DK Travel : Madrid : Places of interest

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El Escorial

Apart from the famous monastery and the views of the Sierra, the attractions of El Escorial include the magnificent Coliseo, dating from 1771, and the two royal lodges (see El Escorial).
El Pardo

El Pardo is now a suburb of Madrid but was in open countryside when Enrico III built a hunting lodge here in the early 15th century. The Palacio del Pardo was built by the Bourbons and substantially enlarged during the reign of Carlos III. More recently it was the official residence of General Franco. The tapestries, from sketches by Goya, are the outstanding feature.
El Rastro

You can easily lose a day wandering around the quirky stalls of the city’s flea market and watching the bustling world go by in the many bars and cafés (see El Rastro).
El Sol

Venue for concerts by Spanish and international bands that date from the Movida period (see People and Places of La Movida). Reasonable bar and entry prices.
Estación de Atocha

Madrid’s southern railway station is also a palm garden and an arresting architectural monument. The old terminal, a magnificent cast-iron structure, 152 m (500 ft) long and more than 40 m (130 ft) high, overlooks Plaza de Atocha. It was designed by Alberto del Palacio in 1888 – the French engineer Gustave Eiffel, designer of Paris’s famous tower, was a consultant – and completed four years later. When, more than a century later, the decision was taken to run a new high-speed train service to Seville (AVE), prize-winning Spanish architect Rafael Moneo was commissioned to remodel the terminal. His makeover incorporated the square and the old station canopy, and added a cylindrical lantern over the commuter station, and a streamlined glass concourse from where the AVE now departs.
Faunia

This new science park claims to be the only one of its kind in Europe. Each of the 10 pavilions has been designed to recreate a different ecosystem with authentic sights, sounds and smells. Visitors can “experience” a tropical storm, journey to the polar regions and observe nocturnal creatures in their natural habitat.
Fundación Juan March

One of Spain’s most vital cultural institutions was founded in 1955 by the banker Juan March Ordinas, to promote contemporary Spanish art. Madrid shares the permanent collection, especially strong on abstract artists of the 1950s such as Tàpies, Sempere, Saura, and Millares, with other branches of the foundation in Cuenca and Palma de Mallorca, but the foundation’s main attraction is its outstanding temporary exhibitions (see Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando).
Gula Gula

Great views of the Gran Vía and Alcalá can be had from the first floor of this restaurant, which entertains customers with disco music and floor shows in the evenings.
Hotel Mónaco

At the turn of the 20th century the Mónaco was a well-known brothel frequented by members of the Spanish nobility including, so rumour has it, King Alfonso XIII. Now a respectable hotel, the breakfast room retains some of the original features, such as the leather booths, while the rest has been redecorated in Art Deco style (see Mónaco).
Hotel Ritz

The Ritz first opened its doors in 1910 and the inauguration was attended by King Alfonso XIII, who had backed the project after complaining of the lack of quality accommodation in his capital. French architect Charles Mewes’ Neo-Classical building is surprisingly understated from the outside, but the interior is predictably opulent. Outstanding features include handwoven carpets from the Royal Tapestry factory and the belle époque dining room. Stop for a drink on the terrace.