Notable places

After having toured around the major museums and the Royal Palace, one would think we are done with art in Madrid, not so, Madrid, Spain, is considered the city of art and life, and . There is still more art to see: some interesting buildings and ohter minor art venues to visit.

The Palacio Real -Royal Palace- in Madrid is grandious. This view is taken from the gardens. Plan to visit the Sabatini gardens close to your visit to the palace.

While the Retiro Park, or Parque del Buen Retiro as is named, at about 300 acres is much smaller than the 840 acres of New York's Central Park it is nonetheless magnificent. Filled with beautiful sculpture and monuments, a peaceful lake and host to a variety of events, it is rightfully one of Madrid's premier attractions.

The name may be a challenge for English speakers, but Madrid's newest art museum is very easy to love for individuals of any nationality. Drawn from the possessions collected over generations of a wealthy family, the contents form one of the greatest gatherings of paintings in the world.

One of the most visited tourist spots in Madrid, the Prado Museum is home to over 7,000 paintings. Though the emphasis is heavily on the three most famous Spanish masters - Goya, Velázquez and El Greco - there are major and minor masterpieces from dozens of other artists.

A now-protected wetlands, the Mai Po Marsh is one of the world's greatest sites of wild birds, fish, and insect populations. And fortunately for those sensitive to heat and humidity, summer isn't the only good time to visit. From October to May the annual migration floods the marsh with hundreds of interesting species.

Unearthed in 1955, the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb is a stellar example of a Han Dynasty burial chamber, nearly 2,000 years old.

Hong Kong is a bustling, ultra-modern city with an ancient past. This contrast is captured and displayed to perfection in the Hong Kong Museum of History.

Sited atop Lantau Island on the Ngong Ping plateau, lies one of the most frequently visited sights in Hong Kong - the Po Lin Monastery.

With over 500 parks to choose from in the Windy City you may have trouble deciding which to visit. But some of the major ones have gained their reputations from all the things they offer visitors.