Attractions

ATTRACTIONS

Museo del Prado
Few visitors to Madrid would want to miss out on a visit to one of the art world's holy grails. Lovers of Spanish art will particularly enjoy the coverage given to the big three - Velázquez, Goya and El Greco. Minor Spanish artists such as de Ribera and Murillo are also represented, along with a fair sprinkling of Flemish and Italian masters. Of course, with a museum this size you really should visit more than once, particularly as fewer than half of the collection is ever on view at any given time. Don't miss Madrid's other two art fests, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía collections, representing (respectively) European and modern Spanish movements. The Reina Sofía collection is dominated by Picasso's masterly Guernica.

Habsburg Madrid
The imperial legacy of Habsburgs Carlos I, Felipe II and their successors can best be seen in the area surrounding the Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate), Madrid's official central point. A short stroll west lies Plaza Mayor, a popular stage over the centuries for royal festivities, autos-de-fe and bullfights, an
today thronged with open-air cafes. The Baroque Basilica de San Isidro, away to the south, is home to the remains of the city's patron saint. West of the plaza is the 17th-century Ayuntamiento (town hall), a typical Habsburg structure of granite and slate spires.

Palacio Real
This Italianate Baroque colossus of some 2800 rooms was begun by Felipe V following the destruction by fire of its forerunner, the Alcázar, in 1734. Around 50 rooms are open to visitors. The first rooms are taken up by the Farmacia Real, a seemingly endless parade of medicine jars, and the Armería Real, a shiny collection of Habsburg weapons and armour. A grand stairway leads to the royal apartments, culminating in the Throne Room's giddy concoction of crimson walls and Tiepolo ceilings. Just to the south of the palace is the Moorish quarter, one of Madrid's oldest districts. There's a short stretch of city wall here, built by the early-medieval Muslim rulers in the 9th century. In summer the area is a venue for open-air theatre and music performances.

Parque del Buen Retiro
After a heavy round of the art galleries and city sights, a stroll in Madrid's loveliest public gardens is one of the best ways to end the day. The artificial lake at the park's centre is watched over by Alfonso XII's massive mausoleum and the sphinx-laden Egyptian Fountain. There are boats for hire, summertime puppet shows for kids, and a plethora of buskers and tarot readers at weekends. The park has a particularly beautiful rose garden, La Rosaleda, and a somewhat sinister statue of El Ángel Caído, said to be the first statue ever dedicated to the dark lord.

Museo Municipal
If you can't tell your Felipe II from your Alfonso XIII, head to this interesting, but hardly masterful, museum. Pedro de Ribera's Baroque entrance to the former hospice building is a highlight, as is the huge model of the city dating from 1830. The collection begins with Iron and Bronze Age artefacts, with odds and ends from the Visigoths and Muslims thrown in for good measure. The Habsburg and Bourbon periods are brought to life with paintings, models and period furniture, and there are a couple of Goyas on display.

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