PLAZA DE CIBELES
{Madrid, Spain}
Not often do a pair of sport superpowers from the same city collide in the championship (we’re looking at you, Dodgers and Angels) but in May, Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid squared off in the UEFA Champions League Final. One-hundred-twenty minutes of playing time later, Real Madrid had won their 10th European Cup, achieving what they call “La Decima.” A city oft-overlooked, Madrid is overflowing with history, culture, and art. Whether you lose yourself wandering the halls of Museo del Prado, spend the night devouring tapas and learning Flamenca, or capture a bird’s-eye view of the city riding El Teleférico, time spent in Madrid is time not easily forgotten. Madrileños will likely celebrate La Decima all summer long, making their enthusiasm and hospitality a “can’t miss” attraction in its own right. Bookending the “summer of sports” is the newly rebranded FIBA World Cup of Basketball, taking place throughout Spain, tipping off on August 30 and culminating September 14 in Madrid.
