Dear madridman & all those knowledgeable about Madrid, thank you. My husband & I just returned from a week's vacation in Madrid. The US, especially the Detroit area pales in comparison. I think we covered downtown Madrid from end to end, enjoying as many cafes, tascas & restaurants as we could. The Prado was awesome, the Museo Reina Sofia is not to be missed. Just being out on Grand Via or any of the beatiful plazas was fun. Our only regret was that the train we boarded to Avila one morning decided to stop at Tres Cantos (I think a close suburb of Madrid) and not go any further. Is that a common occurence? Anyway, it gives us another reason to return. We stayed at Hostal Dulcinea, clean & quiet, and used Aerocity to arrive & depart ( I agree that their vans could be better marked) Thanks again.