The Capital of Spain, with 3m people, 646 metres above sea level, and founded by the Emirs in the 8th century, Madrid is now a modern cosmopolitan city and pretty fashionable at that.

The main draw for most people coming to Madrid is the world-class art palaces, but there are also numerous parks, museums, tapas bars, nightclubs and restaurants which divert your attention away from your original intentions for the city. The Old Town is pretty easy to navigate and surprisingly small, so you can walk it easily, taking in the breathtaking achitecture at the same time.