Plaza Mayor

They say a historic square is always a beating heart of a city, and if this holds truth, then Madrid has its blood pumped by at least 5 of them. The grand arcaded Plaza Mayor is perhaps the one that gets the whole system going, and since it was built during the Habsburg period, it has been the central stage for all sorts of festivities, bull fights, royal coronations and executions, housing up to 50,000 spectators. One that rubs shoulders with Plaza Mayor is Puerta del Sol, by far the busiest square in the whole city and home to numerous notable sights, including the famous clock whose chiming marks the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes at New Year's Eve (you're familiar with the tradition, aren't you?). Of course, let's not forget about the hugely representative Plaza de España, the picturesque Plaza de la Villa, and the majestic Plaza de Cibeles centered on a fountain dedicated to the roman goddess of nature and seen as one of Madrid's most significant symbols. Whichever square you pursue, and it's recommendable to score all of them, it will always be packed with people, either going about their daily routines or marveling at the historical legacies, but if mixing with crowd is supposed to have an authentic value to it, there are few places better suited for that purpose than the plazas of Madrid. And nowhere else does hot chocolate with churros taste better!