Holidays In Madrid, Capital Of Spain
By: Steve Greenwood
Madrid is the capital of Spain, and is located almost exactly in
the centre of the country. The provinces Avila, Segovia,
Guadalajara, Cuenca and Toledo border Madrid, and with an
elevation of over 2 thousand feet, it is also the highest capital
in Europe and home to over 3 million people. Madrid is also home
to the royal family, Spanish parliament, banking, and is the
administration hub of Spain.
Madrid is a lively, cosmopolitan city full of culture and
artistic activity and has an endless supply of bars, which are
busy well into the early hours. One of the best ways to get
around the city is on the efficient Metro System. There are 11
numbered and colour-coded lines that are easy to follow and
extend to most of the holiday attractions Madrid has to
offer.
Madrid Plaza Mayor
The main centrepiece in Madrid is the Plaza Mayor. This vast
traffic-free cobbled rectangle is completely surrounded by 17th
Century architectural buildings, the most prominent being the
Casa de la Panaderia (Bakers' Guild), which is covered with
modern allegorical murals. Another fantastic building is the Casa
de la Carniceria (Butchers' Guild) whose facade is also covered
with vibrant paintings. There are nine gateway entrances leading
into Plaza Mayor and in the centre stands the 17th century
triumphant statue of King Filipe III. The spectacular scenery and
ambiance is best appreciated from the many bars within the square
and outdoor seating that sprawls out onto the cobbles.
Holiday visits to El Rastro
El Rastro is Madrid's famous Sunday flea market, which can be
found on Plaza de Cascorro and Calle Ribera de Curtidores. It is
an excellent way to spend the day, and an experience in itself to
join the thousands of people all squeezed into the tiny streets.
The variety of goods on sale is amazing with everything from
clothes, books and leather goods to plants, tools and anything
you could care to imagine. The best time to visit the market is
early morning when the stalls are just setting up. By
mid-afternoon it will be hard to move either into or out of the
market what with the thousands of people who visit every
week.
Madrid Palacio Real
Palacio Real is located just north of Plaza Mayor in Calle
Bailén and can be reached on the Metro underground at
Opera, Plaza de España. It is a formidable Palace that
overlooks the huge square Plaza de Armas. Construction of the
Palace took 26 years to complete and it was occupied from the
late 18th century until 1931 when King Alfonso XIII was forced to
abdicate. Nowadays the palace is only used for formal occasions
as King Juan Carlos I lives elsewhere. The Palace can be enjoyed
at your leisure, or you could join an organised tour, which will
take in the most interesting rooms. Off the main entrance is the
Botica Real, rooms used as a pharmacy containing jars of
medicines and herbs. Other highlights include the Thrown Room
used for royal receptions, the Gasparini Rooms named after their
Neapolitan Designer and the Royal Armoury with its suits of
armour and weapons.
Madrid is about as far away from any coast of Spain as you could
get, but come August and some of the hottest temperatures to be
found anywhere in Spain, the city becomes deserted as many
Spanish leave the city for surrounding towns and cooler coastal
resorts. The many motorways that leave the city start their life
at the bustling Puerta del Sol where 10 streets converge to a
point known as 'Kilometre 0’, which is where all distances
in Spain are measured from. The spot is identified by a small
plaque on the south side of the square, which is under the clock
that Spaniards tune in to at midnight on New Year's Eve, eating
one grape for good luck with each strike of the bell. The Puerta
del Sol buzzes with life and one of the best ways to enjoy it is
from one of the many fine street bars and restaurants.
Steve Greenwood invites you to visit www.idealrentals4u.com
for Madrid Holiday Villas accommodation and holiday attractions
in Madrid. Visit www.idealrentals4u.com for
holidays and accommodation in all the regions of Spain including
the Canary Islands Fuerteventura, Tenerife and Lanzarote.
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