Madrid is home to three major art galleries. Due to my bad planning, the Reina Sofia, Madrid’s modern art gallery, housing Picasso’s masterpiece Guernica, was closed the day we decided to visit, but thankfully the Thyssen Bornemisza had sufficient modern paintings to interest my daughter including works by impressionist artists Monet and Degas, and Canaletto’s numerous depictions of Venice.
The famous Prado museum is not to be missed but be careful to select the highlights prior to your visit. Among the museum’s finest treasures are masterpieces by Spanish artists Goya and Velázquez.
There are some delightful parks in Madrid – one of which is the Parque del Retiro with its beautiful rose gardens, spacious areas, playgrounds, an enormous lake overlooked by marble colonnades and used for boating and the beautiful Palacio del Cristal overlooking a small lake.
The Casa del Campo is an ideal park for families to spend a few hours. It is semi-wild with a lake used for boating and sailing, the city zoo and an amusement park. The most exciting way to reach this park is by cable car which swings across rooftops and the park itself and on a clear day you can see the distant sierras.
The Atocha railway station is well worth a visit. The main concourse, consisting of a large atrium, is given over to luxurious palms and other vegetation. On a more serious note there is an interesting memorial to those killed at the station in the terrorist bombing in 2004. Looking up from the inside on to the transparent cone, you can read numerous messages of condolences from all over the world.
Madrid is a fascinating city just to wander around, looking at the old quarter, admiring the different architectural styles and the lovely stained glass windows in the Catedral de la Amudena or simply walking through the impressive squares, such as Plaza Mayor or Plaza de Oriente. In the latter, enjoy an ice cream or drink in one of the café terraces, surrounded by the Opera House, the Royal Palace and the splendid gardens.
A highlight of the trip was a flamenco dance evening. We went to a small club where the dancing was energetic, colourful and thoroughly enjoyable. Being on the continent my 14 year-old daughter was allowed in the bar.
Accommodation
We stayed in a hostel situated on the Grand Via, one of the main streets in the city. These hostels are very popular and similar to two star hotels. Our room was basic but clean with an ensuite shower, moderately priced and very central for the city's major attractions.
Travel
Numerous airlines fly into Madrid. From the airport, it takes about 45 minutes by metro to the city centre and costs only two euros. The metro is clean, efficient and quick but be careful of pickpockets especially at busy times. I speak from experience!
Food
There are numerous cafés and restaurants to suit all tastes and pockets ranging from those serving the famous Spanish tapas to the lunchtime menu of the day. Selections of sandwiches and traditional tortillas are also readily available.