Attractions in Madrid

A city for princes and paupers

The Madrid attractions owe a great deal to royal patronage as, over the centuries, the Spanish monarchs have turned their capital into a city fit for a king. The great Retiro park and the magnificent Plaza de Oriente and Plaza Major add a stately dignity to the cityscape as do the opulent churches and monasteries. Not all is formal and planned, however: the organised chaos of the Rastro flea market shows Madrid’s organic and eclectic side.