Madrid City Breaks

Culturally and historically exciting, Madrid boasts superb art collections, splendid architecture, a fantastic foodie culture plus a buzzing nightlife. And, unusually for a capital city, there's a considerable amount of delightful relaxing parkland and green space.

Numerous distinctly characterful neighbourhoods include exclusive Barrio de Salamanca with its beautiful 19th century architecture, upmarket boutiques, Michelin-star dining, stylish nightlife and art galleries, whilst predominantly residential Retiro, enveloping Madrid's beloved park, features neoclassical Puerta de Alcala Gate. Traditional tapas bars abound in the oldest neighbourhood,
Austrias, which also houses the Royal Palace, Teatro Real Opera House, Sabatini Gardens and Plaza Mayor. The famed 2km long Golden Triangle of Art, Paseo del Arte, boasts three acclaimed art museums, and popular La Latina houses a famous flea market. The financial district, Castellana, features impressive skyscrapers plus Real Madrid's famed Bernabeu stadium.

Travelling around the city
Madrid's centre is easy to walk around, however, there's excellent public transport available and a Tourist Pass gives unlimited metro, bus and train travel for less than €10 for one day. Transport passes may be combined with a Madrid Card; a sightseeing pass with complimentary entry to more than 50 museums, it allows priority admission to many, and also entitles the holder to many restaurant and shop discounts. From €47 per day, these are especially good value for multiple days. Details from www.esmadrid. com or Classic concierge.

Food & drink
As the food capital of Spain, Madrid boasts a vast array of culinary options including gourmet food markets, tapas bars, centuries-old establishments proffering traditional fare, and Michelin-star restaurants for avant-garde sophistication. Enjoy a fried squid sandwich in Plaza Mayor, savour delightful churros, fried dough sticks dipped in creamy hot chocolate, sample the city's signature dish, cocido madrileño, a hearty meat stew, or dine at the world's oldest restaurant, Sobrino de Botin; and definitely don't miss the fabulous tapas served in the traditional La Latina neighbourhood.

When to go
An exceptional year round destination, Madrid's calendar is filled with festivals and celebrations. In springtime, the city's parks and gardens burst with flowers, and summers are hot and dry especially during July and August. Early autumn is a lovely time to visit, and although the last two months of the year tend to be damper and cooler, the cold, bright sunny winter days showcase the intense blue skies for which Madrid is famous.

World Famous Art
Three museums vie for attention in Madrid's Golden Art Triangle, Paseo del Arte. The Prado showcases fine Spanish Masters: Goya, Velázquez and El Greco, and, together with European Old Masters, the vast collection ranges from the 12th to the 19th century. Reina Sofia houses contemporary art from the late 19th century to the present, with works by Dali and Miro and includes Picasso's most famed Guernica. In Villahermosa Palace, privately-owned Thyssen Bornemisza boasts an extraordinary collection of predominantly European art spanning eight centuries from the early thirteenth, with a breadth of style from Gothic to pop.