Museo Romántico (Romantic Museum), Madrid

This characteristic 18th-century palace has been converted into a museum that captures the essence of middle-class life in the city during the 19th Century. You'll see an interesting collection of household objects like lamps, furniture, china and pianos, laid out in different rooms decorated with portraits of the Royal Family and important politicians and military leaders of the era. The walls are also hung with portraits of popular artists of the time, like Salvador Gutierrez, Ribera, Madrazo, Alenza and Esquivel. You can even wander through the ballroom where famous writers, such as Bequer, Campoamor and Martínez Campos used to gather for literary evenings. There's a room entirely given over to the life of Romantic period novelist, Mariano Jose de Larra.