by LAURA TABOR
Lifestyles Reporter

Madrid is, in comparison, a very young European city. This doesn't mean as much to Americans, since all of our cities are babies by comparison to Europe, and so I was immediately astonished by the buildings that remain from the 1600s and 1700s in Madrid.

Definitely visit Plaza Mayor, a large, mural-covered square that is full of restaurants, shops and street performers dressed as anything from a headless man to a bunny rabbit. Other excellent old buildings can be found on Gran Via, Alcala and Paseo de la Castellana.

The shopping districts include all the old standbys and lots of high-fashion names; beware, the Madrilenas (citizens of Madrid) are a fancy bunch, and wear nice outfits everywhere. Pack your fanciest duds or plan to go shopping - sweatpants and crappy t-shirts will make you stick out in this relatively formal city.

Art is a huge deal, with three huge museums that supply something for everyone: The Prado, a classical art museum with emphasis on the 'greats' and on Spanish masters like Velazquez and Goya; The Reina Sofia, a modern art museum featuring the Vanguard of Juan Gris, Pablo Picasso (Guernica is there) and others;and the Thyssen Gallery, a private collection from around the world that includes both older and more contemporary art. Consider taking the audioguide tour, where you can listen on a headset to explanations of the art - it gives context if you aren't an art history student.

The parks and tree-lined boulevards of this city are good for people who get claustrophobic in skyscraper-lined, soot-filled metropolises. Visit El Retiro, the Central Park of Madrid, for a stroll away from the sounds of traffic, or head out to El Capricho, an old royal pleasure garden that features free concerts on summer weekends. There is also a Botanical Garden and a large royal garden behind the Royal Palace.

Finally, an enormous aspect of Madrid life is the nightlife; people eat dinner as late as 11 p.m., so expect to be out partying almost until dawn. Since the metro closes from 1:30 a.m. to 6 a.m., most people bouncing between bars and clubs stay up till they can metro home and sleep all morning long. Like many places in Europe, the drinking age is 18, so don't worry about being left behind if you are underage in the States.

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