Madrid- the beautiful capital city of Spain has a population of over three million. A cosmopolitan city with wonderful business centers, Spanish Parliament and the home of the Spanish Royal Family, it plays a major role in both the banking and industrial sectors. The city with its rocking nightlife and wonderful spots offers one of the most exhilarating experiences of one’s life.

Best time to visit
Madrid is a dry city, rain is rare, and due to low humidity, even summers are tolerable. The winter season stretches from December to middle march, spring from middle of March through May and is one of the most pleasant seasons to visit the city with night life and festivities at its peak. Summer season lasts from June to August and Autumn from September to November and is another good time to visit the city. Temperatures lie between a cool of 8-9 degrees C in December and January to a sunny 30 to 35 degrees during July and August.

How to reach
Madrid is very well connected with most of the European, Asian countries and the USA. All international visitors are required to have valid entry Visa. Local transport is very good consisting of private taxis and Metro, which connects all part of the city at an affordable cost.

Accommodation
Being a business and cosmopolitan city, Madrid offers a wide variety of choices to cater to the needs of all budgets and tastes. Those who want to enjoy the best of life can look forward to a luxurious and lavish treatment in most of the five start hotels. Besides a large number of options for middle level suites and apartments are also available and can be availed of. The going rates for such options is in the range of 50 Euros onwards. It is always a good idea to do an advanced booking due to the fact that a large number of conventions and meetings keep the city ever busy.

Places to visit
Madrid is the place of gardens, museums and excellent convention centres. Prado museum is world famous containing historical artifacts and mementoes of world war and other historical events in the Spanish era. Botanical Gardens situated right beside the Prado Museum houses some 30.000 different species of trees and plants from all over the world and is a paradise for those interested in trees and plantations. The largest and most beautiful of all Madrid’s parks is the Retiro having 130 hectares of woodland and more than 15.000 trees. Casa de Campo is a large park with an area of about 4.000 acres. It is an ideal place for enjoying row boats around the artificial lake. The Parque Zoológico or Zoo and Parque de Atracciones, a large amusement park, are also popular tourists spots. Rosales and the Parque del Oeste are an ideal playground for children, with their spacious stretches of lawn, their shady trees and sandy paths. The large rose garden at the bottom of the hill is very popular

Shopping
Madrid is a shoppers delight with its large number of departmental stores mostly located in the vicinity of the Puerta del Sol, and on the streets of Princesa, Goya and Castellana. If you want to visit open air markets then Rastro is your choice with its most popular flea markets between the Plaza de Cascorro, La Latina and the street of Embajadores. Everything imaginable can be found here from valuable antiques and artifacts to used clothing, collector cards, books, records, paintings, hats, mementoes etc. Madrid also houses book fairs round the year and the most popular of them is held on the Paseo de Recoletos at the beginning of May

Florence, the city of joy, the city with a rich cultural heritage, castles and monuments which will leave tourists and visitors spell bund and the city that is home to great and stunning views of the panoramic landscape and wonderful vegetation is the most beautiful city of Italy. Florence has been the home of the great and mighty of the world such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Dante, Machiavelli and Michelangelo just to name a few. It is surely a place that can not be omitted from the travel itinerary tourists and visitors who want to experience the very best.

How to reach
The Amerigo Vespucci airport in Florence is the entry point to Florence and is located just 5 kilometres from the city centre. If you want to enjoy a ride to the city on motor way, then Florence is also connected with Bologna and Milano in the North and Rome and Naples in the South of Italy and the journey is very pleasant. The motorway to the sea joins Florence to Prato, Pistoia, Montecatini, Lucca and Pisa. Thus tourists and visitors can reach the city by all means.

Major Attractions
The world famous Duomo or Cathedral Church with the Brunelleschi cupola, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the bronze sculpted doors of the marble-clad Baptistry is the most frequented attraction. The Piazza, or the square is a place to sit and enjoy the atmosphere. The other major attractions include the Uffizi galleries, one of the best art museums in the world, the Santo Spirito church and the Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio) with its must see shopping area. Piazza Michelangelo in Oltrarno offers a great panoramic view of the city and can not be missed by tourists. The church of San Miniato is another major attraction. The hillside town of Fiesole, just outside Florence, the Roman ruins, the Church of St. Dominic are attractions which invite tourists from all hues. Florence is also a home of great museums in the field of History of Science, Geology and Paleontology, Botany, Mineralogy, Anthropology and Ethnology and can be visited by those interested.

Shopping
Florence like all major cities of Italy is a fashion boutique in itself. The city also prides itself in being a home to great natural and therapeutic products that are world famous. Herbal Medicine and Natural Cosmetics, using plants from Tuscany are a rage here and a must buy for all tourists. A number of street markets also offer great products such a leather purses, traditional and chick wear, artifacts and other mementos which can be bought at great bargain prices.

Gourmet and Night life
Florence is the place if you are not too concerned about your waist size. The city with its large number of ristoranti, pizzerie and typical trattorie, located in all parts of the place offer great options for foodies. Tasty soups, roast and grilled meat chicken, cheese, an abundance of vegetables and fresh fruit, salamis and cold meats, and typical vegetable dishes are simply mouth watering and sumptuous. Miss it at your own cost. The Italian food is at its very best in Florence with wines of all sorts to accompany. Florence is also a lively city and with a number of pub, cafes, night clubs and discotheques, you will never be bored in this great city.