Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million with a metro area population of almost 6.5 million. Madrid is best known for its great cultural and artistic heritage, a good example of which is the El Prado museum. Madrid also boasts some of the liveliest nightlife in the world.
I joined a frear walking tour in Argentina, and would like to do Another one in Barcelona yet skipped for the rain. These guides live and love their cities, and want to share their personal knowledge with you. They usually offer all the information I need on The city, from the history of what i can see on the tour to activities to do to get the most out of my experience in the city.
I enjoyed the tour in Madird very much. The guide was funny and engaging. He provided many insides of the city and summarized the Spainsh history to be memorable.
He came from Scotland and he topk us down medieval streets, across majestic squares and through 1200 years of history. He covered the famous must-see sights and secret places the tour buses can’t go. He covered the following sites in 2.5 hrs. Nearly all of the most famous tourist areas are located in the center of the city including Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, and Plaza de Colón. The major streets in Madrid include the Gran Via, Alcalá Street, and Paseo de la Castellana.
- Teatro Real (The Royal Opera House)
- Plaza Mayor
- Moorish ruins
- Sol, heart of Madrid
- Catedral de Almudena
- Church of San Ginés
- Spanish Inquisition
- World’s oldest restaurant
- The origins of tapas
- Madrid’s Robin Hood
- Spanish Civil War
- Spanish Empire
- The Houses of Malice
- Madrid’s bear and madroño tree
- Plaza de la Villa
- Plaza de Puerta Cerrada
- Alfonso XIII’s anarchist attack
The tapa, and the related pincho, trace their existence in Spain to both acting as a cover ("Tapa") on top of a cup of wine to prevent flies from accessing it, and as a requirement of law when serving wine at an establishment during the Middle Ages.- Puerta del Sol,This plaza is the heart of Madrid and one of the busiest places in the city - a hub for the local transit system, a favorite meeting spot for locals, a visible area for festivals or political demonstrations, and a opportune location for tour guides, street performers, pickpockets and anyone else looking to take advantage of all the tourists on hand. In the center of the plaza sits the Statue of King Charles III on horseback, facing theRoyal Post Office (Real Casa de Correos), the red-and-white building adorned with a clock tower on the plaza's south side. Originally the building served as Madrid's first post office, then the police headquarters under Franco before being transformed into it's current use as the office of the President of Madrid, the head of the regional government. The clock tower is noteworthy for being the center focus of New Year's celebrations every year, which are broadcast across Spain and mark the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes (one for each ring of the bell) and the beginning of a new year. In front of the building is Kilometer Zero (Kilómetro Cero), a plaque showing the point where the measuring of national highway system begins. On the east side of the plaza is the famousBear and the Madroño Tree Statue, a bear climbing a madroño tree, which is the symbol of Madrid. Nearby the giant neon Tío Pepe sign sits above the plaza and is a famous fixture of this area.
- Plaza Mayor, Perhaps the best known plaza in Madrid, this impressive square is now one of the main stops on any tourist visit. Originally built outside the city walls, this enclosed square has played host to bullfights, markets, symphonies, tournaments and executions. Today it is ringed with tourist shops, cafes and restaurants. The statue of Philip III sits in the middle across from the Casa de la Panadería, a beautifully painted building with two towers on the north side of the square (not to be confused with the other building with two towers on the opposite side) which once served as the headquarters of the bakers' guild and now houses a tourist information office. Access to the square is via one of the many arcades which connect to the surrounding pedestrian streets.
- Mercado de San Miguel, Near Plaza Mayor is this indoor market, identifiable by its ornate iron posts. Built in 1913, it's full of a wide range of high quality food. Even if you're not buying anything, it's worth entering for the sights and smells of dried ham, fine wine, freshly baked goods and other treats from the vendors inside.
- Plaza de la Villa, The main square during Middle Age, as Calle Mayor (High Street) was the main street as well. It houses the former City Hall, the former Academy of Fine Arts and the Archbishopric.
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