Madrid Sightseeing
The beautiful plazas, the impressive palacios and the pleasant parks in Madrid give you a great opportunity for sightseeing during your city break. Experience the wonderful atmosphere of Madrid at enchanting places like the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol. Or maybe you would like to wander through the luxurious rooms of the Palacio Real. Looking for some nice places for a picnic or a siesta? Then you should go to the lovely Retiro Park. There are many ways to enjoy a sightseeing tour in Madrid. You can walk around by yourself and explore the city, but you can also choose to get on a Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus or book a guided walk. Here you will find an overview of the most important tourist attractions in Madrid
Palacio Real
With over 2800 lavishly decorated rooms the Palacio Real belongs to the biggest and most beautiful palaces in the world. The Palacio Real replaces the Royal Fortress that burned down at this same location on Christmas Eve 1734. The palace was built in order of King Philips V by the architects Filippo Juvarra and G. B. Sacchetti in a similar style as the Versailles Palace where the king had spent some time during his life. The building was finished in 1755. Nowadays it serves as the official residence of the Royal Family. During your city break Madrid you will have the opportunity to visit 50 rooms of this outstanding palace. Also the beautiful gardens are worth visiting.
Plaza Mayor
The impressive Plaza Mayor dates back from the 12th century, but it was not until the 15th century that the square was situated within the boundaries of the city walls of Madrid. The Plaza Mayor measures 129 by 94 meters. Today it serves as an important meeting point in the city centre of Madrid. At the Plaza Mayor you will find lots of restaurants, bars and shops. There are also some very interested buildings located at the Plaza Mayor, including the Casa de la Panadería or Bakery House. Today you can find the Madrid Tourist Center here.
Puerta del Sol
Do yourself a favor and make sure you don’t miss the Puerta del Sol during your city break Madrid. Anyhow it will be difficult not to miss this famous square located in the city centre close to all the big tourist attractions in Madrid. In the 15th century the Puerta del Sol or ‘Gate of the Sun’ was a part of the city wall that surrounded the city. It served as one of the main entries to Madrid. At the Puerta del Sol nowadays you can enjoy the sight of the beautiful fountains, sculptures and buildings that you will find here. The most famous attraction at the square is the sculpture called Oso y Madroño or Bear and Madrona. An important building at the Puerta del Sol is the Casa de Correos, the former Royal Mail House. This building was constructed between 1760 and 1768. Today it serves as the Community of Madrid’s government headquarters.
Retiro Park
Looking for a peaceful and quiet place in Madrid? Then you should check out the Retiro Park It’s the perfect place for a typical Spanish siesta. This beautiful park was founded in the 16th century. There are numerous beautiful places in the park especially around the marvelous lake in the middle of the Retiro Park. Also enjoy the various sculptures. In the park you will also find the Palacio de Velázques, were you can visit exhibitions. Also very interesting are the rosary and the unique astronomical observatory.
Plaza de Cibeles
For most of the tourists visiting Madrid, the Plaza de Cibeles is the most beautiful square of the city. Especially the eye-catching fountain with the stunning sculpture of the Phrygian goddess of fertility named Cibeles sitting on a chariot pulled by two splendid lions, attracts the attention of the visitors. But you also can’t miss the enormous Palacio de Comunicaciones built in 1904 by the architect Antonio Palacios.
Plaza de España
The Plaza de España belongs to the main tourist attractions you really shouldn’t miss during your citybreak Madrid. At the Plaza de España you will find an important sculpture that is dedicated to the famous Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, known for his world famous story Don Quixote. Near the monument of Cervantes you will also find two beautiful sculptures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. A real ‘must see’ in Madrid!
Almudena Cathedral
The complete name of this cathedral is the Santa María la Real de la Almudena. The idea to build this cathedral arose in 16th century when the capital of Spain switched from Toledo to Madrid. The capital of a catholic country like Spain should have its own cathedral. But the construction of the Almudena Cathedral only started in 1879. The gothic cathedral was designed by Francisco de Cubas. During the Spanish War the construction stopped and it was not until 1950 they continued the work. The Almudena Cathedral was finished in 1993. During your visit you will notice that the interior is remarkably modern and can be described as neo-gothic. The church is decorated with work of contemporary artists. You can find here for example beautiful historical revivals en pop-art.
Las Ventas
Las Ventas is a famous bullring in Madrid. This bullring is considered the most important bullring in the world. The building was designed by the architect Espeliú and was inaugurated in 1931. The arena has 25.000 seats. On every Sunday between March and October, on national holidays and during the San Isidro festival there are bullfights in Las Ventas.