Stretching sun-drenched and untamed, to the south of the wild and majestic Pyrenees, this passionate nation works a mysterious magic. Spain is spoiled with hundreds of glittering beaches; flamenco bailaors (dancers) swirl in swathes of colour; and toreros (bullfighters) strut their stuff in the bullrings. Summer holidaymakers gather around great pans of steaming paella (at its tasty best in Valencia) and pitchers of sangria, in front of shimmering blue sea.

Madrid is the capital of Spain since 1562. Madrid is located on the geographic center of the Iberian Peninsula. Due to this central location and high altitude, the climate of Madrid is characterized by warm dry summers and cool winters. Madrid is the political center of Spain. This is also a cosmopolitan city with cultural and political importance. Its position as a centre for economics, finance, administration and services combines the most modern infrastructure with an important cultural and artistic heritage, the legacy of centuries of fascinating history.

Madrid Airport, or to give it its proper title "Madrid Barajas Airport", has recently completed a huge investment program which now makes it one of the world's leaders.

The Palacio Real, or Royal Palace, is Madrid's largest building and possibly its most beautiful. It is located next to the equally beautiful Plaza de Oriente square.

This is Madrid's most famous and most central square, located just a short walk from the Plaza Mayor. Originally, it was the site of one of the city's gates, which faced the east and was adorned with an image of the sun, hence the square's name. The square is actually almost semi-circular in shape and owes its current form to the major renovation work carried out between 1854 and 1860.

The Plaza Mayor is Madrid's main square. It is located right in the center of the city, just a few minutes walk from the Puerta del Sol.

The Gran Vía, together with the Paseo de la Castellano, is Madrid's most famous street, mentioned in zarzuelas (Spanish operettas) and books and shown many times in films.

Puerta de Alcalá stands at Plaza de la Independencia in Madrid. The original Puerta de Alcalá, which stood nearby, was built in 1599 as a welcome gesture to doña Margarita de Austria, who was the wife of King Felipe III. When Carlos III came to the throne of Spain one and a half centuries later, he entered Madrid in great style on December 9th, 1759. He was not at all pleased with this city gate, thinking it quite unsuitable for an important royal appearance.

The square as we see it now was laid out in 1892, according to a project by the architect Enrique María Repullés. However, the history of this square dates back to 1553, the year in which Philip II ordered a building to house the royal stables. Renovated in 1670 by José del Olmo, the building survived until 1884, when it had to be demolished after a fire.

Plaza de Oriente is a rectangular square of curved header, of monumental character, whose final layout responds to a design in 1844 by Pascual y Colomer. One of its main proponents was King Joseph Bonaparte, who ordered the demolition of the medieval houses located on its site.