Madrid

capital city · Spain · culture · Europe

Spain's Power Center. Madrid is the capital and most important city of Spain, where the country's leaders make big decisions for the whole nation. It's also the political, economic, and cultural hub, meaning it's where government, money, and creativity all come together.

Huge and Growing. More than 3.4 million people live in Madrid itself, and about 6.8 million live in the whole area around it. That makes it one of the biggest cities in all of Europe, second only to a few others.

High and Central. Madrid sits in the middle of Spain on the River Manzanares at about 660 metres above sea level. Its location in the heart of the country makes it the natural meeting place for all of Spain.

Major EU City. Madrid is the second-largest city in the entire European Union after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is second only to Paris. This makes it one of Europe's most important and bustling cities.