Madrid's Royal Palace – El Palacio Real is Madrid's largest building and possibly it’s most beautiful. It is located next to the equally beautiful Plaza de Oriente square and is in fact the largest royal palace in Western Europe. It was built on the site of the old Alcázar, the Moorish castle destroyed by fire in 1734, but the site has been occupied since the 10^th-Century by the Moors. The old city walls around this area may still be seen.

La Puerta del Sol - This is Madrid's most famous and most central square.   Originally it was the site of one of the city's gates, which faced the east and was adorned with an image of the sun, hence the square's name. Since this is now Madrid's most central location, it is an excellent area to in which to stay.

Madrid Cathedral - The principle church of the Diocese of Madrid, the Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena, is a relatively modern building and was finished in 1993, some 110 years after it was started.  Consecrated by Pope John Paul II, it remains the only Spanish cathedral to have been consecrated by a Pope.

Royal Botanical Garden - Commissioned by Charles (Carlos) III in the late 18^th-Century, the Royal Botanical Garden (Real Jardín Botánico) provides a lovely green respite in the middle of the vibrant capital.

Located on the Paseo del Prado near a number of the city's popular attractions - including the Prado Museum - the garden is easy to find and provides visitors a chance to get out in the fresh air after hours spent exploring Spanish art and other ancient artifacts.  Recent statistics cite a total of about 30,000 plants and flowers and 1,500 trees.

Madrid’s Metro -
Madrid’s metro is something of a rarity in that it proves a more efficient, quicker and cheaper service than the buses. Purchasing a 10-ride Metrobus ticket saves money and works across the metro network - which runs from 6:30am to 1:30am - as well as the bus/night bus network.  Within the city, taking a taxi is generally fairly cheap and painless, especially compared to other European cities, and if the night buses are crowded or too few and far between then a taxi can be a viable option for getting home.

Faro de Moncloa - This radio and communications tower, at 92m (302ft), provides one of the best views of the whole of the city and the sierras in the distance. Diagrams along the floor point out highlights of the city, though with age they're becoming increasingly difficult to decipher. The best bit, though, is the stomach-lurching ride up in the glass lift.

Museo De Los Origenes - Dedicated to the city's patron saint (the well-digger and labourer San Isidro) this museum sits on the spot where he supposedly lived and performed one of his most famous miracles: when his son, Illán, fell into a well, Isidro made the water rise and thus was able to rescue the unfortunate lad.  This is, then, a museum that deals in legends as much as in solid artefacts. More interesting are the finds from local archaeological digs

Centro Cultural del Vino - Any budding wine lover may wish to pay a visit to the Torres Bodega's Centro Cultural del Vino, which offers professional wine classes covering everything from soil types to food pairing, over the course of two nights.