MADRID, Spain — There were no taxis for hire on Madrid's Puerta del Sol.

None that were free, that is. At 10:30 p.m., the city was at full tilt as Madrilenos hurried out to begin their evening.

Noisy with traffic, its grand buildings festooned with flags for Fiestas de Mayo celebrations, Puerta del Sol in the heart of Spain's capital throbs day and night with the spectacle that is Madrid.

In a city which dines at 10 and stages flamenco at midnight (we were headed to a show), an open taxi was as improbable as an outrigger canoe. At the intersection with Calle Mayor, we slid beneath ground and took the metro instead.

Madrid's surge in visitors has tagged the city with hot-destination status along with Spain's northern cities Bilbao and Barcelona. It's also been noted that despite no great river running through its center, no sumptuous cathedrals on the scale of Seville or Cordoba, no modern architecture to compare with Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, what Madrid does have is awesome: a blockbuster collection of western art held in the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia Museum (where Picasso's "Guernica" is on view), plazas surrounded by outdoor cafes, beautiful parks and historic palaces, flamenco dancers in frilly dresses, and an intense nightlife that begins at 10 and ends at dawn.

Add in the short hop from Madrid to a dozen capitals via Europe's network of cheap airlines, and the question shifts from "Why go to Madrid?" to simply "Why not?"

WHAT TO DO IN MADRID

Eat breakfast in Plaza Mayor: As with many European cities, the central square is the backdrop for history. Madrid's splendid Plaza Mayor looked down on bullfights, trials, executions, and pageants. Built almost four centuries ago, today it remains the meeting place for visitors and city dwellers alike. It is lined with outdoor cafes in summer; in winter its cobblestones can ice over. An equestrian statue of Felipe III, who ordered the square to be built, is in the center. Nearby is the famous Mercado de San Miguel, the last of Madrid's traditional markets, an art nouveau construction of glass and iron. Fresh fruit, Spanish hams, best olive oils and produce are sold at individual stalls decorated with beautiful tilework.

Take in some art: In the golden triangle of the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia Art Center and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, art lovers can happily lose themselves for, well ... weeks. All within walking distance of each other, the museums hold the world's greatest collection of Spanish paintings especially works by Goya, Velazquez and Dali, as well as scores of famous works by other artists Hieronymous Bosch's "The Garden of Delights" is in the Prado, Picasso's "Guernica" and "Woman in Blue" are in the Reina Sofia. Pop art and impressionists are at Thyssen. The challenge is where to go first. Start early, wear comfortable shoes. www.museoreinasofia.es, www.museoprado.mcu.es and www.museothyssen.org. Admission to each is 6 euros. Metro: Atocha.

Go green: Madrid is the highest capital in Europe; it's also one of the greenest. At Real Jardin Botanico, which conveniently brushes the Museo del Prado, you can stroll through beautiful semi-formal gardens, adorned with small fountains and statues. The gardens were laid out in 1781 and are a perfect place to wander after viewing the galleries. Metro: Atocha, open 10 a.m. to dusk, daily.

Visit a palace: The vast and lavish Palacio Real (Royal Palace) on a bluff overlooking the city was built in 1751 and used by the Spanish royal family until 1931. It's worth a visit for the sheer assault of its rococo decor, the entrance hall's stunning marble staircase and the ornate throne room. Sixteen rooms are open to the public (there are 2,800 in the palace). Also interesting, especially for kids, are the Royal Armory's metal suits belonging to Spanish princes (and horses). In the palace pharmacy are prescription recipes once used for the royal family and huge flasks of powders and instruments that might conceivably turn water into a nice, full-bodied Rioja. Entry is about $10. Metro: Plaza de Espana.

Go shopping : Ask a fashionable young Madrileno where they go to shop and they'll point you toward the trendy Chueca (pronounced "swheck-uh") neighborhood in and around Calle Almirante at shops like Ararat, Glam and Las Bailarinas. Spanish and international fashion is on Calle de Serrano but the best buys for visitors to Madrid are often shoes and leather goods. Try the Loewe shop on Gran Via, which is high-end, or for lessexpensive but good-quality bags, belts and and luggage, Mayorpiel on Calle Mayor. Metro: Sol.

Casa Hernanz on Calle Toledo is famous for its handmade espadrilles (rope-soled footwear) of every color. The store's long wooden counter dates to the 19th century; the shoes are still hand-made by the Hernanz family, owner of the shop for five generations. Beginning in June, Madrilenos come here to stock up on their summer espadrilles. Prices start around $8 a pair.

What to do at night: Catch the raw power of flamenco at one of Madrid's many clubs. At Las Tablas, tucked away up a narrow stone stairway on Plaza de Espana, the 75-minute show begins around 11 p.m. Our show included six intense performances by seven dancers and singers with changes of costume and one short interval. Tapas, salads, desserts, wine and beer are served during the show. Admission is $30, which includes one drink. Arriving early will get you a prime seat by the stage.

City stroll: An after-dinner stroll in the capital on a warm evening is a free spectacle. Historic buildings and fountains are bathed in lights, and many stores in the center stay open. Start at the Cibeles Fountain, walk up Calle Alcala to the bustling Puerta del Sol and continue along Calle Arenal to the glowing Royal Palace.

Go clubbing: Whatever music you seek you can find at Kapital, Calle Atocha 125, where seven floors, each with a different genre of music, draws thousands of young clubbers nightly; $20 entrance, $15 per drink. Recommended is the trance and electronic level on first floor, plus dancers, bongo players, live musicians and DJs. Action begins around midnight and tails off at dawn when morning commuters share the metro with homebound revelers at 6 a.m. Metro: Atocha, eight blocks walk from Sol.

Or, try the Palacio, on Calle Arenal, where chic decor resembles a palace, and Joy Madrid, also on Calle Arenal; both offer many rooms of different music.

Eat tapas: The Spanish believe food should never be divorced from drink, thus tapas — small portions of food always served with drinks, sometimes free. Tapas originated in southern Spain's Andalusia region and now define eating in Madrid: a brace of anchovies, some marinated olives, a wedge of tortilla (that's a flat omelet, nothing like the Mexican corn product) stuffed with mushrooms and ham, spiced peppers, salted almonds, fried squid rings. Tapas bars and restaurants are everywhere, especially in Madrid's old quarter. Recommended are: Cien Vinos (Nuncio, 17), for a couscous uniting mushrooms, pate and caramelized onions, and La Chata (Cava Baja, 24), for its supreme roasted peppers and smoked anchovies. And if you love the idea of exploring tapas further, Walks of Spain offers foot tours of the old quarter's best food and wine haunts. Cost is $60. www.walksofspain.com.

Take off for Toledo: Strike out on a day trip to Toledo (about 30 minutes by train) from Madrid's beautiful Atocha train station designed by Pritzker prize-winning architect Jose Rafael Moneo. This ancient town, tightly enclosed within its city wall, was beloved by the 16th-century painter El Greco who came to live and work in Toledo and whose paintings remain on view, and 20th-century filmmaker Luis Bunuel who used the city's tiny streets as sets for his movies. Toledo's rich history (some architecture dates to the 6th century) included a mix of Jewish, Christian and Muslim cultures which inspired the monumental Toledo Cathedrale (construction began in 1226 and lasted 300 years), one of the largest cathedrals built. The massive structure dominates the skyline, making the city's cobbled streets, barely wide enough for a car to drive down, feel even smaller.

IF YOU GO ...

Reach Chris Oliver at coliver@honoluluadvertiser.com.