Madrid - Sightseeing Highlights

Everything that I wanted to see in Madrid is within the Central city area. This two-kilometer by two-kilometer area contains the “Old” city, the heart of the modern city and the Art Precinct. Each of these areas has great appeal.

The narrow streets of Old Madrid wind back through the city’s history to its beginnings as an Arab fortress. The remains of the Moorish outpost are visible not far from Madrid cathedral. While this area is not nearly as interesting as say the ancient neighbourhoods of Toledo, you should still take time to explore the quiet, winding alleys. Visit the Palace, cathedral, and Plaza de la Villa. This area seamlessly merges into the central area of the city so it is difficult to define a boundary.

The central area of the modern city is a maze of pedestrian streets and squares, some broad boulevards, the theatre district and the main shopping areas. This is a real mixture of the modern and traditional. Highlights include the Plaza Mayor, the Puerta del Sol, and the Gran Via, the central city’s main traffic artery. Along here is the charming Plaza de Espana with its famous statue of “The man of La Mancha”. There are great shopping opportunities, many on pedestrian-only streets. Don’t miss trying several tapas bars and visit one of the fine restaurants.

The Art Precinct is something else. Madrid’s three major art museums are all within walking distance of one another along the Paseo del Prado. The Paseo was designed as a leafy nature walk with glorious fountains and a botanic garden but today it is spoiled somewhat by the heavy traffic that passes through it. Each of the galleries has great appeal (see a separate journal) but also don’t miss the Parque del Retiro for an opportunity to get away from it all.

The Art Precinct features some of Madrid’s most popular fountains and circles. Don’t miss Plaza de Cibeles with its statue of the Roman goddess Cybele, the former gateway to the city that is preserved in the Plaza de la Independencia, and the Plaza de Canovas del Castillo with its sculpted fountain of Neptune in his chariot.

Quick Tips:

There is much publicity given to the Arab Wall but I was not particularly impressed and would not recommend going out of your way to see it.

The cathedral was originally intended to be in the Gothic style with needles and spires but funds were always a problem during construction so a cheaper, more austere form was finally settled on. It is, however, still worth seeing as part of a visit to the Royal Palace.

The Royal Palace is a “must-see.” It is open every day except during official receptions. It may be worth phoning ahead to check.

If you plan to visit the Egyptian Temple de Debod, note that it closes at 2pm on weekends and for a couple of hours in the middle of the day on weekdays.

I recommend a visit to the Parque del Retiro on Saturday or Sunday afternoon when it is filled with people and becomes an exciting place to be. On weekday mornings it can be very quiet.

To enjoy all the best of Old Madrid, you need to take your time. While walking, stop off at an outdoor café and watch the passing scene, then maybe browse amongst the stalls of the 19th-century market in San Miguel.

There is heavy construction work currently going on in several prominent places in Madrid including Puerta del Sol and Outside Atocha railway station. This considerably diminishes the appeal of these areas.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking is my preferred way of seeing the major sights but don’t try to see them all in one day. There are three areas with attractions so allow a day for each. This way you will keep your walking to reasonable distances. There are several pedestrian zones.

The underground metro system is the best way of getting across town. The Royal Palace area can be conveniently reached from Opera station, the central area from Plaza Espana, Callao, or Sol and the Arts area from Banco de Espana or Atocha.

Buses travel all over the place but it can be hard to determine where they go. Taxis appear to be plentiful and reliable.

The Plaza de España is one of Madrid's largest and most popular squares. On the sunny day when we visited it was filled with street vendors, tourists, and sunbathing locals. You will find children playing, couples strolling, and probably some locals just reading.

The square is located at the end of the beautiful Gran Via, one of Madrid's busiest streets. The green square is surrounded on four sides by busy streets and is located in a forest of skyscrapers, but we still found it a very relaxing place. Giving great-added appeal is the large fountain and famous statue honoring the Spanish writer Cervantes. The shady trees on the south side of the plaza are particularly welcoming on a hot day.

The site was originally occupied by an army barracks. After it was demolished, a new public square was created. It became a popular meeting place in the 1950s, after two of Madrid's largest buildings, the Edificio de España and the Torre de Madrid, were constructed.

The Edificio de España is the most elegant of the two skyscrapers. It consists of a central 25-story tower flanked by two wings. The Torre de Madrid was built in 1957. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest concrete building in the world with a height of 142m. Nicknamed La Jirafa or 'giraffe', it was the tallest building in Madrid until 1989.

For me, by far, the most popular sight at the Plaza de España is the monument to Miguel de Cervantes, writer of the world famous story of Don Quixote de la Mancha and his trusty squire, Sancho Panza. Visitors flock to the monument to get their picture taken in front of the bronze statues of Don Quixote on his horse and Sancho Panza on his mule. We joined the line-up and happily snapped away. Behind them is a statue of Cervantes himself, looking over his creations.

Designed by architects Rafael Martínez Zapatero and Pedro Muguruza and sculptor Lorenzo Coullaut Valera, most of the monument was built between 1925 and 1930. It was finished between 1956 and 1957 by Federico Coullaut-Valera Mendigutia, the son of the original sculptor. There are also stone sculptures of two representations of Don Quixote's "true love," one as the simple peasant woman Aldonza Lorenzo and one as the beautiful, imaginary Dulcinea del Toboso..

Plaza de España is also the name of a Metro station located on the eastern corner of the plaza, serviced by the No. 3 and No. 10 lines, with a connection to the No. 2 line.

The enormous Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of His Majesty The King of Spain, who makes use of it for official ceremonies, though he does not reside there. With 870 windows, 240 balconies, 44 sets of stairs and 110 doors, it is quite a structure. The building occupies the same area as the old Alcazar of the Hapsburgs. Some of its 2,000 rooms are open to the public; others are still used for state business. It is well worth seeing. The palace was last used as a royal residence in 1931, before King Alfonso XIII and his wife fled Spain.

The origins of the Palace go back to the 9th century, when the Islamic Kingdom of Toledo built a defensive fort on the site, later used by the Kings of Castile. It was on this ancient fortress that the Old Alcázar was constructed in the 16th century. The Alcázar was destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve, 1734, and King Philip V wished for a new palace occupying the same site. The entire complex was built with stone and brick vaulting, without any wood, so that no future fire could destroy it. Building work took from 1738 to 1755 following the plans drawn by Juan Bautista Sachetti. King Charles III took up residence in the Palace in 1764.

The decoration of the Royal Palace has evolved over time in accordance with the styles prevailing at different moments. From the reign of King Charles III are some of my favourite rooms - the Throne Room, the King's Chamber (or Gasparini Room), and the Porcelain Room, a masterpiece produced by the Royal Factory of El Buen Retiro. Rich materials were used everywhere: Spanish marble, gilded stucco, and mahogany in doors and windows. Important works of art include frescoes by the principal artists of the period, Giaquinto, Tiepolo and Mengs, and their Spanish followers Bayeu and Maella.

The Palace has an immaculate appearance both inside and outside. The gardens are beautiful, especially in bloom. Inside, it is not only the size of the rooms, (some are huge) but also the tapestries and frescoes which have been done by master artists. There are walls covered with red velvet lined with silver. There are bronze sculptures of the rococo style, as well as many other decorations which will amaze you.

The rooms are literally stuffed with art treasures and antiques -- salon after salon of monumental grandeur, with damask, mosaics, stucco, amazing ceilings, gilt and bronze, chandeliers, and paintings. In the Armory, you'll see the finest collection of weaponry in Spain. Many of the items -- powder flasks, shields, lances, helmets, and saddles -- are from the collection of Carlos V. From here, you can go into the old Pharmacy.

If your visit falls on the first Wednesday of the month, look for the changing of the guard ceremony, which occurs at noon and is free to the public.

In the Parque de la Montaña, near the center of the city we found the most surprising monument in Madrid, the Templo de Debod. This authentic Egyptian temple was built in the fourth century B.C. at the village of Debod, near the sacred temple island of Philae. The Debod Temple was dedicated to the gods Amon and Isis.

With the construction of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt between 1960 and 1970, many historical monuments were in danger of being flooded. Spanish engineers helped the Egyptian government to move these monuments to safe areas. In 1968, Egypt donated one of these monuments, the Templo de Debod, to Spain in recognition of their support.

The temple was moved to Madrid and reconstructed in the Parque de la Montaña (an extension of the larger Parque del Oeste) at the site of a former army barracks where Madrilenos crushed the beginnings of a military uprising in 1936. It is close to the Plaza de España. The temple was officially opened in 1972. Inside an exhibition depicts the reconstruction of the temple in Madrid and exhibits are explained in Spanish and English. The temple stands in line with two of its original three gateways

The temple is interesting but it appears almost as an alien intruder on this historic site, transferred from the stately Nile to the banks of the insignificant Manzanares. The small pretty park is attractive and if you go to the far end you can get a magnificent view of the Royal Palace. I was told that this is the best place to watch Madrid’s famous sunset and that many couples do just that each day. Unfortunately, I was not near here at that time of day. It is certainly a peaceful, relaxing bit of Madrid.

Entrance to the temple is free. The temple is particularly beautiful late afternoon and affords views out to the vast Casa de Campo towards the Guadarrama mountains. Opening times are 10am-2pm and 6pm-8pm during the summer and 9.45-1.45pm and 4.15-6.15 during the winter months.

The nearest metro station is Plaza de España.

Compared to the grand cathedrals in many European capitals, this building is surprisingly subdued and unimpressive. It is, however, well worth a visit particularly when you visit the adjacent Royal Palace.

The site on which the cathedral stands was originally occupied by Madrid’s first mosque, then by a church dedicated to one of Madrid’s patron saints, Santa Maria de la Almudena. Plans for the grand new church began in the 16th century after King Philip 11 made Madrid the capital of Spain.

It appears that construction was constantly postponed, however, due to various political issues and opposition from the powerful archdiocese of Toledo. Finally in 1868 a congregation devoted to Virgin Almudena, the female patron saint of Madrid, received permission from the archdiocese in Toledo to construct a new church dedicated to the patron saint.

The cathedral was finally designed in 1879 by the Marques of Cubas in neo-Gothic style with a Romanesque crypt. Construction progressed slowly and even came to a complete halt during the civil war in the 1930s. In 1944 the design of the cathedral came under fire because its neo-Gothic style would contrast with the neoclassical style of the future cathedral's famous neighbor, the Royal Palace.

The construction work was again in 1946 by the architects Carlos Sidro and Fernando Chueca Goitia in a neo-Baroque style that covered the already built neo-Gothic part. A grey and white facade was used to complement the palace. The work was finally finished in 1993 and the cathedral was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in June, 1993.

The cathedral is 104m long and 76m wide. The central dome has a diameter of 20m. The crypt houses a 16th-century image of the Virgen de la Almudena. The interior of the Almudena Cathedral is more modern and much more modest than that of its larger counterpart in Toledo. The building, situated adjacent to the Royal Palace is nevertheless worth a visit, if only for its sheer size.

The Parque del Buen Retiro is the most popular park in Madrid and for good reason. There were lots of people there on the Sunday afternoon when we visited as many Madrilenian families go there for a stroll and street musicians, sidewalk painters, fortune tellers, jugglers, and street performers animate the crowd. It was a good place to be.

The Retiro Park was originally created as a royal park belonged to the Real Sitio del Buen Retiro palace. The palace was built by King Philip IV as a retreat for the Royal family. At the time, the park was well outside the city walls, but now it is quite central to the city. The 130-hectare park opened to the public in 1868. It is partially laid out in a formal French style, while other parts are more natural.

Of the original palace, only two buildings survive, the rest was destroyed during the Napoleonic wars. One of the remaining buildings houses the Museo del Ejército, (army museum). The museum covers Spain's military history. It contains a nice collection of armor. The most important item in the collection is the sword of El Cid or La Tizona. The other surviving building is the Casón del Buen Retiro, a museum with a collection of 19th- and 20th-century paintings, including works by Joaquín Sorolla.

Close to the northern entrance of the park is a large artificial lake, the Estanque del Retiro. Here you can rent a rowing boat and many families had done this while we were there. A large monument with an equestrian statue of King Alfonso XII overlooks the lake. The monument, erected in 1922 by King Alfonso's mother, consists of a semicircular colonnade with an equestrian statue of the King in front. It makes quite an impression.

More to the south is another, much smaller lake. At the edge of the lake is what I consider to be the parks highlight - a beautiful glass building, the Palacio de Cristal. Built in 1887 by Ricardo Velázquez Bosco after the style of the Crystal Palace in London, it was initially used to house exotic plants brought over from the Philippines. It was being used for a temporary environmental exhibition when we visited. Nearby is another pavilion, the Palacio de Velázquez, designed in 1884 by the same architect.

Another feature of the park is the Rose Garden, the Rosaleda. The park also contains 'El Angel Caído,' claimed to be the only statue in the world in honour of Lucifer. There is also the Forest of the Departed (Bosque de los Ausentes), a memorial monument to commemorate the 191 victims of the March 2004 Madrid train bombings.

Don’t underestimate the size of this place. It takes quite some time to see all the places of interest so allow several hours to stroll around. The park is located east of the city center, not far from the Prado Museum. Its main entrance is at the Alcala Gate, at the Plaza de la Independencia.