Madrid

They say Spain is where the heart is! So let’s learn a little about Spain’s capital Madrid. Madrid is Spain’s capital since 1562. On the globe Madrid is centrally located and has a high altitude which results in warm summers and cool winters.

While visiting Madrid, you would also notice that despite the fact it has become a cosmopolitan city; it has still retained its historical importance. On one hand you would see night clubs, discotheques, cafes, music halls and theaters but you can also take the liberty to see some of its main historic places such as the Royal Palace of Madrid; the Teatro Real (Royal theatre); the Buen Retiro park; the 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712); an archaeological museum of international reputation; and three art museums: Prado Museum, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace.

Contrary to the popular belief that Madrid is only a cultural destination, it offers many pubs, cafes, discotheques and nightclubs open late in to the night. The Madrilenian youth are famous for dancing all night long (especially in the weekends) and they go off to work once they stop partying at dawn. Something that really keeps them going might be the afternoon siesta that gives them the endurance to keep things going.

The festivals at Madrid that you could look up to in March, April and May are mainly Los Carnavales, Premio Cervantes de Literatura, at Alcalá University and the famous bull fights. For your reference, Los Carnavales is a carnival with parades and costume parties which marks the beginning of Lent. The Premio Cervantes de Literatura is on 23 April where the King and the Queen present the prestigious and the coveted literary prize at Alcala University.During the festive season,you will have to make sure about your hotel booking in Madrid to avoid problems due to the storm of travelers here.

Although Madrid is not a coast region but you sure can get the best of the seafood there. Madrid has some excellent seafood restaurants supporting the fact that it is the second biggest fish market in the world. When you’re finished with the seafood delicacies, you can dig in to some lamb and veal too. After the main course, you can also try fritters filled with whipped cream custard, which is called the buñuelos in Madrid, or maybe something which resembles a type of a small pie with custard (called the bartolillos con crema here). But you have to know a little Spanish to understand what’s what; otherwise you might order a garlic soup under the impression that it’s a dessert.

But don’t worry because you don’t have to learn the language of the town if you’re an ardent traveler. Since Madrid is akin to seeing travelers around the globe, you can hire a guide who’d be your translator too.

In Madrid around 50,000 stores sell everything from gizmos to gadgets to high end clothing and guitars. If you enjoy "window-shopping" you must stroll along the streets Serrano, Velazquez and Claudio Coello. These shops have their normal operating hours from morning to around 22:00 hours but you would also find drug stores, some wholesale stores, restaurants and tobacconists open for 24 hours