Madrid is Spain's capital and largest city. A city that has been marked by Spain's varied and tumultuous history, Madrid has some of Europe's most impressive cultural and architectural heritage, which includes grand avenues, plazas, buildings and monuments, world-class art galleries and museums, highly popular football teams, and cultural events of international fame for everyone.
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Madrid has over 3.4 million residents within the city limits and 7 million people live in the autonomous Community of Madrid region (as of 2025). Madrid is just northeast of the geographical centre of the Iberian Peninsula, in the middle of the Spanish central Castillian plateau (Meseta central), at an average altitude of 650 m (2,130 ft). Nearly all of the most famous tourist areas are in the centre of the city including Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, and Plaza de Colón. The major streets in Madrid include the Gran Via, Alcalá Street, and Paseo de la Castellana. The climate of Madrid is continental, mainly dry and quite extreme at times.
Madrid proudly sports one of the best public transportation networks in the world and the second largest metro network in Europe after London's. Buses and subways work with the same tickets, and operate within the integrated transit network of 6 CRTM (Plaza del Descubridor Diego de Ordás 3, M-F 08:00-20:00). With that said, be aware that Madrid's transportation infrastructure can appear complicated and daunting at first, so take extra time to know where to go and how to get there because it will not be as simple as in other European cities or what your map app is telling you. A single ticket for Zone A costs €1.50 (max.
Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles Madrid is one of the top addresses in the world for art, both contemporary and not-so-contemporary, with Goya's most famous works in the Prado, Picasso's Guernica in the Reina Sofía and countless other works in those two museums and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. The Prado goes back to the royal art collection which - for a nation that was the world's leading superpower for two centuries - is of course quite impressive. The Reina Sofía was opened to house what the Prado "had no room for" with a dividing line based on era ultimately being drawn.
Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles Football: the men's national soccer team don't have a fixed stadium, but often play at Bernabéu and Metropolitano stadiums in Madrid. The best known clubs are Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, both based in the Northern Suburbs. They play in La Liga the top tier, and routinely qualify for European tournaments. Other teams include Rayo Vallecano in Vallecas and Getafe in the nearby suburbs, reached by Madrid Metro. Basketball: Estudiantes and Real Madrid play at Palacio de los Deportes.
Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles Dishes popular throughout Spain are also widely served in Madrid. In addition, Madrid has a number of typical regional dishes: Gallinejas and entresijos – Lamb chitterlings fried in its fat. Very traditional and typical from Madrid city. Callos a la madrileña – A hot pot of spicy beef tripe similar to those found in Turkey and the Balkans. Cocido madrileño – Chickpea stew with meat and vegetables. The particularity of this stew is the way it is served. The soup, chickpeas and meat are served and eaten separately. Oreja de cerdo – Pigs ears, fried in garlic.
Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles In the tapas bars, you should get free food with your drinks. The highest concentration of tapas bars is in La Latina and around Plaza Santa Ana in the barrio de las Letras, but you will find them all over the city, including Malasaña and Chueca as well as the western districts, where there are probably less overrun by tourists. 1 Calle Cava Baja (Metro: La Latina). This narrow street in La Latina is by far the most famous and popular place for tapas.
Madrid is a very safe city, with some of the lowest crime rates among Europe's largest cities. The police is highly visible, and the city is equipped with cameras. There are always people in the streets, even at night time, so you can walk across the city generally without fear. Travellers who remain aware of their surroundings, and keep an eye on their belongings, should have little to worry about. For police, medical, or fire emergencies, simply call 112. Operators usually speak English. As with any place on earth, there are parts of Madrid and its metropolitan area that are less appealing and, consequently, less safe than others.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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