The city center is characterized by broad avenues with green stripes, large circular squares and a large number of spectacular buildings (mainly but not only a Renaissance style), but also quite ultramodern-looking skyscrapers.

On the western edge of the historic center is situated one of the most monumental, impressive buildings in Madrid - the Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real). In 852 Arabian emir Muhammad I. there let built the so-called Royal Alcazar (the palace Muslim fortress). The palace is surrounded by parks such as Casa de Campo, Jardin de Sabatini park or Parque de Atracciones (Park of attractions). Opposite the Palace you can find one of the largest churches in the city, the Almudena Cathedral (Cathedral Virgen de la Almudena).

Near the city center is a famous gallery Museo del Prado, where is a unique collection of 7.600 paintings and 1.000 sculptures of masters from all over Europe. The large numbers of works by Francisco de Goya, the artist most extensively represented in the collection, and by Diego Velázquez, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens and Hieronymus Bosch are among the highlights of the collection.

Plaza de España is a rectangular square with a small park and monument of Miguel de Cervantes and his fictional characters of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. In the park there are various water areas.

One of the most beautiful squares Plaza Mayor is a witness of numbers of executions, bullfighting and the burning of heretics which were provided here mainly in medieval world.

In the National Archaeological Museum of Spain is possible to see a large number of exhibits from the beginnings of humankind through the Bronze Age, the ancient Egyptians, Iberian peoples, Greeks and Romans, to the Middle Ages. Interesting is mainly Egyptian priestess mummy in the sarcophagus sculpture called the Lady of Elche and also copies of Altamira caves, which is accessible from the garden.

10 TOP things what to do in Madrid

• Visit a Flamenco Show.   Madrid can boasts by the best flamenco dancers since 19th century. One of the best flamenco you can see at Corral de la Moreria "tablao" restaurant and other similar tablaos.
• See a Buillfight.   The controversial Spanish tradition is still available for seeing in Madrid. The best corrida is in Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas. The season is from March to October. The shows are every Sunday.
• Take a ride on the Cable Car.  If you want to see Madrid from a bird's eye view, take the cable car ("el Teleférico") that was originally built as part of the Parque de Atracciones amusement park.

• See Egyptian Mummy in National Archaeological Museum.
• Visit Royal Alcazar in Royal Palace.
• Walk in Buen Retiro Park.  A magnificent park, filled with beautiful sculptures, monuments, galleries and a lake holds variety of events.
• Watch Real Madrid play.   One of the best football teams in the world plays in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
• Go to El Rastro.   Madrid's largest open air flea market is held every Sunday from 9am to 3pm in the historic city centre.
• Try Tapas.   One of the best tapas bars is Bodega de la Ardosa: Calle Colon 13.
• Try Chocolate con Churros.   Traditionally, churros (light, crispy sticks of fried dough) are eaten with a cup of hot, thick chocolate, dipping the churro into the chocolate to enjoy the mouth-watering contrast of the slightly salty churro with the sweet chocolate.

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