Initially set up in 2001 under the name Parque Biológico de Madrid, Faunia (as it is now called) aims at educating children (and adults) about the natural world by using state of the art technology. Within its 140,000-sq.-m (1.5-million-sq.-ft.) grounds, a variety of ecosystems from tropical rainforests to deserts and polar regions have been ingeniously created. In addition to a wide variety of vegetation, there are hundreds of species of animals on view. Facilities include dining areas, nursery, an animal hospital, and a lake. Though it's out in the eastern suburbs of the city, it can be easily reached by Metro or bus.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Madrid, 3rd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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