Dunk and chat…recalling highlights of the day…and looking forward to tomorrow. We'll experience the majesty of its palaces and museums — and, we'll enjoy today's Madrid at its fun-loving best. Thankfully, stepping out of the Prado, it's a bright and happy day in Madrid — which seems determined to celebrate its freedom and enjoy life to its fullest. Rick Steves Paperback Nov 28, 2017 | 9781631216701 | RRP $39.99 Buy Now From the golden beaches of San Sebastian to the Barri Gotic of Barcelona, experience the best of Spain with Rick Steves as your guide in the new edition of this bestselling guide. Hieronymous Bosch — who painted 500 years ago and seems radical even today — gives all this hedonism a different spin. Today's palace is ridiculously super-sized — with 2,800 rooms, tons of luxurious tapestries, a king's ransom of chandeliers, frescoes by Tiepolo, priceless porcelain, and bronze decor covered in gold leaf. You can count on Rick Steves to tell you what you really need to know when traveling in Madrid and Toledo.. With acres of lavish paintings and tapestries, a king's ransom of chandeliers, priceless treasures, and bronze decor covered in gold leaf. For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, Thanks for joining us. Upstairs there's a red-carpet charm with plush halls, a velvety lounge, and basic rooms with views overlooking Madrid's shopping street action. Carlos: Jamón serrano. Here in these vacant faces he reveals the ineptitude of the royal family. Featuring books from Rick Steves and other best-selling authors, our selection includes popular guides and brand new releases. The line of torch-like lamps adds to the somber ambience. El Escorial was more than an impressive palace for a divine monarch. It's a hub for the Metro, buses, city celebrations, and a busy pedestrian shopping zone. This was our third Rick Steves tour, and was very possibly the best. Then ask for la cuenta (the bill). Churros are the favorite local donut. ▲ Retiro Park Festive green escape from the city, with rental rowboats and great people-watching. The shorter Rick Steves Best of Spain guidebook focuses on Spain's top destinations and sights, is in full color, and is updated every other year. Franco's prisoners, the enemies of the right, were put to work digging this memorial out of solid rock. It was the scene of generations of Carnavale gaiety. Carlos, a Spaniard who led tours for my groups for more than a decade, and his wife from Seattle, Jennifer, run Letango Tours, offering itineraries within Madrid and beyond, as well as customized tours (whether city, regional, or country-wide) and bookings anywhere in Spain. Oh yes. It's not about the cruelty, it's just an art, and it's a whole aesthetic. I like gambas al ajillo shrimp sautéed with garlic and gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp). Rick: So, what do we have here? Hemingway was there. It's time for flamenco. While Spaniards don't eat dinner until 9 or 10 o'clock, with a meal like this, I can eat early and still go local. The enigmatic, introverted, and extremely Catholic King Philip II directed the Counter Reformation from this spot. Built at a time when Catholic Spain felt threatened by Protestant "heretics," the construction of this palace dominated the Spanish economy for a generation (1562–1584). A wounded woman flees a burning house. It divided every village. Carlos: Chin Chin! A glass of the house red wine — right out of the keg — is incredibly cheap. The Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a symbol of power rather than elegance. This is Europe's third-greatest palace, after Versailles and Vienna's Schönbrunn. I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the Best of Europe. Another place to remember the victims of Spain's Civil War is back in Madrid at the Centro Reina Sofia. 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