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 The capital of Spain, located in the heart of the peninsula, has a population of over three million. A cosmopolitan city, a business center, headquarters for the Public Administration, Government, Spanish Parliament and the home of the Spanish Royal Family, Madrid also plays a major role in both the banking and industrial sectors. The centre of Madrid is Puerta del Sol. Often people take to this square because there are many shops, like “El Corte Inglés” and many “Take Away”. There is also a very important shop, called “Museo del Jamón”, which offers all the spanish speciality with very low prices.
Another place that tourists have to see is “El Parque del Retiro”, a very relaxing park of the capital. There are many big gardens and tourists can rent a little boat to go around the lake.
Other very famous monument of Madrid is “Puerta de Alcalá”, that tourists have to admire at night, when the monument is encircled by lots of lights.
Madrid has got also many fountains. One of the most significant is “La Fuente de Cibeles”, iconographic image of the capital.
Madrid has a considerable number of Catholic churches, the most prominent of which are the baroque churches.The oldest church that survives today is “San Nicolás de los Servitas”, in Mudejar style. The next oldest temple is “San Pedro el Real”, with its high brick tower.
Another representative monument is situate in “Plaza de España”.In the center of this, there is a monument of Miguel de Cervantes, a very famous spanish novelist and poet.
A part of the monument includes a stone sculpture of Cervantes, which overlooks bronze sculptures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
Even though Madrid is a huge urban metropolis, it has a high ratio of green to concrete, with parks such as the Retiro and Parque del Oeste .
In Madrid you are in the capital of a major European nation, extremely rich in History, with an impressive cultural and artistic heritage, once a power, now an open Mediterranean society leaving behind the consequences of a 40 year dictatorship.
Madrid is characterized by intense cultural and artistic activity and a very lively nightlife.
Night lovers will find a paradise every night of the week. Visitors must keep in mind the late dining hours; restaurants do not even open until eight or nine o'clock. Many night establishments are open until the early morning hours.
Also the district of “Chueca” has also become a hot spot in the Madrilenian night life specially for gay population; infact “La Chueca” is popularly known as the gay quarter.
 Madrid has some of the most prestigious museums in the country (among them El Museo del Prado, El Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and El Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza) and the greatest number of theatres and clubs, including El Teatro Real, El Teatro Español and El Teatro de la Zarzuela, Joy Eslava and Pacha.
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