The Cultural Madrid – An Impressive City
Madrid is the highest capital in Europe, situated at an altitude of 646 meters. It is a cosmopolite city, with an excellent cuisine, an active night life, fashion, but most of all, Madrid is a cultural city.
Choosing Madrid as your holiday destination is one of the best choices you can ever make.
Palacio Real
Your first cultural stop must be Palacio Real (The Royal Palace). It is not the most harmonious, nor the most radiant, but it definitely stands out through luxury. The King’s apartments are the most luxurious rooms in the palace: the reception room, the dressing room and the dormitory. Many decorations are French, but among them tourists can admire the portrait that Goya painted, the portrait of King Carlos the 4th and his wife, Maria Luisa.
But, the best is still to come: the Porcelain Room, whose walls are completely covered with porcelain, the Ball Room, the Music Room (hosting many instruments created by Antonio Stradivarius), and the Silver Room.
Plaza Mayor
A walk through Plaza Mayor will take you to the heart of the historical Madrid, where the winding streets will lead you to churches and tapas bars, serving you an introduction to the Spanish Royalty’s history.
In Plaza Mayor don’t miss the Casa de la Panaderia, hosting the Baker’s house, or the Casa de la Carniceria, hosting the Butcher’s house. Then visit the massive, white Nuestra Senora de la Almudena Cathedral. It is an outstanding building, constructed between 1985 and 1992, following the plans made one century before.
Prado Museum
The most famous museum in Madrid, hosts some of the most important classic painting collections in the world. Here, you will have the chance to admire the realistic early romantic and Italian art, with Rafael’s “Portrait of a Cardinal”. You can also admire the German painting, the early Spanish painting, the Venetian School, and the works of El Greco and Goya.
Other places to visit
The cultural wondering should continue with the Thyssen-Bernemisza Museum, famous for its Baroque and Modern art collections, the Descalzas Reales Monastery and the Pantheon Real.
Accommodation
If you really want to feel the spirit of Madrid, choose to rent a villa. They are very beautiful and are decorated in the most pure traditional manner, being very welcoming with their guests. Choose one of the villas located in Gran Via, Malasana, Bilbao or San Bernardo. Enjoy your staying!!!