Madrid is a beautiful city and we recommend visiting these places!
Top 6 places
We all know that big cities have many places to visit, but if you’ve never visited Madrid, these are the best places to see if you’re running short of time! Here we have those places to visit in Madrid!
Puerta del Sol
It can be said that it is the centre of all of Spain. And in turn, it’s also the centre of Madrid! Have you ever been?
In Puerta del Sol there are numerous streets that spread throughout the capital. It was built as a Post Office in the mid-eighteenth century and later the pedestrian area was increased and the fountain was built right in the middle. There are 3 well-known elements in the square:
- The statue of El Oso y el Madroño. It is the symbol of Madrid, and was built in 1967.
- The Post Office Clock. Known throughout Spain as the place where New Year´s Eve is celebrated since 1962.
- Kilometer Zero. As we have commented previously, Puerta del Sol is right in the centre of all Spain, so there is a slab in the square that indicates this element. It is the geographic spot of all the Spanish radials start. Have you ever noticed it? You wouldn’t be the only one who takes a picture with it!
Plaza Mayor
If you follow one of the streets from Puerta del Sol, you´ll arrive at this beautiful square. It is a square surrounded by arcades and three-storey buildings. It was built by several architects because it had to be rebuilt several times due to multiple fires. In the Plaza Mayor there are some elements of interest such as:
- The Arc de Cuchilleros: It is the best-known archway to the Plaza Mayor. There are 9 entries!
- Statue of Felipe III: A gift from the Duke of Florence to the king.
- House of the Bakery: The part of the building of the most important square since it was the first part that began to be built as a Tahona.
El Retiro
The enormous park in Madrid offers hundreds of activities for the public and small magical corners. In this park you can find the pond, where you can rent boats; The Monument to Alfonso XII; the Crystal Palace, which at the beginning was used as a greenhouse; and the promenade of Argentina where we will find numerous statues of the monarchs.
The Royal Palace
It took 17 years to build, finishing in 1764. Before being the Royal Palace, the space was occupied by the Habsburg Palace which was destroyed by a great fire in 1734. The palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens: the Gardens of Sabatini and the Gardens of Campo del Moro.
If you are going to visit it between October and July, the change of guard is celebrated every Wednesday at 11am.
There are guided tours too if you want to see the inside. They show you the grand and stylised official halls, the Royal Armory and the Royal Pharmacy, which includes a recreation of one of the laboratories. Awesome!
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
For all football lovers, with one of the guided tours you can enter and step on the playing field, the benches, visit the changing rooms and the presidential box.
The temple of Debod
A great treasure gift from Egypt to Spain for the collaboration Spain made in the rescue of the Temples of Nubia. It is 2,200 years old and if you want to go inside, it is open to the public on occasions. Tickets are free, and if you’re passionate about Egyptian mythology and society, the stories behind the hieroglyphs will blow you away! In addition, it is surrounded by gardens to enjoy nature in the middle of the city.
It’s one of the best experiences without a doubt, so don’t miss it!
Well, have you visited all these destinations?
