Travel with pets: Madrid

Madrid, the beatiful capital of Spain, is located in the heart of the Iberian peninsula and right in the center of Don Quixote's land, the Castillian plain.

As any other European capital city, it not only is the headquarters for the Public Administration, Government, Spanish Parliament and the home of the Spanish Royal Family but also a business center, where the banking and industrial sectors are highly represented.

Intense cultural and artistic activity and a very lively nightlife are other characteristics of this cosmopolitan city.There are many places of interest to visit in Madrid. Parks, museums, monuments, weekly open-air markets, and fairs are there to be enjoyed by people of all ages and nationalities who come to Madrid.

One of the symbols of this wonderful city is the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles, surrounded by some of Madrid's most important monuments.

Nobody can miss the chance to visit the worldwide known Museo del Prado (Del Prado Museum) which houses masterpieces by Goya, Velázquez, Boticelli, El Greco, and Rembrandt among other famous artists.

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is also a great place to visit. Here you can find magnificent paintings, sculptures, carvings and tapestries from primitive to contemporary Flemish. One of the main activities of this museum is the organisation of exhibitions to promote knowledge of the History of Art.

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía exhibits a permanent collection of Spanish contemporary art along with a wide variety of temporary exhibitions of modern artistic disciplines like painting, sculpture, video, photography, films, etc.

Other places of interest in Madrid are the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Teatro Real (Royal Theater), Puerta del Sol, Puerta de Toledo (Toledo Archway), Puerta de Alcalá, and Parque del Retiro where you can admire the magnificent Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace), a large greenhouse made of iron and glass.

Gran Vía is one of the main arteries in Madrid. Among the nice mixture of European and American trends with traditional architecture, there is a very special museum, the Museo Chicote (Chicote Museum), a charming little bar-museum where artists and bullfighters of yesteryear meet to recall bygone days.

Colourful festivals and celebrations take place in Madrid during the whole year. One of the most lively popular festivities is celebrated in May, it is called Fiestas de San Isidro, honoring the patron saint of Madrid. People wear the traditional castizo dress and enjoy the typical barquillos (rolled wafers), buñuelos (fritters) and rosquillas (doughnuts). Open air dances, concerts and different outdoor celebrations are held all over the city.

The famous Feria Taurina or bullfighting fair at the Plaza Monumental Las Ventas bullring starts by these days and lasts until the middle of June. 

Nightlife in Madrid is something special, a real paradise for "night-birds" who can have great fun every night of the week the whole year round. Many restaurants do not even open until eight or nine o'clock in the evening and stay open until the early morning hours.

A large number of popular bars, pubs, fast food restaurants and ice cream parlors are concentrated near the Plaza de Santa Bárbara, the Glorieta de Bilbao and Alonso Martínez while the bars in the districts of Argüelles and Moncloa are the preferred by University students and youngsters.

Cosy cafés and bars with live music and moderately-priced restaurants are found in Malasaña, in the vicinity of the Plaza de Dos de Mayo.

In Paseo de la Castellana, Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado quality restaurants, cafés and popular night spots gather tourists and locals who enjoy having a drink sitting in the open air terraces under the stars of a hot summer night.

Undoubtedly, Madrid is a lively and noble city that must be enjoyed. Book a hotel in Madrid at Pets Lovers Hotels and feel the pleasure of seeing the magnificent mixture of history and modern times that coexists in the capital city of Spain. You and your pet are welcome to Madrid!