Madrid. Capital for art and culture
The capital and largest city in Spain, Madrid is also the capital of the autonomous Comunidad de Madrid. It is one of the world’s great centers for culture and art as exemplified by the prestigious Prado museum. Over the last few decades, Madrid has also become famous for its vibrant nightlife, comparable to anywhere in the world.
Religion has played an important part in Madrid’s culture and history. The city’s most impressive buildings include its many churches and cathedrals. Its medieval buildings also stand out from Madrid’s otherwise cosmopolitan façade. Madrid also has large international communities of Europeans, Latin Americans, Africans, Indians, Chinese, Filipinos and Pakistanis.
Madrid’s climate is usually dry but blessed with sunshine throughout most of the year, except in winter when it tends to be rainy. The middle of the day can be extremely hot. That accounts for the popularity of the “siesta” as people take a mid-day break to sleep or cool off.
Typical office hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. but, during summer, some offices allow their employees to work from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. only.
According to some estimates, Madrid has the most number of bars per capita among all major cities in Europe. The locals, known as Madrileños, enjoy their nightlife so much that many people typically go home between 6 to 8 a.m.
Tourists are prone to overlook Madrid in favor of Barcelona and, sometimes, even Andalucia, but the capital is simply unrivalled in Spain for its beautiful museums, excellent restaurants and electric nightlife. Even better, the people are friendly and it’s easy to connect with the city and its locals. It’s no surprise why many foreign tourists keep coming back for more.
Cantabrico Hotel
