Things to see and do Madrid

It is an English style garden, in a typical 18th century romantic style, commissioned by Queen Maria Cristina. The two fountains, de los Tritones and del palacio de los Conchas (Triton Fountain and Shell Palace Fountain), are magnificent. Above all, the view from the park over the Royal Palace, located above, is really superb. These gardens are really a great idea for a walk before or after a visit to the Royal Palace.

When it was founded on October 10, 1910, this residence housed 15 students; in 1912 there were already 50. In 1920, it hosted Federico García Lorca, Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí. Juan Ramón Jiménez, poet, organized the garden and named it the Hill of Poplars. Lorca's theatre group, La Barraca, gives a performance there. Luis Buñuel comments on the films screened and exclusively presents Un chien andalou to his friends. Miguel de Unamuno (philosopher) settles there on each of his trips to Madrid. Calder, in 1933, came to present his miniature circus show with wire sculptures. It was one of the most dynamic centres of creation and exchange in Europe during the inter-war period. Andres Segovia, Manuel de Falla, Maurice Ravel, Francis Poulenc give concerts there. Valle Inclán (playwright), Ortega y Gasset (philosopher), Henri Bergson, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, H. G. Wells, J. -M. Keynes give lectures. Currently, the residence is still in operation and offers free conferences, exhibitions and concerts. The place has kept all its charm, and its garden is a haven of peace preserved a stone's throw from La Castellana. Sixty rooms are available for people from the world of culture, science or the arts. A cafeteria and restaurant are open to residents and visitors alike. Exhibitions, conferences and concerts welcome the general public.

In the heart of Habsburg Madrid, the small Baroque church of San Miguel, built between 1739 and 1745, is one of the most emblematic in the country. In large part due to the originality of its convex façade in the shape of a Latin cross, unique in Madrid. It is indeed the only solution found by its architect, Santiago Bonavia (although the construction was completed by Virgilio Rabaglio), to adapt to the narrowness of the land on Calle San Justo.

The first viaduct dates from the end of the 19th century, in 1874. The new one, made of three 35-metre vaults and polished reinforced concrete, was designed in 1932. It was finally built in 1949 above Calle Segovia, between the Royal Palace and the Basilica of San Francisco El Grande. Pedro Almodóvar often used it as a decoration (stiletto heels, Matador). The view of Madrid, especially the west of the city, the Casa de Campo, the Royal Palace and Cathedral of La Almudena, is incredible. Enough to warm up your camera!

Usually, collectors of Picasso's works belong to the circle of great fortunes. In Buitrago, the dozens of pieces from the Picasso Museum were donated by the painter's barber. Eugenio Arias, born in Buitrago, exiled in France, met Picasso in 1946 on the French Riviera and became his barber and friend. The most unusual object is a wooden barber's instrument box decorated with pyrogravures. There are also ceramic objects, posters, drawings, watercolours, the Prisoner's lithograph and the Dove, and dedicated books.

This small palace dates from the end of the 15th century. On its Gothic façade, the coat of arms of the Luján family can be seen. The high tower houses the telegraph during the time of Fernando VII. A legend tells that in the 16th century, Francis I was imprisoned there after the battle of Pavía... There is no document to prove it. Today, the palace is the headquarters of the Real Academia de Ciencias Morales y Políticas and the Real Sociedad Económica Matritense de Amigos del País.

If you are passionate about fossils and everything related to minerals, then go to the institute! It contains rocks and minerals from all over Spain, but also from its former American territories. Rather playful and not bad with children. Also noteworthy is the superb building of Francisco Javier de Luque, certainly one of the most unique in Chamberí with its large glass roof suspended from a wrought iron structure.

The San Ginés church, dedicated to the French saint Saint Genès d'Arles, dates from the Middle Ages but the current building is the result of many works and renovations that followed major fires (1645 and 1824). Nevertheless, the chapel of Santísimo Cristo has preserved the most important treasure of San Ginés, with works by Alonso Cano, Lucas Jordane and el Greco (The Purification of the Temple). At the entrance to one of Madrid's oldest churches, a plaque reminds us that here Francisco de Quevedo was baptized and that Lope de Vega celebrated his wedding there.

These fountains are known as the "Cuatro Fuentes del Prado" ("the four fountains of the Prado") and are located between the eponymous museum and the Botanical Garden.They are nicknamed Fuentecillas ("Little Fountains") and are the work of Ventura Rodríguez. They date from 1781 and represent dolphins playing with newt children. Their only difference is in the position of the newts. Major festivals such as Carnival, St. John's Eve or San Pedro gather many people from Madrid around them.

CentroCentro is a cultural center located in one of Madrid's most emblematic buildings, the Palacio de Cibeles. Formerly known as the Telecommunications Palace, it was designed in the early 20th century as the headquarters of the National Post Office. The architects Antonio Palacios and Joaquín Otamendi won the tender organized by the State in 1904 with an exceptional proposal combining traditional and modern design. The 12,207 m2 building was constructed in stone, iron and glass, marking a turning point in Madrid's urban planning and symbolizing the modernization of a booming city. Since its opening in 2011, CentroCentro has offered a varied cultural program. Visitors can enjoy exhibitions, conferences, concerts and other artistic events. Located on the Plaza Cibeles, the Palacio de Cibeles is also a must-see tourist attraction in Madrid. Visitors can admire its impressive architecture and enjoy panoramic views from its belvedere.