A trip through the capital located in the heart of Spain.
Did you know that Madrid, with its elegant boulevards and well-kept parks, is the third largest capital city in the European Union?
However, its size does not prevent the traveller from exploring the historic centre of Madrid and getting to know the landscape full of history and art
The Art Triangle or Golden Triangle
The Paseo del Prado is home of Madrid’s three largest and most internationally renowned art museums. In addition, the Spanish capital has more than 70 art museums, so there is always a museum for every art lover.
- Prado National Museum – It is one of the largest and most important museums in the world.
The Royal Museum, later renamed the National Museum of Painting and Sculpture and then the National Museum of the Prado, was first opened to the public in 1819. However, the building that houses this museum was designed at the end of the 18th century by order of Charles III, a king who has gone down in history as the “best mayor of Madrid”.The Prado Museum holds mainly paintings from the 16th to 19th centuries and has masterpieces by painters such as Velázquez, El Greco, Rubens, Bosch and Goya. The museum’s sculpture collection is another attraction and includes nearly a thousand works.
- Reina Sofía Museum – Modern Art
It is the second most visited museum in Madrid. It specializes in modern and contemporary art and is home to works by painters such as Dalí, Miró and Picasso. The artist’s famous painting “Guernica” can be seen here.
- Thyssen – Bornemisza Museum –
In its rooms the visitor will find one of the richest and most varied collections of Western painting. Van Eyck, Dürer, Titian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Monet, Degas, Cézanne, Van Gogh and Kandinsky are just some of the names of the great painters that make up the collection of this museum.
Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral
The Royal Palace of Madrid, which is currently used by the King for state visits and other public events, and the Cathedral, completed in 1993, are two magnificent buildings located directly on the opposite side of the famous Plaza de la Armería and surrounded by beautiful parks. The Royal Palace is one of the largest palaces in the world. Opened in the 18th century, it stands on the site of the former Alcázar of Madrid, a mediaeval fortress that was transformed into a palace that Philip II made the official residence of the Kings of Spain starting in 1561. The palace houses important collections of paintings, sculptures, tapestries, furniture, glass and crystal, as well as the famous armoury.
Gran Vía – 1.5 km boulevard that runs through the centre of Madrid.
Built in the 1920s in the style of a modern and attractive city, inspired by Paris, Gran Vía is one of the main arteries of the city and one of the most emblematic avenues. The noise and colours give this avenue a unique personality. Visitors will find stores, theatres, cinemas and restaurants in magnificent modern buildings.
