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Holidayco.co.uk specialises in Cheap holidays in Madrid, package holidays and late deals to a huge number of destinations. Find out more about Madrid in our guide below.

Holidays in Madrid

Madrid is an ideal European city break, with its boundless energy, blue skies, art, culture and some of the most exhilarating and exhausting nightlife in Europe. The city is compact and easy to navigate on foot - the majority of the main tourist attractions are located in the city's central area between the Royal Palace and the Parque del Retiro. Madrid is located on top of a high plateau and is in fact the highest capital in Europe, which gives the city a climate of extremes with steaming hot summers and bitterly cold winters. Spring is an ideal time to visit and explore the alleyways and squares in the heart of this bustling city.

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Sightseeing in Madrid

Madrid's famous central arcaded square dates back to 1619 and was constructed by Philip III whose statue still stands in its center. In medieval times the square hosted many public spectacles, including knights' tournaments and religious festivals. Today it is still a popular public gathering place, although most of the people who gather in the pavement cafes to sip sangria on summer nights are tourists, enjoying impromptu music performances and watching the passing parade.

The Panteon de Goya is located in the Glorieta de San Antonio de la Florida and is known as Goya's Sistine Chapel.

Madrid's lush central park, one of the city's many green spaces, covers an expanse of 350 acres and was constructed originally as the private garden of Philip IV. This huge park includes formal gardens, statues, fountains, lakes, exhibition halls, children's playgrounds and outdoor cafes. Visitors can wander through the trees, admire the rose garden, and take a boat ride on the lake. At weekends the park comes alive with musicians, clowns, fortune-tellers and pavement artists.

Shopping in Madrid

Shopping in Madrid is still based mainly around small shops that sell specialized items. Although bigger department stores are available, people who prefer smaller boutiques and specialty shops will enjoy shopping in various parts of the city where they will find an varied range of shops where particular items of interest are available.

Activities in Madrid

Visitors wishing to take a break from all the art that Madrid offers may want to see the Plaza de Toros, the biggest bullring in Spain, where regular bullfights are still held. Sports fans can watch Real Madrid, or Atletico de Madrid, Spain's most famous football teams kick off.

Culture in Madrid

Madrid's famous Museo del Prado in the heart of the city's 'Museum Mile' houses important works by Spanish and European masters from the Renaissance onwards, while the Museo Thyssen-Bornemiza houses one of the largest private collections in the world. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia is devoted to 20th century Spanish art, with works by artists including Miro, Dali and Picasso. The Prado truly has few equals - whether you are an art lover or not.

The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, which houses the former private collection of the Thyssen family which was bought by the city to enrich its fund of art treasures. The collection contains almost a thousand sculptures, carvings and tapestries, ranging from primitive Flemish works to contemporary pieces. Among the highlights are works by Renoir, Durer and Van Eyck.

The Reina Sofia is dedicated to 20th century Spanish art, having been designed to give Spain a museum to equal France's Pompidou Centre and London's Tate Gallery. The artworks displayed here include those of Juan Gris, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro and Pablo Picasso. The star attraction of the museum is Picasso's controversial Guernica, depicting the Nazi bombing of the Basque town in 1937 in support of Franco's cause in the Spanish Civil War.

Food in Madrid

An important part of Madrid's rich culture is its abundance in delicious cuisine. As well as typical Spanish foods, Madrid also overflows with dishes from neighboring provinces such as Galicia, Valencia and the Basque country. For Madrilenos, breakfast normally consists of chocolate con churros (hot chocolate and deep fried Spanish doughnuts). Lunchtime is probably the largest and most important meal of the day takes place any time between 1-4 p.m. Dinnertime is late at around 10:30 p.m. onwards. Madrid is justifiably famous for its tapas - small snacks that can be either hot or cold dishes that are served as appetizers and can be anything from Spanish omelette, squids or paella.

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