Couldn't get to Madrid this past December? Here's a video of what you missed:

Navidad 08 en Madrid by Canon EOS 5D MKII from Mauro Fuentes on Vimeo.

If you like old architecture, a day trip from Madrid to the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial will bring you face-to-face with the El Escorial royal monastery (Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo), a huge structure built in 1563.

El Escorial is a monastery, museum and a place where Spanish monarchs are buried.  What makes El Escorial stand out is the size.   You'll feel like an ant standing outside the main building.

It is hard to imagine such a large building being constructed 500 years ago.  Why?  Because the complex has:

• 2673 windows
• 1200 doors
• 88 fountains
• 9 towers
• 86 stairways
• 15 cloisters
• 13 oratories

Construction was no easy feat and ended up depleating the region of financial resources until hundreds of years later as El Escorial evolved into the tourist attraction it is today. 

One of the most scenic and delightful parts of Madrid is the Old Madrid neighborhood, a small and mainly undiscovered area that provides an assortment of authentic Spanish bars, taverns, and restaurants. Whether you are staying at a hotel nearby or you simply wish to explore the gastronomic delights of this neighborhood, you'll enjoy a walking Tapas Tour of Old Madrid.

Perhaps the only thing you will recognize on your tapas tour of Old Madrid is Botin, renowned as the oldest restaurant in the world. Yet this is just one of the many outstanding restaurants and bars in the area serving traditional Spanish cuisine, including tapas and the best wines Madrid has to offer.

Madrid is famous for its lively streets and plazas, beautiful parks, tapas bars and nightlife, but it is also an incredibly rich cultural center. Madrid is a museum-lovers mecca, and there are more than 70 museums to tour in the city. The largest of them all is the Prado Museum on Paseo del Prado.

On your visit to Madrid, you'll undoubtedly spend many hours touring its fabulous museums and historic attractions, relaxing in parks and plazas, and eating and drinking in cafes, bars and restaurants. There is a lot to enjoy in Madrid, but if you would like to experience the city from a truly unique perspective, take a ride on the Madrid Teleferico.

Madrid's Teleferico is a cable car that has been delighting tourists and locals since 1969. It is the premier way to view Madrid's beautiful historical center's cityscape, although it may take more than one trip to relax enough to take advantage of the incredible photo opportunities you'll have on board. At just a few euros per ride, there's no reason not to hop on board more more than once during your visit.

Madrid is a very compact city, and no matter what your favorite choice of activities or attractions, you'll probably find you are in convenient reach of almost everything you wish to do during the day.

One thing to consider when you choose an area in Madrid for your vacation accommodations is the local nightlife scene. If you are traveling with children or prefer to get to sleep at a somewhat early hour (1 am in Madrid), you will want a quieter neighborhood. By contrast, nightowls will want to be close to where the action is all night long.

If you’re planning your first trip to Madrid, you’ve probably done some research on the variety of flavorful tapas and traditional dishes served at bars and restaurants throughout the city. You have a lot of interesting and delicious cuisine to look forward to trying, and discovering your favorite Spanish specialties is one of the many delights of a visit to Madrid.

At first glance, vegetarians traveling in Madrid may be concerned about what appears to be a very meat-centric cuisine. Pork, chicken and wild fowl, lamb, beef and other meats do feature predominately in many traditional Madrid dishes. Yet there are plenty of opportunities for vegetarians and health conscious travelers to enjoy delicious and flavorful plant-based foods, too.

One of the best strategies for enjoying vegetarian cuisine in Madrid is to take advantage of vegetarian tapas. The majority of tapas in Madrid do feature meat, but there are plenty of delicious vegetarian tapas to choose from, as well.

Long-layovers. So necessary but so despised.

I've had so many delays on outbound flights that I now aim for a layover of 2 to 3 hours between flights. It may be a little excessive, but I am usually assured to make the next leg of the flight instead of waiting several more hours -or overnight- for an alternative flight which is a lot less fun.

Sure, I end up sitting around for a while. With part of the Madrid Barajas Airport being newly added in 2006, waiting around is not so bad.

What do you do with 3 hours to kill at Madrid Barajas Airport?

Let's look at ways to plan your time in this Madrid Airport Survival Guide.

Flying from the US to Malaga, I had to do a transfer in Madrid and figure out what to do with myself during long layovers both going to Spain and leaving.