The Prado, The Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen Bornemisza museums are surrounded by lovely foliage, and only a short walking distance from each other. They are located at the lovely Paseo des Arte, which is in the Eastern part of city. It's a quiet area of fine dining and private apartment complexes, with a few smaller, and dirtier museums as a back-drop for the charms and beauty of the larger three. The retiro gardens are located to the back of the Prado, a fabulous stretch adorned with ponds and fountains, glass gazebos, and rose gardens, a lovely shaded section to escape from the summer heat.

To the West of the Paseo del Arte you can find the exciting barrio of Santa Ana, it's thin sloped lanes surrounded on either side by tiled tapas bars and restaurants. It is a down to earth, upbeat bohemian area, and has been since Cervantes and Lope de Vega made their mark on history. In years past the theatres and brothels were in competition for customers. Today the theatres are a fun place to be in the evening when the sun goes down. The crowds fight for seats and standing room in the terraces and areas encompassing the Plaza. It is less noisy during the daytime where the older locals lounge on benches and watch with amusement as the neighbourhood’s new population of trendy professionals take their fashionable dogs out for a stroll.

This beautiful plaza is the heart and soul of old Madrid. Although the vast and impressive square is now filled with tourists examining plastic covered menus at cheap cafes it was once the place where the throngs would gather to witness royalty being crowned and heretics being burned. The intertwined and curvy lanes that exit the square, and the longest living lanes in the city, a distant reminder of the history of this beautiful city. A historic classic town combining all key elements of a village including religious and musical components reflecting a slow paced lifestyle. East of here lies the Palacio Real, a magnificent example of baroque beauty, as well as the newly restored Opera House.

These customary working class neighbourhoods are located randomly below the Plaza Mayor. A great portion of the area is run down and poverty stricken though the brilliant marks of the efforts for the betterment of the same are visible everywhere. People from South America and North Africa, as well as natives from Spain and young musicians that are in business for coffee shops and bars make a interesting combination Do not miss the popular Sunday morning flea market, El Rastro, and then a tapas crawl.

The Gran Via is an entertainment and retail mecca. A contrast of calm and craziness exist between night and day north of Gran Via. In the know shops and bars and the excuberant nightlife make such places the hippest areas in Madrid.

Chic apartments and fine dining can be found in Swanky Salamanca, in the northest part of the city. The feeling of money oozes out of this place, from the ritzy designer shops of Calle Serrano, to seeing Ferraris outside of clubs that one will never be able to get into. Some mansions from the nineteenth century only add to the upscale atmosphere, and the glossy towers lining the Paseo Castellano are an excellent attraction for those interested in modern architecture.

Amy is a part-time writer writing about tourism and holidays, whilst working on eComparison compare holiday airport transfers for people on holiday in europe.