Historical Building in Madrid

El Escorial

By Christopher Minster

When you get to Madrid, your biggest challenge will be to fit everything you want to see and do into the time you have. A huge, modern metropolis that also happens to be the capital city of a thriving European nation, Madrid certainly has something for everyone. Unless you’re planning on spending a month in Madrid, you can’t possibly see everything.

There are some can’t-misses, though. Unless you hate art, you’ll want to hit the Museo del Prado, which has some timeless masterpieces on permanent display. After the Louvre in Paris, the Prado is arguably the most important art museum in Europe. If your tastes run more to modern art than the Renaissance and Baroque periods, skip the Prado and head instead for the Reina Sofia Art Museum. Better yet, hit them both. A little culture will do you some good.

Another must-see is the Escorial, Phillip II’s monumental palace located outside of the city, not far from the Valley of the Fallen, Franco’s mausoleum and memorial to the dead of the grisly Spanish Civil War.

Not everything in Madrid is high-brow culture and ancient history. Madrid also has a modern planetarium and aquarium as well as many cinemas and theatres. Wandering around downtown is also a memorable experience, as there is world-class shopping and good cafes spread out over several streets and squares.