Spain's capital, Madrid is situated in the heart of the Iberian Peninsula, some 650 meters above sea level, and with a population of 3.2 million it is the 3rd largest city in Europe.

At first glance Madrid may appear somewhat disappointing to the eye, especially when compared to the country's architecturally magnificent cities such as Seville and Barcelona. By scratching the surface though you will find a city alive with art and culture and with a thriving nightlife; which has been noted as being one of the most exhilarating in all of Europe.

Roughly 17% of the city's population are immigrants, and this has resulted is an eclectic mixture of regional and intentional cultures. Those visiting the capital are likely to receive a friendly welcome and will find the majority of city's inhabitants very social and approachable.

At 650 meters above sea level, Madrid is Europe's highest capital, making its weather conditions particularly severe. It's best to visit the capital during the more temperate months as the climate can range from freezing cold during winter to excruciatingly hot throughout summer.

It is estimated that Madrid has the greatest number of bars per capita throughout the whole of Europe, and it is undoubtedly a party city. With dinner usually eaten around 10pm, expect a night out to easily stretch into the early hours of the next day.

In fact, unless you make it past 4am you're generally not considered to have even spent a night on the town, known as "Salir", meaning "till the sun comes up".

For those wishing to take the night in little slower, there are a countless number of restaurants throughout the city, cooking up every dish imaginable. There is also an abundance of cinema's, theatres and flamenco venues dotted around.

As mentioned, the capital is rich in its vast collection of artwork and cultural expeditions. The capitals finest museums are the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen, which form what is knows as "The Golden Triangle".

The Prado is home to more classical works; with its collection totaling over 8,500. Reina Sofia houses the more contemporary works, and the Thyssen contains one the world's largest private collections.