Madrid

The sights of Madrid are so many that if you try to plan your tour around them you will realize that it is impossible.

The charm of the most sensual European capital means you can even enjoy an unplanned walk. Triumphant arches are classic, banks are ordered by Renaissance castles, and the tops of skyscrapers are the art of the sky.

Among the attentions of the tourists are the twin office towers Puerta de Europa also known as The Gate of Europe which were built in 1996.

The history of Madrid began with the monumental Royal Palace Mayrit. The palace was built in 825 by the Moorish conqueror sultan Muhammad I.

After the expulsion of the Moors in the XI century the kings used it as a hunting castle residence, and in 1561 the castle Mayrit gave its name to the Spanish capital, Madrid .

The monumental building serves as the residence of Catholic kings for two centuries. The last occupant of the palace was King Alfonso XIII, who avoided the window of one of the terraces of the palace and took the road of exile, fearing mutinous Republicans.

Undoubtedly the most beautiful squares of Madrid is the big Plaza Mayor. The aristocrats show their formations of executions and bullfights which were seen by the public. Wherever you go by the Plaza Mayor, you will find an interesting neighborhood. Nearby are the shopping streets, bus gates and tiny squares of the old city of Madrid .

The facades of many houses in Madrid were once popular in the Habsburg style, such as the Palacio Santa Cruz, which was once a prison.

Madrid is a living architectural museum. In Gothic style are the chapel Del Obispo. Plaza de Cibeles offers "elaborate" Venetian Renaissance, and if you enjoy genuine Art Deco pattern, you should go to theater Palacio Music Matters. The characteristic lines of the Art Nouveau building is in the visible hand of the Spanish organization of motorsport.

Besides the beautiful scenery and architecture, Madrid offers in general great cafes, bars, tavernas serving a variety of drinks and food, known as tapas. Tapas can be prepared with clams, cakes, cheese, ham, olives, etc.

Tips are 5 percent of the bill, and hotels are individually priced. The best time to visit Madrid is in spring or autumn. Tourists are able to organize excursions to the medieval towns Segovia and Toledo which were built in 1584 in El Escorial convent.