If you have never been to Madrid, this 'guide' is not going to help you locate the places of interest because you will have lost yourselves in the endless ramblings on the history of Spain. If you have had the luck to visit the elegant Spanish capital (as I have, spending a marvellous week wandering its streets) you will start wondering where the bleeping heck those sites are. Zero directions, zero addresses, zero information.

What you will find is a disjointed, confusing and confused text, lacking direction, but rich in ironic comments towards people who identify with the conservative political party and the Catholic Church. Mate, travellers aren't exclusively leftist. Leftists wouldn't know Culture if it hit them in the face...
You are writing a guide (even in name only). You cannot offend half the population, and we are not interested in your political and atheistic views. Be objective. How hard can that be?

And don't get me started on the 'Local Eats' section...

The worst guide I've ever had the misfortune to read.

Many thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re visiting Madrid, this is an ideal travel companion. It will certainly help any visitor to make the most of their stay, with invaluable information about the places of interest and some incredible places to eat. With such a vast selection of restaurants and bars, it’s always difficult as a stranger to know which to choose. My aunt lives in Madrid, right in the middle of the golden triangle and I mentioned some of the establishments to her. She was familiar with most of them and endorsed the author’s selection.

The book is well laid out, so it’s easy to plan a visit and navigate an area using this guide. It’s packed with photos of buildings and areas of cultural interest and more than that, there’s a lot of information about the city of Madrid, how it developed and its significance in Spanish history. It’s more than a guide, packed with information and as an armchair visitor, with the colour plates, I felt as if I’d actually spent some time in this magnificent city. It’s easy to navigate as an ebook, and I have no hesitation in recommending this as an excellent visitors guide. My thanks to Pen and Sword and Netgalley for a review copy.

If you are looking for a book that can provide you with history , great photographs and local eat recommendations for Madrid, give this one a go .

This was an interesting insight into the history of Madrid but the format felt a little bit disjointed. Its chronological format meant it jumped about a bit through Madrid.