Madrid II

Right, here it is, the second part of my post about the must-see places in Madrid.

La Gran Vía

All Spanish cities have their own 'Gran Via', but Madrid's has an even greater significance, being the most important, as well as the most complicated to build. You can find all kinds of outlets here: restaurants, clothes shops and cinemas. Although they used to be extremely famous, the cinemas are going through a tough time at the moment, so they could do with your help! One of the best things about 'La Gran Via' is the vibrant atmosphere it provides, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It's definitely worth spending an afternoon here, shopping, grabbing a drink and taking in all it has to offer.

Puerta de Acalá

This memorial is typical of Madrid, and although it doesn't have much to offer it, you can't come to the city without taking a picture of it. At its highest point you can see a 'carro de la diosa victoria (chariot of the victorious goddess). There isn't much else to say about it, so just make sure you grab that photo and let's move on.

Plaza de Cibeles

If you are a football fan (if you've come to Spain and aren't, you soon will be) and you have the fortune of being in the city when either a local team, or even the national team, win an important match, this is where everyone will celebrate. There is also a water feature depicting the Goddess Cibeles in a chariot being pulled by lions.

Initially, the fountain was meant to provide water for the whole population of Madrid. But after a while it was moved to the centre of the square and is now simply decoration, and something that you again, of course, need to add to you scrapbook... *Click*

You will also find some other important buildings nearby:

• Palacio de Comunicaciones: recommended for its amazing views of the city. I think a while ago they started working on it so that the town hall could be inside, or at least something along those lines, so don’t be surprised if you are passing by and happen to see some workers hammering away.
• Palacio de Buenavista: the current headquarters of the army general.
• Banco de España: the central headquarters of the well known Spanish bank. It has a striking exterior with very little decoration in truth, but does have a beautiful interior with some very famous works from the likes of Goya, Mengs and Maella on display. Paying a visit inside is definitely worth the effort.
• Palacio de Linares.

Palacio Real

As you can probably guess, this is the official residence for the current Spanish royalty (even though, for those interested, they actually live in the Zarzuela) and is particularly interesting because it is the biggest royal palace in the whole of Western Europe. They only actually use it for receptions, meetings, official functions and all the other things no one actually understands. It is surrounded by both the ‘Campo del Moro’ (that you can only visit during the day) and the Sabatini Gardens.

Something else tourists usually enjoy here is the Changing of the Guard, and although not as famous as in other countries, I would still recommend seeing it, as it really is fascinating to watch. It happens at 11am every Wednesday from October to July (or every month apart from August and September). However it is sometimes cancelled due to bad weather or simply because there is something important going on inside the Royal Palace.

Catedral de la Almudena

This is the most important religious monument in the city, and is where the Spanish prince got married (for all you romantics out there). Another interesting fact is that it was the first cathedral to be consecrated by Pope John Paul II outside of Rome. It’s worth going in and having a look around, especially as it is completely different to most others.

It also has a museum that I would recommend seeing, but if you don’t get a chance to, I wouldn't worry yourself too much. At first glance it does look a little boring, but this changes as you go inside and see sneak a peek into the history of the dioceses through its mosaics and other important objects.

Another thing you can do is go up to the top of the dome. I don’t think it’s really worth doing, but what I will say is that if you have already paid to visit the museum, entry to the dome is included in the price.

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