World Of Tourism

The temple was dedicated to the gods of Amon and Isis and was built in the fourth century in Debod, near to the sacred temple Philae in the Nile valley, which is located not far from Aswan .

Due to the invaluable aid given by Spain at that time, and in particular in helping to save the sacred buildingsof ABU SIMBEL, the Egyptian government decided in 1968 to donate the ancient monument to the Spanish people.

In 1969 the temple was dismantled stone by stone and shipped to the Spanish Port of Valencia where it was moved to Madrid and painstakingly reconstructed, finally opening to the public in 1972. The temple is located on the site of a former army barracks within the Parque de la Montana area of Madrid.

There is also an interesting exhibition which depicts the rebuilding of the temple in Madrid.

Location : Parque del Cuartel de la Montaña
Ferraz, 1 - 28008 Madrid.
Telephone: (+34 ) 91 366 74 15

Nearest Metro: Plaza de España

Buses: Number 74

Opening times:
Tuesday to Friday, 1 April to 30 September: 10am to 2pm and 6-8pm. 1 October to 31 March: 9:45am to 1:45pm and 4:15 - 6:15pm. Saturday and Sunday: 10am to 2pm.

The temple is closed Mondays and public holidays.

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The Royal Monastery of El Escorial is another one Spain's must see treasures.Located some 50 kms from the capital ( Madrid ) in the town of Escorial de Arriba or San Lorenzo from which this immense and impressive Royal Monastery gets its name – San Lorenzo de Escorial.

It was completed in 1584 and was built as a summer retreat for King Phillip II, and some retreat !!.It was the work of Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera being built to commemorate the victory over the French in 1557. The interior was completed at the beginning of the 17th Century and the shear size of the place was meant to measure the importance of the Spanish empire of the time whilst humbling visitors at the same time, which of course it does to this day.

For visitors the El Escorial Monastery is an historic monument that really delivers on all fronts as it offers so much. It is simply awash with fantastic sculptures, tapestries and paintings not to mention the stunning royal mausoleum which houses the tombs of the Spanish Monarchs, quite amazing to think that all the kings since Charles I of the last 500 years are buried here, except Phillip V and Ferdinand VI.

Here is the official web site for the Escorial Monastery

Gary
A travel Guide to Spain

Barcelona is one of the most popular destinations in the European Union and Tourism Radio has developed another product to accommodate the scores of tourists to the second largest city in Spain. Visitors can now tour the city with the help of Tourism Radio’s MP3 player.

Tourism Radio is the world’s first GPS based radio station and has offices in Australasia, Africa, Europe and the U.S. Initially Tourism Radio was a device that fitted into a hire car and played information to listeners specific to their location. Tourism Radio has now diversified their product range to include an MP3 player that tells visitors about Barcelona.

Tourism Radio Chief Operations Officer Mark Allewell said, “We don’t only talk to tourists, we listen to them. We started getting feedback that visitors now want to get out of their cars for a while and explore the city on foot. We developed the walking tours specifically in response to what tourists want. We want to make sure that when somebody chooses to travel without a conventional guide, they don’t miss out on anything.”

Tourists can now hire the Tourism Radio Creative MP3 players, renowned as one of the most popular and user-friendly players in the world. The extended battery life of 15 hours means that tourists are able to spend more time exploring and less time sticking to a schedule. The MP3 players are pre programmed with audio clips about landmarks and places of interest so that users can discover the city at their leisure, with the help of their own digital “tour guide.”

Tourism Radio MP3 players are currently available in 85% of the 3 to 5 star hotels in Barcelona and audio clips are available in five languages, namely Spanish, English, German, French and Italian. Later this year, Tourism Radio will also be launching the product in Madrid after receiving positive feedback from the Barcelona hotels and visitors to both cities will be able to enjoy the same entertaining and informative content.

Top cruise operators in Barcelona have also expressed an interest in providing an exclusive tour for their passengers with the help of the MP3 players. Users will not only hear about the cities landmarks and highlights, but will receive fail-safe directions on how to get there. CEO of Tourism Radio Jacques Teichmann says, “We’re excited about developing the MP3 player for the cruise operators so that visitors can not only “listen to the city” but they won’t get lost either! It is a service that no other walking tour can guarantee. We’re passionate about our products and the service we offer to tourists, the MP3 player is just another way we are walking our talk…we hope that everyone will join us and take our MP3 players for a walk.”

Madrid is the capital of Spain, and is located almost exactly in the centre of the country. The provinces Avila, Segovia, Guadalajara, Cuenca and Toledo border Madrid, and with an elevation of over 2 thousand feet, it is also the highest capital in Europe and home to over 3 million people. Madrid is also home to the royal family, Spanish parliament, banking, and is the administration hub of Spain.

Madrid is a lively, cosmopolitan city full of culture and artistic activity and has an endless supply of bars, which are busy well into the early hours. One of the best ways to get around the city is on the efficient Metro System. There are 11 numbered and colour-coded lines that are easy to follow and extend to most of the holiday attractions Madrid has to offer. Madrid Plaza Mayor The main centrepiece in Madrid is the Plaza Mayor. This vast traffic-free cobbled rectangle is completely surrounded by 17th Century architectural buildings, the most prominent being the Casa de la Panaderia (Bakers' Guild), which is covered with modern allegorical murals. Another fantastic building is the Casa de la Carniceria (Butchers' Guild) whose facade is also covered with vibrant paintings. There are nine gateway entrances leading into Plaza Mayor and in the centre stands the 17th century triumphant statue of King Filipe III. The spectacular scenery and ambiance is best appreciated from the many bars within the square and outdoor seating that sprawls out onto the cobbles.

Holiday visits to El Rastro:

El Rastro is Madrid's famous Sunday flea market, which can be found on Plaza de Cascorro and Calle Ribera de Curtidores. It is an excellent way to spend the day, and an experience in itself to join the thousands of people all squeezed into the tiny streets. The variety of goods on sale is amazing with everything from clothes, books and leather goods to plants, tools and anything you could care to imagine. The best time to visit the market is early morning when the stalls are just setting up. By mid-afternoon it will be hard to move either into or out of the market what with the thousands of people who visit every week.

Madrid Palacio Real Palacio Real is located just north of Plaza Mayor in Calle Bailén and can be reached on the Metro underground at Opera, Plaza de España. It is a formidable Palace that overlooks the huge square Plaza de Armas. Construction of the Palace took 26 years to complete and it was occupied from the late 18th century until 1931 when King Alfonso XIII was forced to abdicate. Nowadays the palace is only used for formal occasions as King Juan Carlos I lives elsewhere. The Palace can be enjoyed at your leisure, or you could join an organised tour, which will take in the most interesting rooms. Off the main entrance is the Botica Real, rooms used as a pharmacy containing jars of medicines and herbs. Other highlights include the Thrown Room used for royal receptions, the Gasparini Rooms named after their Neapolitan Designer and the Royal Armoury with its suits of armour and weapons.

Madrid is about as far away from any coast of Spain as you could get, but come August and some of the hottest temperatures to be found anywhere in Spain, the city becomes deserted as many Spanish leave the city for surrounding towns and cooler coastal resorts. The many motorways that leave the city start their life at the bustling Puerta del Sol where 10 streets converge to a point known as 'Kilometre 0’, which is where all distances in Spain are measured from. The spot is identified by a small plaque on the south side of the square, which is under the clock that Spaniards tune in to at midnight on New Year's Eve, eating one grape for good luck with each strike of the bell. The Puerta del Sol buzzes with life and one of the best ways to enjoy it is from one of the many fine street bars and restaurants.

Steve Greenwood

http://www.idealrentals4u.com/

Madrid is a modern, world-class, but also historic city - the capital of Spain - located almost centrally in the heart of the country. A contrast of old and new, Madrid is a beautiful and vibrant city with great architectural interest. You might find the drive into the city a bit boring with its suburbs of concrete apartment blocks, but once in the centre, you will enjoy the traditional streets, with medieval buildings and some narrow and very atmospheric alleys, containing shops and bars.

The old quarter has a concentration of magnificent attractions including the Prado Museum with its great art collection, as well as the Reina Sofia and Thysssen-Bornemisza galleries, displaying Picasso and many other European and American masters.

The people of Madrid are among the great attractions of the city. Commonly known as the "Madrileños" they can be seen relaxing in the traditional cafes and cars, at the Sunday El Rastro flea market, and also late into the night at the many bars and nightclubs of Madrid.

For shopping, Madrid is a shopper's paradise, including the classy and expensive shops of the Salamanca Quarter. For those on a more modest budget, the El Rastro flea market is highly recommended.

Other attractions include:

Parque del Buen Retiro (Park of the Pleasant Retreat) - a lovely green and leafy oasis in the heart of the city including a lake where rowing boats can be hired. There are also wonderful puppet shows for the children in the park.

Temple of Debod - an ancient Egyptian temple which has been rebuilt in Madrid. The temple was originally built in southern Egypt, close to the first cataract of the Nile and is dedicated to the goddess Isis, in Philae. Due to the construction of the Great Dam of Aswan In 1960, and the subsequent threat it posed to certain monuments and archaeological sites, UNESCO made an international call to save this rich historical patrimony. As a sign of gratitude for the help provided by Spain in saving the temples of Abu Simbel, the Egyptian state donated the temple to Spain in 1968.

The Teatro Real (Royal Theatre) which has the world's finest stage and acoustic settings for opera.

The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium - home to Real Madrid - is a must visit for football fans.


The city has many relaxing plazas with beautiful sculptures, including the Plaza de Cibeles with its magical fountain and the Plaza Mayor, a lovely place for strolling, feeding the pigeons and enjoying a cup of coffee at one of the sidewalk cafes.

Weather in Madrid: Freezing cold in winter, and boiling hot in summer! Recommended seasons for visiting this fascinating city are Spring and Autumn, when you can stroll around the city and enjoy its many pleasures in comfort.

Transport - with the versatile metro and bus transport systems, plus convenient taxis that can be hailed in the street, you will have no problems getting around Madrid. In conclusion, Madrid is among the world's most popular destination cities and is well worth the visit.

Anne Sewell

Homepage: http://www.allmadridaccommodation.com

The Prado Museum in Madrid is renowned for being the largest art gallery in the world and has been visited by Millions of people over the years. It exhibits sculptures, drawings, coins and other works of arts, but it is undoubtedly its large collection of paintings which has given it fame worldwide. It houses more than 8,600 paintings, incredibly though it exhibits less than 2,000 at any one time due to the lack of space available. Many museums throughout the world have less artistic riches in their halls than the Prado Museum has in storage.

In 2006 the museum received a total of 2.165.581 visitors of which 380.310 where there to see the temporary Picasso exhibition . The numbers where divided into non-residents ( foreigners and Tourists ) and Residents of Spain. The non residents totaled some 1.363.000 visitors, Madrid capital itself received a total of over 5.000.000 visitors which means that 27% of all non resident visitors to Madrid visited the Prado Museum.