Madrid Essentials

Madrid’s core identity is anchored by the "Golden Triangle of Art," featuring the Prado’s European masterpieces and the Thyssen-Bornemisza’s vast private collection. The city’s architectural evolution is visible from the medieval Plaza de la Villa to the Beaux-Arts Metropolis Building on Gran Vía. Royal heritage defines the landscape at the neoclassical Sabatini Gardens and the glass-and-iron Crystal Palace in Retiro Park. Culinary history remains active at Sobrino de Botín, the world’s oldest restaurant, and the 19th-century Chocolatería San Ginés.