Madrid
Madrid, the home of tapas and the nightlife capital of Europe!
Tours Available in Madrid:
This tour starts at the Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art and goes past Sol, Plaza Mayor, the old walls of Madrid, the Cathedral of Almudena, the Royal Palace before bringing you back to Sol.
Madrid: Sol to the Spanish Parliament
This tour starts in Sol and takes you along Gran Via, through the Retiro and then to the Prado and Thyssen Museums.
Overview:
Madrid is the capital of Spain and the largest city in Spain. Settlements have existed in the area for thousands of years, but the city was not established until 852 AD, when the Arab ruler of Cordoba founded the city, built the first fortress or Alcazar, and called it Mayrit, from which the current name derives. The capitol of Spain moved to Madrid in the 16th century, and has been there ever since.
The center of Madrid is Puerta del Sol, and road distances are all measured from there, not just in Madrid but in all of Spain. Gran Via, the main artery of the city, passes just north of Puerta del Sol. Nearly all of the tourist attractions in Madrid are within a 30 minute walk from Puerta del Sol.
Getting Around:
The best way to get around Madrid is the Metro (or Subway). Madrid has a very modern and reasonably priced metro system. For more information on the metro, click here.
