The favourite city of Almadovar!
Madrid is the undisputed economic and administrational centre of Spain, though it was not destined to be. Located on a bleakly high plateau on the edge of the Sierra Guadarrama mountains it once served as a Moorish fortress first settled during the 9th century. Its original purpose was simply to defend Toledo, the grand capital of a Muslim kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula. It wasn’t until the middle of the 16th century that King Felipe II of Spain decided to leave Toledo and move his court to Madrid.
Ever since the history of Madrid closely mirrored the history of Spain with all its ups and downs. This of course included the long dictatorship of Francisco Franco which brought life in Madrid more or less to a stand still. After the dictator died and King Juan Carlos I reformed the country and turned it into a thriving democracy Madrid awakened. The Movida Madrileña, an art wave in the country’s capital during the 1980s, produced a lot of successful artists like famous filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar.
City’s art scene
The importance of the city’s art scene is reflected in the number of world class museums. The most important are Museo Reina Sofia, a museum of contemporary and visual art, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza with a fantastic collection covering anything from Italian gothic art to surrealism and pop art, and Museo de Prado, one of the largest and most significant art museums in the world, housing precious originals of Goya, Durer, Rembrandt, Rubens Velázquez and more.
The city itself is a collection of art and historic sites with grand avenues, squares, and parks, lined with town villas and palaces, fountains, and monuments.
On the tour in Mardid
The Palacio Real (royal palace) is an obvious stop on the tour of Madrid. Built in the first half of the 18th century it is the official residence of the royal family, though they mostly live outside the city. With the exception of official events taking place the palace is open to the public and well worth a tour.
The most popular green area, and the largest in town,which can be reached easily with your car hire is Parque del Retiro, containing the Crystal Palace, a large lake on which much boating is to be done, and a memorial to the victims of the 2004 terrorist bombings.
A tour of the city highlights in your car
hire first takes you to the town hall and the Plaza Mayor, the main square surrounded by representational buildings.
For information on Madrid’s vivid nightlife browse the PopGuide, an English event magazine listing theatre, live music, and other cultural events.
Exploring the surroundings
Though there is much to do in the city you should take a few days exploring the surroundings with your holiday car rental. A must-see is Toledo, the capital of the former namesake kingdom. Just 70 km (40 mi) south¬-east of Madrid you will find a UNESCO-protected Old Town very much resembling an open-air museum revolving around the awe-inspiring Santa Maria Cathedral.
