In the September issue, Barbara Lazear Ascher, author of several
books, including Dancing in the Dark: Romance, Yearning, and the
Search for the Sublime, writes vividly on Madrid in her “Personal
Place of a Lifetime” essay. Read it and be inspired to go on your
own Spanish adventure. Here, browse our Travel Wise for the best
the Web has to offer on Madrid travel. Note that all sites, except
for newspaper links, are in English.
BASICS
Entering Spain
www.spainconsul-ny.org/!consula.doi/visasing.htm
Visa, passport, and work-permit information from the Consulate
General
Getting There
www.okspain.org/before/airlines.htm
Links from the tourist office for airlines with U.S.-to-Spain
itineraries
Determining Time Difference
www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=14
A direct link to the current time and date in Madrid
Acquiring Weather Forecasts
www.weather.com/weather/cities/sp__madrid.html
Includes a three-day forecast from the Weather Channel and daily
updates
ESSENTIALS
Where to Eat
www.fodors.com/ir.cgi?dest=Madrid%4059&1=nam
Fodors’ take on where to dine in Madrid; plus, star-rated
recommendations
www.luxurytravel.com/cityguides/madrid/restaurants.html
A listing of restaurants organized by type of cuisine
Where to Stay
madrid.hotelguide.net
A comprehensive guide; browse hotels by location or search by
name
www.all-hotels.com/index.asp?
page=www.all-hotels.com/europe/spain/madrid/home.htm
Links to more than 100 hotels, divided by price scale
How to Get Around
www.autorental.net/madrid.html
A guide to renting cars in Spain; includes price comparisons and
links
www.spaindata.com/data/cars.shtml
An online reservations system to arrange rentals before travel to
Spain
www.metromadrid.es/index.html
Includes information on tickets, routes, and schedules; plus, metro
maps
THINGS TO DO
Attractions
www.worldexecutive.com/cityguides/madrid/attractions.html
Listings with descriptions, addresses, and phone numbers
www.sonaco.com/cityguide/Madrid/sightstosee.htm
Links to Madrid attractions with short descriptions and/or hours of
operation
Cultural Activities
www.softdoc.es/madrid_guide/culture/culture.html
Includes links to museums, art exhibits, theater performances,
bullfighting, and flamenco dancing
www.docuweb.ca/SiSpain/english/otherweb.html#culture
Links to museums, fairs, exhibitions, festivals, and more
Nightlife & Entertainment Venues
www.timeout.com/madrid/ent/music_rock_roots_and_jazz/
rock_w orld_music.html
Time Out’s take on where to go for live music
www.softdoc.es/madrid_guide/entertainment/
entertainment.html
Links to Madrid concert halls, clubs, and discos
Recreation Links
www.thetourist.es/english/madrid/feature1.html
An overview of skiing in Madrid; plus, phone numbers for four
resorts
www.golfeurope.com/euro_clubs/spain.htm#madrid
Includes phone numbers and pictures for several Madrid golf
resorts
http://sports.excite.com/span/rem
Listings of scores for Real Madrid games and sports; plus, team
reports
TRAVEL GUIDES
Language Tools
www.travlang.com
Includes translation dictionaries and tutorials for basic words and
phrases in several different languages, including Spanish
www.mytravelguide.com/tools/languageguide.asp?corridor
A guide to words, basic phrases, numbers, directions, and more in
several languages, including Spanish
Map Links
www.softdoc.es/madrid_guide/maps/a1q20sw.html
An intricate yet readable street map of Madrid; click to zoom in
www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/atlas/
europe/spain.html
A National Geographic map of Spain; click to enlarge
MORE MEDIA
Books
travel.roughguides.com/content/2605
Online guide by Rough Guides includes overviews on dining,
drinking, accommodations, sights, entertainment, and districts;
plus a “best of” section with links to Madrid’s top offerings
www.expataccess.com/Spain/Books.shtml
A site from which several Spain and Madrid-related books may be
ordered with information on language, travel, history, culture,
cuisine; also includes a search function for book titles
Magazines
www.thebroadsheet.com
A monthly, English-language publication that offers feature
articles on culture, people, and entertainment
www.timeout.com/madrid
Online guide by Time Out includes detailed information on
accommodations, dining, eating, and sightseeing
Newspapers
www.elpais.es
Madrid’s top daily newspaper with a variety of articles online on
such subjects as society, culture, sports, and news; Spanish only
www.diario-as.es
An Internet daily newspaper on Madrid sports; Spanish only
www.el-mundo.es/index.html
Investigative reporting in Spain that includes an array of topics; Spanish only
FOR MORE INFORMATION
All About Spain Travel Directory
www.red2000.com/spain
Includes a Spain traveler’s yellow pages; plus, a photo tour and
information on accommodations and restaurants, Madrid links, a
regions guide, cultural information, and attractions
CNN’s Spain Travel Guide
www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/CITY.GUIDES/WTR/internat.profiles/
ip.madrid.html
Includes listings, phone numbers, and descriptions of Madrid
restaurants, accommodations, attractions, nightlife, museums,
shopping, tours, recreation, and more compiled by CNN
Tourist Office of Spain
www.okspain.org
Includes information on flight schedules, accommodations,
horseback riding, hiking, biking, and golf in Spain; plus links for
cuisine, media, transportation, activities, and events compiled by
the tourist office
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