10 Top Attractions in Madrid Spain

Royal Exchange Panorama (Photo credit: Ian Muttoo)

Author: Austin Ortiz
Madrid is a fascinating city. Here the traditional and contemporary coexist in harmony. The historic quarter of the city with its narrow cobbled streets and medieval buildings and churches are as startling as the flashy skyscrapers of the modern city.

Replete with attractions, it takes weeks to explore this lovely capital city of Spain. Nonetheless, the discerning traveler who wants to experience the spirit of Madrid would prefer visiting the most popular attractions of the city.

Top Attractions in Madrid

15 Top Things to do in Madrid Spain

Buen Retiro Park, Madrid (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Author: Austin Ortiz
With attractions aplenty, it takes weeks to explore every nook and corner of Madrid. The stunning capital city of Spain boasts of gorgeous monuments, world famous art museums, vibrant plazas and a scintillating nightlife. The sightseeing tours to this lovely city offer an insight into the lively Spanish culture and its delicious cuisine.

Top things to do in Madrid

15 Top Things to do in Madrid, Spain

English: The Almudena Cathedral in Madrid. View from south-east. Madrid, Spain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Author: Justin Miller
When you visit Spain, it is more a question of what to choose than what to do. Here is a list of 15 top things to do in Madrid, Spain.

1.15 Top Things to do in Madrid, Spain – Puerta del Sol: Start from the city centre to have a feel of the pulse of Madrid, setting off on your exploration of the city.

2.15 Top Things to do in Madrid, Spain – Plaza Mayor: With a history dating from the middle ages, the Plaza has hosted numerous festivities and bull fights.

3.15 Top Things to do in Madrid, Spain – Parque del Retiro: Have a piece of nature with a park, museum, palace, lakes and a rose garden put together into a peaceful block in the heart of the city.

Top 5 Girls Weekend Away Destinations in Spain

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Author: louiselanjaron

Girly weekends away are perfect for catching up with friends and having a good time. Spain is known to have some of the best party locations such as the famous party island of Ibiza. For your next weekend with your friends take a look at our top 5 destinations.

Benidorm

Also referred to as the "Manhattan of Spain" for it's high rise buildings and apartment blocks. Benidorm is a coastal town situated just North of Alicante. Benidorm for many years has been a popular destination with the British, German and Belgium tourists.

Many come here for the parties but Benidorm has much more to offer than just it's wide choice of bars and night clubs. You can visit the largest theme park in Europe named the Terra Mitica Fun Park, visit Mundom a water world with Marine & Exotic Wildlife or take a day long Jeep ride through the spectacular mountain scenery of the Costa Blanca.

Madrid Daytrip Adventures

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Author: Albert Gonzalez

Madrid is the capital of Spain. But there are many interesting sights outside of Madrid. Day trips in Madrid can be undertaken using public transport, rented cars or excursion tours by professional tour operators. You can also opt for guided tours which give you the best of both worlds: good sights and comfort, as you are driven around with a tour guide to explain many interesting sights along the way. Hence, you should opt for many interesting combined guided tours that will take you around Madrid if you are in a rush. This way, you will be able to see more than what you bargain for. Most places listed below can be enjoyed within a day although there are longer stays if you have the time.

Tapas Bar-Hop to These Five Places in Madrid

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By Roo Sadegi
1. Lateral
Visitors will be shoulder to shoulder in this overcrowded spot that has earned a reputation as one of Madrid's best tapas bars. The kitchen pays special attention to detail and the recipes are inventive, ushering in a wave of change, and a whole new world of experimentation in tapas. There are only four desserts: chocolate cake, lemon tart, "angel" tart (a kind of angel food-like cake), and napoleon, all made from secret family recipes. There is a second location at Velasquez, 57 (off the Velasquez subway stop), as well.

The Best Roof Top Bars

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Author: mp3cityguides

Any good city break involves an evening spent in a bar overlooking the city you've been walking around during the day. When I'm writing my mp3 tours and my audio walking tours for http://www.mp3cityguides.com I'm also careful to include at least one rooftop bar.
So, here are my top ten rooftop bars:
1. The Rainbow Room, New York. This beautiful art deco bar at the top of the Rockefeller centre is a must for anyone looking the best bars in New York. I once saw Elizabeth Taylor here – she looked less than impressed to see me.
Rockefeller Plaza,
2. Coq D'Argent, London. Near the Bank of England and the Royal Exchange this rooftop has elegant lawns and box hedges. The City isn't great at night but this is one of the best places to have a drink and look at the new skyscrapers being built. For more information see our Guide to the City of London

Cheapest Madrid Weekend: Plan For Full Fun and Frolic

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By Mathew Gaurce


To plan The Budget Madrid weekend, you have come to the right place. Madrid can be a bit costly as it is a hot tourist spot. It is the Mecca of Spain's football fans. It is also one of the best tourist destinations. The weather is excellent throughout the year. All these aspects make it one costly city for the tourists. However, your money can work for you well if you know where to look for.
Before you jumpstart, make a list of things where you can cut down your expenses. That should include flight tickets, transport, accommodation, sightseeing tours and quality nightlife at cheap rates.
Flight
Go in for the no frills airlines to cut down on the travel cost. Some of the good flights from the UK are Ibera, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Easyjet and British Airways. These offer direct flights. There are flights that go via other Spanish cities before arriving here. It might be time consuming. Search for options of cities from which you get a direct cheap flight, rather than only searching for an option from your city.

Paris, France - Place Des Abbesses

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By Harry Preston

After the din of the neighbouring place du Tertre, the tranquil place des Abbesses is the ideal place to pause, enjoy a coffee and take in the absorbing atmosphere of the area. One of Montmartre's prettiest squares, it is just a short walk from the Sacre-Coeur and Pigalle, and is a favoured Sunday morning haunt of local residents as well as visitors.
Surrounding the square are some fine examples of extravagant art nouveau architecture, the most notable of which is the canopied metro entrance that leads to Paris' deepest station at 40m (31 feet). Designed by Hector Guimard, it features amber lanterns and green wrought-iron arches, and is one of the last remaining examples in the city. The Eglise St-Jean-de-Montmartre, which dates from 1904, is named after the abbey that once stood on the site. The decorative windows, which significantly brighten up its otherwise austere facade, date from the same period.
This is where caricaturists, portrait and landscape artists congregate each day to paint local scenes and willing passers-by. Visitors throng these "street studios" so that they can can take home a drawing or painting of themselves. The place du Tertre is a fascinating, though touristy, reminder of a time when Picasso or Renoir may have sat in this very square and painted.
From my personal experience, the surrounding square is an excellent location for a traveller to immerse him or herself in some of Paris best local art architecture. There are many great photo opportunities to be had, so make sure to bring a camera and save a couple hours for the Place des Abbesses.
For more information about Paris, France visit GuidedTourParis.com.
For more information about Madrid, Spain visit GuidedtourMadrid.com.

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5 Historic Places to See in Madrid

Image via WikipediaBy Sam Cassidy
Madrid, the beautiful capital city of Spain is and features numerous charming historical places to visit. Madrid is Spain's largest city and a large number of tourists visit the city each year. When visiting Madrid these 5 places are definitely worth a look:

1. The Royal Palace is the largest and one of the most impressive palaces in Europe. It has over 2000 luxuriously decorated rooms. After the fire that destroyed the old Alcázar of the Habsburgs during Christmas 1724, Philip V commissioned the Italian architect Filippo Juvara (1678-1736) to design a new palace. Visitors to the palace get to view 50 of its 2800 rooms. It is situated on the east of Madrid's historic centre. The palace is still used for head of state visits and other ceremonies.The palace is built entirely of stone consisting of granite from the Sierra de Guadarrama and white Colmenar stone. Colossal foundation walls support the building on the steep slope down to the Manzanares which is laid out in palace's gardens. It looks truly magnificent.2.The Plaza de España is one of Madrid's largest and most popular squares. On a sunny day it is filled with street vendors, tourists and sunbathing locals. The square is situated at the end of Gran Via, which is one of Madrid's popular main avenues. The square features a huge fountain and famous statue honoring the well known Spanish writer Cervantes.The square dates all the way back to the 18th century, when military barracks mainly occupied it. Today it is a popular spot for sunbathing and a vast number of street vendors on warm days.3.Gran Via is an absolutely beautiful street that showcases early 20th century architecture. The street is extremely lively and is one of the city's most popular shopping areas.Gran Via is composed of a vast number of hotels and movie theatres. The architectural design is rather elaborate particularly with the larger buildings. While in the square you can admire the beautifully decorated grand 'edificios' which is a street comprised of tall buildings including the landmark building Edificio Metrópolis.4.Theater Royal, Madrid is a beautifully built building. It is situated in the Plaza de Oriente facing the Palacio Real, was built in 1818 after the demolition of the Caños del Peral Theater. The young Queen Isabella II inaugurated the theatre in 1850 with a performance representing Donizetti's opera "La Favorita".
Located on the Plaza de Oriente, numerous European opera singers of the 19th and early 20th century appeared on stage at this grand theater and, for decades it was at the centre of Madrid's cultural scene. The theatre became extremely famous for performances of Verdi and Wagner operas, works by Stravinsky and Russian ballet.
5. Las Ventas is situated in the east of Madrid. It was constructed in 1929 and houses the most important bullring in the world. The first bullfight was in 1931. Each year thousands of people come to watch bullfighting, an event considered controversial to say he least around the world.Las Ventas has a very interesting style of architecture referred to as the Mozarabic style. This particular design is comprised of horseshoe-shaped arches and ribbed domes. This building also features pottery "incrustations" representing the shields of all the provinces of Spain.Madrid has a wonderful transport network and makes it easy to get around seeing all the attractions.NominalDesignHotels.com is a regularly updated global hand picked selection of design, boutique and eclectic hotels all around the world for a budget of around US$150 a night and under.Featuring hotels all around the world, including the Hotel El Coloso in Madrid, Spain.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Cassidy


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