The Reina Sofia is Madrid's world-famous modern art gallery - and it has free entry for a limited time every day. That means you can see many works by Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso - including the latter's masterpiece, the Guernica - completely free, call for the hours when there is no charge; mostly evenings.

Officially Spain's most popular tourist sight and free seven days a week! The Museo del Prado is Spain's premier art gallery, housing the finest works of art Spain has ever produced. Its free from 6pm until 8pm from Monday to Saturday and 5pm until 8pm on Sundays.

The Palacio Real, Spain's Royal Palace, is free on Wednesdays.

The third art museum in Madrid's 'golden triangle', the Museo de Thyssen-Bornemisza has the best private collection of classic and modern art in Spain, and its free Mondays between 12noon and 4pm.

The Museo Tiflológico is Madrid's Blind Museum, maintained by the Spanish blind association. Not so much about the blind as for them - which means lots of touchy-feely exhibits that anyone can enjoy. A bit different from the average museum.

The old Chamberi metro station was closed for many years, gathering dust (one hell of a lot of dust) under the streets of Madrid. But now it has reopened about a museum showing the history of Madrid's metro system. One for train fans and anyone interested in a quirky side to Madrid's history.

The Espacio Conde Duque is a former barracks that now houses a number of interesting sights. The main attraction is the contemporary art museum, but there is also the Conde Duque, the city archive, libraries of history, music and newspapers and the artisan printing press.

The Museo Arte Publico is an open-air abstract art museum that makes the best use of the dead space under a bypass. Artists featured here include Joan Miro and Eduardo Chillida.

El Parque del Grand Retiro is Madrid's grand park, slap-bang in the middle of the city. With a lake, trees, flower gardens, chapel ruins and the Palacio de Cristal, it makes a perfect (and close) retreat from the hustle of Madrid's city life.

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