Another of Madrid’s “musts”, Plaza Mayor is a handsome renaissance square, laid out in the early-1600s and completely sequestered by historic three-story-high residential buildings.
There are nine entrances to the square and within the porticoes at the bottom of the buildings are several cafes. Order a coffee at an outdoor table and watch Madrid in action for a few minutes. After that, you could wander up to the 400-year-old bronze statue of King Philip III, who was in power at the height of the Spanish empire.
