Make your first trip to Madrid a whirlwind tour of the Austrias district's imperial palaces and squares and the Prado Museum's world-class art collection. You'll be tempted back by upscale shopping in the elegant Salamanca area, lazy Sundays in the old-world Latina district's bars and Madrid's famously noisy nightlife.
Madrid's barrios, or neighbourhoods, all have their own personality. From central Puerta del Sol square's '0 km' paving stone (the official start of Spain's six national roads), you can head south-west to Austrias district's grandiose Plaza Mayor square. Further south, you'll find some of Madrid's best restaurants and bars in the medieval Latina and multicultural Lavapiés areas. Head west, past the cupid-garlanded Royal Palace, for peace and peacocks in the green expanse of Campo del Moro's royal gardens. Travel north, along shopping parade Gran Vía, to the trendy gay Chueca and bohemian Malasaña districts. To the east, past the late-night Huertas area haunts, you'll find the landmark Prado Museum, Retiro Park and the shoppers' paradise of Salamanca.
Get a feel for Madrid's scintillating street life at pavement cafes under grand balconies on central Plaza Mayor square. See Velázquez' Maids of Honour painting at the Prado Museum and find Picasso's war-torn Guernica at the Reina Sofia Art Museum. On searingly hot days, find shade in statue-dotted Retiro Park or browse high-end fashion in the swanky Salamanca district. Eat, drink and talk late into the night in the Latina area's medieval tangle of bars and squares.
Make an early start to hunt for treasure in Latina's El Rastro Sunday flea market, then follow the locals to dark, post-Rastro vermouth bars around Calle Cava Baja street. Dip into contemporary art's crazier side in the company of Dalí and Jackson Pollock at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Get close to the world's most glamorous football team at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
Madrid's ever enlarging and globally important airport flies around 50 million passengers annually from its four terminals. Barajas prides itself on being just 12 km (7.5 miles) from the city centre and you can reach Nuevos Minesterios in the business district in 12 minutes by Madrid's efficient metro.
