Spain’s top city for tourism, Madrid attracts more than six million visitors a year. In this book, Helen Crisp and Jules Stewart not only place visitor attractions in their historical perspective, relating the story of a city and its people through the centuries, but they also offer carefully curated listings that give a nod to well-known attractions and sites, as well as hidden gems. Spain’s political and art capital, with its “Golden Triangle” of museums and myriad art galleries, Madrid is also a city of dazzling nightlife, with a profusion of cafés and bars. Offering in-depth insight into the history of Madrid along with a view—from fiestas to football—into life in the city today, this is the story of a vibrant, energetic metropolis, one that remains an enigma to many outsiders.

Helen Crisp is a writer and editor in the healthcare field. She has been exploring the hidden corners and backstreets, the little-known shops, galleries and museums, of Madrid for more than twenty-five years. Jules Stewart is a journalist and author of many books, including Madrid: The History and Madrid: A Literary Guide for Travellers.

Prologue

HISTORY
1 Magerit Becomes Madrid
2 The Golden Age Of Empire And Literature
3 City Of Enlightenment
4 Bourbon Farewell And Return
5 Madrid Comes Of Age
6 City Under Siege
7 We Go Movida Along
8 Madrid Gets A Facelift

THE CITY TODAY
‘Squares’
Fiestas and Processions
Café Society
Football Madness
Theatre
Markets
Picture this
Look up
Man of La Mancha
Specialist Shops


LISTINGS

References
Chronology
Suggested Reading and Viewing
Index