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The Rough Guide to Madrid

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Madrid's essence: chaotic charm, vibrant nightlife, modern metamorphosis.

If you're planning a trip to Madrid or just love immersing yourself in the spirit of different cities, "The Rough Guide to Madrid" is your must-have companion. This guide peels back the layers of Spain’s capital, revealing a city that's both wildly lively and filled with contrasts. Imagine walking through the bustling streets with this book in hand, discovering hidden gems by day and diving into the dynamic nightlife as evening falls. With cultural insights and practical tips blended in one, you'll feel like a local in no time.

New

The Rough Guide to Madrid

Regular price $16.90
Unit price
per
ISBN: 9781858288918
Authors: Simon Baskett
Publisher: Rough Guides
Date of Publication: 2003-02-24
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: Travel, History, Sociology
Goodreads rating: 5.0
(rated by 1 readers)

Description

Madrid became Spain’s capital city at the whim of one man, Felipe II. Its site possesses few natural advantages – a fierce climate, no harbour and a poor excuse for a river – but it lies exactly in the centre of Spain, and in 1561, Felipe decided to base the formerly itinerant court here to avoid giving too much power and status to any one region. In Madrid he created a symbol of the unification and centralization of the country, and a capital from which he could receive the fastest post and communications from each corner of the nation. However, it was only the determination of successive rulers to promote a strong central capital that ensured the city’s survival and development. Today, Madrid is a large, predominantly modern city, with a population of four million and a highly schizophrenic character. There are, in effect, two "Madrid by day" and "Madrid by night"; the capital is freezing in winter, burning in summer; outwardly flamboyant, yet inwardly conservative; seemingly affluent, yet concealing serious levels of poverty. The highest, sunniest and greenest capital city in Europe – despite being choked with traffic and people – its inhabitants, the Madrileños, modestly declare, "Desde Madrid al Cielo": that after Madrid there is only one destination left – Heaven. Largely a city of immigrants, it’s difficult to find a person whose real roots are in
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Madrid's essence: chaotic charm, vibrant nightlife, modern metamorphosis.

If you're planning a trip to Madrid or just love immersing yourself in the spirit of different cities, "The Rough Guide to Madrid" is your must-have companion. This guide peels back the layers of Spain’s capital, revealing a city that's both wildly lively and filled with contrasts. Imagine walking through the bustling streets with this book in hand, discovering hidden gems by day and diving into the dynamic nightlife as evening falls. With cultural insights and practical tips blended in one, you'll feel like a local in no time.