Madrid, Spain's capital, is one of the nation's
most popular and attractive tourist venues, as well as being the main travel
hub for a large part of the country's tourist traffic. Situated at the
geographic center of the peninsula, Madrid is a cosmopolitan city of some
3 million inhabitants (and many more if we count the surrounding suburban
area). The city sits at an altitude of some 675 meters in the heart of
the Castillian central plateau, and boasts an active cultural, artistic
and industrial/economic environment as well as housing the country's central
government.
The city's steeped in history and traces its origins to a Moorish fortress
built on the banks of the Manzanares River in the late 800's. By the 11th
century, Christian forces under Alfonso VI had captured the Arab stronghold.
The beginnings of the city proper date back to fortifications built in
the 17th century to protect outlying areas; while the layout of today's
central arteries was done during the enlightened 18th century reign of
Carlos III. Most of the historic buildings remaining today date from the
17th and 18th centurys.
Getting there
- By air
Madrid's Barajas Airport is one of Europe's busiest. It is situated
some 13 km to the east of the city - and takes about 30 minutes in normal
traffic conditions. A city bus service runs regularly between the airport
and the centrally located Plaza de Colón.
- By train
There are two major train stations in the city: Chamartin in
the north serving most major Spanish cities as well as France; and Atocha
on the southern side which serves Portugal and Extremadura, and is the
base of operations for the high speed AVE trains to Córdoba,
Seville, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante and other major cities. For more information check the RENFE (Spanish National Railway System) Web Site.
- By road
Madrid is the hub Spain's national highway system - mainly 4-lane divided
highways connecting the capital with:
- N-I Burgos-Irún (Basque Region)-France
- N-II Barajas Airport-Zaragoza-Barcelona-France
- N-III Cuenca-Valencia-Alicante
- N-IV Aranjuez-Córdoba-Seville-Cádiz
- N-V Badajoz-Portugal
- N-VI Segovia-Vallodolid-La Coruña (Galicia)
- N-401 Toledo
Transportation
- The Madrid Metro underground train system is the fastest,
most economical way to get around town. It covers all of the city and its
environs. 10 trip rechargeable Metro cards are available at any Metro station.
- Bus: Madrid also boasts an extensive bus network. The Metro cards are valid for buses, normal credit cards also work on most bus lines..
- Taxi: There are taxis stands and circulating taxis all over the city.
Rates are reasonable, but not cheap.
Where to stay and what to do
Madrid is tourist's delight with something for just about everyone.
Finding a place to stay is seldom a problem, the capacity is over 50,000 beds. The city's filled
with historic buildings, its museums are among Europe's finest, the restaurants offer splendid
fare and the nightlife goes on 'til the wee hours - 3 AM traffic
jams are not at all unusual. All in all, Madrid's a place to enjoy in every
sense of the word.
Information Links for Madrid
- Madrid
from Cyberspain's Cities of Spain
Good overview with lots of general information about the captal city of
Madrid.
- TimeOut Guide Madrid
An excellent guide to entertainment, restaurants, art & culture, music, etc.
- Madrid Weather
Madrid has more than its fair share of sunny days, but remember it can
get very hot in July and August; and quite cool in the dead of winter.
Check the Weather Underground link for up-to-date weather information.
- VS Madrid links
Check Visit Spain's growing list of Madrid information links.
