DON T CHOOSE, HAVE IT ALL_ REGION OF MADRID MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
MADRID TOURISM_
REGION OF MADRID
TOURISM FOR EVERY TASTE_
DON'T CHOOSE, HAVE IT ALL_
If there is one place where all the most appealing features of Spain and the Spaniards are to be found, it is definitely the Madrid region. Home to Spain's capital, and the economic driving force of the country, the region provides an all-round offer of options for tourists to satisfy the wide range of tastes of the millions of people who visit each year: from the intense cultural and artistic life to be found in its over one hundred museums through to the varied offer of shows and concerts to be seen in its theatres and auditoriums, as well as the chance to explore genuinely unspoilt natural and scenic spaces. And in addition to all this, it has a historic and artistic heritage of unsurpassed richness which can be seen, not only in its museums and art galleries, but also in its buildings, monuments and streets. The Madrid region is continually changing thanks to the drive and vitality of its inhabitants. Thanks to the work of architects such as Richard Rogers, Rafael Moneo, Norman Foster and Zaha Adid. Tradition and the avant-garde live peacefully side by side, leading the way to a cosmopolitan, dynamic and modern society.
REGION OF MADRID
MADRID TOURISM_ Turismo Madrid is the Madrid region's public company for the promotion of tourism in the region, and brings together the efforts and interests of both public and private initiatives. Its priorities include disseminating the extensive and varied range of tourist attractions the Madrid region has to offer, both at the national and international level, marketing new products and promoting quality tourism. Turismo Madrid is making good use of the considerable growth enjoyed by the Madrid region as a tourist destination in recent years, as a means of contributing both to the dynamism of the sector and to the diversification and quality of the options on offer.
Region of Madrid
The Madrid region also offers a range of leisure options to satisfy everyone, thanks to its thousands of bars, discos and restaurants, and its numerous theme parks to delight younger visitors. Here in this region you can enjoy the experience of shopping without leaving the historic areas of the city, and browse in shops offering the biggest names in Spanish and international design. In addition to culture and leisure tourism, the diversity of the options available to visitors can be seen in the extensive network of facilities on offer for congresses and conventions, making the capital of Spain one of Europe's major meeting and business centres. All this is underpinned by the spectacular modernisation of the region's infrastructures, with a remodelled road network and the extension of its underground system and airport, which has become one of the most important in Europe. The hospitality and openness of the Madrid region and its combination of tradition and modernity all go to make it a destination not to be missed for anyone who wishes to enjoy a real all-round experience during their visit.
Region of Madrid
DON'T CHOOSE, HAVE IT ALL_
DON'T CHOOSE, HAVE IT ALL_
DON'T CHOOSE, HAVE IT ALL_
THE ART AVENUE There are over 100 museums and art galleries to be visited in the Madrid region. Moreover, few of Europe's capital cities can boast of having three of the greatest art galleries in the world only five minutes' walk away from each other. The Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen museums are a cultural treasure which every year expand their offer, thanks to extensions and town planning initiatives designed to show off their collections to even greater effect.
The region is home to the country's main institutions, as well as the site of the major national and international companies. In addition to this, the city of Madrid is now the third most important business centre in the world according to Standard & Poor's, one of world's three top international firms in the area of economic analysis.
CULTURE_ WITHIN THE REGION YOU CAN VISIT THREE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES. ALCALÁ DE HENARES, ARANJUEZ ROYAL PALACE AND EL ESCORIAL MONASTERY.
WORLD HERITAGE
_ FIVE MINUTES APART
THREE OF THE BEST ART GALLERIES IN THE WORLD
One of the Madrid region's great strengths is that the options open to visitors are not solely limited to the city of Madrid itself. There are three places to visit in the region which have been declared World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO, all within an hour's drive of the city centre. Alcalá de Henares, the birthplace of Cervantes, has been a prime example of a university town since the 15th century, and remains so today. The World Heritage site of Alcalá can be reached from the capital in only half an hour. The spectacular Royal Palace of Aranjuez, in a beautiful garden setting, is one of the most important scenic and architectural monuments in the Madrid region. The monastery of El Escorial is another outstanding monument, built in 1563 by Philip II and located in a spectacular natural setting in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. The great majority of the Spanish monarchs lie in its pantheon. Additionally, in under two hours' drive you can reach other World Heritage Sites such as Toledo, Segovia, Ávila and Cuenca. There is no doubt that for visiting World Heritage sites, Madrid provides a unique starting point.
_ BUSINESS THE REGION OF MADRID IS SPAIN'S ECONOMIC ENGINE. THIS IS REFLECTED IN ITS LEADING POSITION IN THE WORLD OF BUSINESS TOURISM.
Other towns in the Madrid region such as Aranjuez, San Lorenzo de El Escorial and Alcalá de Henares also serve as venues for major congresses and business gatherings. Alcalá de Henares, a World Heritage Site, is also a member of the Spain Convention Bureau, the organisation which includes all Spanish cities available for conventions. The Madrid region's privileged position is based on the extensive offer of premises available both in the city of Madrid itself and throughout the Madrid region, as well as its considerable hotel infrastructure, the improvements in its transport systems and the overall offer of tourist attractions which provides all types of enticements for the business sector: culture, leisure, shopping, nature, sports, as well as the chance to enjoy some of the best Spanish and international cuisine. Madrid's modern facilities include IFEMA, the primary force for the development of the region, and the Palacio Municipal de Congresos convention centre, both in the Campo de las Naciones; the Palacio de Congresos convention centre in Madrid, in the main avenue of la Castellana; and the Casa de Campo Trade Fair centre in the park of the same name. All these venues are equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructures, as well as all the necessary technology and services to meet the demands of the market.
Region of Madrid
Region of Madrid
These meeting centres embody the combination of tradition and modernity which is the hallmark of the Madrid region. Luxurious palaces and medieval castles merge with modern buildings to conform a first-class and varied setting for the organisation of all kinds of gatherings. The wide range of options available ensures that a suitable venue can be found without difficulty in order to provide the special atmosphere each function requires.
_ MADRID IS NOW THE
WORLD'S Nº 3 BUSINESS CENTRE
DON'T CHOOSE, HAVE IT ALL_
_ SHOPPING SHOPPING IN MADRID BRINGS CULTURE AND LEISURE TOGETHER IN ONE SINGLE VISIT, BECAUSE THE REGION'S MOST POPULAR COMMERCIAL AREAS ARE ALSO THOSE WITH MAJOR CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS.
Shopping in Madrid is a good way to combine culture and leisure on a single outing, as the region's most commercial areas are located in areas with a great cultural wealth. The shopping options available in a region like Madrid are very extensive. Visitors can opt for luxury in the Salamanca district, home to some of the most prestigious international firms, or if they prefer a more avant-garde style they can head for the Chueca district, where the shops at Fuencarral Market are a prime example of creativity and originality. The top names in Spanish and international design all seek to be present in the Madrid region, as it offers a strategic location for their products. This reputation has been has been accomplished thanks to the prestige of the Pasarela Cibeles catwalk shows, the main international showcase for the promotion of Spanish fashion designers throughout the world. Those in search of the more traditional, historic areas of the capital will love the squares of the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol. Here you will find small shops and businesses, hundreds of years old, which remain as busy today as when they first opened, but still conserve their original dĂŠcor. Visitors to the area will be able to take advantage of the fact that it is open for shopping 365 days a year, as the Sol district has recently been declared a Prime Tourist Area. Those willing to venture outside the hustle and bustle of the city can choose to visit an outlet, a shopping centre where you can find top-brand articles from at discounts of between 30% to 80%, or to go skiing on the first indoor ski slope in Spain, while the rest of the family browses in the adjoining shopping centre.
Region of Madrid
_ THE BEST BRANDS
OF SPANISH AND INTERNATIONAL DESIGN
_ MANY RESERVOIRS AND
NAVIGABLE RIVERS TO BE FOUND IN THE REGION
DON'T CHOOSE, HAVE IT ALL
The Madrid Region is much more than just a big city; only a few kilometres from the capital there is another, greener Madrid waiting to be discovered. Places such as the lakes in the south near Chinchón, the Hayedo de Montejo beech forest and the Cumbre, Circo and Lagunas de Peñalara nature reserves in the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains -awaiting designation as a national parkare just a few of the most emblematic destinations which offer an appreciation of the biodiversity to be found in the Madrid region.
DON'T CHOOSE, HAVE IT ALL_
NATURE AND SPORT_
The city of Madrid itself has parks such as the Monte de El Pardo and the Casa de Campo, the Retiro gardens, the Oeste park and the Dehesa de la Villa. Not only that, but its main avenues are among the most tree-lined in all Europe.
THE REGION OF MADRID IS MUCH MORE THAN A BIG CITY. JUST A FEW KILOMETRES FROM THE METROPOLIS YOU WILL FIND THE GREENER SIDE OF MADRID.
Anyone who wishes to discover the more rural side of the Madrid region can find comprehensive guides, published by the Department of Culture and Tourism, containing information on lodgings, historic bridges and castles, parks and gardens for use by visitors interested in nature tourism.
Many visitors to the Madrid Region come for leisure, as it is home to one of the liveliest cities in Europe. Nightlife lovers can choose between hundreds of nightclubs, and theatres offering a wide range of shows performed by companies from all over the world.
_ LEISURE FURTHERMORE, EACH YEAR MADRID BECOMES THE WORLD GASTRONOMY CAPITAL FOR MADRIDFUSIÓN, ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS GASTRONOMY SHOWS
FAMILY LEISURE And for those seeking fun for the whole family, there are several theme parks in the Madrid region which offer a wide range of leisure activities. Year-round skiing in the Xanadú show park; fun with Bugs Bunny, the Roadrunner, Batman and countless other famous cartoon characters in the Warner Bros theme park; a cooling dip in the Aquópolis water park; or another way to explore nature's secrets in Faunia and the Madrid Zoo.
GASTRONOMY World cuisine is also present in the Madrid region, with over 8,000 restaurants offering both well-loved traditional Spanish cooking as well as the latest ultramodern trends. Restaurants such as La Broche, Santceloni and El Club Allard are examples of the high quality of its cuisine and have been duly recognised as such by the Michelin guide. Each year, Madrid is transformed into the food capital of the world thanks to MadridFusión, one of the most prestigious international gastronomic showcases. This event is now in its sixth year.
In addition to all these attractions, the Madrid region also has a passion for sports. This can be seen in the international events it hosts, including tennis, with the Masters Series, and basketball, with the organisation of Eurobasket 2007. What's more, there are three ski resorts in the mountains in the Sierra de Madrid where visitors can enjoy a skiing break. The region is also home to numerous reservoirs and navigable waterways, making it possible to enjoy water sports hundreds of kilometres from the sea. The sports options available in the region include the chance to play on one of its 28 golf courses, and to enjoy live matches by football teams such as Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid and Getafe C.F.. The region also continues in its effort to secure Madrid's nomination as the site of the 2016 Olympic Games.
_ ONE OF THE LIVELIEST
Region of Madrid
Region of Madrid
CITIES IN EUROPE