Madrid travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

Madrid is the most Spanish of all cities. Today you can see there little girls dressed exactly in 1940s-style dresses and matching topcoats. But exactly that is the charming part of the sleepy sister to Barcelona. The city is absolutely fantastic with stylish hotels and flirt bars.

At the Plaza de Chueca it’s quite exciting if you take a seat for a cup of coffee. You’’ll noticed tiny old ladies in knee-length wool coats, young girls in skin-tight jeans and cross-dressing men – all rushing between the 19^th century town houses. Madrid also offers interesting art exhibitions. Check out the smaller museums like the Fundacion Juan March, the Fundacion Caja Madrid and the larger but often overlooked Thyssen- Bornemisza Museum.

Tapas are a Madrid institution and are served in nearly every bar. Tapas means small amounts of Spanish food served especially with alcoholic drinks in Spanish bars and restaurants. Be warned that these places become more crowded as the night wears on.

Downtown Madrid is dotted with historic buildings that allow visitors a peek into the past. The Centro Conde Duque was built in the 18th century as military barracks; today it is a cultural center with a small but excellent collection of modern art. Classical concerts are held Saturday evenings in the large internal courtyard; in the summer, string quartets are replaced by jazz, folk and world music singers like Erykah Badu and Cesaria Evor.