Madrid

Madrid is rarely picturesque, Broad leafy avenues backed by elegent parks flank it east and west; a handful of intriguining narrow lanes sheltered between old and convents and churches graft on to a stately Plaza Mayor; the ornate Royal Palace is magnificently sited and the city's museums house an awesome wealth of art treasures. But even when all this is said, it is a place of very specific attractions, not at all to everybody's tastes.

Big, bad and urban, Madrid is an uncompromisingly modern city, with all the excitement that goes with it. Its rich cultural life offers theatre, opera and great football, along with a night scene of bars, dance venues and restaurants second to none. But there is a downside too and you can expect to see prostitution and drug addiction in many parts of the centre, spawning more than a fair share of petty crime. This doesn't necessarily make things dangerous Madrilenos are great socialites and streets are boisterously crowded in the evenings but it certainly can be unsavoury. Inured city dwellers take it all in their stride; visitors have to be prepared to do the same.

Madrid Hotels

Barceló Aranjuez Hotel - Plaza de la Unesco,2 Aranjuez, 28300
Egido Don Manuel - Principe, 71 Aranjuez, 28300
NH Principe de la Paz - C/ San Antonio, 22 Aranjuez, 28300
La Cerca Hotel - C/Cerca 9 Chinchon, 28370
Condesa de Chinchón - Los Huertos, 26 Chinchón, 28370
Hotel Las Artes - Paseo de las Artes (antigua calle Parla), 15 Pinto, 28320
NH Parla Hotel - Avda Leguario Nº2 Parla, 28980
Posadas De España Pinto - Sierra Nevada 3 Pinto, 28320
NH Arganda Hotel - Avda. de Madrid, 105 Arganda del Rey, 28500
AC Arganda Hotel - Avda. de Madrid 47 Arganda del Rey, 28500
AC Coslada Hotel - Camino De Las Rejas, Nº 5 Coslada, 28042
Clement Barajas - Avenida General, 43 Madrid, 28042
Kris Cazadora - Avenida de la Hispanidad, 12 Madrid, 28042
Melia Barajas - Avda De Logroño 305 Madrid, 28042
Abba Madrid - Avda. de América, 32 Madrid, 28028
Tryp Diana - Galeon 27 Madrid, 28042

It is worth bearing in mind, too, that in July and August temperatures are around 30*C (in the high 80s and 90s Fahrenheit), the air is dusty and still, and most Madrilenos head for cooler climes if they possibly can. Madrid is bang in the middle of this massive peninsula, a huge distance from any coast, so if you want to combine your visit with a trip to the beach, remember that getting to the sea is costly and, unless you fly, will take the best part of a day. A far better option is to visit one of the several exceptionally fine historic towns within easy reach of the capital: Avila, Segovia and Toledo all offer an intense concentration of evocative ancient buildings, and are within a two hour journey from the centre.

GETTING YOUR BEARINGS

First impressions of Madrid can be daunting. The capital takes care of the nation's affairs: banks, big business and government are all here, but for all the high rise offices and hectic traffic, Madrid is actually much smaller and more manageable than it initially appears, and there is no need to feel swamped by the pace and modernity of it. The metro system is cheap, efficient and easy to master and taxis provide an inexpensive means of getting around the centre late at night. Our map is on a small scale; excellent detailed street maps can be picked up at any of the tourist offices, or bought at newsstands.

Puerta del Sol is the best place to get your bearings; after all, the rest of Spain does. Philip 11 decreed that it should be the focal centre of the whole country from which all distances from Madrid should be measured; the precise spot chosen for this purpose is now just outside the Presidencia de la Comunidad de Madrid.

However, don't expect any moving historic monuments: Puerta del Sol, a junction of several main roads, is noisy and congested with people hurrying through town, traders flogging cheap lighters, souvenirs and postcards, and harried street performers, all hustling for business amid the sweat and fumes of the city. None the less it remains a useful focal point. A short walk to the southwest brings you to the majestic Plaza Mayor, where there is a tourist office, and minor lanes and alleys lead off here forming Madrid's modest old quarter. It is a pleasant walk west from here towards the Palacio Real, the grandiose 17th century palace that marks the western limit of the city centre.

Pedestrian streets reach north from Sol to meet the Gran Via and the Montera area, the latter notorious for prostitution. The Gran Via is a thoroughfare cutting through the modern part of town, flanked by cinemas, high rise hotels, garish billboards and neon lights. At night its bright lights and pavement cafes attract a mainstream crowd undeterred by the prostitution and the fumes of multi lane traffic. At its easterly end the Gran Via meets the cool and stately fountains of Plaza Cibeles, and the elegant, leafy Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado, both main roads and elegant tree lined walkways with stylish pavement cafes Along these avenues are Madrid's grand 19th century Neo Classical buildings: the banks, the stock exchange, the Communications Building and the Ritz Hotel. Ranged in adjacent streets and avenues are the national museums of the Prado and Cason Buen Retiro; beyond these are the sequestered gardens of El Retiro Park, marking the easterly limit of the city centre.

Madrid Attractions

These sights are grouped according to proximity to one another, and the nearest metro station is indicated.

The Prado

Paseo del Prado, s/n, Tel: 420 28 36. Metro: Atocha and Banco de Espana. Entrance: 400 pesetas; No charge for EC citizens under 21. Open Tuesday Saturday 9.00 19.00, Sundays and holidays 9.00 14.00.

This is one of the world's great art galleries and picking highlights from such a collection becomes futile; the following is an indication of the breadth of work on show. Art lovers can expect to want to devote a couple of days to the place.

Largely the collection of consecutive Spanish monarchs, the paintings and sculpture in the Prado reflect their panEuropean tastes. The works of Mantegna, Fra Angelico, Raphael, Veronese, Tintoretto and Titian are all represented here, as are paintings from the Flemish schools: Hieronymus Bosch, Memling and Rogier van der Weyden. There is a collection of Greek and Roman sculpture, too, and of course a wealth of Spanish art. It is the perfect place to consider the weighty contribution of Spanish painters over the centuries, with magnificent collections of work by both Goya and Velazquez, along with paintings by El Greco, Murillo and Zurbaran.

Cason del Buen Retiro

This museum houses Picasso's painting "Guernica", a huge abstract canvas expressing the artist's anguish and horror at the German bombing of the town of Guernica in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War .

The rest of this building is given over to 19th century Spanish painting, for which entrance is via Calle Felipe IV, 28. The Retiro Park nearby is also worth seeing; see below. Thyssen Bomemisza Collection in Palacio de Villahermosa One of the world's greatest private collections of paintings second only to that of Queen Elizabeth 11 is here on loan to the city of Madrid. Highlights include "St Catherine of Alexandria" by Caravaggio and a portrait of Henry VIII by Holbein.

National Archaeological Museum

A major national collection of archaeological finds from all over the country, tracing the early history of the peninsula: Punic, Roman, Visigothic, Muslim and Romanesque periods are all well represented and in the grounds are copies of the cave paintings of Altamira. Also on show here is the famous "Dama de Elche"; Plaza Mayor

The Plaza Mayor is a magnificent, stately square, bound by the colonnading of grandiose 17th century buildings on all sides. Designed by Juan de Herrera for Philip 11, it was completed in 1617; the dark slate roofs are of Flemish inspiration. The central equestrian statue is the work of two Italians, Juan de Bolonia and Pietro Tacco. The sculptors certainly knew how to curry favour with the king: Philip III sits astride his horse proud and imperious for all posterity, without a hint of the weak and ineffectual ruler he actually was. The plaza was the centre of Spanish society in the 17th century: bullfights, royal processions and the terrifying auto da fes of the Inquisition were all held here. Today it is a haven of elegant civility, and it is hard to believe the hectic Puerto del Sol is just a stone's throw away. There are fine terrace cafes: sit with a drink and admire the scene.

Palacio Real

(Calle de Bailin, Tel 248 74 04. Metro: Opera. Entrance 400 pesetas; free on Wednesdays. Open: Tuesday Saturday 9.30 17.4S, Sunday and holidays 9.30 14.00.)

This grandiose royal palace was designed by Italian architects on the site of the old alcazar, which had been destroyed by fire. It was built between 1737 and 1764, and the setting must have been superb in those days: colonnaded arches flank the forecourt framing expansive views away from the city to the high, snow capped sierras.

The guided tour (in English) takes you through state rooms decorated in the 18th and 19th centuries, with flourishes of gilt ornamentation, chandeliers and rich tapestries; parts of the palace are still used for state visits. Magnificent frescoes by Tiepolo adorn the throne room and walls are hung with the works of Goya, Rubens, Watteau and Velazquez. Look out in particular for the portraits of Charles IV and of Queen Maria Luisa by Goya in the ambassador's audience chamber. Art enthusiasts may feel disappointed; here first rate canvases are swamped by the excessive splendour of the rooms and the guided tour is too swift for lengthy contemplation.

An 18th century pharmacy displays tinted bottles and herbal cures in an adjacent wing, and across the forecourt is an exceptionally enjoyable armoury. It is a massive collection: lethal weapons stand alongside suits of armour worn by seven year old princes; there is even armour for a greyhound; but most impressive of all are the equestrian displays. Avenues of prancing, rearing, armoured horses fill the huge hall; walk down between them for a vivid sense of the fear and clamour of battle.

Convento de las Descalzas Reales

This small monastery is a treasure house of 16th and 17thcentury religious art, all displayed in the manner in which it was intended: shrine after shrine is extravagantly decorated with statuary, paintings and weirdly kitsch toy doll Jesuses, each opening on to the upper courtyard like a glittering treasure chest. Access is via a sumptuously rich, frescoed staircase. Adjacent small galleries house outstanding paintings of the Spanish royal family. Works by Gerard David and Titian, a grand series of tapestries after designs by Rubens and a particularly fine "Adoration of the Magi" by Brueghel the Elder are just some of the highlights.

The convent was founded in 1559 by Joanna of Austria, daughter of Charles V, for the Poor Clares, occupying a former palace of the kings of Castile. It became a retreat for members of the nobility seeking periods of seclusion, and the collection is the accumulation of lavish, costly gifts that they bestowed upon the order.

Places to Stay

Mocelo HsR**, Calle del Prado, 10, 1. Tel: 429 49 63. Sud Americana, Pasco del Prado, 12. Tel: 429 2S 64. Santander HR*, Calle Echegaray, 1. Tel: 429 95 S1. Ingles H***, Calle Echegaray, 8. Tel: 429 65 51. Filo HsR*, Plaza de Santa Ana, 15. Tel: 522 40 56. Santa Birbara HsR**, Plaza de Santa Barbara, 4. Tel: 445 73 34. Alicante HsR**, Arenal, 16, 2nd floor. Tel: 5315178. Moderno, Arenal, 2. Tel: 53109 00. Aresol HS***, Arenal, 6, 3rd floor. Tel: 532 24 27. Londres HR**, Galdo, 2. Tel: 53141 05. Regente HR***, Mesoneros Romanos, 9. Tel: 52129 41. Opera HR***, Cuesta Santo Domingo, 2. Tel: 54128 00.

Smarter Options

Regina HR***, Alcall, 19. Tel: 52147 25. Carlos V HR* * *, Maestro Vitoria, 5. Tel: 531 41 00. Tryp Reina Victoria H* * * *, Plaza del Angel, 7. Tel: 53145 00. Hotel Tryp Rex H R* * *, Gran Via, 43. Tel: 247 48 00.