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Madrid, Spain 

One cannot help but notice a prominent green expanse on the map of Madrid. Parque Del Retiro is more than a nature walk. In fact, many visitors return several times during their stay for the wide variety of entertainment provided by street performers, boaters, skaters, and puppeteers.

The city offers many interesting museums, with the world-famous Prado National Museum leading the way. Housed in an 18th-century building, the Prado features the works of Rubens, Goya, El Greco, Bosch, Velazquez, Titian and many others. Madrid's most famous contemporary art museum is the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. Its centerpiece is Picasso's enormous antiwar masterpiece, Guernica. The highly acclaimed works of the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection are displayed at the Villahermosa Palace.

The historic quarters of Madrid are filled with interesting sights and structures. Columns, arches, churches, fountains, even an Egyptian Temple await the traveler. The Madrid Card is a wise purchase, as it combines a transportation pass with free entry to various museums and attractions, among other discounts.

Madrid has hills and mountains in abundance for the climber and hiker. There are twenty local golf courses, some of which welcome nonmembers. Parque de Nieve is the amateur athlete's dream. This is an indoor, artificial slope that can be configured with different terrains. There are separate areas for skiing, snowboarding and tubing, as well as an ice wall for climbers. Bicycling is also a popular sport, and bike trails are available. Spain's national sport is futbol (soccer), and Madrid boasts three home teams. The season runs from September to June. A close second in the hearts of Madrilenos and Spaniards is the corrida (bullfight), for which the season is from March to October.