Expansive plazas, local and foreign crowds, street performers, colorful lights, window shopping, restaurant signs promising the best paella, ham, and churros con chocolate- this is downtown Madrid, a collection of plazas interconnected by a network of side streets. Some of these side streets are wide pedestrian shopping routes, and some are hidden, so it's possible to duck in and out of the bustle as desired. The iconic Puerta del Sol is the giant crossroads of the city and a must-see attraction at any time of the day. The nearby Plaza Mayor, completely enclosed by historic red buildings, is an ideal place to grab a bite to eat outside, amidst scores of tables and people out for a stroll. Plaza Isabel II (also known as “Opera”) is smaller and a good meeting spot, and the stately Plaza del Oriente is the front yard of the Royal Palace. Centro can be touristy (pickpockets are unfortuately not unheard-of here), crowded, and sometimes gimmicky, but it is also the place to experience classic Madrid.

Also known as Barrio de las Letras, Huertas was once home to prominent literary figures, Miguel de Cervantes and Lope de Vega among them. The neighborhood is committed to celebrating its rich heritage: Calle Huertas itself is inlaid with quotes from celebrated authors, street names pay homage to them, and second-hand bookshops pervade. Huertas receives a fair amount of spillover from the center — side streets around Plaza Santa Ana take on a foreign party atmosphere at night, and you always see young backpackers navigating the streets — but as you descend into the neighborhood, everything becomes a little more cramped and slightly less refined, and takes on more of an underground feel. Live music is at the heart of Huertas: by night, its subdued bars are ideal for meeting friends, sipping cocktails, and chatting quietly while enjoying jazz or singer-songwriter performances.

Hip bars and galleries, independent theaters and music venues, young people with tattoos and funky hair, narrow winding streets — this is Malasaña. Near the center, Plaza Dos de Mayo is a gathering of friends outside bars, dog owners, artists under craft tents, and creative types with notebooks and sketchpads on the plaza’s benches. It may not be as neat and tidy as many other parts of the city, but this only adds to the Malasaña edge. Shops and bars here range from hippie-crunchy to upscale trendy, and on weekends, the streets are bustling around the clock as the nightlife progresses from dinner to bar to disco to late-night food. On the west side of the neighborhood is the subdistrict called Conde Duque, named after a large pink fort in its center that has been converted into a cultural center for exhibitions and performances. Prettier yet just as edgy, this intimate corner of Malasaña is home to a young international community.

Multi-story residential buildings decorated with ornate balconies line the traditional, quiet, and pretty streets of Chamberí. Humble storefronts and neighborhood taverns are scattered across the lower levels down every block, and here and there, there's a cluster of tables on the sidewalk. It isn't ever crowded, but people are always out, poking into the tiny bakeries, hardware stores, and tobacco shops, or ducking into a bright, unadorned cerveceria to have a coffee or beer by the bar, flip through the paper, and check the sports score. The round Plaza Olavide, where the fairly regular network of streets breaks form, is among the most green and lively spots. Restaurants line its circumference and sought-after outdoor tables fill the center of the plaza, where people relax to the sounds of kids playing and street musicians' tunes.

Peaceful urban park centered around a beautiful lake.

The Prado has one of the largest art collections in the world, and is best known for its diverse assortment of works by Velasquez, Goya and El Greco.

Luxurious, over-the-top rococo palace with over 2,000 opulently gilded rooms.

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum offers visitors an overview of art from the 13th century to the late 20th century. In the nearly one thousand works on display, visitors can contemplate the major periods and pictorial schools of western art such as the Renaissance, Mannerism, the Baroque, Rococo, Romanticism and the art of the 19th and 20th centuries up to Pop Art. The museum also features works from some movements not represented in state-owned collections, such as Impressionism, Fauvism, German Expressionism and the experimental avant-garde movements of the early 20th century. In addition, it boasts an important collection of 19th-century American painting not found in any other European museum institutions. Permanent collection hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00 to 19.00 Monday: 12.00 - 16.00* *Free entry with the sponsorship of Mastercard.

The Sorolla Museum preserves the original atmosphere of both home and study of the painter Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (Valencia, 1863 - Cercedilla, 1923). It houses the richest collection of his works, colourful paintings irradiating light and vitality. It is one of the more complete and best preserved artist homes remaining in Europe. The garden, also designed by himself, is a beautiful oasis in the city.

Huge plaza packed with cafes, bars and tourists.

Back in 1916, San Miguel started as a wholesale food market. Today, this covered gourmet market’s drawcard is some of Spain’s finest produce and regional specialties. You'll find it nestled in the city center, clad in cast-iron architecture—it's also the last remaining iron market hall in Madrid. The market’s fleet comprises traditional tapas bars, seafood stalls, artisan bakeries, quality butchers, and an array of booths selling other fresh ingredients. It gets busy during lunch hour, so arrive early. Walk over from the famed Plaza Mayor, or make a pit stop after touring the Royal Palace of Madrid and the adjacent Plaza de la Armería. – Tripadvisor

World famous modern art museum featuring a diverse collection of 20th century Spanish art, from Picasso to Solana.