Puerta del Sol

Every visit to Madrid passes through the Puerta del Sol, and it is worth slowing down when you do. The name recalls a gate in the medieval walls that once stood here, facing east toward the rising sun, but for centuries the square has been the city's busiest meeting place and the symbolic centre of the country. Its main building is the Real Casa de Correos, an eighteenth-century former post office that now houses the regional government of Madrid. On the pavement in front of its door, a small plaque marks Kilometre Zero, the point from which distances on Spain's national radial roads are measured, and people queue to stand on it for a photograph. Above the building is the clock tower whose chimes are broadcast across Spain every New Year's Eve, when crowds pack the square and the whole country eats twelve grapes, one with each stroke of midnight. Around the square you will find the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the symbol of Madrid that appears on the city's coat of arms and the most popular meeting point in town; the equestrian statue of Charles III, the king remembered as Madrid's best mayor for paving, lighting and cleaning the city; the Mariblanca, a copy of a statue of Venus that once crowned a fountain here; and the famous neon Tío Pepe sherry sign, back on top of a building on the square since 2014. The streets that radiate from Sol lead to almost everything: Calle Mayor to the Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace, Calle del Arenal to the opera house, Calle de Alcalá and Carrera de San Jerónimo toward the museums, Calle de Preciados and Calle del Carmen to the shopping streets and the Gran Vía, and the lanes to the south toward Plaza de Santa Ana and the Barrio de las Letras. The square has been redesigned in recent years, but it remains, above all, a crossroads full of people.

Making the most of a short stop: Sol is not a place for a long visit, but it is a perfect starting point for walks and a good place to understand the city's layout. Stand on Kilometre Zero, then find the Bear and the Strawberry Tree at the top of Calle del Carmen, look up at the clock, and take in the curve of the buildings around the square. The Sol transport hub, with metro and commuter train lines, is directly underneath, which makes it the easiest place in the city to meet up. Nearby is the historic pastry shop La Mallorquina, a classic stop for a napolitana or a coffee standing at the counter, and around the corner on the Pasadizo de San Ginés is the famous chocolatería for chocolate con churros.

Things to watch for: the square is busy from morning to night, with street performers, costumed characters, tourists and shoppers, so watch your belongings, especially in crowds. Costumed performers and people offering rosemary sprigs or bracelets may ask for money; politely declining is fine. The square's New Year's Eve celebration is one of the great crowd events in Spain; if you plan to attend, arrive very early and expect security controls. Many locals prefer to watch the chimes on television. In December, the lights and the Christmas trees around Sol and the nearby shopping streets are among the city's best.

Who it suits: every first-time visitor, as a natural orientation point; families, who enjoy the statues and street life; couples beginning a walk through the old town; and nightlife lovers heading toward the bars around Plaza de Santa Ana and Huertas. Pair it with the Plaza Mayor, a few minutes west along Calle Mayor, the Gran Vía to the north, and the Barrio de las Letras to the south-east. It is not a destination in itself for more than half an hour, but it is the hinge on which Madrid turns.