Although it has changed its name various
times over the years, it is still popularly
known as Casa de San Isidro, because ac-
cording to tradition this was the residency
of the Vargas family (for whom San Isidro
worked) and also the palce where the Saint
lived and died.
The permanent exhibition illustrates this
history of Madrid from prehistoric times
up to the 17th
century, using numerous
archaeological remains found in the city.
The Museum also boasts a large collection
of scale models and a selection of artwork
linked to the tradition of San Isidro and
Santa María de la Cabeza.
h Plaza de San Andrés, 2
f La Latina
k Tuesday to Friday from 9:30am to 8pm.
Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 2pm.
€ Free entry
b 91 366 74 15
+info: www.esmadrid.com/museosde-
madrid
Henry IV, in the first half of the 15th
century,
commissioned the construction of a small
castle that Charles I later rebuilt in 1553, and
was finally finished in 1558 during the reign
of Philip II. The Pardo Royal Palace inheri-
ted the general structure of the medieval
castle, flanked by towers and surrounded
by a moat.
The main feature of the interior décor are
the tapestries, woven at the Royal Tapestry
Factory, based on compositions painted
by Bayeu, Castillo, and especially those of
Goya, who was commissioned by the Pala-
ce to paint five of his most renowned series.
Amongst the works of art are the renowned
Portrait of Elizabeth the Catholic by Juan de
Flandes and the Portrait of Don Juan José
de Austria on horseback by Ribera, as well
as important pieces of furniture from the 18th
and 19th
century.
h C/ Manuel Alonso
601
k WINTER (October-March) Monday to
Saturday from 10:30am to 4:45pm. Sun-
days from 10am to 1:30pm. SUMMER
(April-September) Monday to Saturday
from 10:30am to 5:45pm. Sunday from
9:30am to 1:30pm. May close for institu-
tional or official acts.
€ Free entry on Wednesday.
b 91 376 15 00
+info: www.patrimonionacional.es
Just metres from the Puerta del Sol stands
a building that is home to the San Fernan-
do Royal Academy of Fine Arts, founded
in 1744 by King Philip V. Its primary focus
was on perfecting and studying of the three
noble arts - namely painting, sculpture and
architecture. The building was constructed
between 1724 and 1725 by architect José
Benito Churriguera as a house / palace for
banker Juan de Goyeneche. Inside is the
Academy Museum that is home to a major
collectionofpaintings,sculpturesandworks
of art from different European schools. The
thirteen works by Goya on exhibit in the
Museumarethemainfocusofthecollection.
h C/ Alcalá, 13
f Sol / Sevilla
k Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
Saturdays from 9am to 3pm. Sundays
and public holidays from 9am to 2:30pm.
Closed Monday.
€ Free entry Wednesday (excluding public
holidays)
b 91 524 08 64
+info: http://rabasf.insde.es
The former palace of the Marquis de Mata-
llana, built in 1776, is home to a fascinating
collection of 19th
Century paintings, furnis-
hings and decorative art, which give us a
better understanding of the cultural and po-
litical goings on of daily life in Madrid during
the Romantic period. Works of art by Goya,
Esquivel,Madrazo,AlenzaandtheBécquer,
pottery by Sargadelos and Sèvres, jewe-
llery made of ebonite, lava or natural hair,
a collection of porcelain dolls, 15 pianos,
imperial and Elizabethan furniture and the
pistol, which Larra used to commit suicide,
all go to recreate the age of Romanticism, a
cultural movement, which coursed through
the veins of young artists, intellectuals and
politicians alike during the first half of the
19th
Century.
h C/ San Mateo, 13
f Tribunal / Alonso Martínez
k SUMMER (May-October): Tuesday to
Saturday from 9:30am to 8:30pm. Sun-
days and public holidays from 10am to
3pm. WINTER (November-April): Tuesday
to Saturday from 9:30am to 18:30pm. Sun-
days and public holidays from 10am to
3pm. Closed Monday.
€ Free entry Saturdays after 2pm and all
day Sundays.
b 91 448 10 45
+info: http://museoromanticismo.mcu.es
The Shrine, dedicated to Saint Anthony of
Padua, was designed by Italian architect
Philip Fontana, neoclassical in design, and
built between 1792 and 1798 with frescoes
painted by Francisco de Goya in 1798. It
is a small museum but it holds a two-fold
special significance - the artistic value of
the murals that decorate its walls, and the
commemorative value as it has housed the
mortal remains of the artist since 1919. In
order to conserve the paintings, in 1929 the
services were relocated to a replica hermi-
tage built next door, allowing the original
building to be used purely as a museum.
Museum of the Origins The Pardo Royal Palace
Museum of Romanticism
SorollA Museum
The Costume Museum
Royal Academy of Fine
Arts Museum
San Antonio de
la Florida Shrine
The Saint Francis the
Great Basilica
3534
Open Mondays

20. Madrid, with its more than 3,000 restau-
rants, offers visitors an unforgettable dining
experience with a choice of restaurants
from the five continents. Not only is there
international cuisine, but also a wide se-
lection of regional dishes, as well as the
local cuisine with its undisputed influence
of the cooking styles from both Castile
regions, the result of a fusion between the
cooking habits of the Royal Court and the
commoners. The dish synonymous with
Madrid is the cocido madrileño that com-
prises a three-course meal with a soup to
start, followed by greens and vegetables,
and finished of with a meat dish.
DINING OUT
In Madrid, seafood and fish dishes are also
partofthestaplediet:1,000tonnesofseafo-
odproduct’sarriveeachdaytoitsrenowned
fish market, the biggest in Europe and the
second biggest in the world only to Tokyo.
The traditional desserts are quite con-
ventional with things such as rosquillas
tontas y listas (a type of donut coated
with either icing sugar or ground al-
monds), buñuelos de viento (cream
puffs), chocolate with churros (frit-
ters) or bartolillos de crema (egg
custard tart). And these are just
some of the great selection of
delicious desserts.
Another of the specialties in Madrid is the
tapas that comprises a bite-size portion,
hot or cold, that is served with wine, ver-
mouth, beer or a refreshment. Although
tapas can be enjoyed anywhere in the
city, there are particular areas of the city
which, due to circumstances or geogra-
phical area, have their own particular style
of tapas.
The centre of Madrid is considered to be
the best area for having tapas simply for
being in the very heart of the city. The area
in and around Puerta del Sol and Plaza
Mayor, popularly known as Hapsburg Ma-
drid, is an area where you can enjoy having
tapas in a great atmosphere.
Other busy areas for tapas are the Latina
and the so-called Writers’ Quarter where
you can find traditional taverns where ta-
pas form the cornerstone of an excellent
dining experience.
During the summer months, the specialties
whether they may be, fish, tapas or inter-
national cuisine, can be enjoyed on one
of the many open-air terraces, especially
at dinnertime, and in all areas of the city.
Tapas
DININGOUT
DININGOUT
3736

21. DININGOUT
DININGOUT
The century-old restaurants in Madrid are
an example of the professionalism of suc-
cessive generations that can clearly be seen
in the uniqueness of each establishment.
Diners who come to these restaurants can
enjoy traditional dishes that will never go
out of style and can savour some of their
mouthwatering dishes that represent more
thanahundredyearsofthehistoryofMadrid.
More information is available on the fo-
llowing web page www.restaurantescen-
tenarios.es.
• Bodega La Ardosa (1892)
h C/ Colón, 13
f Tribunal / Gran Vía
b 91 521 49 79
+info: www.laardosa.com
• La Bola (1870)
h C/ La Bola, 5
f Santo Domingo / Ópera
b 91 547 69 30
+info: www.labola.es
• Botín (1725)
h C/ Cuchilleros, 17
f Sol
b 91 366 42 17 / 30 26
+info: www.botin.es
• Café Gijón (1888)
h Paseo de Recoletos, 21
fColón / Banco de España
b 91 522 37 37 / 91 521 54 25
• La Casa del Abuelo (1906)
h C/ Victoria, 12
f Sol
b 902 02 73 34
+info: www.lacasadelabuelo.es
• Casa Alberto (1827)
h C/ Huertas, 18
f Sol / Antón Martín
b 91 429 93 56 / 07 06
+info: www.casaalberto.es
• Casa Ciriaco (1887)
h C/ Mayor, 84
f Sol / Ópera
b 91 548 06 20
• Casa Labra (1860)
h C/ Tetuán, 12
f Sol
b 91 531 00 81
+info: www.casalabra.es
• Casa Pedro (1702)
h C/ Nuestra Sra. de Valverde, 119
(Fuencarral)
b 91 734 02 01
+info: www.casapedrorestaurante.com
• Los Galayos (1894)
h C/ Botoneras, 5
f Sol
b 91 366 30 28
+info: www.losgalayos.net
• Lhardy (1839)
h Carrera de San Jerónimo, 8
f Sol / Sevilla
b 91 521 33 85 / 91 522 22 07
+info: www.lhardy.es
• Taberna Malacatín (1895)
h C/ Ruda, 5
f La Latina
b 91 365 52 41
+info: www.malacatin.com
• Taberna Oliveros (1857)
h C/ San Millán, 4
f La Latina
b 91 354 62 52
+info: www.tabernaoliveros.com
Century-old restaurants in Madrid Useful vocabulary
3938
Gastronomy
Walk
Ten of the best restaurants in Madrid offering diners a mouth-watering cuisine
with a great variety of dishes in an unbeatable setting. All ten are located in
the same area, namely the Casa de Campo showground, although each one is
unique and has their own particular charm. Housed in very distinctive buildings
– manor houses, palaces and ancestral homes -, the restaurants comprising
the Paseo de la Gastronomía combine their finely honed culinary skills with a
pleasant ambience. Discover this culinary walk, located in the very heart of the
city’s green zone, and enjoy a delicious meal seated in their dining rooms, or
on their open-air terraces, beneath the stars of the Madrid skies.
Telephone reservations are required and information is available regarding group
bookings. More information available at www.madridespaciosycongresos.es.
• A Casiña
b 91 526 34 25 / 91 526 32 61
+info: www.acasina.com
• Colonial de Mónico
b 91 479 37 33 / 91 479 26 86
+info: www.grupomonico.es
• Casa de Burgos de Araceli
b 91 464 40 77
+info: www.grupoaraceli.es
• La Masía de José Luis
b 91 479 86 15
+info: www.joseluis.es
• La Pesquera
b 91 464 16 12
+info: www.lapesquera.com
• Restaurante Currito
b 91 464 57 04
+info: www.restaurantecurrito.es
• Restaurante Guipúzcoa
b 91 470 04 21 / 91 470 25 47
+info: www.restauranteguipuzcoa.com
• El Bosque Sagrado
b 91 526 78 17
+info: www.elbosquesagrado.es
• El Pabellón de Ondarreta
b 91 479 97 79
+info: www.ondarreta.es
• El Palacio de la Misión
b 91 464 77 77
+info: www.palaciodelamision.com
chato
a short, wide-bottomed wine glass.
Caña
draft beer served in a cylinder-sha-
ped glass.
Sangría
a refreshing drink made from a
sweet soda, red wine, sugar, cin-
namon, lemon and/or other liquors
or fruits.
Bocadillo
a roll sliced in two lengthways ser-
ved with a variety of fillings.
Menú del día
A fixed-price menu offered by ho-
tels and restaurants, with a limited
selection of dishes.
Pulga
a small roll.
Tapa
a small serving of food usually to
accompany a drink.
Ración
a serving of traditional food, nor-
mally larger in size than a tapa, and
normally served with a drink.

22. SHOPPING IN
MADRID
The city of Madrid is a must-see for anyone planning
a shopping trip. From the exclusiveness of some
of the greatest designers and the “showrooms”
of the most select names in international fashion,
to traditional products from Madrid and the most
avant-garde, visitors to Madrid will find thousands
of excuses to go shopping
A full day is required to get the most out of the
Madrid shopping experience, as the city’s shopping
areas are very popular throughout the year with
residents of Madrid and visitors alike.
Disponer de al menos un día libre para dedicarlo a
las compras por la ciudad es indispensable, ya que
sus zonas comerciales atraen durante todo el año
el interés de madrileños y visitantes.
SHOPPINGINMADRID
The centre is conside-
red to be the artistic
and historic heart of
Madrid. This area has
been witness to many
events in the life and
history of Madrid. As
you shop along calles
Mayor, Arenal, Precia-
dos, Carmen or Gran
Vía, you will discover
a variety of fashion
stores (clothes, shoes
and accessories) and
some of the typical de-
partment stores.
The area surrounding
Plaza Mayor, Puer-
The Barrio de las Le-
tras (Writers’ Quarter),
is the birthplace of
the first edition of Don
Quixote and home to
some of the key figures
of Spanish literature.
Nowadays it is the city’s
nerve centre where you
will find many theatres,
hotels, terrace bars and
the area still conserves
many of the more tra-
ditional stores such as
silver smiths, antiquities
and book stores, side by
side stores offering the
very latest in the artistic
avant-garde. It is worth
Within the Plaza Mayor
Tourism Centre, is the
Madrid Shop store that
sells the¡Madrid! brand
merchandising that in-
clude guides and bo-
oks or DVDs about his-
tory, architecture, the
Madrid museums, as
well as t-shirts, statio-
nary, the single Siem-
pre en Madrid or tickets
to the main events and
shows going on in the
city of Madrid.
f Sol / Ópera / Callao /
Gran Vía
k Open all year round
SHOPPINGINMADRID
mentioning that this dis-
trict takes you from the
Paseo del Prado all the
way to the Royal Palace,
which makes for a very
pleasant walk.
f Sol / Sevilla / Antón
Martín
ta del Sol and Plaza
de Oriente, is full of
small traditional sto-
res, many of which
have not changed in
appearance in the last
100 years: pharmacies,
cake shops, stores se-
lling religious relics,
haberdashers, antique
book stores, hat shops
or ceramic workshops.
Many of these establis-
hments sell traditional
Spanish articles such
as fans, shawls, guitars
or capes.
These streets are con-
sidered to be the most
progressive and ulvtra-
modern shopping areas
of the city, and in recent
years have become point
of reference for Spanish
modernism.Onthemyou
can find the boutiques of
young fashion designers,
accessories, arts and
crafts… Special mention
Known as the Barrio de
Chueca, its unbeatable
location has facilitated
its transformation into
an urban catwalk for
independent fashion
labels, characterized
by its Design.
Calles Conde de Xique-
na, Almirante and Pia-
monte together form a
shopping district that
has its own particular
feel, with stores offering
a wide range of labels
with Spanish designs
of both fashion and
household accessories.
f Chueca / Gran Vía /
Alonso Martínez
The streets of this multi-
cultural neighbourhood
are home to traditional
Madrid stores as well
as many others that sell
traditional goods from
different countries, from
food products to art
and crafts.
f Lavapiés
shouldbemadeofTriball,
located between calles
Ballesta and Corredera
Baja de San Pablo, an
areathathasseenasharp
increaseinpopularitywith
the opening of art galle-
ries, restaurants, clothes
stores and is a great area
for shopping in general.
f Gran Vía / Tribunal
Centre: The heart of Madrid
Shopping districts
4140
04
02
05
03
01
SOL01
Hortaleza, Fuencarral
and Triball
03 Argensola, Piamonte
and Almirante
04 LAVAPIÉs05
Writers’ Quarter02

23. SHOPPINGINMADRID
Serrano shopping district
Developed in the middle
of the 19th Century, the
Barrio de Salamanca or
Salamanca District, is
located between Paseo
de Recoletos and the El
Retiro Park. This orderly
network of wide, straight
and tree-lined streets
was designed by Carlos
MaríadeCastro,andins-
tigatedbytheMarquisof
Salamanca. It very soon
becametheareachosen
by the fledgling Madrid
middle-classes to set up
home. Faced with the
gloomy and old-fashio-
ned dwellings available
in other areas of the cen-
tre of Madrid, the Barrio
de Salamanca made an
The shopping area of Ar-
güelles can be found in
and around calles Prin-
cesa and Alberto Agui-
lera, where you will find
the major clothes chain
stores as well as shops
selling accessories and
gifts, as well as the ma-
jor department stores.
fArgüelles / Moncloa
ARGÜELLES
The AZCA business
district, and calle Oren-
se in particular, a very
busy shopping area,
provide visitors with a
variety of stores ran-
ging from the most po-
pular clothes chains, to
major department sto-
AZCA
res, home to boutiques
selling major labels by
both Spanish and in-
ternational designers.
f Nuevos Ministerios
/ Cuzco / Santiago
Bernabéu
ideal setting for a more
modern way of life.
In and around the re-
modelled calle Serrano,
top-notch businesses
and services set up
shop, turning the area
into the chic district of
Madrid. Major Spanish
and international de-
signers, delicatessens,
luxury hotels, classy
restaurants, art galleries
and antique stores have
turnedthestreets(calles)
such as the aforemen-
tioned Serrano, Ortega y
Gasset, Claudio Coello,
Lagasca or Jorge Juan,
intoashoppersparadise.
f Serrano / Velázquez /
Goya / Núñez de Balboa
(see “Must-see Madrid”)
h C/ Ribera de Curtidores and surroun-
ding area
k Sundays and public holidays from 9am
to 3pm
f La Latina / Tirso de Molina / Puerta
de Toledo
Specialized
Markets
Goya Market; Textiles,
Art and Crafts and Gifts:
h Avenida de Felipe II
k Monday to Saturday from 10am to 8pm
f Goya
Stamp and Coin Collecting
h Plaza Mayor
k Sundays and public holidays from 9am
to 2pm
f Sol / Ópera
Delicatessen
h Plaza de San Miguel (San Miguel Market)
k Open every day from 10am to 10pm
f Sol / Ópera
+info: www.mercadodesanmiguel.es
The Rastro
Flea market
MERCADO DE SAN MIGUELEL RASTRO
4342
SHOPPINGINMADRID

24. SHOPPINGINMADRID
Model making
h Paseo de las Delicias, 61
(Railway museum)
k first Sunday of each month from 10am
to 3pm (excluding August)
f Delicias
Flowers
h Plaza de Tirso de Molina
k Open every day from 11am to 6pm
f Tirso de Molina
Painting
h Plaza del Conde de Barajas
k Sundays from 10am to 2pm
f Ópera / Sol
Books
h Cuesta de Claudio Moyano
k Monday to Friday from 10am to 2:30pm
and from 4:30pm to 7pm. Saturdays, Sun-
days and public holidays from 10am to
2:30pm
f Atocha
Stores in Madrid are free to open at wha-
tever time they choose but generally spea-
king, stores open between 9:30am and
2pm, and then again between 5pm and
8:30pm from Monday to Saturday. The
major shopping centres do not close at
lunchtime and stay open to 10pm from
Monday to Saturday. Stores also open
their doors on the first Sunday of each
month, as well as other Sundays that are
considered of high demand, as well as on
some public holidays.
In the centrally located Sol district, shops
are open all year round.
Tax Refunds
(Tax Free)
All visitors to Madrid who are not residents
of the European Union can request the
refund of the IVA (equivalent to VAT) on
all purchases greater than €90.16. At the
entrance to all stores you will see the name
of the company that emits refund cheques.
To be reimbursed, you should follow
these steps:
• Every time you make a purchase, ask for
a refund cheque. This is required for your
taxes to be later refunded.
• Upon leaving the European Union, pre-
sent your refund cheques, along with
your passport, your boarding pass and
your purchases at the Customs Desk so
that they can be verified.
• For a cash refund, hand in your copy of
the refund cheques that have been duly
stamped by Customs at the cash refund
During 2010, shops are allowed to open on a
total of 22 Sundays and public holidays: 3rd
and
10th
January; 7th
February; 7th
and 19th
March; 4th
April; 2nd
May; 3rd
and 6th
June; 4th
July; 1st
and
29th
August; 5th
September; 3rd
and 12th
October;
7th
and 28th
November; and 5th
, 8th
, 12th
, 19th
and
26th
December.
PLAZA DEL CONDE DE BARAJAS
CUESTA DE CLAUDIO MOYANO PLAZA TIRSO DE MOLINA
CALLE SERRANO
4544
Opening times
desk of the nearest Tax Free Office or
at any other of the international offices.
• You can also send your refund cheques
via mail, these must be duly stamped by
Customs, indicating the account number
of your credit card and the tax refund
will be credited to your credit card in the
currency of your choice.
Participating Tax Free Companies:
• Tax Free Shopping Global Refund
www.globalrefund.com | b 900 435 482
• Tax Free Shopping Premier
www.premiertaxfree.com | b 915 756 497
• Tax Free Spain Refund
www.spainrefund.com | b 915 237 004
SHOPPINGINMADRID

26. In and around calles Toledo, Mayor, Sego-
via and Cava Baja, in addition to the great
selection of restaurants, there are also a
good number of quiet bars where you can
enjoy a peaceful chat and a drink before
starting your night. Those who are into ha-
ving a good time will not be disappointed
either given that this area is home to an
endless array of cocktail bars and discos.
MADRIDNIGHTS
Travelers to Madrid probably already know
that this is one of the most vibrant and ani-
mated capitals in the world, both during the
day but especially at night. Until the early
hours, discos, jazz lounges, pubs, bars
playing live music, flamenco theatres, ta-
verns, cocktail bars and eccentric venues
that are virtually impossible to categorize,
open their doors – especially on weekends
– to a pleasure-seeking public looking to
have a good time.
And when the spring arrives, the party
atmosphere moves to the streets that
become peppered with terraces and
open-air cafés.
MADRID NIGHTS
On the ground floor of the Europe Tower
and along the Avenida de Brasil there are
pubs and discos that are frequented by
people from all walks of life. This particular
area as well as the Paseo de la Castellana
is renowned for being home to some of the
most exclusive bars and restaurants that
Madrid has to offer.
A large selection of cocktail bars and
restaurants. Given their close proximity to
the university, they are often frequented
by students.
Plaza de Santa Ana is home to some of
Madrid’s most traditional bars and pubs.
Calle Huertas and the surrounding area
has the highest concentration of cocktail
bars, pubs and discos of anywhere in Ma-
drid, and is therefore one of the most lively
areas of the city. This enclave is frequented
by all kinds of people, but especially by
tourists and foreign students.
malasaña
Alonso Martínez -
Bilbao Moncloa - Argüelles
People from all walks of life meet in the
Plaza del Dos de Mayo and the surroun-
ding area where there are various live mu-
sic venues, especially of the rock variety.
During the 1980s, this area was the home
to the infamous movida madrileña.
The Plaza de Alonso Martínez is home to
a variety of bars and terraces. In the su-
rrounding area you can also find pubs and
discos and these are mostly frequented by
the younger generation.
Chueca
sol-latina
huertas
Behind calle Fuencarral and as a natural
progression of the street life, both day and
night, Chueca is one of the most genuine
and cosmopolitan neighbourhoods in the
centre of Madrid: The Madrid Soho. In
recent years, this neighbourhood has be-
come a point of reference for the gay and
transsexual collective and is one of the
most vibrant and entertaining neighbour-
hoods of the Madrid nightlife.
EachyearonthelastSaturdayofJuneorthe
first Saturday of July, the streets play host to
the Gay Pride Celebrations and for a whole
week the neighborhood is filled with a party
atmosphere, full of colour and celebrations.
MADRIDNIGHTS
4948
01 02
03
05
06
07
04
04
05
06
07
Castellana 03
Live music
Madrid’s nightlife is one of its great appeals,
and is renowned world-wide. A contributing
factor to the city’s reputation is the Associa-
tion of Live Music Venues, under the wor-
king name La Noche en Vivo (Live Nights),
which includes more than 45 venues from
both the city and the Madrid region. Not to
be missed live sessions where all types of
musical styles, and audiences can be found,
where you can listen to the rising stars of the
future, as well as to groups and singers who
have already made a name for themselves
but who nevertheless have not forgotten
the venues that first launched their careers.
+info: www.lanocheenvivo.com

27. MADRIDFORKIDS
MADRIDFORKIDS
5150
The Museum of Aviation
(Aeronautic and
Astronautic Museum)
The Museum houses over 100 planes
as well as uniforms, medals, engines,
model airplanes and other aviation
artifacts, and amongst its collection
you will also find some rather unique
pieces: the Vilanova-Acedo, the old-
est plane in Spain; the “Jesús del Gran
Poder”, with which captains Iglesias
and Jiménez crossed the South Atlan-
tic in 1929; the German bomber Hein-
kel He 111 E-1 and the C-19 autogyro
(precursor to the modern helicopter),
designed by Juan de la Cierva, that
first took to the skies in 1932.
h Autovia A-5, km.10.5
518 / 521 / 522 / 523
k Tuesday to Sunday from 10am
to 2pm. Closed Monday and throu-
ghout August.
g Free entry
b 91 509 16 90
+info: www.ejercitodelaire.mde.es
Angel Nieto Museum
Madrid is proud to have a museum
dedicated to this formidable mo-
torbike racer who won three world
titles. This is a must-see for all mo-
torbike aficionados.
h Avenida del Planetario, 4
f Méndez Álvaro
k Tuesday to Friday from 11am
to 6pm. Saturdays, Sundays and
public holidays from 10:30am
to 2:30pm. Closed Monday and
throughout August.
g Free entry for children
b 91 468 02 24
+info: www.motocra.com/museo-
angelnieto.htm
Atlético de Madrid Museum
The Atlético de Madrid Museum is
recognized as one of the top-five
football museums in the world. A trip
to this museum allows visitors to dis-
cover in greater depth the legendary
history of one of the major century-old
clubs in the world.
h Paseo de la Virgen del Puerto, 67
(Vicente Calderón Stadium, gate 23)
f Pirámides
k Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to
7pm. On match days from 11am until
the start of the match.
b 91 365 09 31 / 902 260 403
+info: www.clubatleticodemadrid.com
Museum of Vintage
Airplanes in Flight
A collection of historic planes that
was started in 1984 and includes
23 examples of 17 different models
of plane that represent 60 years of
Spanish aviation history and are in
perfect flying condition.
National Library Museum
The museum houses artifacts relating to
the National Library’s history, its functions,
and its major collections, complemented
by a tour through the history of literature
and writing and the spreading of knowl-
edge thanks to the written word.
h Paseo de Recoletos, 20
f Colón / Serrano
k Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to
9pm. Sundays and public holidays from
10am to 2pm. Closed Monday.
g Free entry
b 91 580 77 59 / 78 23
+info: www.bne.es
Home to collections from different ethnic
groups from the five continents, as well
as a physical anthropology collection.
These are artifacts that reflect the eco-
nomic activities, clothing and ornaments,
domestic life, their belief system... The
major part of the permanent collection
comes as a result of expeditions and trips
by Spanish explorers and scientists in the
19th
and 20th
centuries.
h C/ Alfonso XII, 68
f Atocha / Atocha Renfe
k Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30am
to 8pm. Sundays and public holidays
from 10am to 3pm. Closed Monday
g Free entry Saturdays from 2pm to
8pm and all day Sunday.
b 91 539 59 95 / 91 530 64 18
http://mnantropologia.mcu.es
National Museum
of Anthropology
Andén Cero (Platform Zero)
Platform “0” houses an essential partof Madrid’s industrial heritage: thehistory of the Madrid metro systemand its important role in stimulatingthe economy and a catalyst for socialchange within the city. It also showsthe advances in civil engineering,technology and architecture, as wellas the start up of the design and ad-vertising industry.
h Chamberí Train Station(Plaza de Chamberí)f Iglesia / Bilbaoh Engine Yard (C/ Valderribas, 49)f Pacífico
k Tuesday to Friday from 11am to7pm. Saturdays, Sundays and publicholidays from 10am to 2pm. ClosedMonday
g Free entry
b 902 444 403+info: www.esmadrid.com/anden0www.metromadrid.es
What exactly do we do
with
the kids is a frequently asked
question by parents when visiting
Madrid, but it is true
to say that
each year the number of activities
specifically designed
with the little
ones in
mind has increased. Activities
that combine both education and
play and that allow parents
to
enjoy fun activities
with their
children or in the company
of
other children
their
own age.
h Cuatro Vientos Airport, hangar nº 3
483 / 486 / 487
k Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to
2pm. Closed Mondays. Air display of
vintage planes on the first Sunday of
each month, excluding the months of
January and August.
g Free entry
b 91 508 08 42
+info: www.fio.es

28. MADRIDFORKIDS
MADRIDFORKIDS
5352
Opened in 1982,
the museum’s aim is to
conserve and exhibit the ma-
chines and materials (modern and not
so modern) that have been used over
the course of history by the different
departments of the Fire Brigade.
h C/ Boada, 4
f Buenos Aires
k Monday to Friday from
10am to 1:30pm. Closed
throughout August.
g Free entry
b 91 478 65 72
Municipal Fire
Brigade Museum
Wax Museum
The museum is home to wax replicas of
major celebrities both past and present.
It also recreates famous historic events
and settings.
h Paseo de Recoletos, 41
f Colón
k Monday to Friday from 10am to
2:30pm and from 4:30pm to 8:30pm.
Saturdays, Sundays and public holi-
days from 10am to 8:30pm
b 91 319 26 49
+info: www.museoceramadrid.com
The City Museum
The City Museum allows visitors an in-
depth look at the evolution of Madrid
from a historical perspective from its early
days right up to the 20th century with
urban planning design, monuments, cus-
toms and traditions, etc.
h C/ Príncipe de Vergara, 140
f Cruz del Rayo
k Tuesday to Friday from 9:30am to
8pm. Saturdays and Sundays from
10am to 2pm.
g Free entry
b 91 588 65 99
+info: www.esmadrid.com/
museosdemadrid
The Railway Museum
Located inside one of the oldest Train Sta-
tions in Madrid, the museum houses one
of the most comprehensive collections of
railway objects and artifacts in Europe,
comprising steam, diesel and electric en-
gines, passenger carriages, as well as ar-
ticles related to the history of the railways.
The Gem and Mineral Museum
The goal of the Gem and Mineral Museum
is to conserve, research, and promote the
richness and diversity of Spain’s geo-
logical, paleontological, and mineralogical
heritage through its major collections of
minerals, rocks and fossils from around
all regions of Spain and from the former
colonies, as well as mineral deposits of
special significance.
h Paseo de las Delicias, 61
f Delicias
k Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to
3pm. Closed throughout August.
b 902 228 822
+info: www.museodelferrocarril.org
h C/ Ríos Rosas, 23
f Ríos Rosas
k Monday to Sunday
and public holidays from
9am to 2pm.
g Free entry
b 91 349 57 59
+info: www.igme.es
CosmoCaixa Madrid
h C/ Pintor Velázquez,
(Alcobendas)
f Marqués de la Valdavia
k Tuesday to Sunday from 10am
to 8pm. Closed Monday (excluding
public holidays).
g Free entry
b 91 484 52 00
+info: www.fundacio.lacaixa.es/
centros/cosmocaixamadrid_es.html
National Museum of
Science and Technology
The museum houses an important col-
lection of gadgets and devices that date
back to the Renaissance period and il-
lustrate the history and evolution of sci-
ence and technology, with special focus
on what was happening in Spain.
National Museum of
Natural Science
The National Museum of Natural Sci-
ence administers a large collection of
specimens, and runs a series of exhibits
and educational activities aimed at the
general public. The common goal is to
heighten the public’s awareness the
great diversity of the natural world.
h C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2
f Gregorio Marañón
k Tuesday to Friday from 10am to
6pm. Saturdays from 10am to 8pm
(excluding July and August – open
from 10am to 3pm). Sundays and pu-
blic holidays from 10am to 2:30pm.
b 91 411 13 28
+info: www.mncn.csic.esOpen
Mondays
Open
Mondays
Open
Mondays
h Paseo de las Delicias, 61
f Delicias
k Tuesday to Saturday from 10am
to 2pm and from 4pm to 6pm.
Sundays and public holidays from
10am to 2:30pm. July and Au-
gust: Tuesday to Saturday from
9am to 3pm. Sundays and public
holidays from 10am to 2:30pm.
Closed Monday.
g Free entry
b 91 530 31 21
+info: www.muncyt.es

29. MADRIDFORKIDS
MADRIDFORKIDS
5554
Ratón Pérez House & Museum
Located in the very house where Father Co-
loma, author of Ratoncito Pérez (the Spanish
equivalent of the tooth-fairy) based the sto-
ries of this famous and beloved character.
h C/ Arenal, 8 –1º
f Sol
k Mondays from 5pm to 8pm. Tuesday to
Saturday from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm
to 8pm. Closed Monday mornings, Sundays
and public holidays. Free entry for children.
b 91 522 69 68
+info: www.casamuseoratonperez.com
Real Madrid Museum
The Bernabeu Stadium Tour allows visitorsto access some of the traditionally restrictedareas of the stadium: the trophy room, thepitch, the Presidential Box, the players’ tun-nel, the benches and the changing rooms.
h C/ Concha Espina, 1 (Santiago Berna-béu Stadium, gate 20)
f Santiago Bernabéu
k Monday to Saturday from 10am to7pm. Sundays and public holidays from10:30am to 6:30pm. On match days, toursare stopped 5 hours prior to the scheduledkick-off.
b 902 311 709
+info: www.realmadrid.com
Madrid Funfair
Rides, shows and street entertainers.The facilities also include a kid’s zonewith rides specially designed with smallerchildren in mind.
h Casa de Campo
f Batán
k Open from midday. Closing time de-pendent on available daylight so this mayvary depending on the time of year.
b 91 463 29 00 / 902 345 001
+info: www.parquedeatracciones.es
Madrid Zoo
& Aquarium
This comprehensive zoo has some 500
species of animal from the 5 continents
with 6,000 samples; but it also has a
large aquarium that specializes in tropi-
cal marine life. There is also a dolfinarium
that puts on some incredible displays by
these very intelligent mammals.
h Casa de Campo
f Casa de Campo
k Open all year round. Closing time de-
pendent on available daylight so this may
vary depending on the time of year.
b 902 345 014 / 91 512 37 70 /
91 512 37 80
+info: www.zoomadrid.com
Imax Madrid
The world’s most advanced movie pro-
jection systems (Imax, Omnimax and
Imax 3D). Incredible screens that literally
envelope viewers and make them the
star of the show.
h C/ Meneses
f Méndez Álvaro
k Open all year round with morning,
afternoon and evening sessions.
b 91 467 48 00
+info: www.imaxmadrid.com
Faunia (Madrid Biological Park)
A nature and biodiversity them park di-
vided into different themed areas, the
most notable being the largest polar eco-
system in Europe.
h Avenida de las Comunidades, 28
f Valdebernardo
k Open all year round from 10am. Clo-
sing time dependent on available daylight
so this may vary depending on the time
of year.
b 91 301 62 10
+info: www.faunia.es
Warner
Theme Park Madrid
Five different themed areas with rides,
shows, games, restaurants and shops,
with characters from the world of Warner.
h San Martín de la Vega (A-4 dual car-
riageway, exit 22)
f C3 to Aranjuez, getting off at the “Par-
que de Ocio” stop (trains leave from the
Atocha Train Station)
412 (departs from Plaza de Legazpi)
k Open from March until January. Ope-
ning and closing times vary depending
on the time of year.
b 902 024 100 / 91 821 12 34
+info: www.parquewarner.com
Madrid Planetarium
The main goal of the Planetarium is to
reconnect visitors with the Cosmos and
to strengthen the bond by educating in-
dividuals on the fundamentals of astron-
omy in an easy to understand format that
is suitable for all ages.
h Avda. del Planetario, 16 (Enrique Tier-
no Galván Park)
f Méndez Álvaro
k TuesdaytoFridayfrom5pmto7:45pm.
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
from 11am to 1:45pm and from 5pm to
8:45pm. Summer (June 23rd –September
23rd) Tuesday to Friday from 11am to
1:45pm and from 5pm to 7:45pm.
b 91 467 34 61 / 91 467 38 98
+info: www.planetmad.es
The Debod Temple
A gift to Spain from the Egyptian State in
1968 in appreciation for the help given in the
salvaging of the Abu Simbel temples. Con-
struction on the temple began in the 2nd
century B.C. and continued throughout both
the Ptolemaic and Roman times.
h Pº del Pintor Rosales
f Ventura Rodríguez / Plaza de España
Open
Mondays
k Tuesday to Friday from 10am to
2pm and from 4:30pm to 6:15pm.
Saturdays and Sundays from 10am
to 2pm.
g Free entry
b 91 366 74 15
+info: www.esmadrid.com/
museosdemadrid
Madrid has a number of great places
where the whole family can have
fun together.

30. MADRIDFORKIDS
MADRIDFORKIDS
5756
Madrid Cable-car
The cable-car is a great
opportunity to get a
very different view of
Madrid. The crossing
takes visitors 40m off
the ground and reach-
es speed of 3.5 m/s.
h Paseo del Pintor
Rosales
f Argüelles
k Opening and clo-
sing time dependent
on available daylight.
b 91 541 11 18
+info: www.teleferico.com
Madrid SnowZone
This is the only indoor ski slope in Spain
and the largest in Europe. Located at the
Madrid Xanadú Shopping and Recrea-
tional Centre.
h Madrid Xanadú Shopping Centre.
A-5 dual carriageway exits 22 and 25
(Arroyomolinos).
528 / 534 (departs from Príncipe Pío)
f Batán
k Sunday to Thursday from 10am to
10pm. Fridays and Saturdays from 10am
to midnight.
b 902 361 309
+info: www.madridsnowzone.com
Dreams Ice Palace
1,800m2 ice rink.
h C/ Silvano, 77
f Canillas
k Skate rink (closed for the summer):
Wednesday and Thursday from 8:45pm
to 10pm. Friday from 5pm to 11:30pm.
Saturday from midday to 3pm and from
5pm to 11:30pm. Sundays and public
holidays from midday to 3pm and from
5pm to 10pm.
b 91 716 01 59
+info: www.palaciodehielo.com
Carlos Sainz Centre
(Kart & Business)
A 3,000m2 racetrack, technically very
advanced and safe, with a built-in real-
time timekeeping system.
h C/ Sepúlveda, 3 (Barrio Art Decó Re-
creational Centre)
f Puerta del Ángel
k Monday to Thursday from 6pm to
11pm. Fridays from 6pm to midnight. Sa-
turdays from 11am to midnight. Sundays
from 11am to 11pm.
Junior drivers (8-14 years, minimum hei-
ght 1.30m): Monday to Friday from 6pm
to 8pm. Saturdays, Sundays and public
holidays from 11am to 5pm. Drivers un-
der 18 years of age must be accompa-
nied by an adult. All drivers 15 years old
and above must show ID.
b 902 170 190
+info: www.kartcsainz.com
Rowboat rentals
On the lakes at the Retiro Park and at the
Casa de Campo, visitors can enjoy a peaceful
row or a trip on a small launch, and on many
weekends it is the perfect venue for most wa-
ter sports.
• The Retiro Lake
h El Retiro Park
f Retiro
k Open every day from 10am until sunset.
b 91 574 40 24
+info: www.madrid.es
• Casa de Campo Lake
h Paseo Embarcadero, 8 (Casa de Campo)
f Lago
k Open every day from 10am until sunset.
b 91 464 46 10
+info: www.madrid.es
Water Parks
• Aquópolis -
San Fernando de Henares
h San Fernando de Henares (A-2 dual-carria-
geway, km. 15.5)
k June to September from midday to 7pm. July
and August from midday to 8pm.
b 91 673 10 13
+info: www.aquopolis.es
• Aquópolis -
Villanueva de la CañadA
h Avenida de la Dehesa, (Villanueva de la
Cañada)
k June to September from midday to 7pm. July
and August from midday to 8pm.
b 91 815 69 11
+info: www.aquopolis.es
Circo Price –
Circus and Theatre
A multidisciplinary cultural arena that is
suitable for hosting performances not only
linked to the circus, but also to music,
theatre, art, in short, any kind of event. A
place where the whole family can have fun
throughout the year.
h Ronda de Atocha, 35
f Atocha / Embajadores
b 91 527 98 65
+info: www.esmadrid.com/circoprice
The Retiro
Municipal Puppet Theatre
Throughout the year, you can enjoy a
variety of performances in this fulltime
puppet theatre, where both children
and adults can delight in some truly
magical characters.
h The Retiro Park (access via the
Plaza de la Independencia)
f Retiro
b 91 792 41 12
+info: www.tittirilandia.com
www.madrid.es
Micropolix
Recreational park for boys and girls with
more than 30 themed areas where chil-
dren can experience a hundred different
professions through games that are su-
pervised by specially trained staff.
h Alegra Shopping Centre. A-1, exit
20. C/ Julio Rey Pastor, 17 (San Se-
bastián de los Reyes).
f Hospital Infanta Sofía
152B
k Fridays from 5pm to 9pm.
Saturdays, Sundays and public
holidays from 11am to 8pm.
b 91 799 00 00
+info: www.micropolix.com

31. PARKS AND
GARDENS
PARKSANDGARDENS
58
Madrid is city full of culture, with wonderful
monuments, entertainment and great food;
but at the same time, it is an ecological
and environmentally friendly city. A stroll
through the Retiro or Oeste parks, or the
Sabatini or Campo del Moro gardens is a
pleasurable experience that should not be
missed out on.
El Retiro ParK
(see also “Must See Madrid”)
Campo del Moro Gardens
It owes its name to the fact that on a
number of occasions, it was chosen as
the place to set up camp by the Muslim
armies when besieging the city. It was
Queen Isabel II, in 1844, who commissio-
ned the creation of a park/garden on the
west wall of the Royal Palace, which was
when it became the gardens as we know
them today. It boasts two famous foun-
tains, the Newts Fountain (Tritones) and
the Shell Fountain (Conchas), that mark
the two ends of the gardens, intertwined
with sweeping, rolling paths.
h Paseo de la Virgen del Puerto, 1
f Príncipe Pío
k WINTER (October to March): Monday
to Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Sundays
from 9am to 6pm. SUMMER (April to Sept-
ember): Monday to Saturday from 10am to
8pm. Sundays from 9am to 8pm.
b 91 454 88 00
+info: www.patrimonionacional.es
Royal Botanical Gardens
Located next to the Prado Museum, it was
commissioned by Charles III in 1781, and
designed by architect Juan de Villanueva
and botanist Gómez Ortega. The gardens
currently occupy some 8 hectares of land
and are divided into three terraces, the
two lower ones, Neoclassical in style (the
Square Terrace and the British Schools’
Terrace) and the upper one, Elizabethan
Romantic in style (Plan of the Flower Terra-
ce). Also worth mentioning, are the functio-
nal structures such as greenhouses, the
Villanueva Pavilion, the Linneo Pond or the
Research and Laboratory building. The
gardens are surrounded by magnificent
iron railings and can be accessed by ei-
ther of the two gates: the Murillo and the
King’s Gate, both of which were the work
of Villanueva.
The Botanical Gardens are one of the
largest in Europe, and received the first
specimens of American flora, collected
from a herbarium and which included plant
specimens from a number of scientific
expeditions carried out in the 18th and
19th Centuries. It is a spectacular garden,
located in the very heart of Madrid, where
you can browse, stroll, learn and delight in
nature any time of the year.
h Plaza de Murillo, 2.
f Atocha
k Monday to Sunday opening time 10am.
Closing time depends on the month:
January-February 6pm, March 7pm, April
8pm, May-June-July-August 9pm, Sept-
ember 8pm, October 7pm and November-
December 6pm.
b 91 420 30 17
+info: www.rjb.csic.es
PARKSANDGARDENS
59
PARQUE DEL CAPRICHO

32. The Molinos Gardens
The Molinos Gardens date back to the
start of the 20th Century. The gardens are
well preserved, a shady stream with an
almond plantation that boasts a variety
of species, protected by deciduous and
coniferous woodlands, through which the
main paths cross. It still has its two wind-
mills, after which it was named, cellars,
a rationalist mansion (architecturally one
of a kind in Madrid), the Casa del Reloj
with courtyards and other farm buildings
and a lake.
h C/ Alcalá, 527 to 531
f Suanzes
k from 6:30am to 10pm
+info: www.esmadrid.com
Juan Carlos I Park
This park, the largest green space in Ma-
drid, second only to the Casa de Campo,
is located in the Campo de las Naciones
complex on the site of the century old
Hinojosa olive grove, and is considered
to be a “puerta de la ciudad” or city gate.
The overall design of the park can only be
appreciated from the sky and the proximity
of Madrid-Barajas Airport means that its
general design can be seen from the air.
Its design is reminiscent of the growth of
a city around an estuary, surrounded by a
symbolic wall. It is home to some stunning
spots such as the Labyrinth, the Three
Culture Garden, the Holocaust Monument,
the Anne Frank Tree, or the 19 sculptures
that have converted the park into a kind of
open-air museum.
At the park’s Estufa Fría, visitors can
appreciate a plant collection comprising
some 220 varieties, divided into 12 diffe-
rent zones, each with its own ambience
and feel, such as the river bank woodlands
or the Japanese garden. Another highlight,
although outside the park this time, is the
indigenous Mediterranean garden.
h Glorieta Don Juan de Borbón.
f Campo de las Naciones
k Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm
and from 4pm to 7pm. Saturdays, Sun-
days and public holidays from 10am to
7pm (information and bike rentals at the
information buildings are the entrance to
the Park).
b 91 721 00 79
+info: www.esmadrid.com
El Capricho Park
The origins of the Capricho Park in the
Alameda de Osuna district of the city, date
back to the latter part of the 18th Century,
when the Duke and Duchess of Osuna
decided to build their country home on
the outskirts of Madrid. This is possibly the
most interesting of all Madrid parks, as it is
a fusion of three classical types of design
(Italian, French and landscape), conserving
each of their most appealing and characte-
ristic traits, thus fully warranting the name
of El Capricho (the whim).
The park is also home to a palace, a ball
room, a chapel, a stream, a lake, island and
small dock, a shrine to Baco (Dionysus), a
greenhouse, a 6,000m2
labyrinth made of
plants and even has its own beekeeper.
h Paseo Alameda de Osuna
f El Capricho
105 / 151
k WINTER (October to March): Saturdays,
Sundays and public holidays from 9am to
6:30pm. SUMMER (April to September):
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
from 9am to 9pm.
b 91 588 01 14
+info: www.esmadrid.com
Madrid Río
The new Madrid stretches out past the
banks of the Manzanares river. There, the
riverside has been reclaimed and it can
be used and enjoyed by both visitors and
inhabitants as a huge green space suitable
for long walks and bike rides, and whe-
re, in the future, there will also be an area
for canoeing and other boating activities.
The numerous footbridges over the river,
such as the one designed by Dominique
Perrault, make it easy to cross from one
bank to another, almost without realising it.
Madrid Río is one of the most ambitious
city planning projects in the world, fo-
llowing the rerouting of the Madrid ring road
underground. It is a part of the city that has
been reclaimed, and now hosts a variety of
events, as well as being home to one of the
leading cultural venues, Matadero Madrid.
PARKSANDGARDENS
60
PARKSANDGARDENS
61
Casa de Campo
King Philip II purchased the Casa de Cam-
po in 1553 and began to develop the large
estate that would stretch from the Palace
to the Royal Hunting Lodge in El Pardo,
until reaching its current size of 1,800 hec-
tares. This huge park has not lost any of
its woodland features, still wooded for
the most part, the veritable lungs of the
city of Madrid.
In the 20th Century during the 2nd Re-
public, it was handed over to the city of
Madrid, and it has been used ever since
for recreational purposes thanks to its size,
proximity and easy access.
f Lago / Batán / Casa de Campo
b 91 479 60 02 (Casa de Campo Environ-
mental Information Centre)
+info: www.esmadrid.com
Sabatini Gardens
These classicistic gardens with their neatly
trimmed hedges are located outside the
northern walls of the Royal Palace. They
were created in about 1930 on the spot of
the former Royal Stables, built by Francis-
co Sabatini and part of the service of the
Royal Palace.
h C/ Bailén, 2 and 4
f Plaza de España / Ópera
k WINTER (October to April): from 9am to
9pm. SUMMER (May to September): from
9am to 10pm.
+info: www.esmadrid.com
Fuente del Berro Park
This former recreational farm is an exce-
llent example of naturalistic gardening.
Currently, it is home to some unique woo-
dland specimens, as well as monuments
by Becquer, Iniesta and Puskin.
h C/ Enrique D’Almonte, 1
f O’Donnell
k WINTER (October to March): from 6am
to 10pm. SUMMER (April to September):
6am to midnight.
+info: www.esmadrid.com
Parque del Oeste
A park designed at the start of the last
century by Cecilio Rodríguez, replete with
monuments, landscaped and with English
garden traits, with its steep slopes and
winding paths, and naturalist in style. The
park later grew to include, in a south-eas-
terly direction, the Debod Temple Gardens
and the Ferraz Gardens, that link the park
as a whole with the Carmelitas Descalzas
Church and Plaza de España. It is home to
a number of commemorative monuments.
The Madrid cable car links this edge of the
city with the Casa de Campo. It was built
in 1906, an initiative of the then Mayor of
Madrid, Alberto Aguilera.
h Paseo del Pintor Rosales with Paseo
de Moret
f Argüelles / Moncloa / Ventura Rodríguez
k RAMÓN ORTIZ ROSE GARDENS:
Monday to Sunday from 10am to 8pm.
Opening times are extended during the
summer months – 9am to 9pm.
b Rose Gardens: 91 548 95 12 / 91 548
95 13 / 91 548 95 14
+info: www.esmadrid.com

33. PARKSANDGARDENS
62
PARKSANDGARDENS
63
Secret Gardens
Príncipe de Anglona Gardens
The garden, as we know it today, was
commissioned by the Marquis of Roma-
na to Javier de Winthuysen, painter and
garden designer, in 1920. Even with the
recent remodelling, it still conserves its
original structure. It comprises a series
of brick-lined paths that go to create four
separate quadrants, and a central intersec-
tion where there is a fountain.
Small and elegant, the garden is a fusion
of neoclassicism elements and Andalusian
courtyard, but the main feature being its
suspended structure, located on a raised
embankment, with the exception of the slo-
pe along calle de Segovia, which borders it.
h C/ Príncipe de Anglona, 1
f La Latina
k WINTER (October to February): from
10am to 6:30pm. SUMMER (March to
September): from 10am to 8:45pm.
+info: www.esmadrid.com
Atocha Station Greenhouse
In the very centre of Madrid is a tropical
garden, which, due to its characteristics, its
location and its plant life, is the only one of
its kind in the world. We are talking about the
Atocha Station Greenhouse, which currently
comprises4,000m2
ofgreenery,andhometo
atotalof7,200plantsfrom500differentspe-
cies from the Americas, Australia, Asia and
Africa. For these reasons, the greenhouse
is no longer merely a place that passengers
simply pass through, it is a place where visi-
tors can stop to have a rest, read, or simply
chat, in a characteristically tropical setting.
h Glorieta del Emperador Carlos V
f Atocha RENFE / Atocha
Palacio de Cristal de Argan-
zuela Greenhouse
The greenhouse is built using a metallic
structure, rectangular in shape, and cove-
red with panes of reinforced glass, resul-
ting in a totally glassed-in building, with an
overall surface area of 7,100m2
, more than
five times the area of the Palacio de Cristal
in the Retiro Park. The greenhouse boasts
a modern, computerised climate control
system and houses more than 1,200 spe-
cies of plants, most of which are exotic.
h Paseo de la Chopera, 10
f Legazpi
k Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30am to
5:30pm.
b 91 588 61 37 / 40
+info: www.madrid.es
San Isidro Cemetery
The San Isidro Cemetery, built in 1811
alongside the San Isidro Chapel, is the
oldest one in Madrid. From inside, you
get a breathtaking panoramic view of the
city with the Royal Palace as a backdrop.
The cemetery surprises visitors with its
spectacular beauty thanks to its amazing
cypress trees and the 19th Century fune-
ral architecture, designed by the greatest
architects of their time, with some mauso-
leums being veritable shrines that contain
carved elements designed and created by
some of the greatest sculptors.
h Paseo Quince de Mayo, 62
f Marqués de Vadillo
b 91 365 08 41
INVERNADERODELAESTACIÓNDEATOCHA

34. Football
In Madrid, you can watch top class
football throughout the year. Real Ma-
drid and Atlético de Madrid, both clubs
being over one hundred years old, play in
the first division of the Spanish Football
League. The other Madrid football teams
are Rayo Vallecano and Getafe. The
Spanish Football League starts in early
September and ends in June. Matches
are played on Saturdays and Sundays
with European competition and the Copa
del Rey (the King’s Cup) on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays or Thursdays.
Real Madrid
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
h C/ Concha Espina, 1
f Santiago Bernabéu
Ticket sales: 902 324 324 and from the
stadium ticket-sale counters on match
days from 11am onwards (depending on
availability of tickets).
b 91 398 43 00 / 70
+info: www.realmadrid.com
SPORTS
Horse racing
Horse racing at the racetrack takes pla-
ce every Sunday during the spring and
autumn season. It is located nearby the
Monte del Pardo, and is a prefect way to
do something a little different with your
Sunday mornings. During the summer
months of June and July, there are also
evening races on Thursday nights.
Zarzuela Racecourse
h Coruña Dual-carriageway (A-6), km. 8
k Open Sundays from 10am to 3pm. Ra-
ces start at 11am.
b 91 740 05 40
+info: www.hipodromodelazarzuela.es
Basketball
Real Madrid
Madrid Caja Mágica
Vistalegre Sports Palace (Manzanares Park)
h Avda. Plaza de Toros
f Vistalegre
b 91 422 07 80
+info: www.realmadrid.com
estudiantes
Community of Madrid Sports Arena
(Palacio de Deportes)
h Avenida de Felipe II
f Goya
b 91 258 60 17
+info: www.clubestudiantes.com
Atlético de Madrid
Vicente Calderón Stadium
h Paseo de la Virgen del Puerto, 67
f Pirámides
Ticket sales: 902 530 500 and from the
stadium ticket-sale counters on match
days from 11am onwards (depending on
availability of tickets).
b 91 366 47 07 / 91 365 09 31
+info: www.clubatleticodemadrid.com
Rayo Vallecano
Teresa Rivero Stadium
h Payaso Fofó
f Portazgo
b 91 478 56 72 / 91 478 22 53
+info: www.rayovallecano.es
Getafe Club de Fútbol
Coliseum Alfonso Pérez
h Avda. Teresa de Calcuta, (Getafe)
f El Casar
b 91 695 97 71
+info: www.getafecf.com
telefónica madrid arena
hipódromo de la zarzuela
SPORTS
SPORTS
6564

35. BULLFIGHTING
BULLFIGHTINGPlaza de Toros de Las Ventas
A guided tour of the bullring is available to
the public from Tuesday to Sunday from
10am to 2pm, with Tauro Tour Las Ventas
(information and reservation number 91
556 92 37).
h C/ Alcalá, 237
f Ventas
b 902 193 166
+info: www.las-ventas.com
Vistalegre Palace Bullring
h Avda. Plaza de Toros
f Vistalegre
b 91 422 07 80
+info: www.palaciovistalegre.com
Bullfighting Museum
This museum, opened in 1951, serves as
a witness to the great moments in the art
and history of bullfighting.
h C/ Alcalá, 237 (Las Ventas bullring)
f Ventas
k Bullfighting season (March to October):
Tuesday to Friday from 9:30am to 2:30pm.
Sundays, public holidays and festivals
from 10am to 1pm. Off-season (Novem-
ber to February): Monday to Friday from
9:30am to 2:30pm.
€ Free entry.
b 91 725 18 57
There is bullfighting each Sunday from
March until October, but the highlight of the
year in the renowned San Isidro Festival,
during the month of May when there is bu-
llfighting every day with some of the great
bullfighters in Spain. Other bullfighting fes-
tivals worthy of note are the ones during
the “La Feria de Invierno” (Winter Festival)
FLAMENCO
Although Madrid is not the birthplace of
flamenco, the capital of Spain is considered
by many to be the “showcase of flamenco”
and any artist wishing to make a name for
themselves on the international stage must
first succeed here. The city has a number of
tablaosflamencos(flamencotheatres).From
time to time the city plays host to flamenco
festivals or you can enjoy one of the shows
performed by some of the great flamenco
artists at one the city’s major theatres.
Café de Chinitas
h C/ Torija, 7
f Santo Domingo
b 91 547 15 02
+info: www.chinitas.com
Las Carboneras
h Plaza del Conde de Miranda, 1
f Sol / Opera
b 91 542 86 77
+info: www.tablaolascarboneras.com
Cardamomo
h C/ Echegaray, 15
f Sol
b 91 369 07 57
+info: www.cardamomo.net
Casa Patas
h C/ Cañizares, 10
f Antón Martín / Tirso de Molina
b 91 369 04 96 / 91 369 33 94
+info: www.casapatas.com
Corral de la Morería
h C/ Morería, 17
f La Latina
b 91 365 84 46 / 91 365 11 37
+info: www.corraldelamoreria.com
Corral de la Pacheca
h C/ Juan Ramón Jiménez, 26
f Plaza de Castilla / Cuzco
b 91 353 01 00 / 91 353 01 02
+info: www.corraldelapacheca.com
El Clan
h C/ Ronda de Toledo, 20
f Puerta de Toledo
b 91 528 84 01
+info: www.salaclan.com
FLAMENCOLas Tablas
h Plaza de España, 9
f Plaza de España
b 91 542 05 20
+info: www.lastablasmadrid.com
Torres Bermejas
h C/ Mesonero Romanos, 11
f Callao
b 91 532 33 22
+info: www.torresbermejas.com
in February, the “Feria de la Comunidad”
(Festival of the Community of Madrid) du-
ring the first days of May and the “Feria de
Otoño” (the Autumn Festival) at the start
of October. Tickets can be bought at the
Plaza de Toros ticket counters on the very
day. For the “San Isidro Festival” it is best
to buy tickets beforehand.
Plaza de toros de las Ventas
6766

36. PRACTICALINFORMATION
PRACTICALINFORMATION
6968
PRACTICAL
INFORMATION
Tourist Offices
Madrid Tourism Centre
h Plaza Mayor, 27 (Casa de la Panadería)
f Sol / Ópera
kMondaytoSundayfrom9:30amto8:30pm
Centro de Turismo Colón
h Plaza de Colón (pedestrian passageway
between calles Génova and Goya)
f Colón
kMondaytoSundayfrom9:30amto8:30pm
Plaza de Cibeles
h Plz de Cibeles, on the Paseo del Prado
f Banco de España
kMondaytoSundayfrom9:30amto8:30pm
Plaza de Callao
h Plaza de Callao
f Callao
kMondaytoSundayfrom9:30amto8:30pm
Paseo del Arte / Art Walk
h Calle Santa Isabel on the corner of Glo-
rieta del Emperador Carlos V (Atocha)
b Atocha
kMondaytoSundayfrom9:30amto8:30pm
Madrid-Barajas Airport
(Terminal 4)
h Arrival Halls 10 and 11
f Aeropuerto T4
k Monday to Sunday from 9am to 8pm
Madrid-Barajas Airport
(Terminal 2)
h Arrivalsfoyerbetweenarrivalhalls5and6
f Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3
k Monday to Sunday from 9am to 8pm
Remote Access:
b 91 588 16 36 | F: 91 480 20 41
www.esmadrid.com
@ turismoptm@munimadrid.es
kMondaytoSundayfrom9:30amto8:30pm
Foreign Tourist Assistance
Services (SATE)
This service aims to provide personalised
assistance to foreign tourists who, having
been the victim of a crime or having su-
ffered some other traumatic experience.
Such assistance is provided by specially
trained staff from the Madrid Tourist Board
and the National Police Force.
h Calle Leganitos, 19 (Central Police
Station)
f Santo Domingo / Plaza de España /
Callao
b infosate: 91 548 85 37 / 91 548 80 08
b 24 hour crime line: 902 102 112
k every day from 9am to midnight.
@ satemadridptm@munimadrid.es
+info: www.esmadrid.com/satemadrid
Centro de Turismo de Madrid

37. PRACTICALINFORMATION
The Madrid Card offers cardholders a se-
ries of services by establishments partici-
pating in the tourist pack promotion, inclu-
ding free access to 40 museums (including
the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen) as
well as discounts in shops, restaurants,
recreational centres and car rentals.
Points of sale:
· Madrid Tourism Centre. h Plaza Mayor, 27.
· Madrid-Barajas Airport. Terminal 4 Hotel
Reservations, Viajes Aira.
· Madrid-Barajas Airport. Terminal 2 Arri-
vals. Metro Madrid Passenger Service
Centre.
· Main hotels and travel agencies.
· “Madrid Visión” buses and ticket desk.
Calle de Felipe IV, next to the Prado Mu-
seum.
· Wax Museum. Paseo de Recoletos, 41.
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Paseo del
Prado, 8.
· Telesales: b 902 088 908 / 91 360 47 72
(Monday to Friday from 10am to 2pm and
from 3pm and 7pm, and Saturdays from
10am to 2pm, excluding public holidays).
· On-line sales: www.madridcard.com /
www.neoturismo.com
Avenida de América Transport hub
f Avenida de América
Estación Sur Bus Station
b 91 468 42 00 / 45 11
f Méndez Álvaro
h Avenida del Mediterráneo, 49
f Conde de Casal
Moncloa Transport hub
f Moncloa
Príncipe Pío Transport Hub
f Príncipe Pío
Plaza Elíptica Transport Hub
f Plaza Elíptica
• Alcalá de Henares, 32 Km k 40’
• Aranjuez, 47 Km k 45’
• Ávila , 115 Km k 95’
• Cuenca, 167 Km k 2h 30’ (N) y 2h (E)
• Salamanca, 212 Km k 3h 5’
(standard bus) y 2h 30’ (express bus)
• Chinchón, 45 Km k 55’
• El Escorial, 56 Km k 55’
• Segovia, 87 Km k 90’
• La Granja, 99,2 Km k 120’
• Toledo, 71 Km k 75’
b 902 422 242
b 902 198 788
b 902 020 052
b 902 020 052
b 902 020 052
b 91 409 76 02
b 91 896 90 28
b 915 598 955 / 915 413 283
b 902 422 242
PRACTICALINFORMATION Madrid Visión offers a variety of panora-
mic bus tours around Madrid with stops
at the major museums and monuments.
The average length of each tour is 75
minutes and tickets are valid for 24 or
48 hours, depending on the type. Pas-
sengers can get on and off the bus at
any stop along the route. Recorded
commentary is available in a number of
languages.
i Madrid Visión Ticket Kiosk in Calle
Philip IV, next to the Prado Museum
f Banco de España
b 91 765 10 16 / 91 779 18 88
+info: www.madridvision.es
The following companies organize tours of
Madrid and the surrounding areas:
i Juliatravel
h Plaza de España, 7
b 91 559 96 05
c www.juliatravel.com
i Pullmantur
h Plaza de Oriente, 8
b 91 541 18 05
c www.pullmantur-spain.com
i Trapsatur
h C/ San Bernardo, 5
b 91 541 63 21
c www.trapsatur.com
Madrid Card Madrid VISIÓN Organized Tours
TOLEDO CUENCA SEGOVIA ÁVILA ARANJUEZ
STATION DESTINATION TELEPHONE
Buses to the surrounding areas
7170

38. PRACTICALINFORMATION
PRACTICALINFORMATION Madrid presently has two main Train
Stations: Atocha and Chamartín. All ma-
jor intercity routes depart and arrive at
one or the other.
Atocha Train Station
This is the arrival and departure sta-
tion for the AVE (High Speed Train) that
presently has routes to the following
Spanish cities: Cordova, Seville, Toledo,
Saragossa, Lleida, Tarragona, Barcelo-
na, Huesca and Malaga.
h Glorieta del Emperador Carlos V
f Atocha Renfe
• Information and ticket reservations:
902 320 320
• International information: 902 243 402
+info: www.renfe.es
In the Taquilla Último Minuto (or Last
Minute Tickets), something unique to
Madrid, there is a great selection of thea-
tre tickets that can be purchased just a
couple of hours before the start of the
performance, with discounts of up to
50%.
h Plaza del Carmen, 1
f Gran Vía / Sol
k Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm to
10pm.
+info: www.taquillaultimominuto.com
Other points of sale for theatre, cinema,
exhibition, concert tickets etc.
• Localidades Galicia.
h Plaza del Carmen, 1.
b +34 91 531 91 31
c www.bullfightticketsmadrid.com
c www.elcorteingles.es
b 902 400 222
c www.entradas.com
b 902 221 622 / 902 488 488
c www.fnac.es
b +34 91 595 61 90
c www.servicaixa.com
b 902 332 211
c www.telentrada.com
b 902 101 212
c www.teatro-real.es
b 902 244 848
c www.ticktackticket.com
b 902 150 025
c www.topticketline.es
b 902 888 788
Although Madrid has a comprehensive
network of banks that are located throug-
hout the city, the most practical way to
take money out is to use a cash dispenser
/ ATM as these are available 24 hours a
The major celebration in Madrid falls on
May 15th, San Isidro’s Day, the Patron
Saint of the city, but it is not the only one.
Different neighbourhoods have their own
celebrations, the most traditional and typi-
cal being those of San Antonio de la Florida
(June 13th), San Antón (January 17th) or
the Virgen de la Paloma (August 15th),
during which both the men and women
don their traditional chulapos and chula-
pas. Other major celebrations are those of
Christmas, Carnival and Easter.
During the course of the year there are 14
official public holidays*:
d January 1st
: New Year (E)
d January 6th
: Epiphany or Day of the
Three Wise Men (E)
d March-April:Easter Thursday and Good
Friday (E)
d May 1st
: Labour Day (E)
d May 2nd
: Day of the Community of Ma-
drid (A)
d May 15th
: San Isidro (Patron Saint of
Madrid) (L)
d August 15th
: Asunción de la Virgen (E)
d October 12th
: Spanish National Holi-
day (E)
d November 1st
: All Saints Day (E)
d November 19th
: Virgen de la Almudena
(Patron Saint of Madrid) (L)
d December 6th
: Day of the Constitution
(E)
d December 8th
: Inmaculada Concep-
ción (E)
d December 25th
: Christmas Day (E)
Telephone and Internet ticket salesATOCHA
Train Stations Public Holidays
Credit Cards
Chamartín Train Station
h C/ Agustín de Foxá
f Chamartín
Information and ticket reservations:
902 320 320
International information:
902 243 402
+info: www.renfe.es
day. Most cash dispensers offer services
in a variety of languages. Generally, if you
use a cash dispenser / ATM that is part of
a bank other than your own you must pay
a small commission.
4B
b +34 91 362 62 00
American Express
b 902 375 637
Servired
b 902 192 100
Euro-Card/Master-Card
b 900 971 231
Visa
900 991 216
Visa Japón
900 988 142
6000
b 902 206 000
Practically all commercial establishments,
hotels and restaurants accept credit cards,
but it is always best to carry some cash on
you. The older and more traditional taverns
and bars only accept payment in cash.
In the case of theft, loss or retention of the card by a cash dispenser, it is best to cancel the card immediately:
* (E) Estatal, (A) Autonómica y (L) Local.
7372

39. AROUNDMADRID
The airport metro is line 8 and is the quic-
kest service. It takes just 45 minutes to get
to the city centre from the airport. The air-
port has two metro stations: “Aeropuerto
T4”, in Terminal 4, and “Aeropuerto T1-T2-
T3” that serves the remaining terminals.
Tickets cost €1.00 and the service runs
from 6am to 1:30am.
The EMT buses (express service) that
connect the airport with the city center,
departs every 15-20 minutes and take
passengers to Cibeles and Atocha. The
service runs 24 hours every day and has
a especial fare of 2 €.
Passengers will also find a notable fleet of
taxis at the airport and these take approxi-
mately 30 minutes to reach the centre.
b 902 404 704
+info: www.aena.es
Points of sale of the Tourist
Travel Pass:
• All metro stations
• Traveler Assistance Centre at the Bara-
jas-Airport Metro station T1-T2-T3
• Offices of the Regional Transport Con-
sortium (www.ctm-madrid.es / 012 /
91 580 42 60)
• In designated tobacconist’s and news-
paper stands in Madrid
• In tourism offices:
- Madrid Tourism Centre (Plaza Mayor, 27)
- Community of Madrid Tourism Office
(C/ Duque de Medinaceli, 2)
- Atocha Train Station (in the AVE foyer)
• At/near tourist attractions
• On-line purchases: www.neoturismo.com
Taxis in Madrid are white with a diagonal
red stripe across their front door that also
sports the city’s coat-of-arms. There are
taxi ranks throughout the city. A green
light appearing on the roof of the taxi tells
clients that the taxi is available. Supple-
mentary charges are added for pick-ups
from Madrid-Barajas Airport, bus and train
stations as well as from the Juan Carlos I
Trade Fair complex.
2010 rates
Start of trip (starting the meter):
• Every day of the week from 6am to 10pm:
€2.05
• Monday to Friday from 10pm to 6am the
following day: €2.20
• Saturdays and public holidays from
10pm to 6am the following day: €3.10
Supplementary charges:
• Journeys originating or terminating in
Madrid-Barajas airport, includes anywhe-
re within the airport boundaries: €5.50
• Journeys originating in bus and Train
Stations, from the specially reserved taxi
ranks that are clearly signed: €2.95
• Journeys originating or terminating in
the Juan Carlos I (IFEMA) Trade Fair
complex: €2.95
• Journeys on December 24th or 31st that
terminate between 10pm and 6am the
following day: €6.70
No-charge services and obliga-
tions of the taxi:
• Baggage, as long as it fits in the boot/
trunk or roof rack.
•Guidedogsoranyotherpetinatravelcage.
• Receipt (hand-written or printed)
showing the NIF, amount, date, license
number and number plate.
• Choice of route.
Eurotaxis are specially adapted vehicles
that are suitable for all publics and are
particularly used by the handicapped.
b 91 540 45 03 / 91 371 21 31
taxi companies
• Radio Taxi Asociación Gremial.
b 91 447 51 80 / 91 447 32 32
• Radio Taxi Independiente.
b 91 405 55 00 / 91 405 12 13
• Radio Taxi Madrid.
b 91 547 82 00 / 85 00 / 86 00
• Tele-Taxi.
b 91 371 21 31 / 902 501 130
• Radio Teléfono Taxi.
b 91 547 82 00 / 85 00 / 86 00
AROUNDMADRID GETTING AROUND MADRID
Visitors to Madrid are always advised to
take advantage of the comprehensive pu-
blic transport system, especially the metro
that offers a cheap and quick way to get
around. The underground network, one of
the most comprehensive networks in Euro-
pe, consists of 12 metro lines, an additional
stretch between Opera and Príncipe Pío,
as well as 3 Metro-Light lines. The all-year
operating times are from 6am to 1:30am
(there are certain stations that operate a
special timetable). Madrid also offers a
comprehensive network of city buses (207
lines in total) that are operational between
6am and 11:30pm.
The cheapest way of getting around the
city is to buy what is called a metrobús,
a single ticket that is valid for 10 journeys
either on metro or bus that must be va-
lidated before the start of each journey.
These can be purchased in metro stations,
tobacconists and at certain newspaper
stands. Single tickets can be purchased
at metro ticket counters or directly from
the bus drivers.
2011 Rates
• Single ticket: €1.00
• Metrobús (valid for 10 journeys): €9.30
How to get to the
centre from Madrid-
Barajas airport
The Tourist Travel Pass allows you
to use all public transport networks
within the Community of Madrid, as
often as you like during a designated
number of days: 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days.
Travelers have the choice of two travel
areas:
• Zone A: to be used within the city
limits and comprises the services of
Metro, EMT de Madrid (buses), “Me-
tro Light” ML1 and any suburban rail
networks falling within this area.
• Zone T: comprising of all public
transport services within the Com-
munity of Madrid, as well as prolon-
gations of the network to Guadalajara
and Toledo, although it not valid on
RENFE regional service trains.
City transport
Taxis
Days Zone A Zone T
1 day
2 days
3 days
5 days
7 days
6.00
10.00
13.00
19.00
25.00
12.00
20.00
25.00
36.00
50.00
2011 RATES
Tourist Travel Pass
7574 50% discount for children under 11.
Rates as of December 14th
2009.

40. AROUNDMADRID As far as getting around on bike is con-
cerned, Madrid offers more advantages
than disadvantages: little rain, relatively flat
terrain, many pedestrian areas, etc.
Passengers are allowed to travel on the
Metro with their bicycles on Saturdays,
Sundays and public holidays throughout
the day and evening. This service is availa-
ble on all lines; and during the week (Mon-
day to Friday) from 10am to 12:30pm and
from 9pm until the service terminates.
The Cercanías RENFE suburban train net-
work also allows passengers to travel with
their bicycles every day of the week, exclu-
ding rush hour. Passengers are recommen-
ded to check rush hour travel restrictions
on the internet (www.renfe.es/cercanias).
Bikespain
h Plaza de la Villa, 1
b 91 559 06 53
c www.bikespain.info
Bravo Bike
h C/ Juan Álvarez Mendizábal, 19.
b 91 758 29 45 / 607 44 84 40
c www.bravobike.com
By Bike
h Avda. de Menéndez Pelayo, 35.
b 902 876 483
c www.bybike.info
Ciclos Otero
h C/ Segovia, 18-20.
b 91 547 32 25
c www.oterociclos.es
The best and most pleasant way to dis-
cover Madrid’s most characteristic areas
such as Hapsburg Madrid, or equally inter-
esting areas but off the beaten track is to
stroll through its streets and squares. You
will discover some of Madrid’s many se-
crets, and when we say Madrid, we mean
the many facets of this charming city: ha-
ppy and caring, dynamic and modern,
cosmopolitan and welcoming; a single city
with a multiplicity of characters.
And to make things even easier, the Ma-
drid Tourist Board, through its Discover
Madrid Programme, has put together a va-
riety of guided tours that will allow visitors
to discover the city in a host of different
languages (Spanish, English, French, Ger-
man, Italian, Portuguese and Japanese).
h Plaza Mayor, 27 (Madrid Tourism Centre)
f Sol / Ópera
k Monday to Friday from 9:30am to
8:30pm. Saturdays from 11am to 5pm.
Sundays from 9:30am to 3pm.
@ descubremadridptm@munimadrid.es
+info:www.esmadrid.com/descubremadrid
Motos & Bikes.
h C/ Príncipe de Vergara, 24
b 645 267 180
c www.motosandbikes.es
Pangea
h C/ Melilla, 10.
b 91 517 28 39
c www.rutaspangea.com
27 Bikes
h C/ Alcalde Sainz de Baranda, 16
b 91 573 06 92
cwww.27bikes.com
Trixi
h C/ Jardines, 12.
b 91 523 15 47
c www.trixi.com
UrbanMovil
h Plaza de Santiago, 2.
b 91 542 77 71
c www.urbanmovil.com
Madrid on bike For pedestrians
76

41. NUEVOSMINISTERIOS
/AEROPUERTOT4
4/2010

42. h Plaza Mayor, 27
f SOL
c www.esmadrid.com