Madrid

Whilst you’re at the Gaming Executive Summit 2007, why not take a couple of days off to explore some of the things this vibrant city has to offer:

Real Madrid Bernabéu – with Real Madrid recently crowned champions of La Liga there really is only one place to be this summer. Only a short journey from the hotel this is a great opportunity to visit one of the most famous and glorious teams in world football.

The Prado museum (+34 91 330 28 00; http://museoprado.mcu.es) in Madrid is Spain's largest and most famous art museum. Visitors will find art works from all the great Spanish artists here.

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) is the official name of Spain's national museum of 20th century art (informally shortened to the Museo Reina Sofía, Queen Sofia Museum, or simply The Sofia). http://www.museoreinasofia.es Highlights of the museum include excellent collections of Spain's two greatest 20th century masters, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí including Picasso's great painting Guernica. It also hosts a free-access library specializing in art, with a collection of over 100,000 books, over 3,500 sound recordings and almost 1,000 videos.

Madrid's art scene isn't limited to the Prado. For smaller museums with big-name artists, check out the Fundación Juan March (+34-91-435-42-40; www.march.es), the Fundación Caja Madrid (+34-91-379-23-49; www.fundacioncajamadrid.es) and the larger but often overlooked Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.   An ‘Art Walk’ card can be purchased from the hotel concierge.

For shopping beyond the global brands on Calle Serrano, check out Bazaar (Calle Claudio Coello, 88; 34-91-426-05-85), which carries designers like Vanessa Bruno and Tara Jarmon. For post-punk clothing with a Spanish twist, head over to the Mercado Fuencarral, which features three floors of tiny boutiques. And for great Spanish shoes, vintage duds and lots of quirky wares, head for the Chueca

Good food and drink are central to life in Madrid, and there's no shortage of either anywhere in the city.  The area around Plaza de Santa Ana is a popular place to tapear (have tapas in one or more places). The Cervecería Alemana is located here and it's usually full of tourists. The Plaza de la Cebada has lots of good tapas bars as well like El Almendro.

After you've toured a few bars and tried their tapas, it's time for lunch or dinner. You'll find the best local dishes in Casa Lucio, La Bola, and Botín near the Plaza Mayor. The Madrid speciality is cocido madrileño, a soup cum stew with noodles, chickpeas, meat and vegetables. Another Madrid favorite is callos madrileños, tripe with chickpeas, chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage) and bacon fat in a slightly spicy sauce. You'll love it or hate it!