| | Accommodation & Tour (PDF) | | | Programme |
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| Introduction to the city | |
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The Spanish capital, Madrid, has been an international hub for centuries. It is the largest city in Spain, with an estimated population of over five million inhabitants, is the third most populous municipality in the European Union, and is considered a major centre for international business and commerce. |
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The capital offers a multitude of leisure and entertainment opportunities and its mixed culture is enjoyed by the millions of people who visit the city every year. The city offers an impressive transport network, and also provides some of the best and most exclusive hotels. |
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This cosmopolitan city welcomes an ever-increasing number of tourists and continues to boast some of the most famous nightlife in Europe. This air of modernity and an up-to-date infrastructure combine effortlessly with cultural traditions and historic neighbourhoods and streets. Madrid is a must-see city. |
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One of the charms of Madrid is its abundance of bars, taverns, restaurants and terraces, offering the opportunity to relax with a glass of wine or beer accompanied by traditional tapas (Spanish appetisers). In Madrid, as well as in the rest of Spain, tapas are an old gastronomic tradition. |
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Additionally, there are a good number of dishes and recipes which can be considered typical of Madrid. Among them is the ‘cocido madrileño’, a stew combining chickpeas with vegetables, chicken, beef and pork which is turned into a huge succulent meal. ‘Callos’, or tripe, is another of the typical dishes identified with local cuisine and may be found in some of the well-known Madrid restaurants. Madrid’s local cuisine also offers delicious ‘sopa de ajo’ (garlic soup), ‘caracoles’ (snails), ‘tortilla de patatas’ (potato omelette) and the famous recipe of ‘besugo al horno’ (baked bream). |
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Every day the city of Madrid attracts the best food from all around the country – fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, fish and shellfish. This means that the restaurants and markets have access to the freshest and most varied produce. The food is of the best quality in Spain. |
What to do |
Lovers of culture will find Madrid a haven. Amongst the many attractions to visit are the Museo del Prado, the Museo de arte Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, three of the most important museums in the world. |
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Madrid’s other landmarks include the huge Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid), the Teatro Real (Royal Theatre) with its restored 1850 Opera House, the Buen Retiro park, founded in 1631, and the magnificent 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives. The Spanish capital is also well known for its 80,000 squares and relaxing terraces, of which the most renowned is the Plaza Mayor, considered the starting point for any visit to the historic ‘old town’. |
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The animated Madrilenian nightlife is a key part of the Spanish capital and its culture. A huge variety of places with vibrant atmospheres abound, such as bars, flamenco pubs, and nightclubs. |
Weather |
Madrid has a continental climate and its temperatures can oscillate from 0ºC, and on occasion even less during the winter, to 40ºC in summer. However, the annual average temperature is 14ºC, fluctuating between 5ºC in the coldest months to 25ºC in the warmest. |
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Levels of rainfall vary, although generally, due to the continental climate, rainfall is light, and so an umbrella is usually not essential. The average temperature in October is 18ºC. |
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