Welcome to Madrid, the capital of Spain. The city is famous for its Museums, for its classical architecture and for its night life. The best Museums in Madrid are the "Museo del Prado", with Spanish and foreign masterpieces from 1400 to 1700; the "Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia", with a vast a collection of 20th century works; and the "Museo Thyssen-Bornemizsa", with 18th to 20th centuries masterpieces from the Thyssen private collection. But Madrid has many other interesting things to offer. If you come with me, I will take you on a Photographic Tour of this wonderful city.Madrid Culture :
In Madrid, the art and cultural scene is not limited to museums. Art galleries, cultural centers, public spaces of exhibition and foundations also house incredible shows and exhibits with the latest works of contemporary art.
- At Castello, 77 (Metro Station Nuñez de Balboa), Fundación Juan March is one of the oldest institutions in Madrid that funds exhibitions of Modern and Non-West ern Art including Chinese and Japanese. It was the first to house exhibits of international art.
- Fundación "La Caixa" (Serrano, 60, Metro Serrano) has the best calendar of temporary exhibitions in Madrid.
- Casa de América (Paseo de Recoletos, 2; Metro Banco de España) is a space for the study, research, and exhibition of the Iberoamerican culture. Latin American artists and writers make art and book presentations.
- Círculo de Bellas Artes ( Marqués de la Casa Riera, 2; Metro Banco de España) houses temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and feature music concerts and theater presentations. There is a nice cafe that you can visit at any time of the day.
- Fundacion Arte y Tecnologia ( Fuencarral,1, Metro Gran Via) is a space for new and multimedia exhibitions. It is one of the few in the city and it is part of the Museo Telefonica. source: tripadvisor.com
Madrid Weather :
Spring and Autumns are perhaps the best times of the year to visit Madrid. The weather is mild and the air is crisp. But the two seasons present some differences that you may want to consider when you are planning your trip to the city.
During Spring, that goes from March through May, the days are warm, and the nights, cool. Unlike Winter, people swarm into the streets for the popular "marcha" (the walking across the city, stepping in bars, chatting on the streets, having fun outdoors). A good time to visit Madrid is Holy Week when madrilenos leave the city on vacation. There is some rain and some wind, but it is generally OK.
Autumn (September through November) marks the beginning of the school year and people return to work after the August holidays and there are lots of cultural activities. The days are very enjoyable compared to August high temperatures (although being a dry city with little rain, condition that makes the heat no that oppressive, it can be really, really hot).
In Winter (December to March), there are not so many tourists and it can be a good time to visit if you don't mind some snow and some cold (temperature can go below 0). It is low tourist season and you will find great bargains at hotels and trips outbound Madrid.
And the feared Summer (June through August) is not so bad as publicized. It has a kind momentum in June, and a harsh one in July and specially August. June is the best! Nights are warm and long and you can really enjoy the party atmosphere on the streets. But, July brings temperatures that hit the 40's (over 100 Fahrenheit) and it doesn't cool down very much at night. One good thing is that madrilenos leave the city for their yearly long vacation and there is less traffic, although some restaurants close, the open are less busy and you can appropriate the city in a more leisurely way.
