DK Travel : Madrid : Places of interest

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Iglesia de las Salesas Reales

The monastery of the Royal Salesians was founded by the wife of Fernando VI, as a refuge from her overbearing mother-inlaw should the king die before her (in fact, she died first). You can still see the lavish Baroque church (1750), sculptures and decorative details on the façade and the tombs of Fernando and his wife by Francesco Gutiérrez.
Iglesia de San Antonio de los Alemanes

The entire surface area of this magnificent domed church is covered with 17th-century frescoes depicting scenes from the life of St Anthony of Padua. The congregation included the sick and indigent residents of the adjoining hospice, who were allocated a daily ration of bread and boiled eggs. (The church still has a soup kitchen).
Iglesia San Plácido

Founded in 1622 by Don Jerónimo de Villanueva, a Madrid nobleman, the early history of this convent was darkened by scandal. Rumours of sexual misconduct among the novices led to an investigation by the Inquisition which implicated the chaplain, the abbess and the Don himself. It was even rumoured that Felipe IV made nocturnal visits to the convent via a passageway under the street. Today the main attraction is the splendid Baroque church (1655). The retable over the altar contains a magnificent Annunciation by Claudio Coello.
La Latina

Historic La Latina really comes alive on Sundays when the trendy bars of Cava Baja, Calle de Don Pedro and Plaza de los Carros are frequented by pop singers, actors and TV stars. Plaza de la Paja – the main square of medieval Madrid – takes its name from the straw which was sold here by villagers from the across the River Manzanares. Nowadays it’s much quieter and a nice place to rest one’s legs. The two churches of San Andrés and San Pedro el Viejo have been closed for some time but their history and that of the area as a whole is admirably explained in the Museo de San Isidro (see La Latina).
Lavapiés

This colourful working-class neighbourhood has a cosmopolitan feel, thanks to its ethnic mix of Moroccans, Indians, Turks and Chinese. The narrow streets sloping towards the river from Plaza Tirso de Molina are full of shops selling everything from cheap clothes and leather handbags to tea and spices. Check out the traditional bars, such as Taberna Antonio Sánchez for example. Performances of the traditional light opera known as zarzuela are given outdoors in La Corrala in summer.

Lavapiés district
Luna

Mainstream movies are shown here in the original language version with subtitles in Spanish. Reduced prices on Wednesday. Four screens.
Manzanares-el-Real

This Sierra town is dominated by its well-preserved 15th-century castle. Almost as old is the church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows) with its 30-m (100-ft) high belltower. Hikers flock to Manzanares to enjoy the La Pedriza regional park with its massive granite boulders.
Metrópolis

It was La Unión y el Fénix insurance company, the original owners of this Madrid landmark, who commissioned the striking statue on the cupola. Known as “Ave Fenix” , it represents the fabled Egyptian bird which died on a funeral pyre but rose from the flames once every 500 years. When the Metrópolis company moved into the building, they inherited the sculpture which then lost its significance (see Metrópolis).
Museo Arqueológico Nacional

The scale of the Archaelogical Museum’s fabulous collections can be daunting, so home in on what interests you most. The star turn on the main floor is the Lady of Elche , a stone bust of an Iberian noblewoman from the 4th century BC. Other highlights include a Roman mosaic floor representing the months and seasons, the exquisite Recesvinth crown from the Guarrazar treasure (Toledo, 7th-century), a matchless example of Islamic stone-carving from 11th-century Zaragoza, and an ivory processional cross from the church of San Isidoro in León (1063). On the lower floor are Bronze and Iron Age finds from the Canary Islands and a collection of painted amphorae from ancient Greece. Before leaving, take a look at the reproduction of the cave paintings of Altamira on display in the forecourt (see Museo Arqueológico Nacional).
Museo de Escultura al Aire Libre

Situated beneath a road bridge, the open-air sculpture museum is easily overlooked. Nevertheless, exhibited in its windswept precincts are works by a number of outstanding modern Spanish sculptors, including Eduardo Chillída, Julio González, Joan Miró and Pablo Serrano.