Best Hotels for ever

As the capital of Spain for the past four-hundred years, Madrid has a host of diverse attractions and is the nerve center of Spanish culture. With so much to see, time is always an issue in the metropolis of six million people. Thus, to make your Madrid adventure a memorable one, plan a number of essential activities ahead of time. Here are five things you absolutely must do while in the Spanish capital:

Try the Local Food

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Probably the easiest and most pleasurable “task” on our list, the best local cuisine of the city is steps away from your Madrid hotel. Restaurants in the city serve dinner notoriously late for non-Madrileños and provide a sumptuous array of options for gourmets to savor. Madrid is a sophisticated food city, with superb native cuisine and indeed, cuisine from around the world.

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From Basque to Andalusian, you’ll find a variety of Spanish culinary styles on menus in Madrid. Cocido Madrileño stew, sopa de ajo (garlic soup) and tortilla de patata are just a few of the delicious dishes you positively must try on your next trip to the capital of Spain. If you’re too busy sightseeing, you can stop by one of the city’s Fast Good outlets or hit up a local market for fresh, quality fast-food.

Visit the Prado Museum

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Renowned as one of the greatest art museums in the world, the Prado is among the most popular tourist spots in Madrid. With over 4,800 Spanish paintings on display, dating back to the Romanesque period, Museo del Prado is one of the best places to admire the works of artists such as Diego Velasquez, El Greco or Francisco Goya.

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The history of the Prado began in 1785, under the rule of King Charles III, who wanted to create a complete Spanish art gallery under one roof. His wish didn’t come true until the reign of his grandson, Ferdinand VII, who, encouraged by his wife, inaugurated the Royal Museum of Painting and Sculptures. Fast-forward to present day and the Prado Museum houses one of the finest collections of European art, with thousands of works collected from all over the continent.

See a Bullfight

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One of the most controversial practices of our time, bullfighting remains a vital part of Spanish culture. The murky origins of the “corrida” date back to ancient sacrificial rituals and perhaps even, Imperial Roman spectacles. The first official bullfight in Spain may have taken place in the 12th century during coronation ceremonies for King Alfonso VIII. Once the domain of the aristocracy, bullfighting was banned by King Felipe V in the early 18th century, who believed it set a bad example for the masses. The public eventually took up the sport as its own and the popularity of bullfighting soared.

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Today, thousands of fans flock to local arenas every week during the season and it’s estimated that all told, corrida spectators number over one million each year. Dressed in traditional brightly-colored costumes, complete with magenta cape, the bullfighter mesmerizes the public (and hopefully the bull) with smooth moves and accurate strokes.

Go to a Football Match

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Even if you’ve never watched a football match in your life, you’ve probably heard of Real Madrid. One of the most famous football club on Earth, Real has a worldwide fan-base. For some, a trip to Madrid without a Real Madrid pilgrimage at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is like going to Paris and ignoring the Eiffel Tower.

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The history of Real Madrid and the Bernabeu is impressive but the atmosphere on match day is even better. Being among tens of thousands of passionate fans, constantly singing and encouraging the team, will give you goose bumps.

See a Flamenco Show

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Flamenco is a traditional style of music and dance, originally practiced by the gypsies of Andalusia. Its origins are shrouded in mystery, but the Islamic invasion of 711 is believed to have left its mark on Flamenco, transforming it into the unique art form it is today.

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Flamenco may have been born in Andalusia, but nowadays some of the best dance schools and shows are found in Madrid. The most popular way of experiencing Flamenco is “tablaos”, where guests sit at a table and enjoy a meal, while a dancer performs. A number of bars and theaters in Madrid however, provide less expensive ways of discovering the beauty of Flamenco.

Berlin, Germany’s premier city, is a culturally rich and ethnically diverse metropolis. With over 3.5 million people from 190 nations, Berlin is a renowned university center and cultural hotspot given by the 140 museums scattered around the city. To top it all off, aesthetic architecture is enhanced by plenty of parks, gardens, lakes and rivers. If you want to grasp the essence of Berlin, here are seven amazing and memorable sights the city has to offer:

1. The Brandenburg Gate – This monumental gate is the city’s most prominent symbol and one of Europe’s most famous landmarks. The structure was originally part of a wall around Berlin and served as the main entrance to the city. Designed by Carl Gotthard and commissioned by Wilhelm II, the gate’s design was inspired by the Acropolis and Greek mythology. The gate became infamous after the Second World War, when it divided East and West Germany as port of the Berlin wall. It survived the Second World War with extensive damages but was refurbished on several occasions, culminating with a private investment of six million US dollars in 2001. It was open to visitors a year later and now stands as a sign of Communist liberation.

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Image by MoUrInO

2. The Charlottenburg Palace – Berlin’s only palace dates back from the reign of the Hohenzollern family and was constructed between 1695-99 to serve as the summer house of Sophie Charlotte, wife of the Elector of Brandenburg, Frederick III. Expanded a century later, the palace is tastefully decorated in the Baroque and Rococo styles. In the 19th century, the palace added a garden, Belvedere teahouse, as well as the impressive Schinkel pavilion. In the southern part of the palace, two museums attract visitors interested in modern art: the Sammlung Berggruen and Bröhan-Museum.

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Image by MoUrInO

3. The Berlin Cathedral – This Baroque structure was the court church of the Hohenzollern Dynasty and was built during Kaiser Wilhem II’s reign, at the end of 19th Century. What makes the Berlin Dom (how Germans refer to it) is the intricate mosaics that decorate its walls. A birds’ eye view of the dome can be seen from the gallery accessible through a 270-step stairway. The Dom contains the royal crypt of the Hohenzollern – around 100 German royalty buried here for over five centuries.

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Image by MoUrInO

Image by MoUrInO

4. Alexanderplatz- Destroyed in World War II, the Alexanderplatz later became the center of East Berlin and a place to showcase socialist architecture. Dominated by the Fernsehturm (TV Tower), the square was rebuilt after the fall of the Iron Curtain. A competition won by Hans Kohlhoff resulted in the mass renovation of the buildings around the market and a redevelopment of the square. Alexanderplatz is now a common meeting point and a place for various cultural activities.

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Image by MoUrInO

Image by MoUrInO

5. Unter den Linden – This prestigious boulevard leads from Pariser Platz to the Schlossbrücke bridge and dates back from the mid-1600s when Duke Friedrich Wilhelm beautified the area with linden trees. On the linden street you can find the Berlin Opera (No. 7), the Berlin State Library (No. 8 ) and many other impressive buildings worth seeing. Stroll down Unter den Linden to find captivating tourist attractions.

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Image by MoUrInO

6. The Tiergarten – Located in central Berlin, this park is a popular destination among locals and tourists alike looking for open green spaces. Tiergarten, the largest park in the city, is home to the Berlin Zoo, an aquarium and a popular birdhouse. One of its most prominent symbols is the The Victory Column (Siegessäule), a golden statue of a goddess with an observation deck on top that gives excellent views of the area. Close to the Victory Column, you will also find Bellevue Palace, the official residence for the German President.

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Image by MoUrInO

7. The Olympic Stadium – Built for the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, the Stadium has a long football tradition, hosting matches from the 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cup. Now the stadium is home to the soccer team Hertha BSC. Anyone can use the stadium for a wide variety of recreational pursuits; in the summer thousands of visitors use the Olympic swimming pool to exercise and cool off.

Image by MoUrInO

Image by MoUrInO