Apart from the symbolic masterpiece Guernica, painted by Picasso in 1937 and, after 41 years of exile, now back on Spanish soil, this Art Centre presents a very complete picture of the particularly dynamic and innovative 20C Spanish art. From Cubism (with Juan Gris) to Surrealism (Miró, Julio González, Dalí) and from abstraction (Palazuelo, Saura, Tàpies) to figurative (Equipo Cronica, Antonio López Garcia), Spain has continued to produce major artists.

This place is made for landlubbers, old seadogs and budding admirals! You can daydream while looking at superb models of ships, books and navigational instruments. As explorers at heart, you cannot fail to be moved by the precious chart made by Juan de la Cosa around 1500: only eight years after Columbus discovered the New World, this was the first time that America had been mentioned on a map.

The Valle de los Caídos or the Valley of the Fallen, in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama to the northwest of Madrid, is the site of a gigantic monument built in memory of the dead of the Civil War (1936-39). The road leading to the foot of the basilica, carved out of the mountain face, passes through an imposing landscape.

Even if you are not particularly interested in weapons, you should visit this collection made by the Catholic Kings, Charles V and Philip II, if only to see the exceptional armour. Note in particular those of Charles V and his successors, as well as the Bourbons' collection of sporting guns.