Madrid is full of monuments, historic buildings and museums, some of which are among the greatest in the world, particularly the incomparable Museo del Prado. Its unknown jewels, though, and not just for gardening enthusiasts, are its parks like the Buen Retiro or El Capricho (NEW! - you'll find most of Madrid's museums, landmarks, parks and gardens marked on the Madrid Map).

Madrid's museums include:

• The Museo del Prado, with works by Velázquez, Goya,  Hieronymos Bosch, El Greco...
• The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, for those who prefer their art low-calorie
• Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (which holds Picasso's Guernica), for modern art lovers
• The Museo Arqueológico Nacional, National Archaeology Museum
• The Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, Convent of the Poor Claires
• The Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Natural History Museum
• The Museo Nacional del Ferrocarril, Railway Museum
• The Museo Municipal

These are just some of Madrid's more important landmarks:

• The central Puerta del Sol - you are likely to find yourself there over and over again, if it isn't closed off for works
• Plaza de Oriente and the
• Palacio Real, Royal Palace, and the adjacent
• Catedral de la Almudena, cathedral
• Plaza Mayor, including the Arco de Cuchilleros arch
• The Paseo del Prado
• The Real Jardín Botánico, Botanical Garden
• The Real Observatorio Astronómico
• The Plaza de Cibeles, and the
• Banco de España, Bank of Spain
• Plaza de Neptuno, flanked by Madrid's best hotels, the Palace and the Ritz
• Plaza de España, with its statues of Don Quijote and Sancho Panza, and the
• Torrespaña
• The Gran Vía, including Spain's earliest skyscraper, the Telefónica Building
• Plaza de Colón
• Plaza de Santa Ana
• Plaza de Cibeles
• The Templo de Debod, an Egyptian temple
• Church of San Francisco el Grande
• Church of San Jeronimo el Real
• Puerta de Alcalá arch (with Napoleonic War bullet holes)
• Puerta de Toledo, and the
• Puente de Toledo bridge, next to the Vicente Calderón stadium, Atletic de Madrid's ground
• Ermita de San Antonio de La Florida, a hermitage with frescos by Goya
• The Palacio de las Cortes, Senate
• The Teatro Real
• The Banco de España
• Atocha Station, with its extraordinary tropical garden
• The Puente de Segovia
• Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, the bullring
• Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid's ground

As well as the Jardín Botánico mentioned above, Madrid's great parks and gardens include:

• Parque del Buen Retiro
• Casa del Campo
• Parque del Oeste
• Parque del Capricho
• The Rosalada, rose garden