Car Hire Madrid by:Michael Lee
Stick a pin in the center of a map of Spain and you're likely to hit Madrid
. The Capital of Spain is located right in the center of the country, for this reason alone it is the perfect destination in which to hire a car. When picking up your car from Madrid Airport it is equally easy to return it to a totally different one. By doing this you can have a mini road trip adventure through the stunning scenery of central Spain.Madrid is also central to the Castillian Plain. With a population in excess of three million today Madrid is a busy cosmopolitan city. Home to the Spanish Government, Parliament and Royal family it plays an important role in the administration of the entire country. Madrid has a unusual level of cultural and artistic activity and becomes incredibly lively come night time.
Like many cities in Spain Madrid's history dates back to Moorish Rule Emir Mohamed I ordered the first fortifications to be constructed on the left bank of the Manzanares river, from this point Madrid as we know it grew to surround it.
Booking your hire car for your time in Madrid is incredibly easy, a comparison website is the best option as you can choose the deal and vehicle to suit your needs. If you are planning on seeing many sites during your stay it is often cheaper to hire a car as this also eliminates an airport transfer costs. Madrid's location makes it a perfect starting point for a road trip here are some of the places you must not miss seeing plus some ideas for local places to visit in your hire car.
Unless you want to head for the big art galleries first, the most fitting place to begin exploring the city is the Plaza de la Puerta del Sol, the official centre of Madrid. Walk up Calle de Preciados and take the second street on the left, which will bring you out onto Plaza de las Descalzas. Take a look at the baroque doorway in the Caja de Madrid building - it was built for King Felipe V in 1733 and faces the Convento de las Descalzas Reales.
Moving south, you come to the Iglesia de San Gins in Calle de los Bordadores, built on the site of one of Madrid's oldest places of Christian worship, dating back to at least the 14th century. Behind it is the wonderful Chocolater'a de San Gins, place of worship for lovers of chocolate.
Although Madrid offers many of the attractions of any modern capital city the majority of tourists make time to visit some of Madrid's fantastic art collections and Museums. An Area which has become known as the golden triangle, this triangle is where three of the best attractions in Europe are located within a ten-minute walk of each other: Museo del Prado, Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza.
The most important of the three is the Museo del Prado, which houses the definitive Spanish art of the past 500 years - Goya, El Greco and Velzquez especially.
There is an overwhelming number of galleries and museums in Madrid where you could spend all of your time, If you find that you've had enough or this just isn't your thing Madrid has plenty of other things to keep you entertained. The Old Town is a must visit area for any visitor. Spend a day just exploring, wander the old streets and Plazas, or indulge in a little retail therapy. Look out for Tasca restaurants which are dedicated to serving tapas, the typically Spanish food. The Madrileos love nothing more than enjoying their good nightlife. Evening meals often don't start until ten PM when the temperatures have gone down and the streets are starting to come to life. Again the old town is a fantastic location for an evening saunter, a meal and then on to bars or clubs and party the night away.
To make the most of your hire car you really need to venture outside of the city, Toledo is a great starting point and relatively close to Madrid only 70 kilometers away it would make an perfect day trip. Declared a world heritage site in 1986 it really is worth the trip, it was a former capital of the Spanish Empire; make sure you see the Bridge of San Martin and spend time exploring this beautiful ancient town.
Segovia is another alternative just north east of Madrid; Segovia is a fairytale destination which can't fail to leave a big impression. This charming town is packed with twisting narrow alley ways Romanesque churches and buildings that look like they have been scattered on top of one another after being borrowed from fairytales. The Picos De Europa national park acts as a 'green belt' around the town meaning nothing has been built to ruin the natural setting of the place.
UNESCO has declared Segovia "Heritage of Mankind" status and has greatly helped with the restoration of buildings. The Alcazar Castle gave Walt Disney inspiration for his trademark towers and Queen Isabel gave Columbus the financial backing he needed to explore America here, Make sure you leave enough time for a good rummage around. Make sure you also find time to visit the Roman Aqueduct which is the best preserved in the Roman World. The tallest building by far is the 16th Century Cathedral, You'll be sure to spot it from which ever direction you approach.
Segovia is at an altitude of 3280 feet which means during winter it has a magical dusting of snow and in the height of summer is a little cooler at night time. This makes it a fabulous place to escape the heat and enjoy an evening meal. Your hire car is best left on the outskirts of the city as many of the smaller streets and squares are for pedestrians only. Park in one of the many out of city car parks and enjoy a saunter in the cool evening air into town.
There are also many royal castles scattered around this central area in Spain try visiting Palacio Real de Aranjuez in Aranjuez it's only around 45 kilometers from Madrid and again makes a perfect day trip in your hire car.
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