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The former residence of Spain’s Bourbon rulers boasts more rooms than any other palace in Europe. With priceless collections of tapestries, clocks, paintings, furniture, even Stradivarius violins, there is something here for everyone (see Palacio Real).

This world-famous art gallery is Madrid’s obvious must-see. The outstanding collections of Spanish and European painting reflect the taste of royal connoisseurs (see Museo del Prado).

When the daughters of Spain’s aristocratic families withdrew from the outside world in the 17th century to live a life of devotion, they donated their wealth to this royal convent in the form of fabulous works of art (see Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales).

The roots of Madrid’s famous flea market go back more than 400 years. The location in Lavapiés, one of Madrid’s most colourful working-class neighbourhoods, is another plus (see El Rastro).

Madrid was the envy of the world when it outbid the Getty Foundation and other front runners for this priceless collection of European art, which attracts around three quarters of a million visitors every year (see Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza).

No visitor should miss the chance to see Picasso’s Guernica , the world’s most famous 20th-century painting. This fabulous museum also showcases other modern Spanish greats including Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and Juan Gris (see Centro de Arte Reina Sofía).

Spain’s fascination with America began with Columbus’s voyages in the 15th century, but this museum casts its net wider than the former Spanish colonies to embrace the entire continent (see Museo de América).

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains, Felipe II’s awe-inspiring palace and monastery was founded as a mausoleum for Spain’s Habsburg rulers (see El Escorial).