Aereal View of Madrid

View Madrid from the airwith the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)'s Hidden Journeys Project:

The Hidden Journeys Project aims to enliven the flying experience and transform it into a fascinating exploration of the people, places and environments thousands of metres below by providing inspiring information to air travellers about the parts of the world they fly over (hiddenjourneys.co.uk).

The latest guide to be released explores the fascinating landscapes of Madrid as well as Cape Verde, the Equator and Salvador de Bahia along the flight path from Madrid to Rio de Janeiro.

Over half of the flight path from Madrid to Rio is covered by water: yet across the second largest ocean on the planet are cultures, underwater volcanoes and islands that provide a fascinating journey which you might not expect.

The flight covers over 5,500km of Atlantic Ocean between the 2,000-year-old Spanish port of Seville and the northeast tip of Brazil. Off the coast of Africa, the flight crosses the volcanic Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands: both groups contain striking landscapes and unique cultures. Beneath the waves of the central Atlantic is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a huge seam in the Earth's surface. Further south the route crosses the Equator, separating the northern and southern hemisphere.

Bookending the maritime section of the flight path are Spain and Brazil: two countries which played key roles in colonial expansion across the Atlantic Ocean. Yet each country now has its own modern identity and culture, re-enforced by its own distinct landscapes.

Madrid courtesy of NASA/ASTER - This false-colour image shows vegetated areas in bright red, revealing the parks at the heart Madrid.