Madrid , the capital of Spain is also the Spanish business
center and the home of the Spanish Royal Family. Madrid
has a population of over three million and attracts millions
of visitors every year.
The grand metropolis of Madrid can trace its origins to the times of
Arab Emir Mohamed I (852-886), who ordered the construction of a fortress
on the left bank of the Manzanares river.
 Remains of the distant past are mainly the Baroque and neoclassical
structures of the 17th and 18th centuries. Such as the Plaza Mayor (
Main Square ), the Palacio Real ( Royal Palace ) and others.
The oldest quarters are squeezed in between Paseo del Prado and the
Palacio Real. On Paseo del Prado you'll find a lot of art galleries.
One of the main arteries of Madrid , Paseo de la Castellana connects
the city's two main train stations, Chamartin and Atocha.
One of Madrid 's main attractions is Plaza Mayor. In Spanish it means
Main Square and this place have really been the center of city's life
for many centuries.
On Sundays Plaza Mayor becomes one big market place with 400-600 old-looking
stands. Mostly there are sold stamps, coins and different medals. Thousands
of philatelists and numismatists spend here the whole day trying to
find something for their collections.
On Plaza Mayor there are a lot of cafes, restaurants, bars and gift
shops. On holidays open-air concerts take place.
Madrid and Spain 's kilometer zero now radiates out from Puerta del
Sol. On New Year Eve people gather on this square to see off the old
year. There is a Spanish tradition - when clock begins its countdown
to New Year, everyone should eat 12 grapes till the striking of a clock
is finished.
To the southeast of Puerta del Sol lies the working-class district
of Lavapies. The biggest amount of accommodation is concentrated around
Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Santa Ana , the barrios of Malasana and Chueca.
The most prestigious hotels are along the most famous Madrid street
- Gran Via.
 One of the symbols of Madrid is the Royal Palace . It has already 250
years of history and is considered to be one of the greatest palaces
in Europe . It's really a magnificent building with its 870 windows,
240 balconies, 44 sets of stairs and 110 doors. The Palace is open to
the public, and it is one of the places that you must not miss when
coming to Madrid !
The most famous museum in Madrid is Prado. It's the largest art gallery
in the world. Its treasures are exhibited in two adjacent buildings:
the Villanueva Building where the majority of the works are housed,
and the Cason del Buen Retiro. In Prado you can admire many world-known
art masterpieces.
The Palacio de Santa Cruz and the Puerta de Alcala are other popular
and visited historical buildings in Madrid .
The pedestrian streets running off the Plaza Puerta del Sol - Preciados
and Carmen and Gran Via are especially convenient for shopping.
Madrid 's best green relief is Parque del Retiro. It's the biggest
and most beautiful of all Madrid 's parks. It's especially pleasant
in summer, when the whole Madrid suffers from heat.
Usually there are big traffic jams in Madrid , so if you'd like to
get somewhere in the center of Madrid , it would be faster to go on
foot. Underground in Madrid is relatively easy to use. If you buy a
ticket for 10 trips, you can use this ticket in bus too.
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