If you've never been on a Madrid vacation before, then you are in for a series of pleasant surprises. Madrid, the capital of Spain, is a vibrant city that is both modern and historic, as European cities often are. You'll find all the amenities here, including superb shopping outlets, museums, parks and restaurants. Some travelers book their airline tickets and hotel in Madrid together on a discount site like Orbitz, Priceline or Expedia, while others choose to piece it all together themselves, adding on a city tour, rental car or museum admission if they please. There are many decisions to make, but deliberate quickly — Spain awaits!

Eating is a big part of any vacation, especially when you're traveling outside of the United States to a faraway land, with its own unique culinary experiences. You won't feel completely foreign when you see Pizza Hut, Burger King, McDonald's and Starbucks, but you'll definitely want to resist the temptation to go with your comfort zone and try something new. Madrid, Spain is known for exotic dishes like Cocido Madrileño (meat and chick pea stew), Potaje de Garbanzos (chick pea stew), Cochinillo Asado (roasted sucking pig), Bocata de Calamares (fried calamari sandwich on French bread), Tortilla de Patatas (omelet, onion and potatoes), Patatas Bravas (fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce), Huevos Rotos (eggs fried over French fries) or Porras (thick battered churros, eaten with coffee). Often travel professionals at your hotel concierge can direct you to some of the area's best restaurants.

Naturally, after eating all that rich food, you'll need to walk around and see the sights of Madrid. At the ultra-modern Cosmo Caixa (science museum), you'll catch a glimpse of how the Earth was created, how tornadoes work and play with interactive exhibits that will keep the kids busy for hours. Visit a zoo, an amusement park, a garden and a bullfighting school at Casa de Campo, which is the "Central Park" of Madrid. At Casa de América you will see stunning 19th century architecture and, the locals warn, you may even see a ghost! Capricho de la Alameda de Osuna is one of the most tranquil settings in bustling Madrid. As a hideout for Napoleon's soldiers, these well-manicured gardens are fit for a duchess (the Duchess of Osuna, to be exact). Nuestra Señora de la Almudena is a neoclassical cathedral built in the 19th century, which tops many Madrid travel plan itineraries. Similarly, the art museum at Basílica de San Francisco el Grande cannot be missed.

Textiles and tourism are the two major industries of Madrid, Spain, so you'll find lots to do and many items to buy on your Madrid vacation. Of course, there is still always a place for the frugal traveler, according to the author of www.dirtcheapmadrid.com, a blog that covers all the bargains you can find in the city centre. You can stay in a hostel or you can stay in luxury hotels. You can fine-dine and drink until your heart's content or you could look for a "tasting" tour that numerous tapas bars and restaurants. You can pay full-price to see the museums at your leisure or you can schedule carefully to dash through during the free hours. Your Madrid travel plan can be anything you want it to be! For more information, visit the city's official tourism site at www.esmadrid.com.

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