1. The Prado Museum houses one of the richest collections of Spanish, Italian, Flemish and Dutch painting and stands in the same league as the Louvre and the Hermitage.

2. On Puerta del Sol you will find the city’s symbol – the Bear and the Strawberry Tree sculpture, the Royal Post Office, a monument to the much-loved King Charles III, and Kilometre Zero, from which all distances in Spain are measured.

3. The Royal Palace. The majestic official residence of the Spanish monarchs is fascinating as a museum too: it holds paintings by great masters, antique weapons and an entire collection of Stradivarius violins.

4. Almudena Cathedral. Directly opposite the Royal Palace stands Madrid’s main cathedral – the grand church of the Virgin of Almudena.

5. Plaza Mayor served in the Middle Ages as a market, a bullfighting arena and a place for public executions. The many balconies of the surrounding buildings offered especially good views of these spectacles.

6. On Cibeles Square stand several magnificent palaces at once: the famous Communications Palace, Buenavista Palace and the Marquis of Linares Mansion. The last of them is said to stand on cursed ground and bring misfortune to its owners.

7. The Reina Sofía Museum brings together unique works by 20th-century Spanish artists. Its most famous exhibit is Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica.”

8. Buen Retiro Park, whose name means “pleasant retreat,” was once part of the Habsburg residence and is now one of locals’ favorite places to relax.

9. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. This superb collection includes paintings from many eras, from the Renaissance to the Impressionists, Surrealists and Cubists.

10. Metrópolis. The Metropolis building is one of Madrid’s main symbols. The winged goddess Nike on its roof has long decorated what feels like every third postcard.