Madrid has gone from shanty town to imperial capital in the last seven centuries. The local writers of Time Out Madrid assist you in seeing the city as a native, suggesting where to stay, eat, shop and experience its cultural offerings. Famed for its wild nights and lazy days, Madrid provides a whole lot more, whether your interests lie in spectacular opera productions or chirpy folkloric zarzuela; in cutting-edge cuisine or ancient, tiled tabernas; in designer-shoe shopping or mooching around flea markets. Written by resident journalists, Time Out Madrid also covers the artistic jewels housed in the Prado, Thyssen, and Reina Sofia, as well as the etiquette of watching a bullfight or joining in with a flamenco performance, as well as where to stay and how to escape the city heat. Suggested trips out of town are also recommended. - In the frame-the intriguing stories behind some of the city's best-known paintings. - Sophisticated snacking-where to find gourmet tapas and wine-lists to match. - Winding down-the yoga centers, spas and Turkish baths springing up all over town. - Up, up and away-climbing, skiing and hang-gliding are all within reach of the city.