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A Personal Guide To Lively Madrid

By: Lucy Evans

The Prado, The Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen Bornemisza museums are surrounded by lovely foliage, and only a short walking distance from each other. They are located at the lovely Paseo des Arte, which is in the Eastern part of city. Private apartment complexes and fine dining highlight this area, and the older museums serve as background for the ambience of the bigger three. To the rear of the Prado is the luxurious length of the retiro gardens, all covered with ponds and fountains, glass pavilions and flower gardens full of roses, a beautifully shaded area to take some respite from the heat of the summer.

To the West of the Paseo del Arte you can find the exciting barrio of Santa Ana, it's thin sloped lanes surrounded on either side by tiled tapas bars and restaurants. Ever since the days of Cervantes and Lope de Vega, it's been known as a free-spirited, lively and unconventional place. In years past the theatres and brothels were in competition for customers. Today the theatres are a fun place to be in the evening when the sun goes down. The crowds fight for seats and standing room in the terraces and areas encompassing the Plaza. It is less noisy during the daytime where the older locals lounge on benches and watch with amusement as the neighbourhood’s new population of trendy professionals take their fashionable dogs out for a stroll.

This magnificent plaza is the centerpiece of old Madrid. Although the vast and impressive square is now filled with tourists examining plastic covered menus at cheap cafes it was once the place where the throngs would gather to witness royalty being crowned and heretics being burned. The contorted and intricate lanes that wind away from the square as well as the senior lanes in the metropolitan area, are a final distant sound of the history of the georgeous city. A historic classic town combining all key elements of a village including religious and musical components reflecting a slow paced lifestyle. The newly restored Opera House resides just east of here, along with the Palacio Real, which is a wonderful exemplification of extravagant beauty.

Sprinkled below the Plaza Mayor, you will find the customary working class neighborhoods. Rejuvenation is present even though most of the region is delapitated. There is an enticing combination of people who reside in this area, including not only the eclectic young artists with their newly opened pubs and coffee shops, but also the native people of Madrid, and North African and South American immigrants. Do not miss the popular Sunday morning flea market, El Rastro, and then a tapas crawl.

Gran Via is a reflection of the best of east meeting west including the modern shops and classic entertainment venues. Chueca and Malasana, the neighbourhoods located to the Gran Via's north, display split personalities, one being old fashioned and sweet in the light of day, and boisterously wild after the sun sets. Hip and super trendy shops and bars, along with the famously endless nightlife, make these places among the coolest areas in Madrid.

Swanky Salamanca, in the northeast area of the city, is made up of wide avenues with chic apartments and exquisite restaurants. The feeling of money oozes out of this place, from the ritzy designer shops of Calle Serrano, to seeing Ferraris outside of clubs that one will never be able to get into. Some of the nineteenth century mansions enhance the higher end surroundings, and the shiny towers that line Paseo Castellano are a wonderful point of interest for those intrigued by modern building design.

Article Source: http://www.articlekingpro.com

Lucy is a author who writes occasional articles on tourism and holidays, whilst focusing on operating an airport to resort transfer service for eComparison.

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