Puerta del Sol

Sol Madrid Center provides an unforgettable experience right in the heart of Madrid. With its lively ambiance, exceptional hospitality, and prime location, it offers an ideal setting to fully immerse oneself in the city's vibrant culture. Whether indulging in delectable gastronomy, browsing through local boutiques, or soaking in the spirited street entertainment, Sol Madrid Center stands out as a must-visit destination for those seeking an authentic taste of Madrid

Honestly this square is cool. Very Madrid. Lots of shopping all around. A nice statue of a man on a horse. Some respectful protesting going on near the center. On the edge are some restaurants. As with everything square, there was some street performers mingling with the crowd. The Sol Metro is nearby as well. It's well-kept, clean, and feels very safe.

COOL WITH CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
I was fortunate to stay at the Hotel Europa which banks onto Puerta Del Sol. Especially if you come here at Christmas and at night, this is the heartbeat of the city of Madrid, with it's cool shops, street sellers and buzzing nightlife. The lights are amazing and this'd put London to shame.

Please note that this place gets incredibly crowded and you have to watch out for pickpockets here.

Other than that, it comes recommended to visit if you're coming to Madrid.

Interesting square and this is one of most busiest square in Madrid. Lots of people even during off-season.

One of the spot that is always people taking photo is the Kilometre Zero.

It was very colorful because of Christmas decorations and very amusing but very crowded so you need to be extra careful.

The center of the center of Madrid, as our taxi driver said.
You start your trip in Madrid there and end it there. Every thing is at less than 15 minutes walk from it, from the Royal Palace to Retiro Park, the Prado, Queen Sofia Museum or the Temple of Debod.
Try to find your sleeping accommodation there (as we did) and you won't need metro, trams or buses.
You won't have any problem at all either to find restaurants, coffee shop, bars or Tapas.
The place to be.

A must visit while in Madrid,Puerta del sol has many attractions like the bear and the strawberry tree,next to Calle alcala,the famous clock, and the statue of Charles III,the roof terrace at the top of el corte ingles is worth a visit too,for nice views and photo opportunities.

A great place to sit and enjoy some tapas while people watching. We had patatas bravas and alcochofes at Jacinta's, then did some shopping. So many shops, chocolate, coffee, jamon, and souvenir places. Lots of fun.

Joined a cool walking tour at Puerta del Sol (shout out to Tourstilla!), and learned a few things about it:

- Puerta del Sol means "Sun's Gate," as there used to be a literal gate on the eastern side that folks used to pass through to enter.
- There is a historic building there that used to be a post office
- In front of said post office, there is an emblem on the floor that says "0 KM" The six routes to the other parts of Spain are all represented from this starting point
- You'll see people pose with one or two feet on top of this emblem. One means that you hope to visit Madrid again soon, and two feet means you hope to return to Madrid to stay forever
- The statue is of Carlos III (Charles III). He is considered the first "major," despite not having that official title. He is responsible for Madrid having plumbing, as they used to dump their waste off the balcony until the end of the 18th century
- The clock above the post office was commissioned by Carlos, but he beheaded the designer who wrote 4 as IIII instead of IV
- Subsequent designers were upset with this beheading, and decided to continue using IIII in their designs around the city as a means of solidarity. What's interesting is that even big brands like Rolex use this writing of IIII on watches

Puerta del Sol is an interesting place to see what urban culture is like in Madrid. You can find everything from street performers to important monuments and lots of stores and restaurants.

It's good for taking photos and this makes it one of the most popular places for tourists to visit in Madrid.

It's easy to transport yourself in and out of the area as there are train stations and bus stations very close by

I wouldn't recommend bringing very young kids here though as it can be very busy.

In Madrid, there once existed a bustling public square, serving as a popular meeting place for the locals. Dominating the square was the renowned post office of Madrid, lending credence to the famous adage that news reached the square even before events unfolded.

Crowning the aged post office building, a celebrated clock captivated the attention of all. As the clock's hands approached midnight on New Year's Eve, the square would fill with eager individuals, each clutching twelve grapes. At the stroke of twelve, the clock resounded twelve times, marking the cue for everyone to consume a grape with each chime.

Another gorgeous square in Madrid. One spot is known as the center point of Spain.

Puerta del Sol is always lively and crowded. People sometimes dance and demonstrate here. It's one of the best places in Madrid.

Nice open area with plenty of performers, old buildings, restaurants nearby and very lively with access to metro (Sol). Nice easy walk from Plaza Mayor and you will enjoy a good hour or so. Of course the iconic bear hugging the tree is there as well !!

This is the very centre of Madrid, the same Trafalgar square is for London, the zero from where mileage starts counting throughout the Spanish road system. That's where they gather at midnight to celebrate the New Year and on other special occasions. The satue on horse represents King Charles III, also called the "mayor king".

This main plaza is a beautiful landmark and a great point to start the visit to Madrid.

A vast square surrounding by many cafes and shops.

Our first major site in Madrid, touristy? Sure. Hot? Yes. Crowded? Absolutely. But large enough were you can secure a space to people watch. A must visit. Take your photo at the bear and madrono statue, the official symbol of Madrid, and stand in the middle of Kilometro Cero, which is the starting point for 6 major Spanish highways. The lack of shade and seating gives the feel that they don't want a lot of loitering here and would rather move the people into the connecting streets that offer food, shopping, shade etc.

Going here in Madrid,Spain was a memorable experience.Like this one,at first I don't know what this statue is,then I googled it,why there's a bear with a tree..well it was a trivia for me.

Emblematic Square in Madrid. is a popular spot in this area with some statues and some interesting buildings