Get the right guides for your trip
PAGE
50
YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE
ON THE
ROAD
Cantabria & Asturias
p455
Galicia
p500
CITY
• The original
• Comprehensive
• Adventurous
Castilla
y León
p123
In-depth reviews, detailed listings
and insider tips
Basque Country,
Navarra &
La Rioja
DISCOVER
p398
• Best-of
• Photo-packed
• Inspirational Aragón
p360
ENCOUNTER
• Pocket-sized
Catalonia
• Easy-to-use
p302
• Highlights
# Barcelona
^
p227
Madrid
# p52
_
Extremadura
p784
Valencia
p544
CastillaLa Mancha
p194
REGIONAL
• Cultural Andalucía
itineraries
• Day trips and
p657
• In-depth
MurciaHIKING
p644
Mallorca, Menorca & Ibiza
p594
PHRASEBOOK
TOP EXPERIENCES MAP
Looking for other travel resources?
SURVIVAL
875 GUIDE
PAGE
Directory A–Z .................. 876
Transport ......................... 891
Language & Glossary ..... 902
Index ................................. 919
LONELYPLANET.COM APPS
Map
Legend
.....................
934
For
travel
information,
Location-based
advice, tips & digital
chapters
Paper in
this book is
certified against
the Forest
Stewardship
Council®
standards.
FSC promotes
environmentally
responsible, socially beneficial and
economically viable management
of the world’s forests.
NEXT
PAGE
YOUR AT-A-GLANCE REFERENCE
How to get around, get a room,
stay safe, say hello
KEY PATTERNS
To get by in Spanish, m
these simple patterns w
your choice:
EBOOKS
MAGAZINE
When’s (the
next Áight)?
¿Cuándo sale
kwan·
Guidebooks
For travel
stories,
vuelo)? (el pro
guides for the street
for your reader (el próximoinspiration
& ideas
Where’s (the
station)?
lonelyplanet.com/mobile lonelyplanet.com/ebooks
lonelyplanet.com/magazine
al
¿Dónde está
don·d
STAY IN TOUCH
THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY
lonelyplanet.com/contact
AUSTRALIA Locked Bag 1, Footscray, Victoria 3011
Anthony Ham
%03 8379 8000, fax 03 8379 8111
twitter.com/
lonelyplanet
facebook.com/
USAJohn
150 Linden
St, Oakland,
CA 94607
Stuart Butler,
Noble,
Zora
O’Neill, Josephine
Quintero,
lonelyplanet
%510 250 6400, toll free 800 275 8555, fax 510 893 8572
lonelyplanet.com/
UK 186 CityBrendan
Rd, London, EC1V
2NT
Miles Roddis,
Sainsbury,
Damien Simonis
00a-title-col-map-spa8.indd 1
%020 7106 2100, fax 020 7106 2101
newsletter
2/12/2010 5:53:58
6:00:29 PM
SHAUN EGAN/PHOTOLIBRARY
28
TOP
DALE BUCKTON
EXPERIENCES
Alhambra
The palace complex of Granada’s Alhambra (p747) is close to architectural perfection. It is perhaps
the most refined example of Islamic art anywhere in the world, not to mention the most enduring
symbol of 800 years of Moorish rule in what was known as Al-Andalus. From afar, the Alhambra’s red
fortress towers dominate the Granada skyline, set against a backdrop of the Sierra Nevada’s snowcapped peaks. Up close, the Alhambra’s perfectly proportioned Generalife gardens complement the
exquisite detail of the Palacio Nazaríes. Put simply, this is Spain’s most beautiful monument.
1
00b-top-experiences-spa8.indd 4
1/12/2010 6:04:51 PM
SHAUN EGAN/PHOTOLIBRARY
La Sagrada Família
One of Spain’s top sights, the Modernista brainchild of Antoni Gaudí remains a work in
progress more than 80 years after its creator’s death. Fanciful and profound, inspired by nature and barely restrained by a Gothic style, Barcelona’s quirky temple (p247) soars skyward with
an almost playful majesty. The improbable angles and departures from architectural convention
will have you shaking your head in disbelief, but the detail of the decorative flourishes on the Passion Facade, Nativity Facade and elsewhere are worth studying for hours.
2
DALE BUCKTON
00b-top-experiences-spa8.indd 5
1/12/2010 6:04:58 PM
Look out for these icons:
author’s
A green or
No payment
oOur
recommendation Ssustainable option Frequired
MADRID . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
AROUND MADRID . . . . . . . .117
San Lorenzo de
El Escorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Alcalá de Henares . . . . . . . 121
Sierra de
Guadarrama . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
CASTILLA Y
LEÓN . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Ávila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Salamanca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Ciudad Rodrigo . . . . . . . . . . 141
Sierra de Francia . . . . . . . . 142
Segovia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Valladolid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Zamora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Palencia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
León . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Burgos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Soria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
CASTILLA-LA
MANCHA . . . . . . . . . . 194
Toledo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Montes de Toledo . . . . . . . 206
Ciudad Real . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Cuenca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Pastrana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222
Sigüenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223
BARCELONA . . . . . . . 227
AROUND
BARCELONA . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Sitges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295
Montserrat. . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
09-madrid-spa8.indd 50
Penedès Wine
Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
CATALONIA . . . . . . . 302
COSTA BRAVA . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tossa de Mar . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Palafrugell &
Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Castell de Púbol . . . . . . . . . 312
Girona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Roses & Around . . . . . . . . 320
Cadaqués & Around . . . . . . 321
Figueres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .324
Besalú . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .328
Valles de Echo
& Ansó . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372
Jaca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375
Parque Nacional de
Ordesa y Monte
Perdido . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Aínsa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Alquézar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .387
Huesca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
Daroca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Teruel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Albarracín . . . . . . . . . . . . . .395
BASQUE COUNTRY,
NAVARRA & LA
THE PYRENEES . . . . . . . . . 329 RIOJA . . . . . . . . . . . . .398
Olot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .329
Ripoll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
La Seu d’Urgell . . . . . . . . . 338
Parc Nacional
d’Aigüestortes i Estany
de Sant Maurici &
Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Val d’Aran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .343
CENTRAL
CATALONIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Vic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Lleida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Montsec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
COSTA DAURADA . . . . . . . 351
Tarragona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .352
Port Aventura . . . . . . . . . . .356
Reus & Around . . . . . . . . . .356
ARAGÓN . . . . . . . . . 360
Zaragoza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Sos del Rey
Católico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
BASQUE
COUNTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Bilbao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .401
San Sebastián . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Vitoria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .427
NAVARRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
Pamplona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432
The Pyrenees . . . . . . . . . . 440
LA RIOJA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
Logroño . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
CANTABRIA &
ASTURIAS . . . . . . . . .455
CANTABRIA . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Santander . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457
ASTURIAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
Oviedo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
Gijón . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .477
PICOS DE
EUROPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
3/12/2010 11:44:24 AM
See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.
On the Road
SANTIAGO DE
COMPOSTELA &
GALICIA . . . . . . . . . 500
Santiago de
Compostela . . . . . . . . . . . . 502
A CORUÑA & THE RÍAS
ALTAS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513
COSTA DA MORTE . . . . . . . 522
Fisterra & Around . . . . . . . .522
Muxía & Around . . . . . . . . .523
RÍAS BAIXAS . . . . . . . . . . . 524
Pontevedra . . . . . . . . . . . . .527
Vigo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531
Illas Cíes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .534
THE SOUTHWEST . . . . . . . 534
Baiona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .534
Tui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .535
THE EAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536
Ourense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .536
Ribeira Sacra
& Cañón do Sil . . . . . . . . . .538
Lugo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
VALENCIA & THE
COSTA BLANCA . . . 544
Valencia City . . . . . . . . . . . 546
COSTA DEL
AZAHAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Benicàssim . . . . . . . . . . . . 569
Peñíscola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571
EL MAESTRAZGO . . . . . . . 572
Sant Mateu . . . . . . . . . . . . .573
Morella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .573
COSTA BLANCA . . . . . . . . . 575
Gandia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
09-madrid-spa8.indd 51
Xàbia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577
Alicante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .582
Isla de Tabarca . . . . . . . . . .587
INLAND FROM THE
COSTA BLANCA . . . . . . . . . 588
Xàtiva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
Villena. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589
Guadalest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
Elche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
Orihuela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .593
MALLORCA,
MENORCA &
IBIZA . . . . . . . . . . . . 594
MALLORCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596
Palma de Mallorca . . . . . . . 596
IBIZA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613
Ibiza City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 614
FORMENTERA . . . . . . . . . . 625
MENORCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630
Maó . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630
Ciutadella . . . . . . . . . . . . . .637
MURCIA . . . . . . . . . . 644
Murcia City . . . . . . . . . . . . 645
Cartagena . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649
Lorca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 654
ANDALUCÍA. . . . . . . . 657
Seville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .659
Huelva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 682
Parque Nacional de
Doñana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684
Cádiz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 688
El Puerto de
Santa María . . . . . . . . . . . . 694
Sanlúcar de
Barrameda. . . . . . . . . . . . . 696
Jerez de la
Frontera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 698
Arcos de la
Frontera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .702
Tarifa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 710
Algeciras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 714
Gibraltar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 714
Málaga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 719
Costa del Sol . . . . . . . . . . . . 727
Ronda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .730
Antequera . . . . . . . . . . . . . .734
Córdoba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 737
Granada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .746
Sierra Nevada . . . . . . . . . . .764
Las Alpujarras . . . . . . . . . . .766
Jaén . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .769
Baeza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772
Úbeda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 773
Parque Natural de
Cazorla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .776
Almería. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 777
Cabo de Gata . . . . . . . . . . .780
Mojácar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .782
EXTREMADURA . . . .784
La Vera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .786
Coria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 790
Plasencia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 791
Cáceres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .793
Trujillo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798
Guadalupe . . . . . . . . . . . . . 802
Mérida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 804
Badajoz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 808
Zafra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .810
3/12/2010 11:44:33 AM
Madrid
Why Go?
Sights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Sleeping . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Entertainment . . . . . . 105
Shopping . . . . . . . . . . .111
AROUND MADRID. . . .117
San Lorenzo de El
Escorial . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Alcalá de Henares . . . 121
Sierra de
Guadarrama . . . . . . . . 121
Palacio Real de
El Pardo . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Best Places to Eat
» Restaurante Sobrino de
Botín (p92)
» Estado Puro (p96)
» Sula Madrid (p96)
» La Musa (p97 )
» Mercado de San Miguel
(p92)
Best Places to Stay
» Hotel Meninas (p 87 )
» Hotel Óscar (p91)
» Hotel Urban (p 88)
» Cat’s Hostel (p 89)
» Hotel Abalú (p91)
09-madrid-spa8.indd 52
No city on earth is more alive than Madrid, a beguiling
place whose sheer energy carries a simple message: this
city knows how to live.
It’s true Madrid doesn’t have the immediate cachet of
Paris, the monumental history of Rome or the reputation
for cool of that other city up the road. But it’s a city whose
contradictory impulses are legion, the perfect expression of
Europe’s most passionate country writ large.
This city has transformed itself into Spain’s premier style
centre and its calling cards are many: astonishing art galleries; relentless nightlife; an exceptional live-music scene;
a feast of fine restaurants and tapas bars; and a population
that’s mastered the art of the good life. It’s not that other
cities don’t have these things. It’s just that Madrid has all
of them in bucket-loads.
When to Go
Madrid
°C/°F Temp
Rainfall Inches/mm
40/104
8/200
30/86
6/150
20/68
4/100
10/50
2/50
0
0/32
J
F
M
February Five
days of Spain’s
best flamenco
during the Festival Flamenco Caja
Madrid
A
M
J
J
A
May Two of
Madrid’s biggest
fiestas: Fiesta de
la Comunidad de
Madrid and Fiesta
de San Isidro
S
O
N
D
September Madrid shakes off its
summer torpor
with (usually)
lovely autumn
weather
3/12/2010 10:10:49 AM
Madrid Baroque
DON’T MISS
The Spanish capital’s contribution to world architectural
textbooks is known as barroco madrileño (Madrid baroque). Its creation is largely attributed to Juan de Herrera (1530–97), perhaps the greatest figure of the Spanish
Renaissance, who fused the sternness of the Renaissance
style with a muted approach to its successor, the more
voluptuous, ornamental baroque. Prime examples in Madrid include the Plaza Mayor, the former ayuntamiento
(town hall) on Plaza de la Villa and the Convento de la
Encarnación.
La Latina, the tangle
of medieval streets
southwest of Plaza
Mayor, ranks among
Spain’s finest hunting
grounds for tapas.
Start along Calle de la
Cava Baja, and finish
with a mojito on Plaza
de la Paja.
MADRID’S BARRIOS IN A NUTSHELL
Los Austrias, Sol and Centro form Madrid’s oldest
quarter, home to some of Madrid’s grandest monuments, as well as bars, restaurants and hotels. Next
door, the La Latina and Lavapiés neighbourhood is
the preserve of narrow medieval streets, great bars for
tapas, drinking and restaurants. Away to the east, the
Huertas and Atocha area is one of Madrid’s nightlife
capitals and home to the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.
Down the hill and a world away, Paseo del Prado
and El Retiro is downtown Madrid’s greenest corner,
with world-class art galleries along the Paseo’s shores
and the Parque del Buen Retiro up the hill to the east.
Salamanca is upmarket and Madrid’s home of old
money, not to mention Madrid’s home of designer
shopping, while Malasaña and Chueca are two innercity barrios with eclectic nightlife, shopping and outstanding eating options; the latter is the heartbeat of
Madrid’s gay community.
To the north, Chamberí and Argüelles are residential barrios with a glimpse of Madrid away from the
tourist crowds, while Northern Madrid has high-class
restaurants and is the home of Real Madrid football
club.
Madrid’s Best Art Galleries
» Museo del Prado (p 69) One of the great art galleries of
the world, with Goya and Velázquez the highlights.
» Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (p 68) Stunning art gallery
that’s home to Picasso’s Guernica.
» Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (p73) Private art gallery
with masters from every era.
» Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
(p 63) Goya, Picasso, Velázquez, Rubens…
Fast Facts
» Population: 3.6 million
(city), 6.2 million
(Comunidad)
» Area: 505 sq km (city),
7995 sq km (Comunidad)
» Number of visitors
(2009): 7.2 million
» Annual income: €22,870
Planning Your
Trip
» Book your accommodation at hotels.lonelyplanet.
com.
» Avoid the queues and
book your tickets online
to the Museo del Prado
(www.museodelprado.es).
» Beat the rush and book
your tickets in advance
to see Real Madrid play
(p110).
Resources
» Tourism in Madrid city
(www.esmadrid.com)
» Tourism in Madrid region
(www.turismomadrid.es)
» English-language guide
to what’s happening (www.
in-madrid.com)
» Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida (p77 ) Exquisite
Goya frescoes in their original setting.
09-madrid-spa8.indd 53
3/12/2010 10:10:50 AM