While benefiting from a rich historic legacy, this modern and cosmopolitan city offers a wide variety of alternatives for cultural and recreational tourism. These include the palaces and gardens in the Royal Site at Aranjuez and the Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial. 

Madrid's Museum of the Prado is one of the premier art galleries in Europe. Built originally as a natural science museum during the reign of Charles III. Its world-famous collection of paintings includes works by El Greco, Francisco Goya, Diego Velazquez, Fra Angelico, Raphael, Peter Paul Rubens, and many others.

The region of Madrid has vast expanses of widely varied natural landscapes. From the El Prado hills, with woods that shelter wildlife of nearly every description, to the beauty of the mountainscapes of the Sierra de Madrid or the wide plains. Madrid has protected has protected its natural beauty for the enjoyment of all, with areas reserved for practicing sports such as golf, sailing, windsurfing, ballooning and horseback riding. The Capital itself has many parks and gardens such as the Casa de Campo or Retiro Park, with over sixty thousand trees; many of these parks were started centuries ago.

The heart of Madrid is the Puerta del Sol. From this plaza spread the city's busiest streets. Many are broad avenues, landscaped and lined with chairs, benches, and outdoor cafes.

It is the nightlife of the city, which remains alive and festive until dawn, that distinguishes it from other cities. A night out in Madrid offers a wide range of atmospheres: Jazz, flamenco "tablaos', pubs, sidewalk cafes, outdoor dances, concerts, restaurants, night clubs, cocktail bars, classical cafes and folk "fiestas", all are open to the wee hours. After a night of intense excitement, Madrid's night owls greet the day over a steaming cup hot chocolate and "churros".

Madrid is ideally located -less than an hour away- for visits to cities of great cultural and historic significance such as Avilla, Toledo or Segovia.

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