Madrid

If someone was visiting Madrid, what advise would you give them?. Lots and lots of things to do and see, and it just goes on, it doesn't stop. Because Madrid is hustle, bustle and 'busyness'. In my opinion it takes time to plan what to do. But in a simple way I would give these suggestions.

Outdoors: you can get to know the city by cable car. The journey starts in Pintor Rosales, right in the center of Madrid and finishes in Casa de Campo. It takes 11 minutes and you can see the best views of Madrid, such as: Ministerio del aire, Debod's Egyptian Temple, the skyscrapers in Plaza España, the 'Pirulí' (an iconic telecommunications tower) in Torrespaña, Palacio Real, the Almudena's cathedral, San Francisco el Grande church, the lake in Casa de Campo, the amusement park, the zoo, and the river Manzanares.

Indoors: I recommend visiting the Museo del Prado,which is full of art, history, statues and has a big diversity of pictures. In fact, it is one of the finest collections of pre-20th century European art in the world. After that, a visit to the planetarium can be very instructive and thrilling. It is situated in Tierno Galván's park. It is designed to project and simulate different scenes in space. It is hi-tech and it can show you the Solar system, stellar explosions, black holes and galaxies.

Moreover, you must visit La Plaza Mayor, which is Madrid's main square. It is located right in the center of the city, just a few minutes walk from the Puerta del Sol area.

Despite the rather high prices charged by the restaurants and cafés under the arches that skirt the square, this is still a maravellous place to sit outside, try some good Spanish wine, sample some tasty tapas and watch the passers-by.This area is ideal to start exploring the city's sights and monuments. For example, Puerta de Toledo, Puerta del Sol, Atocha, Cibeles, Puerta de Alcalá, Madrid's cathedral, etc..

And finally, if you are a real explorer and you want to try our own way of getting around, I recommend getting on a bus, subway (tube) or train. Public transport has a very good time-table and prices are economical.

Enjoy your adventure amongst the Spanish people!. (Katy Pérez)