The door to the sun! and other Madrid, Spain Things to Do Tips

The semi circular junction of Plaza del Sol comprises of shops, bars and restaurants and serves as a great meeting point. This is where the statue of the bear can be found which is the symbol of Madrid, and just south of the bear you will find the statue of King Carlos III.
The Puerta Del Sol is also known for being the point from where all distances are measured in Spain - you can always find out how far you are from Puerta del Sol!
What I liked best about Puerta del Sol is that it has lots of side-streets all spread out around the square, some filled with busy cafes, some with shops, some with a never-ending choice of hostels, some with clubs....It's super, makes the centre very compact and easy to explore! =)

Plaza Mayor is just a 5-minute walk away!

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Address: The "center" of Madrid
Directions: Center

Plaza Mayor is in the heart of Madrid just a stroll west of Puerta del Sol. This is where the locals and obviously hoards of tourists hang out on a sunny day in one of the many bustling cafes, moaning at the ridiculous prices of drinks & tapas (snacks)....Loads of street entertainers may be found here, as well as artists, musicians and so on... So you can be rest assured that every day will always be a different experience at Plaza Mayor! :)
In the middle stands a statue of Felipe III who ordered construction of the square. The coloured murals on the front wall of the Plaza (pic) is the bakery that was built in the 16th century known as the Real Casa de la Panderia.

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Address: Main square of Madrid
Directions: Metro Sol & Opera

The Royal Palace or Palacio Real is very impressive from the outside, so I can imagine what it's like on the inside - parts are open to the public and are known to be in perfect condition! The Royal family do not live in the Palace anymore, which is understandable, as there are over 2000 rooms! All in all this should be quite an interesting visit...

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Address: Former King's Residence

Beautiful gardens which can be found just below the Royal Palace, a friend recommended I go here but my first stop would have to be at a well known ice-cream shop just before the entrance... and devour it whilst walking through the gardens or just sit by a fountain in the grass and relax! That's exactly what I did anyway :P

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Address: The gardens below the Royal Palace

The Plaza de Espana is a 10 minute walk from the Royal Palace, the plaza which stands among the busy roads of the city is surrounded with trees and beautiful large fountains which makes it an ideal spot to relax and people watch!

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This park is huge and lovely! It's got a man-made lake in the middle from where it's possible to hire a boat and go paddling.. Or you may opt to sit under one of the many trees to take it all in and give yourself a break from city life! The park is also host to some art exhibitions and also home to the Crystal Palace which looks like a large green house..

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Directions: Within walking distance from Prado museum

This is definately one of Madrid's most amazing buildings! Can you believe that this masterpiece is the post office?! Sorry about the pic...not very centered...was taken from the tour bus :)

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