DK Travel : Madrid

Madrid’s three world-class art museums and two royal palaces alone would set the pulses racing, but there is more to this exciting and diverse capital than its tourist sights. The fashion boutiques of the Salamanca district showcase Europe’s top designers and are just the tip of a shopping iceberg, perfectly complementing the informality of the fascinating El Rastro market, while Madrid’s world-famous tapas bars vie for attention with gourmet restaurants and humble tabernas in a city which never sleeps. To simply watch the world go by, head for the supremely elegant Plaza Mayor.

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Juan Bautista de Toledo

Juan Bautista de Toledo (died May 19, 1567) was a well-known Spanish sculptor and architect from Madrid.

He was born in Madrid at an unknown date, and nothing is known of his childhood. But in 1547, Toledo went to Rome and studied under Michelangelo Buonarroti. Then he went to Naples, where he had been summoned by the Viceroy, Don Pietro de Toledo, to work as an architect for Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. He designed many buildings there, including: the Strada di Toledo (since 1870 called Strada di Roma), the church of St. Giacomo degli Spagnuoli; the square bastions to the Castello Nuovo; a large palazzo at Posillipo, and a number of fountains.

In 1559, he was summoned back to Madrid by Philip II and appointed Architect-in-Chief of the royal works in Spain. His yearly salary as architect to the Crown was at first no more than 220 ducats, because Philip's policy, with his Spanish artists at least, was to give them moderate allowances until he had tested their abilities. In Madrid, he designed the Casa de la Misericordia and the façade of the church de las Descalzas Reales, Casa de Campo. He also created works at Aceca; at the palace of Aranjuez; at Martininos de las Posadas, the palace of Cardinal Espinosa, and a villa at Esteban de Ambran for the secretary D. de Vargas. Toledo's master work was the Escorial, the Monastery, La Granjila de La Fresneda de El Escorial and Canal de El Escorial (the channel to supply water to the Monastery). He supervised El Escorial (Monastery and Site -the surroundings of Monastery) until his death in 1567. El Escorial was finished by Juan de Herrera.

Also reported to have designed the Palacio del Buen Retiro and, in collaboration with Gaspar de Vega, the main design of La Granjilla de La Fresneda de El Escorial, Madrid.
LA BARRACA MADRID

With an interior decorated like a typical Valencian country house and divided up into several small, cosy dining rooms, it's an ideal choice for groups of friends, family dinners or business lunches. It's a busy restaurant that's full every day and night with people ordering from the 20 different varieties of paella on offer. Despite being so busy and so popular with tourists, it still retains its original charm. Foreigners tend to order jugs of sangría whilst locals stick to wine or beer.
Lope de Vega

Lope de Vega (also Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio or Lope Félix de Vega Carpio) (25 November 1562 – 27 August 1635) was a Spanish Baroque playwright and poet. His reputation in the world of Spanish letters is second only to that of Cervantes, while the sheer volume of his literary output is unequalled: he is estimated to have written between 1,500 and 2,500 fully-fledged plays – of which some 425 have survived until the modern day – together with a plethora of shorter dramatic and poetic works.
Nightlife

Madrid is notable for its nightlife and night clubs. On weekends, Madrilenian youth are famous for dancing all night long, stopping only to have some chocolate con churros at dawn, go home, take a shower, shave (or not), and go to work. What is also popular is the practice of meeting in parks or streets with friends and drinking alcohol together (this is called 'botellón', from 'botella', bottle), but in recent years, drinking in the street is punished with a fine and now young madrileños drink together all around the city instead of in more well known places. Many places host bands (concerts in Madrid). Nightlife and young cultural awakening flourished after the death of Franco, especially during the 80s while Madrid's mayor Enrique Tierno Galván was in office. This new movement was called la movida and it initially gathered around Plaza del Dos de Mayo (Malasaña area). Some of the most popular night destinations include the neighbourhoods of: Bilbao, Tribunal, Alonso Martinez or Moncloa, together with Puerta del Sol area (including Opera and Gran Via, both adjacent to the popular square) and Huertas (barrio de Las Letras), destinations which are also filled with tourists day and night. The gay district of Chueca has also become a hot spot in the Madrilenian night life, not only for gay people but also for straight people looking for fun in their crowded clubs and popular discos.
Palacio de Communicationes

Around the square Plaza de Cibeles rise four magnificent buildings. The most impressive is the main post office, the "Palacio de Communicationes", designed by Joaquin Otamendi during 1905 and 1917. Its appearance is often likened to a wedding cake style with Art Nouveau features. It is worth looking into the building to see the palatial main hall.
Patones

A villlage lost in time between lovely mountains
Peñalara

A beautiful Natural Park in the Sierra de Guadarrama. Esaily reached from Madrid by two RENFE Cercanias trains, the first to cercedila and the second from there to Los Cotos.

The second, narrow gauge and mainly single track is worth travelling for its own sake but the terminus iis only minutes away from the Park entrance and office.

From here there are walks of widely different standards, the one to the Laguna Grande de Peñalara being delightful and well within the scope of most walkers.
platha mayor

here in this square is the most wonderful cheap experience in madrid. there are entertainers and stands/shops all around the square, you can get a cheap indian head massage. You can drop in to a chair on one of the bars and have a lovely sangria? Plus, you can sit in the baking heat until well after midnight!!!
Plaza Canovas del Castillo

This busy roundabout is named after Antonio Canovas del Castillo, one of the leading statesman of 19th-century Spain, who was assassinated in 1897. Dominating the plaza is the Fuente de Neptuno-a fountain with a statue depicting Neptune in his chariot, being pulled by two horses. The statue was designed in 1780 by Ventura Rodriguez as part of Carlos III' scheme to beautify eastern Madrid.
Plaza de la Villa

The much restored and frequently remodelled Plaza de la Villa is one of the most atmospheric spots in Madrid. Some of the city's most historic secular buildings are situated around this square. The oldest building is the early 15th-century Torre de los Lujanes, with its Gothic portal and Mudejar-style horse-shoe arches. Francois I of France was allegedly imprisoned in it following his defeat at the Battle of Pavia in 1525.