EL PALACIO REAL
Address: Calle Bailen, 28071 Tel: 00 34 914 548 700 Website: www.patrimonionacional.es Metro: Opera Open: Mon-Sat 09:00-18:00, Sun and holidays 09:00-15:00 (April-Sept), Mon-Sat 09:30-17:00, Sun and holidays 09:00-14.00 (October-March), closed occasionally for state visits. Admission: 9 euros guided tour, 8 euros without a guide.

The Royal Palace has some 2800 rooms - more then any other European palace. Only 50 of those are open to public including the Royal Pharmacy and the Royal Armoury Museum. In addition to the incredible lavishness on show all around the Palace, you should also look out for Goya’s cartoons and tapestries.

MUSEO DEL PRADO
Address: Paseo del Prado, 28014. Tel: 00 34 91 330 28 00 Website: www.museoprado.es Metro: Banco de España and Attocha Open: Tue-Sun 09:00-20:00 Admission: General 6 Euros, Concessions 3 Euros, Free on Sundays, Free for under 18s and over 65s, EU students under 25.

Opened in 1819 and originally housing Spanish art from the royal collections, the Prado has grown to be one of the biggest and most visited art museums in the world. Today it houses around 7000 paintings, and although only 1500 are on display at any one time, one visit will not be enough to see them all. The main attractions are the works of Goya (including the Mayas), Velázquez (including LasMeninas) and El Greco. Other highlights include the museum’s Flemish collection and Italian Renaissance paintings.

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CENTRO DE ARTE REINA SOFIA
Address: Plaza Santa Isabel 52, 28012 Tel: +34 91 774 10 00 Website: www.museoreinasofia.es Open: Mon-Sat 10:00- 21:00, Sun 10:00-14:30 Admission: General 3 Euros, free for under 18s and over 65s, half price for students. Free to general public on Sat 14:30 – 21:00 and Sun 10:00 – 14:30. Admission to the Palacio de Velazquez and the Palacio de Cristal, situated in Retiro Park away from the main building, is also free. Metro and Rail: Atocha

Reina Sofia national museum was opened in 1992 as a replacement to the Spanish Museum of Contemporary Art. It is housed in an 18th century building conveniently situated at the Atocha roundabout near the Prado. Its collection has been growing rapidly and it is now considered to be one of the most important modern art museums in the world. The museum permanently houses works of Picasso (including Guernica), Solana, Dalí, Miró, Juan Gris and others. There are also temporary collections situated in the Retiro Park.

EL RASTRO
Address: Calle Ribera de Curtidores El Rastro. Open: Sunday 10:00-15:00.

This is Madrid’s gigantic flea market, selling anything from fake leather bags, cheap clothes to electronics from the Far East. Don’t spend all of your money on the junk on offer though, save some for a drink in one of the bars surrounding the market area. But watch out for your valuables, El Rastro is popular with tourists and thieves alike.

PARQUE DEL BUEN RETIRO
Daily 06:00-24:00 (May to Sep), 06:00-22:00 (Oct-April)

This is Madrid’s most central and probably the prettiest park. In the centre of it is the artificial lake where you can hire a boat. Elsewhere you will find Alfonso XII’s mausoleum, an Egyptian Fountain and a number of formal gardens.

ERMITA DE SAN ANTONIO DE LA FLORIDA
Address: Glorieta de la Florida 5. Metro: Príncipe Pío Open: Tue-Fri 10:00-14:00, 16:00-20:00. Sat-Sun 10:00-14:00. Admission: 1.80Euros, free on Wed & Sun.

This church was built in the late 18th century by Felipe Fontana but its main attraction is the frescoes by Goya. The main fresco, decorating the dome, consists of a number of characters with the main scene being a resurrection of a dead man by St Anthony of Padua. Goya’s tomb is also situated within the church grounds.