 | Madrid Puerta del Sol Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 77 |  |
Puerta del Sol (the gate to the sun), or better: simply called Sol, is the heart of Madrid. Its an overcrowded place of people hurrying to their work, the shops or just are there to meet up with their friends. Its a popular place of meeting. Its also at night the ultimate nightlife spot connecting the Plaza Santa Anna area to the La Latina barro and on the other direction thereyou walk into Chueca (a long walk though...) The plaza has the form of a half moon and in the middle of it there is a statue of Carlos the third on a horse. on the other side iof the street you find the ministery of foreighn affairs, the hughe red building with the big clock. This is the place where the madrelenes at new years eve gather to count down the minutes into the new year as they eat 12 grapes with their champaign enabling them to do 12 wishes for the upcoming year. In front of the building you can find the Zero-kilometer sign on the pavement. It symbolizes the idea that Madrid is the ultimate centre of the spanish trafficroadsystem, all the roads and highways in spain are measured in distance from this point in Madrid, that is, this sign on the pavement. On the other side of the road again, you fin next to the Court Ingless the symbol of Madrid: a statue of a bear reaching for the strawberries in the tree. Leave a Comment
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The Puerta del Sol is the geographical centre of Spain.
There is a stone slab which marks Kilometer zero. This is the starting point for the 6 main highways in Spain
It is a very busy square and is a popular meeting point for people of all ages. Leave a Comment
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The bustling center of Madrid is where you will find many fine buildings, shops with High Street Names, Hotels, bars & cafes. This place is a melting pot where tourists & locals collide. It can be very busy & crowded but it is nice to walk around & see the many sights Leave a Comment
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It's an absolute institution to try chocolate con churros here... and San Gines is undoubtably the best and most popular place in the city for it!!!
So popular - and big - is this place, that you pay first and they have a ticketing system for collection... *and* they serve the freshest yummiest chocolate (Spanish hot chocolate, which is very very thick and unlike any other I've tasted in another country) partnered perfectly with churros (a long stick of 'doughnut' type consistency... though far far better than any doughnut in my opinion). There are also porras, which are similar to churros, only thicker. Early evening prices are halved to cater for the local shopping crowd who wander by from Sol and Plaza Mayor
Coffees and a bar of the usual drinks are also available here, though most of the patrons you will find being consumed with chocolate!! The place is huge, across 2 floors, and being open throughout the night from Wednesday to Sunday (I'm told it closes at 7a.m. ish, but am sure to have been here after that time).... it gets packed full of people from all walks of life - old and young, families, party people, some in full costumes... a great place to meet people too. It's very close to Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, tucked down a little side street. Leave a Comment Phone: 91-365-65-46
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The semi circular junction of Plaza del Sol comprises of shops, bars and restaurants and serves as a great meeting point. This is where the statue of the bear can be found which is the symbol of Madrid, and just south of the bear you will find the statue of King Carlos III.
The Puerta Del Sol is also known for being the point from where all distances are measured in Spain - you can always find out how far you are from Puerta del Sol!
What I liked best about Puerta del Sol is that it has lots of side-streets all spread out around the square, some filled with busy cafes, some with shops, some with a never-ending choice of hostels, some with clubs....It's super, makes the centre very compact and easy to explore! =)
Plaza Mayor is just a 5-minute walk away! Leave a Comment Directions: Center
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In Madrid, all roads seem to lead to the Puerta del Sol - or rather, they all start from there, as indicated by the KM 0 sign on the pavement. Because it is such a central location, Sol makes for a great meeting point and a nice place to start exploring the city. There isn't that much to do besides looking around and taking pictures, and yet the place is always teeming with people and activity, which makes for a fun atmosphere.
I think most people will agree that the nicest building around the Puerta del Sol is the "Casa de Correos", dating back to the 17th century. On New Year's Eve, Madrileņos gather around the Casa de Correos with 12 grapes, which they eat as the building's clock chimes, thus turning the Puerta del Sol into Madrid's Times Square. Also, while you're there don't forget to look for the statue of "El Oso y El Madroņo" (the bear and the strawberry tree), which is the symbol of the city of Madrid. Leave a Comment Directions: Metro "Sol"
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A beautiful Square and the center of Madrid, The Sun Gate. There are huge and famous buildings around . A very busy area. You will find here the Post office, radial network, the statue of the bear and the madrono Tree, and the famous clock tower whose bells mark the traditional New Year's Eve celebrations. Leave a Comment
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Carlos III ( Charles III ) King of Spain 1759-1788. The statue was only erected in 1992, to honour him for the improvements he made in the city. For this reason earlier Madrilenos called him the Mayor of the city. The history of his life is written on the white plinth of the statue. Leave a Comment
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This paving slad located outside the Casa de Correos marks the point from whick all the roads radiating out from Madrid are measured. It could be said to be the center of Spain.
I must admit I was a little disappointed at how small and insignificant it was, if it had not been pointed out to me I'm sure I would have missed it. It was also badly in need of renovation, over the years its been worn away by the feet of many tourists as myself. Leave a Comment Directions: Outside the Casa de Correos (now a government building), Puerta del Sol.
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Near the Puerta del Sol, at the beginning of the Alcala Street, in front of the Regina Hotel, you can find these 2 beautiful buildings, with wonderful statues on top. Both are banks. Leave a Comment Directions: From Sol, take Alcala Street and follow till the first corner.
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