Schmap Madrid Plaza de España and Argüelles

Madrid - Plaza de España and Argüelles
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Start this tour in the busy Plaza de España, which has become the new gateway to the city. From here, you can easily get to the Royal Palace and old Madrid, the shops and cinemas on Gran Vía, Puerta del Sol and the area known as Arguelles.

Take the metro to Plaza de España where you'll find a monument to Cervantes along with statues of Don Quijote and Sancho Panza, his most famous characters. You'll also see lots of people relaxing on the grass and the park benches. Craft fairs are held here from just before Christmas until January 6, when Spanish people traditionally exchange gifts. The Torre de Madrid and the Edificio España, on the edge of the square, were the tallest buildings in the city when they were built in the 1950s.

Take the Calle Princesa away from the square towards a high brick wall and head up the steps there to a small plaza. Carry straight along Calle Conde Duque for a couple of blocks, past all the cafés, bars and restaurants, and you'll come to the Cuartel de Conde Duque. It was built during the reign of Felipe V to house the Royal Guard. Today it's a cultural centre that organizes excellent exhibitions of contemporary art, open-air concerts, theatre performances and educational workshops. This area is full of peaceful squares to take a break in.

Head back to Calle Princesa and turn right. A few metres down on the right-hand side, you'll find the entrance to the beautiful Palacio de Liria, a palace owned by the Duchess of Alba. There's a fabulous art collection inside, but you have to arrange your visit ahead of time. It's worth the effort.

Go back to Calle Princesa and turn right. When you reach the Corte Ingls department store, you're in the Arguelles district, famous for its shops and large student community. You can take advantage of the shopping facilities or just wander around the tree-lined boulevards. To escape the city streets for a while, turn left on Calle Marqus de Urquijo and walk along to the Parque del Oeste. There's a cable-car ride (Teleférico) at this entrance to the park that offers great views over Madrid and into Casa de Campo.

From here, turn left on to the Paseo del Pintor Rosales, one of the most exclusive residential streets in the city. You'll soon come to the oldest building in Madrid, the Templo de Debod. The Egyptian government saved this temple from destruction during the building of the Aswan Dam, and presented it to Spain in 1960. The temple, dedicated to the goddess, Isis, is open to the public and worth visiting.

Cross over Paseo del Pintor Rosales again and turn left into Calle Ventura Rodrguez where you'll find the Museo Cerralbo at no.17. The Marquis de Cerralbo once lived here. It's now a museum that houses a valuable collection of art, including paintings by Goya, Zurbarán, El Greco and Van Dyck, as well as coins, furniture and porcelain.

You can either continue along this street to the Ventura Rodrguez metro station or take a right on Princesa back towards Plaza de Españfa. Two blocks down on Calle Princesa, you'll come to Plaza de los Cubos (Cube Plaza), a popular square with bars, restaurants and cinemas (some showing films in their original language with Spanish subtitles).

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Cable Car

Great views from above the city

Paseo del Pintor Rosales, s/n
(esquina Marqués de Urquijo)
Madrid, Madrid 28008
+34 91 541 7450
http://www.teleferico.com
terosa@teleferico.com

The cable car offers spectacular views of the western part of the city. Its cabins pass over the River Manzanares, Rosaleda (rose gardens), and Parque del Oeste. The best view of all is the cityscape immortalized in Goya's paintings that includes the Royal Palace, San Francisco Church, and the cathedral. You will eventually arrive at Casa de Campo park where you can have a picnic, feed the ducks, relax, or row a boat around the lake. Check website for admission prices.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Sarah Kernohan

Photo: Catherine

Photo: Andrew Robertson

Photo: Fiona Silk

Conde Duque Cultural Center

From barracks to a cultural centre Travesía Del Conde Duque
Madrid 28015
+34 91 588 5834 A focal point for industrious students, teachers and researchers, this old barracks complex now contains the city's historical archives, the newspaper and periodical library, a video library, two concerts halls and six exhibition spaces. In summer, there's always an interesting programme of live concerts held outdoors in the beautiful courtyard. You can enjoy the music and a relaxing drink in the wonderful surroundings. Pedro de Ribera designed the building, with its attractive baroque façade, during the reign of Felipe V in the 18th century to house the King's Royal Guard.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Conde Duque Cultural Center photo by wcities
Photo: wcities

Gran Via

Traffic surges through this long, noisy avenue, along with swarms of locals and tourists. Look up and admire the eccentric 20th-century architecture built during the Franco era. You'll find every style represented, from neo-baroque to art deco. As you follow the Gran Vía all the way from Calle Alcalá to Plaza de España, take note of the grand old-fashioned movie houses, some of the last of their kind, which continue hiring artists to paint original movie posters. Other buildings to watch out for are the elegantly domed Edificio Metrópolis at the Alcalá intersection, and the monstrous Telefónica building halfway down.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Carlos M Prieto Capd
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Moncloa & Argüelles

Nightlife, nightlife and more nightlife! This area is dominated by great tapas bars that don't even open until 9pm or later. Alternatively, try out Al Pil Pil for good Basque food; Gaudí for a mainly vegetarian menu; and the Sports Café if you want to watch the football on TV whilst enjoying typical American or Catalan food. A student enclave, come prepared to encounter a lot of enthusiasm.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: jorge
Photo: Twisted Sisto

Plaza de España

Oasis in the leisure zone Calle Princessa
Madrid, Madrid 28008
+34 91 588 2900 (Tourism Office) You just have to look at the number of people lying on the grass alongside the fountains or resting on the park benches to know this is a popular spot. The most prominent feature is the statue dedicated to Spain's most famous writer, Miguel de Cervantes, that depicts his two principal characters - Don Quijote and Sancho Panza. At Christmas time, the area towards Calle Princesa fills with stalls selling all types of gifts and decorative objects. You can't help but notice the two enormous mid-20th century skyscrapers here: El Edificio España and La Torre de Madrid.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Sun Gate

Literally the centre of Spain Plaza Puerta del Sol
Madrid, Madrid 28013
Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate) is the most popular and commercial area in the old town. Five hundred years ago it was just another city gate with an image of the sun drawn on it, hence its name. Nowadays, the square is famous for being the center of the national road network. The plaque on the pavement outside the old Post Office building denotes 'kilometer 0'. The distance between Madrid and every other part of Spain is measured from here. Thousands of revelers gather in the square once a year to await the chimes of the clock that officially announces the New Year.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Luis
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Temple of Debod

A gift from Egypt Jardines del Paseo del Pintor Rosales
Madrid, Madrid 28008
+34 91 366 7415
http://www.munimadrid.es/templ...
templodebod@munimadrid.es Dating from the second century BC, this small Egyptian temple covered in fascinating drawings, hieroglyphics and religious inscriptions was a gift from the Egyptian government to Spain in 1970 in recognition of Spain's assistance in saving historical remains during the construction of the Aswan Dam. You will find it located in a peaceful and pleasant park, but you are advised not to come here after dark.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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