Madrid has a tempo of its own: The dry air of the Castilian plain crackles with its cosmopolitan crowds. If the illuminated shop windows along the Gran Vía, and the unrelenting elegance of Paseo de la Castellana are overwhelming, retreat to Old Madrid. Its tangle of side streets south of Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol are what makes the real Madrid. Spend half a day in the Prado Museum, thaat sit to rest on the steps leading down to the lake in lush Retiro Park. The city begins to live it up as soon as the sun goes down. Madrid claims to boast the largest number of bars per capita of any European city. Madrid teems with cultural events all year round. After concert, play or film, you can choose among literally hundreds of tapas bars and an endless array of nightspots. Madrid successfylly combines its cosmopolitan sophistication with its most cherished local traditions, the result is fascinating to explore.