RENFE (Madrid area) – along with the Metro train system (which mainly covers the city of Madrid), there is also a regional train line (called RENFE), which connects Madrid to outer lying suburbs. This consists of nine railway lines that all throughout the autonomous region of Madrid. These trains all leave from Atocha station (in […]
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Paseo Prado 8, Madrid) – the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum offers visitors an overview of art from the 13th century to the late 20th century. In the nearly one thousand works on display, visitors can contemplate the major periods and pictorial schools of western art such as the Renaissance, Mannerism, the Baroque, Rococo, Romanticism and […]
Teatro Real (Plaza Isabel II, Madrid) – this opera house is located in front of the Royal Palace, between the two plazas, or squares, of Plaza de Isabel II and Plaza de Oriente, and right next to the famous Café de Oriente. It stands where the old theater of Los Caños del Peral once stood. […]
Plaza de Cibeles (Paseo de la Castellana, Madrid) — This is one of the liveliest, best-known and most beautiful squares in Madrid, and is home to such emblematic monuments as the Cibeles Fountain and Palace. The Cibeles fountain, the symbol of Madrid, stands in the middle of the square. Goddess of nature and protector of […]
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Calle Santa Isabel 52, Madrid) – opened in 1992, this museum was named for Queen Sofia of Spain. Located near the Atocha rail and Metro stations, this museum houses 20th century artwork (mostly Spanish artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and others). Admission: €8.00 (collection and […]
Real Jardin Botánico de Madrid (Plaza de Murillo 2, Madrid) – located opposite the Museo del Prado, this garden was established by King Carlos III in 1774. The garden originally existed to teach botany, which explains why there are three greenhouses which exhibit many tropical plants. Admission: €3 (general), €1.50 (reduced). Free for children. Opens […]
Royal Palace of Madrid (Calle de Bailén, Madrid) – home to the Kings of Spain (from Carlos III to Alfonso XIII), Madrid’s Royal Palace is now open to the pubic. Though the current royal family doesn’t actually live here, this is still technically their official residence. Particularly noteworthy rooms include: the Main Staircase, designed by […]
Plaza Mayor (downtown Madrid) – opened in 1620, Plaza Mayor is a symbol of Madrid and must not be missed. Building work began on this huge open area in the city centre in the 17th Century under the orders of Felipe III, whose bronze equestrian statue adorns the square. Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape, […]
Museu Picasso (Calle Montcada, Barcelona) — as the name implies, this museum houses one of the largest collections of artwork by Pablo Picasso. Opened in 1963, there are over 3,500 works by Picasso at this location. The museum’s very existence in Barcelona stresses the artist’s special relationship with this city. The museum itself is located […]
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuic, Barcelona) – this is the national museum of Catalan visual art (a.k.a. MNAC), which was established in 1934. MNAC is known for its Renaissance and Baroque collections, including the works of great painters, such as El Greco, Zurbarán, Velázquez, Cranach, and Rubens. The MNAC art […]