Madrid is one of the eminent European cities that is famous for it is over a few attractions. The city nestled in the middle of the Iberian Peninsula is thronged by people not for its nerve-wrecking night life but also for the succulent cuisine, mind boggling architecture at museums, monuments & gardens & jubilant festivals.

once you land in the city of Madrid, there’s many worthwhile places to visit. Here are the most stuning places to see while in Madrid, to get the most out of your journey:

1. The Prado Museum

The Prado Museum is one of the finest museums in Europe. It is situated on the stylish Paseo del Prado, a lovely part of Madrid with the Retiro park just a short walk away and right next to the Ritz Hotel, the Palace Hotel, the fountain of Neptune and the stock exchange. If you are art lover, like me, you will find your way at the Prado.

2. Puerta del Sol

Puerta del Sol is literally in the center of the city, and this area serves as the hub of tourist activity. There is a main plaza, touristy shops, and plenty of restaurants and bars.

3. Plaza Mayor

From the main plaza you can walk to Plaza Mayor, which is another big plaza surrounded by outdoor cafes and filled with street performers and tourists. Narrow cobblestone streets surround Plaza Mayor, and they are cool to check out. Plaza mayor is probably the most “touristy” place to go in the city and is a good place to start your visit to Madrid.
If you walk through these streets, you will come to Gran Via, one of the biggest shopping streets in the city. Gran Via has a good assortment of department stores and chain restaurants

4. Royal Palace

Palacio Real used to be the royal palace of Spain, and it is now used only for government functions.

5. Reina Sofia art museum

The Reina Sofia houses works from Picasso, Dali, and some other wild artists. Unless you are an art fanatic, you can do the entire museum in less than two hours and feel like you have seen everything. The museum is free on Saturdays.

6. Parque Retiro – Puerta de Alcalá

Retiro is a big park done in the French style, and it is basically the Central Park of Madrid. When the weather is good, the park fills with people, and you can find the young people by the huge statue of a man on a horse.

7. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Duccio, Van Eyck, Carpaccio, Kandinsky, Lucas Cranach, Dürer, Caravaggio, Rubens, Frans Hals, Titian, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Monet, Kirchner, Picasso, Mondrian, Klee, Hopper, Rauschenberg, to name but a few are amongst the great artists you will find at the museum.

8. The fountain of Cibeles

The fountain of Cibeles is to be found on the stretch of Madrid commonly called the Paseo de Recoletos. It depicts the goddess Cibeles, the Greek goddess of fertility, who is seen sitting on a chariot and being pulled by two lions.