Madrid

While perhaps not as well known for it as London or New York, Madrid has dozens of excellent places to shop. Whether you're looking for a valuable antique or just a simple gift for someone back home, Madrid has much to offer. You may be looking for exclusive shops - of which there are many, or you may want a flea market atmosphere. Madrid has it all.

Located at Calle Santa Isabel 52, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia is just the ticket for fans of Picasso, Miro, Solana and other notable Spanish artists.

A relatively young museum, established in 1991, the Queen Sofia contains hundreds of works by dozens of artists, including the famed Guernica by Picasso. As a result it is now ranked among the most important collections in modern art in Europe.

Unusual for a museum dedicated to modern art, the collection is housed in a building designed in the 18th century. Scheduled to be demolished, it was declared an historic monument in 1977 and eventually was re-purposed to its present use.

Second only to Versailles in size and splendor, the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) in Madrid is an architectural marvel and a treasure trove. Nearly three thousand rooms, with 240 balconies and over forty staircases, this magnificent work is one of Madrid's major tourist attractions.

Even though less than 10% of the room is open to the public, there is still far more than a visitor could see in a single day. Everywhere the eye looks can be seen fine rococo decoration, lush tapestries, bejeweled clocks, delicate porcelain and thousands of other precious objects.

Long the home of Spanish monarchs (it was conceived by Phillip V, and occupied until Alfonso XIII in 1931), this palace was once the center of power for a dynasty that ruled half the then-known world.

One of the most visited tourist spots in Madrid, the Prado Museum is home to over 7,000 paintings. Though the emphasis is heavily on the three most famous Spanish masters - Goya, Vel·zquez and El Greco - there are major and minor masterpieces from dozens of other artists.

Surrounded by beautiful botanical gardens, visitors have the opportunity to spend hours enjoying this early 19th century site and its contents. The museum was completed in 1819 and the bulk of the early collection was drawn from paintings gathered by Spanish nobility.

Madrid has a long and complex history. Center of power of a monarchy that for centuries ruled half the world, it is now one of the major tourist spots of Europe. Once ground zero of the Spanish Inquisition it is now best known for its zestful nightclubs, outstanding shopping centers and life-celebrating art.

Any trip to Madrid will reward the visitor with first-rate bullfights or soccer, shopping third in Europe only to London and Paris, art museums that are second to none and parks as good as those in New York's Manhattan. In short, be prepared to spend some time here.