Madrid is the capital of Spain and is its largest city with over three million residents. The city was originally founded under Arab rule in the 9th century. Following Christian conquest, most of the city’s Arab influences were destroyed or removed leaving Madrid with a very different look and feel than the cities in southern Spain. Madrid was established as the permanent capital in 1606 and has remained the capital for over 400 years.

I found Madrid to be a pleasant combination of old and new, with impressive architecture, parks, historical buildings, art and food (obviously). Some of the key attractions are discussed in more detail below.

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