Madrid transport

Barajas Airport T1 Terminal
91 305 86 56
Atocha Railway Station
Glorieta del Emperador Carlos V
91 563 02 02
Chamartín Railway Station
Agustín de Foxá
91 323 21 21
RENFE (Spanish National Railway)
Alcalá, 44
91 563 02 00
Main Bus Station
91 468 42 00

Security:
Madrid, as any other tourist destination you must be very careful with your belongings. Specially, ladies bags are the target of pickpocketers.In most crowded areas, like Puerta del Sol, Callao, flea markets or the subway you could be an easy target. Be aware of fake police officers or fake tourists approaching in small groups while carrying maps to ask for directions.

Sights:
This relatively young city was founded by the Moors in 852. It was just another small village until 1561, when King Philips II made Madrid the capital of Spain. The city grew quickly and soon became the largest city in the country. With 3 million inhabitants, it is currently one of the largest cities in Western Europe.Madrid is home to many attractions, some of the most famous include the Prado Museum and the Royal Palace, the largest palace in Europe. The city also boasts some beautiful plazas such as the large Plaza Mayor or the popular Plaza de España.Architectural highlights include the Gran Via with many beautiful early 20th century buildings. More recent architecture can be found in Azca, Madrid's modern business district...Read more...

Food:
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...Read more...

Towns Nearby:
In the nearby provinces of Castilla la Mancha to the North and Castilla Leon to the South, we find gorgeous small villages such as Alcala de Henares(30Km from Madrid) Aranjuez(47Km) or Toledo(85Km),all of them named World Heritage Cities by UNESCO,as well as beautiful royal towns and villages such as San Lorenzo de El Escorial(50Km), Avila(115Km) or Segovia(87Km) with it's 16Km long roman (best kept of the world)aqueduct.

Pictures and information courtesy of www.aviewoncities.com