Madrid: City overview

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Madrid is the ultimate makeover city -- a once-grand imperial capital that has thrown off its conservative instincts and reinvented itself as a laidback party town. If Madrid was once widely perceived as a stuffy ornamental backwater compared with Spain's vibrant regional capitals, it's no longer the case. Communities from North Africa, Latin America and Asia have added cosmopolitan flavor to the city's Castilian heritage. Globally recognized for its nightlife, Madrid exists on a time zone all of its own: dinner at 10, a bar at midnight, clubbing at two and a hangover-busting breakfast of churros con chocolate as the sun comes up. Madrid reputedly has more bars per square kilometer than any other city in Europe -- which means you're spoilt for choice any day of the week, any hour of the day. Not that you necessarily need to stay out until 4 am to enjoy yourself. Spend a sunny afternoon people-watching from one of Madrid's pavement cafés with a carafe of vino tinto and a few raciones and you'll soon find yourself slipping into la vida Madrileña.