Madrid

This city is the capital of Spain and is also the largest city of Spain. The city is located on the river Manzanares. Madrid is considered the major financial center of the Iberian Peninsula; it hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major Spanish companies, as well as the headquarters of three of the world's 100 largest companies.

The motto of this beautiful country is " De Madrid al Cielo" which means "From Madrid to Heaven". While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets.

The region of Madrid has a temperate Mediterranean climate with cold winters with temperatures that sometimes drop below 0 °C (32 °F). Summer tends to be hot with temperatures that consistently surpass 30 °C (86 °F) in July and that can often reach 40 °C (104 °F). Due to Madrid's high altitude and dry climate, nightly temperatures tend to be cooler, leading to a lower average in the summer months.

Plaza Mayor

It is a central plaza in the city of Madrid and is located only few metres away from another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol. Originally it was called the "Plaza del Arrabal". The building is rectangular in shape, and it is surrounded by three-story residential buildings having 237 balconies. It has a total of nine entranceways. The Plaza Mayor has markets, traditional shops and cafes. Bullfights, soccer games, public executions and many more things can be seen there.

Royal Palace of Madrid

It is the official residence of the King of Spain. It is located on Bailen street, in the western part of downtown Madrid, east of the Manzanares River. The current king of Spain do not reside in this palace, but it is still used for state occasions. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional agency. The palace is partially open to public, but is closed when is used officially. The palace is the largest in Western Europe with an area of 135,000 m².

Plaza de España

It is a large square, and is located in central Madrid at the western end of the Gran Vía. It is a popular tourist destination. It was finished between 1956 and 1957. It is bordered by two of Madrid's most prominent skyscrapers. The Royal Palace is a short walk south from the plaza. The two tallest buildings of Madrid are located adjacent to the plaza.