Madrid, the capital of Spain , is located in the center of the country at 40°25' N 3°45' W . Population of Madrid city was 3,093,000 (Madrilenes, madrileños ) as of 2003 estimates. Population of the urban area was 4,791,000 as of 2000 estimates. Population of the metropolitan area (urban area plus satellite towns) was 5,604,000 as of 2003 estimates. The city spans a total of 607 km² (378 mi² ).

Madrid is the capital not only of the country but also of the province and the autonomous community of Madrid.

As of 2004 , the mayor of Madrid is Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón.

The Prado Museum

Tourists Attraction
Important cultural and tourist spots include the so-called Golden Triangle of Art , located along the Paseo del Prado and comprising the famous Prado Museum ,free on Sunday mornings, (with highlights such as Diego Velázquez 's Las Meninas and Francisco de Goya 's La Maja Vestida and La Maja Desnuda ), the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum (where Pablo Picasso 's Guernica hangs); the Plaza Mayor ; the Gran Via ; the Casón del Buen Retiro (hosting the 19th-century collection of the Prado Museum; currently closed for reform), the Palacio Real -free to go in on Wednesdays if you have a European Union passport, the Templo de Debod (a temple brought stone-by-stone from Egypt ), the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales , the Puerta del Sol and the Parque del Buen Retiro .The Naval Museum between Cibeles and the Prado (Paseo Prado,5)is free and gives a great insight into the former Spanish sea-power.

Some places that you need to phone to make an appointment to visit are-

Madrid Nighlife

NightLife
Nightowls wil find Madrid a paradise every night of the week. Visitors must keep in mind the late dining hours; restaurants do not even open until eight or nine o'clock. Many night establishments are open until the early morning hours.

In the vicinity of the Plaza de Santa Bárbara , the Glorieta de Bilbao and Alonso Martínez , a large number of popular bars, pubs, fast food restaurants and ice cream parlors are concentrated. The bars in the districts of Arguelles and Moncloa are generally frequented by University students and a younger crowd.

Malasaña , in the vicinity of the Plaza de Dos de Mayo, has countless cafés and bars with live music, in addition to moderately-priced restaurants.

The streets of Paseo de la Castellana , Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado boast quality restaurants, cafés and popular night spots.

In the Summer months and specially at night, open-air terraces abound in the areas of the Paseo de la Castellana and the Parque del Oeste.

Open air Markets

Shopping
Fashions for men, women and children and Spanish and international designers take up shop around the streets of Almirante and Conde de Xiquena, as well as in the district of Salamanca which concentrates the best shops for jewelry , shoes , leather goods , furniture , gifts , etc. Concentrated in and around the Plaza Mayor are an assortment of shops selling traditional articles such as espadrilles, fabrics, ropes, hats and religious articles.

Large department stores are located in the vicinity of the Puerta del Sol, and on the streets of Princesa, Goya and Castellana.

Open-air markets. The Rastro is the most famous of the flea markets which opens on Saturdays and Sundays between the Plaza de Cascorro, La Latina and the street of Embajadores. Everything imaginable can be found here from valuable antiques to used clothing, including collector cards, books, records, paintings, etc.

Feria del Libro Antiguo y de Ocasión . This book fair for old and used books is held on the Paseo de Recoletos at the beginning of May.

Feria del Libro sobre Madrid. This books fair held in May features books about Madrid. Plaza de Isabel II.

Cafes in Plaza Mayor

Food and Drink
A good number of dishes and recipes can be named which can be considered typical of Madrid. Among them, the Cocido Madrileño must be mentioned; a stew combining chickpeas with vegetables (cabbage, celery, carrots, turnips and potatoes) and chicken, beef and pork and which is turned into a huge succulent meal. Callos or tripe is another of the typical dishes identified with local cuisine and may be found in some of the well-known restaurants in Madrid. We must not neglect the humble and savoury Sopa de Ajo (garlic soup), Caracoles (snails), Tortilla de patatas (potato omelette), the famous recipe of Besugo al horno (baked bream), so typical in the capital in spite of its distance from the ocean, or dishes in which bacalao (cod) is the main ingredient.

Madrid's sweet tradition can be appreciated through its dessert; from torrijas (a type of French toast), typical in the springtime and likened to Holy Week, to the barquillos (rolled wafers), bartolillos con crema (a type of small pie with custard) the buñuelos (a type of fritter filled with custard whipped cream, etc.) in November, the mazapán (marzipan) and turrón (soft and hard nougat) at Christmas and the rosquillas de anís (anise-flavored doughnuts) during the festival of San Isidro.

In Madrid, as well as in the rest of Spain, the tapa (savoury titbits of a variety of dishes served as appetisers) is an old gastronomic tradition. You can find numerous establishments specialised in serving these tapas. "Ir de tapeo" (going out for tapas) is a tradition; hundreds of bars scattered throughout the streets of Madrid serve a tapa accompanied by a small glass of wine or beer.