Madrid Holiday
There are many places in the world where you can indulge in a bit of retail therapy, munch your way through a few tapas, catch a glimpse of world renowned paintings and then hotfoot it out for a night of hedonistic pleasure, but few do it as well as Madrid. The city is abuzz with a blur of faces in the streets and thousands of chattering tongues in the cafes and bars. And more often than not the heady mix will have your sleep-starved body gagging for more.
On the whole, Madrid is a city beautiful on the inside. Its medieval core, complete with winding alleys and atmospheric squares is largely surrounded by modern buildings designed for convenience rather than aesthetics. But even though its architecture may not be anything to write home about - head to any one of its three galleries and suddenly it’s a completely different picture. Indeed, the renowned triad of the Prado, the Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza are a requisite stop for any self-respecting art-lovers.
Those enamoured with the Goya's artistic abilities can satiate their appetite with a visit to the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida, whose walls have become the canvas for the painter's frescos.
For taste of royalty, head to the Palacio Real which lays claim to more rooms than any other European palace and is not only home to a library with one of the biggest collections of books, manuscripts, maps and musical scores in the world but also to an armoury housing an unrivalled collection of weapons dating back to the fifteenth century.
Shopping is one of the well-heeled Madrilenos greatest passions and with the plethora of boutiques, department stores and general shrines to fashion, it is fair to say that even shopaholics are spoiled for choice. But even those with a hatred of braving the shopping masses should head to Madrid's gargantuan Sunday flea market El Rastro to marvel at the sheer array of goods on offer.
Those with a penchant for clubbing will find themselves becoming distinctly nocturnal during their time in the city. Discobares cater for rock, dance or salsa music tastes and normally kick off at around 11pm until well into the early hours of the morning. From there, follow the crowds to the discotecas whose bouncers often operate a picky dress code policy on top of charging you a steep fee just to get in through the door. Once in though, you can keep going until the first rays of morning when the club kicks you out or your body gives up on you.
Madrid is definitely not the place to come on a relaxing break – unless of course your idea of relaxation is a noisy, bustling city. But if you're looking for somewhere to completely let loose then the city has enough bars and clubs to take on, and beat, even the most hardy of party people.
