Davidsbeenhere - Madrid, Spain City Travel Guide 2014: Attractions, Restaurants, and More...

Country Intro
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Brief History
The Kingdom of Spain islocated in southwestern Europe and neighbored by Portugal, Gibraltar, France,Northern Africa and Andorra. The Iberian Peninsula encompasses an area of over224,000 square miles (581, 400 square km) that is bordered by the MediterraneanSea and the Atlantic Ocean. Spain takes up the majority of this massivepeninsula, which has been inhabited by modern humans for over 10,000 years!
Throughout the centuries, control over Spain passed through many handsincluding those of the Celts, Romans, Seuvians and Moors. Eventually, thecountry was Christianized through the Reconquista movement. Spanning over sevencenturies beginning in the year 722, the Reconquista was a series of bloodywars during the Middle Ages fueled by the Crusades and the sovereignty of thePapacy. Christian kingdoms were formed. The Moors were eventually expelled. Andwith Columbus discovery of the New World in 1492, Spain became the worldsfirst bona fide super power.
Weather
The Community of Madrid has a temperate continental Mediterranean climate. Inother words, very hot summers and cold winters. July is typically the hottestmonth, while January is the coldest. Since it is landlocked, Madrid hasrelatively low humidity levels throughout the year.
Culture
Spanish culture is synonymous with a common theme throughout the IberianPeninsula - the presence of deep-rooted Christian traditions. Thousands ofCatholic churches, dozens of religious celebrations and deep devotion to patronsaints are part of the thread of daily life.
Even still, differences between Spains 17 regions do exist. One suchdifference is language; while Basque is the official language of BasqueCountry, Catalan is widely spoken throughout Catalunya and the BalearicIslands. Galician is spoken in Galicia and Aranese in northwestern Catalunya.Almost every native Spaniard speaks the more common form of Spanish, Castellano.
There are also differences in folk traditions, gastronomy and industry amongthe regions. They are what make Spain a kaleidoscope of cultures and such anappealing destination for North Americans and other Europeans.
Cuisine
The diverse gastronomic traditions of Spain have won the world over. Withfertile soil, a Mediterranean climate and unhindered access to fresh seafood,it is no wonder why the country is known as a food-lovers paradise. Tapas,or small plates, are popular throughout Spain. But there are some dishes thatMadrid is known for. These include: cocido Madrileo, a stew withchicken, chickpeas, cabbage, pork and potatoes; callos a la Madrilea,animal tripe (intestines), chorizo sausage, morcilla (blood) sausage and tomatosauce; roast lamb; and sopa Castellana, which is garlic soup with bitsof ham or sausage.
Arriving
The Community of Madrid is located in the heart of the country, with Madrid asits helm. If you are flying into Spain, you will likely arrive atMadrid-Barajas Airport, one of the worlds busiest travel hubs. Itscontemporary, functional design and architectural appeal also makeMadrid-Barajas one of the most stylish airports in Europe.