Madrid is the capital of Spain and is located in the centre of the country. It has an altitude of 650m which contributes to the hot dry summers and colder winters that the city experiences. It is the third largest city in Europe only after London and Berlin. The city is home to both the Spanish Parliament and also to the Spanish Monarch, so it is a city with political, historical and cultural prominence and has all the trappings that go along with this, including some of the best art collections in Europe, beautiful buildings and parks and historic sites, temples and museums. Madrid is also a really fun city for a night out and is famous for tapas, paella and flamenco.
More About Madrid
Car Hire
Car hire Madrid is more popular with business people and tourists looking to see the city and to see the surrounds of Madrid. If you are travelling to Madrid and looking to just stay in the city, then public transport is good in the city and a hire car probably in not necessary. Try to see more of the area though if you have time, there is loads to see outside the city. Car Booker provides car hire in Madrid airport but also in city centre locations, so you can get a car where ever is closest to you. Also, you can pick up your hire car in one location and drop off in another, so that will give you more flexibility for your trip. Always pre-book your rental car in Madrid and particularly if you are hiring a car in Madrid airport. Car Booker compares the prices and deals from all the car hire companies in Madrid to find you the very best car hire price.
Top things to do
To see a lot of the famous sites in Madrid, you will head directly to the centre of the city and find many of them close together including Puerta Del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, and Plaza de Colón. For beautiful old streets go to the Gran Via, Alcalá Street, and Paseo de la Castellana. There is an old Egyptian Temple in Madrid from BC called the Templo de Debod which is a must. And for museuems and art, please don’t miss The Prado, the Reina Sofia which has Picasso’s ‘Woman in Blue’ on view and The Thyssen-Bornemisza which probably has the world’s best private art collection. To escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours, go to Retiro Park and go on a paddle boat or the Parque Del Capricho which has a labyrinth! If you are in the city on a Sunday, don’t miss going to a flea market in the Rastro area.
Road Trips
If you are landing in Madrid or visiting, it is a great base to explore more to the north and there is one great route or trip you can do (takes roughly a week). From Madrid drive to Segovia, Avila and up to Salamanca, Valladolid and Burgos and back through Sierra de la Demanda and Soria and home from Madrid again. Or if this is too much for you and you are looking for something shorter, there are a number of day trips you can do in your hire car, including going to Mendoza castle in the stunning La Pedriza hills near Manzanares el Real. Or you could drive about an hour from Madrid to a restaurant called Meson de Candido in Segovia with a house specialty of juicy suckling pig – out of this world, finger licking good! Or you could drive to the Valle de los Caidos Basilica (valley of the fallen) which was built in the civil war from prisoner labor. Today it is home to General Franco’s remains.