Km 0 in Puerta del Sol and other Madrid, Spain Things to Do Tips

Puerta del Sol clock

Although Puerta del Sol could be literally translated as "Sun's Gate", you should not expect to find there a gate of any kind, but an enormous square that is the neuralgic (and official) center of Madrid. Its origins could be traced to the reign of Carlos I (XVI century), who built an entry gate to the city sited on this place. In one of the arches of the gate, there was a painted Sun, and hence the name!

Indeed, Sol area posses some kind of "centric" quality inside: it is not only the place where the Spanish road network officially starts, but also the meeting point for the New Year celebrations in Madrid.

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Address: Puerta del Sol square
Directions: Sol Metro station (Line 2)

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Plaza Mayor: Plaza Mayor

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Updated by agarcia

on Jun 30, 2003

Christmas Carols in Plaza Mayor

Definitely one of my favorite places in Madrid, always full of life... and also full of tourists! ;-) Indeed, during the peak season, is difficult to find local people among the multitudes that congregate there, sitting at the terraces of the square, or just enjoying Madrid privileged sun...

However, during Christmas the square holds a delicious and colorful flea market, where Madrile?os usually buys ornaments for our Christmas trees and Belenes (a representation of Jesus birth). A total must see.

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Address: Main square of Madrid
Directions: Close to Puerta del Sol (Sol Metro station)

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Retiro Park: El Retiro

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Updated by agarcia

on Apr 15, 2004

A typical sunset in El Retiro

El Parque del Buen Retiro (as this is its full official name) is the most beautiful park of Madrid. It just happens that I live in a nearby area, so Retiro is my favorite place in which to read the paper during Sunday mornings, practicing my not very developed photographic skills or just walking with my friends when they came to visit the neighborhood.

Apart from the impressive central lake, and the elegant Palacio de Cristal, I always find fascinating the Fallen Angel statue that is placed in the southernmost part of the park.

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Address: Retiro metro station
Directions: Beside Alcal� street
Website: http://www.munimadrid.es/SicWeb/Documents?POSICION=129&TOTAL=162&BPAGINI=121&BPAGFIN=140&BCLAVE=1143&USUARIO=

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Prado Museum: Museo de El Prado

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Updated by agarcia

on Mar 3, 2003

Velazquez door of El Prado

I could talk about El Prado during hours, as my parents used to take my siblings and me to visit the place during our loooong summers in the city. You see, I didn't visit any interesting or exotic country during my childhood, but I grown to be an art enthusiast ;-)

The museum holds the most remarkable and huge pictoric collection of the city, which includes some of my favorite Spanish painters of all the time: Velazquez, Goya, Murillo, etc. The collection is so big that what you see hanged on the walls constitutes just the 10% of the total museum patrimony.

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Phone: (91) 330 28 00
Address: Paseo del Prado s/n. 28014 Madrid. Spain
Directions: Paseo del Prado, beside Neptuno fountain.Banco de Espa�a or Atocha Metro stations.
Website: http://museoprado.mcu.es/prado/html/ihome.html
Other Contact: Basic admission: 3.01 euros

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Streets and walking: El Rastro

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Updated by agarcia

on Jul 7, 2003

A sunny morning in El Rastro

El Rastro is Madrid largest and more famous flea market. Indeed, it's so famous the Spanish common word for flea market is "rastro" or "rastrillo". It is located on the very heart of Madrid, the most typical part of the city (the adjective for that in Spanish is "castizo").
Local people (like myself) love to gather around during Sunday afternoons, shopping or just eating tapas while chatting with some friends.

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Address: Latina Metro Station (Line 5)
Website: http://www.softdoc.es/madrid_guide/maps/rastro.htm

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Streets and walking: La Latina

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Updated by agarcia

on Jul 7, 2003

La Latina street

La Latina keeps alive the small city atmosphere that Madrid has many years ago, when everybody knows each other on the neighborhood and you could walk the entire city in a matter of hours. At least, that's what my grandparent used to say.

Anyway, when I'm on this area, I clearly understand what he tried to tell me: sloped and narrow streets, ancient houses and churches, charming and little squares, etc.

One interesting anecdote; the neighborhood is named after Beatriz Galindo (aka "La Latina"). Ms. Galindo was an amazing woman for her times (XV century), because she was fluent in the Latin language (hence her nickname) and carried out an intense cultural labor in the area.

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Address: Metro La Latina (Line 5)
Website: http://www.softdoc.es/madrid_guide/maps/latina.htm

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Puerta de Alcala: Puerta de Alcala

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Updated by agarcia

on May 3, 2004

Puerta de Alcala

La Puerta de Alcala (Alcala's Gate) is one of the most characteristics spots in the city. Located in the Alcala Street, it used to be on of the city exists. That was, obviously many, many years ago, when Madrid was a younger (and smaller city).

Now, it only remains as a photogenic object in the heart of the city, strategically situated beside El Retiro.

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Address: Calle de Alcala
Directions: Retiro Metro Station (Line 2)

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Cibeles Square: Madrid Goddess

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Updated by agarcia

on Sep 22, 2003

Palacio de las Comunicaciones

Ok, Cibeles is not very impressive as a monument, but I will suggest you to start any interesting tour around Madrid there. It's located in the intersection of Gran Via with Paseo de Recoletos, that is, near all the biggest city museums (Prado, Thyssen, Reina Sofia).

In the same square you'll find the much more impressive "Palacio de las Comunicaciones " (Telecommunications Palace), which is not a church, as you may think by its shape, but instead the central offices for the Spanish Postal Service. In fact, when the building was finished in the beginning of the past century, it was given the nickname of "Church of the Telecommunications Virgin". ;-)

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Address: Where Alcala street crosses Paseo del Prado
Directions: It's the beginning of the Alcala Street

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Almudena Cathedral: Catedral de La Almudena

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Updated by agarcia

on Jun 12, 2003

Cathedral exterior

If you have read already some of my other pages you would have noticed that I feel an ambivalent inclination about churches. I appreciate the usually impressive architecture and the serenity of its interiors, but I don't have any religious feeling whatsoever.

Said that, I must admit I'm not a big fan of Madrid's official Cathedral, "Nuestra se�ora de la Almudena". Maybe it has to do with the fact that its officially dates from the "ancient" date of 1993, even thought the construction was initiated in the XVII century...I don't know what the reason is, but I can't find any of the sensations that I feel in other big temples. Anyway, the sunset from there is simply lovely. You should not miss it!

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Address: Next to the Royal Palace
Directions: Metro Opera

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Sabatini Gardens: Geometrical beauty

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Updated by agarcia

on Jun 12, 2003

Sabatini Gardens