The Palacio Real de Madrid, the official residence of the Spanish royal family in the city, is Europe's largest royal palace, boasting a whopping surface area of 135,000 square metres and a staggering 3,418 rooms. This architectural marvel is not only visually stunning, but also features spectacular outdoor gardens and exquisite frescoes, furnishings, and paintings within its walls. Originally constructed in 1764 as a replacement for the Alcázar castle, which had been destroyed by fire three decades earlier, this magnificent edifice is a must-see attraction for anyone visiting Madrid. Nearly the entire palace is open to the public, including the Armoury and Pharmacy.

The Museum Embankment (Museumsufer) lines the south bank of the Main River with a string of museums covering everything from fine art and film to architecture, Jewish history and ancient sculpture. Highlights include the Städel Museum with its underground gallery, the German Film Museum, the Museum of Communication and the Jewish Museum. Each August, the embankment hosts the Museum Embankment Festival, one of Europe’s biggest cultural events, with late openings, live music and food stalls along the river.

To see this spectacle of nature you best book a guided tour with a local provider. Nicknamed the "Horries" and known as Garaanngaddim to the local Indigenous people, are an unusual natural phenomenon where tidal flows cause waterfalls on the ebb and flow of each tide.