Getting Oriented

Getting Oriented

Sitting on a plateau 2,165 feet above sea level, and bordered in the north by a mountain range, Madrid is Europe's highest capital. It dates from the 9th century, but its perimeter wasn't enlarged by much until the mid-19th century, when an urban planner knocked down the wall built in 1625 and penciled new neighborhoods in what were formerly the outskirts. This means that even if there are now more than 3.12 million people living in a metropolitan area that spreads out in all directions, the almond-shape historic center is concentrated in a small area that can easily and pleasantly be covered on foot. The newer neighborhoods (Chamberí, Salamanca, Argüelles, Embajadores) are easily pinpointed on a map by their clean-cut layout, which contrasts with the chaotic maze of streets left behind by the Hapsburg monarchs.