Though Madrid is a good distance from what many folks think about when they consider Spain - wonderful beaches and high rise resorts which are overrun by package travellers who turn an evil shade of pink on the first day and then blame the following sickness that results on the food - it instead offers plenty of cultural activities which make it an enormously popular destination for anybody searching for a weekend away in a fascinating and different European capital.
While Barcelona is usually considered the most EU city in Spain, Madrid has had centuries of culture behind it and much of the wealth that was plundered from the New World in the beginning of the Spanish Empire were invested in patronising the arts, as well as building fantastic palaces.
This is clear is the Prado, Madrid's most renowned art gallery that house many works from pre-eminent painters such as El Greco and Velazquez. Nevertheless Madrid is not just about old masters; the Museo Reina Sofia displays Picasso's most renowned work, Guernica, which pictures the aerial bombardment of the Basque city by the Germans in the Spanish Civil War. The museum also has works by Salvador Dali and other Spanish artists like Juan Gris and Joan Miro as well as some international artists.
As well as art, there are numerous museums in Madrid such as The Royal Palace, which is still used for state occasions; the Museum of America, which focuses hard on Spain's colonisation of America; and strangely enough, seeing as Madrid is in the centre if Spain and far away from the coast, the Naval Museum.
Sports lovers also flock to Madrid to see the world famous soccer team in action, while it is often advisable to buy Real Madrid tickets ahead to avoid disappointment. With megastars such as Christiano Ronaldo on board delivering goal and after goal and frequently devastating the opposition the atmosphere at the Bernabeu stadium is electrical.
As well as culture and sports, there's also Madrid's famous nightlife. Though the town was restricted under the Franco dictatorship, once democracy was revived it seems like everything that had been repressed bubbled to the surface and now there are some things for just each taste possible. Hit the bars and clubs around Puerta del Sol, hear jazz, flamenco or huge UK and American artists at the numerous live locations around the city. And the food is amazing as well , with both local dishes as well as everything that is the very best of Spanish cuisine.
While Barcelona is usually considered the most EU city in Spain, Madrid has had centuries of culture behind it and much of the wealth that was plundered from the New World in the beginning of the Spanish Empire were invested in patronising the arts, as well as building fantastic palaces.
This is clear is the Prado, Madrid's most renowned art gallery that house many works from pre-eminent painters such as El Greco and Velazquez. Nevertheless Madrid is not just about old masters; the Museo Reina Sofia displays Picasso's most renowned work, Guernica, which pictures the aerial bombardment of the Basque city by the Germans in the Spanish Civil War. The museum also has works by Salvador Dali and other Spanish artists like Juan Gris and Joan Miro as well as some international artists.
As well as art, there are numerous museums in Madrid such as The Royal Palace, which is still used for state occasions; the Museum of America, which focuses hard on Spain's colonisation of America; and strangely enough, seeing as Madrid is in the centre if Spain and far away from the coast, the Naval Museum.
Sports lovers also flock to Madrid to see the world famous soccer team in action, while it is often advisable to buy Real Madrid tickets ahead to avoid disappointment. With megastars such as Christiano Ronaldo on board delivering goal and after goal and frequently devastating the opposition the atmosphere at the Bernabeu stadium is electrical.
As well as culture and sports, there's also Madrid's famous nightlife. Though the town was restricted under the Franco dictatorship, once democracy was revived it seems like everything that had been repressed bubbled to the surface and now there are some things for just each taste possible. Hit the bars and clubs around Puerta del Sol, hear jazz, flamenco or huge UK and American artists at the numerous live locations around the city. And the food is amazing as well , with both local dishes as well as everything that is the very best of Spanish cuisine.
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