Steeped in history and brimming with cultural treasures, Madrid is a dream destination for the discerning traveller who seeks to immerse themselves in a world of art, science and nature. At the epicentre of the Spanish capital city’s artistic heart lies the Landscape of Light; a UNESCO World Heritage site that brings together some of Madrid’s most impressive art galleries, largest nature parks and stunning sculptures and statues for visitors to admire and enjoy.
With a history that stretches back to the 15th Century, when Madrileños leisurely strolled along the tree-laden Paseo del Prado—Europe’s first tree-lined urban promenade—the Landscape of Light has developed into one of the world’s great urban environments that combines nature, culture and science over 190 hectares, 75 percent of which is green space. The area is now home to 21 sites of major cultural interest including El Retiro Park, the Paseo del Arte and Palacio de Cristal.
ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE
Generously endowed with museums and art galleries, take a wander down the Paseo del Arte, a one-kilometre stretch, where you will find a trifecta of the world’s greatest art museums. Begin your art immersion at the Prado Museum, which has been showcasing the works of legendary artists since 1819. Housing more than 8,000 paintings, 5,000 drawings, 2,000 engravings and 700 sculptures, the museum boasts Velázquez’s Las Meninas, Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, Goya’s dark works—Saturn Devouring His Son and Black Paintings —and Albrecht Dürer’s self-portrait, which refuses to take its eyes off you
A little further along the Paseo del Arte, you will come to the next cathedral of art, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Madrid Museum. Previously the personal collection of Baron Hans Heinrich and Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, you can cast your eyes on art exhibits that span the spectrum of artistic styles from the 13th to the 20th Century. Here, you will be able to see the Gothic pieces of Jan van Eyck and the Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein. The art house also offers a plethora of interactive activities. Take the Art & Wine. Madrid Tour. thematic tour: visitors explore how wine has been a source of artistic inspiration through a guided audio tour of key works in the permanent collection, before enjoying a self-guided wine tasting at the bustling Mercado de San Miguel.
Completing Paseo del Arte’s artful hat-trick is the Reina Sofía Museum. Spotlighting the contributions of Spanish artists, the neoclassical building in the area of Atocha holds the works of Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and Juan Gris alongside Pablo Picasso’s famous depiction of the Guernica bombing. Make time to visit other incredible pieces in the former hospital that include The Fair by Maruja Mallo. Should the triptych of museums not sate your appetite, allow your compass to point you towards the likes of the National Museum of Decorative Arts, the National Museum of Anthropology and the CaixaForum Madrid, a top-level cultural centre that sports Spain’s first vertical garden comprising 15,000 plants. For history buffs, drop the anchor at the Naval Museum, which depicts Spain’s maritime history through a series of displays that include maps, paintings, artillery and a collection of nautical and scientific instruments.
BACK TO NATURE
For those seeking to embrace nature, Madrid is teeming with elegant gardens, pristine flowers and greenery in every direction. One of the finest green spaces to be found in the entire city is located next to the Prado Museum: the Royal Botanical Gardens. At the request of Ferdinand VI in 1755 and imagined by Francisco Sabatini and Juan de Villanueva, the garden invites locals and visitors to meander through its neo-Gothic layout where they can enjoy flowerbeds that feature more than 5,000 different species, an archive of nearly 10,000 drawings and a herbarium that contains more than one million specimens. There’s even an exhibition greenhouse where you can experience tropical, humid and desert environments as well as a collection of bonsais—the Japanese art of growing and shaping miniature trees in containers—and the aesthetically pleasing gates of Puerta de Murillo, Puerta del Rey and the Villanueva Pavilion. Time your visit right and you will be rewarded with a quirky escapade like a moonlit musical walk or have the opportunity to check out a temporary photographic exhibition.
For a true experience of Madrilenian life, treat yourself to a saunter through El Retiro Park. A green oasis where more than 15,000 trees reside, surprises are found at every turn across this 125-hectare tranquil sanctuary. Enjoy a match of bolos (bowls) with the locals or showcase your chess skills on life-sized boards, before taking to the water on a rowing boat on the park’s gleaming lake. Those who appreciate art will be rewarded with the stunning sculptures and fountains including the Monument to Alfonso XII, the Fallen Angel and Galápagos Fountain, constructed in honour of the then Princess Isabella II. There’s usually a temporary showcasing of art too at the beloved Velázquez Palace and Glass Palace for those who need their artistic fix for the day. Florophiles have plenty at which to marvel with the rose garden and the French parterre garden displaying a vibrant selection of colourful petals and intriguing designs. Or you can simply sit down and watch the world go as you soak up the beauty of nature that surrounds you in every direction.
ARCHITECTURAL MARVELS
Striking architecture and monuments pepper the Landscape of Light throughout its entire length and breadth. Conveniently for you, the magnificent fountains of Neptuno and Cibeles—the sites of celebration for Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid fans respectively—are within short walking distance of the mighty Puerta de Alcalá, a 19.5-metre granite gate that was built to mark the arrival of King Carlos III in the capital. Stop by The Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Madrid and you will discover a beautiful stained-glass dome and palatial bedrooms containing antique furnishings, or call into the Belle Époque palace of Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid and treat yourself to decadent seafood and caviar at the two Michelin-starred Deessa by Quique Dacosta. For a different perspective, check out Madrid City Hall, where the restaurant and cultural centre are appetisers for its dazzling viewpoint that affords arguably the best views of Madrid.
THE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE
Travelling broadens the mind and for an education into Madrid’s history and beyond, pick up a book at Cuesta de Moyano. Here, you will be able to delve into a world of literature, philosophy, art and old comics on the pedestrian street that boasts more than 30 wooden stalls, packed with books, out-of-print volumes and essays.
However, should you wish to discover the secret of the skies, make a beeline for the Royal Observatory of Madrid. Plumped pretty on a hill next to El Retiro Park, guided tours will lead you to a bountiful collection of antique instruments including a replica of William Herschel’s gargantuan telescope that measures 60 centimetres in diameter, with a focal length of more than seven metres. There’s also a meridian circle, an exhibition of precision clocks and a Foucault pendulum that illustrates the daily rotation of the Earth.
