Catalonia Centro, Madrid
The hotel, built in 1900 was reopened in 2005 after extensive renovation - a combination
... more
of the flair of past centuries and the modernity of our times. The brick facade and gazebo with cut glass windows and wrought-iron railings, as well as the interio...
Catalonia Centro, Madrid
The hotel, built in 1900 was reopened in 2005 after extensive renovation - a combination
... more
of the flair of past centuries and the modernity of our times. The brick facade and gazebo with cut glass windows and wrought-iron railings, as well as the interior decoration with designer furniture in dark tones, work together in harmony to allow the resplendence of the past to shine through. There are 88 modern rooms on 6 floors and in the entrance there is a 24-hour reception desk as well as a hotel safe and lift. The air-conditioned hotel also offers guests conference services and WLAN Internet as well as laundry and room services. In the hotel restaurant there are always a variety of freshly prepared dishes. The selection varies according to the season. Alternatively guests can drop by the hotel bar-cafeteria.
...centuries ago.
In the 17th century, the court painter Velazquez not only painted masterpieces himself but also scoured Europe to buy fine paintings for his royal patron, Philip IV. In the following century, Francisco de Goya became the official court painter. Not surprisingly, the Prado owns many masterpieces painted by these two renowned artists.
Two other highly regarded art collections - the Thyssen - Bornemisza Museum and the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia National Museum - stand on the same tree - lined avenue as the
Prado. This elegant street, dubbed the Avenue of Art, is also studded with many of Madrid's famous statues.
Like many cities, Madrid has seen its ups and downs. The capital was under siege for most of the Spanish Civil War (1936-390) and some of the bullet marks of that conflict can still be seen on the monumental arch known...
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Advantages: Very close to city centre and transport, Cheap. Disadvantages: Can be noisy
...to the Templo De Debod. Its an Eygptian temple that has been brought over from Egypt to Madrid as a present for the Spanish helping with a new dam. It has been re-built in the Parque de la Montana and is well worth a visit, its free to enter and look around. Of course another place to visit is the Palacio Real. This is very interesting and well worth a visit. It is still used (although not owned) by the Spanish King. Visitors are allowed to look around 50 of the 2800 rooms. The entrance can be hard to spot, it is on the south side of the palace and indicated by a blue "Entrada" sign. Whilst the Palace is impressive in size we were really amazed by the broad range of styles used to decorate the rooms. No two rooms appear to have been done in the same manner. Entrance costs 7 euros, although concessions can get in for 5.50.
We also visited the Centro...
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Advantages: Splendid architecture and surrounding nature Disadvantages: destinations are scattered and hard to reach by public transport
...the monument and basilica were built in 16 years long construction process by prisoners of war, many of whom died. But you can't really travel to Spain without visiting a memorial for the civil war, an event which has influenced Spanish consciousness throughout much of the 20th century.
SIERRA DE GUADARRAMA – @@@@ Splendid nature.
Now for something much more beautiful and inspiring. The north and northwest of the Province of Madrid is made up of a scenic mountain range, the Sierra de Guadarrama. Coming from El Escorial (or directly from Madrid on the N6 Highway if you have skipped the first part of this tour), you follow the M600 and M604 roads which take you right into the central part of these mountains, the Sierra Centro.
This one hour drive takes you up the pass to the town of Navacerrada, a popular Spanish ski resort. The road is very steep...
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