More about: 20 Best Things To Do in Madrid
Sightseeing in the Spanish capital ranges from a visit to the Prado Museum or the Royal Palace to a tour of its streets and squares, a flamenco show or one of the excursions you can take from Madrid to places like Toledo, El Escorial or Segovia. These are the 20 things you can't miss on your trip to Madrid.
1. Marvel at the Prado Museum
This is the most important museum in Spain and its collection of paintings and sculptures includes works from the 16th to the 19th century. Among the best paintings in the Prado Museum are those by artists such as Velázquez, Goya, Raphael, El Greco, Rubens and Bosch.
I recommend that you consider the possibility of visiting the Prado with a guided tour, as each of its paintings hides behind them not only the technique that you can perceive aesthetically, but also a message and a story set in a specific period and context. You can choose between various types of tickets, although here are the best options:
- Tickets for the Prado Museum in Madrid - from £15
- Guided visit to the Prado Museum in Madrid- from £33
- Art Walk Pass: Tickets for the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen Museums - from £29Madrid Paseo del Arte Card: Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen Museum Tickets
Getting to the Prado Museum is easy, as it is located within walking distance of Madrid's famous Retiro Park. I advise you to consult this list of restaurants near the Prado Museum if you plan to eat out after your visit, as this way you can save a few euros that you can invest in the shop, where you will find fabulous things. In this article you have information about the prices of the Prado Museum.
2. Take a historical tour through the centre of Madrid
The most authentic experience of any city is to walk around it. This is the most effective way to get close to the charm of the city and to get to know its history through its squares, buildings and monuments. I recommend you try:
- Historical Tour of Madrid- from £5
- Private walking tour of Madrid- from £146
- Personalised private walking tour of Madrid- from £40
You can discover the historic centre, the Barrio de las Letras, or the city's legendary bars on a tour accompanied by an expert guide who will tell you interesting stories and give you tips for your trip.
Save time and money with Madrid's tourist cards
If you want to make the most of your trip, Madrid' s tourist cards are your best ally. With them, you can get into the city' s top attractions without queuing and save money. Some of them even include public transport, so you can get around without any worries. It couldn't be easier!
3. Stroll through Retiro Park
The Retiro is probably one of the most beautiful parks in Spain. Each of its areas is different, but all of them have in common the delicacy and order with which this park, which is also the lungs of the centre of the capital, is cared for.
Personally, what I like most is to sit with my friends on the steps in front of the pond, letting the hours go by while I watch families and couples going up in boats to have a good time. I also encourage you to have a drink at one of its kiosks or open-air bars (although the food is quite expensive and not particularly good quality, you will appreciate a good refreshment if you visit Madrid in summer. Also, if you go to Madrid with children, you'll find more than one free children's show for them.
4. Experience Spanish culture at a flamenco show
The art of flamenco is part of Spain's cultural heritage and Madrid is one of the most varied places to enjoy a show. Flamenco is performed with guitars, singers and dancers in the famous tablaos and many of them are located in restaurants where you have the option to order drinks and food during the show. Some options in Madrid are:
- Flamenco show in Torres Bermejas- from £25
- Flamenco show at Corral de la Morería- from £49
Tickets for flamenco shows sell out quickly, so I recommend you book your tickets online in advance.
5. Get to know the mythical Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Whether you are a Real Madrid fan or not, having the opportunity to visit the stadium of one of the best football clubs in the world is something you can't do in every city.
The Santiago Bernabéu stadium itself organises a tour with panoramic views of the stadium, exclusive access to the changing rooms and the dugouts, entrance to the pitch and a tour of the trophy cabinets, the press room and the presidential box. And if you want an even more personalised experience, you can opt for the following:
- Tour of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and access to the Real Madrid Museum- from £29
- Private guided tour of the Bernabéu - from £413
- Private tour of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and the Real Madrid museum- from £104
6. Immerse yourself in royalty with a visit to the Royal Palace
Buying tickets for Madrid's Royal Palace and visiting it is like stepping back in time and placing yourself inside a period film. If on the outside the surroundings of the palace, located in front of the Plaza de Oriente and with the Campo del Moro and Sabatini gardens next to it (free entrance to both gardens) is already majestic, the interior of the Royal Palace of Madrid holds fairytale rooms and valuable objects.
If you are planning a visit to the surrounding area, check the opening hours of the Royal Palace and take the opportunity to see this monument.
7. Discover the contemporary art of the Reina Sofía Museum
If El Prado houses one of the largest collections of classical art in Europe, visitors to the Reina Sofia Museum can see one of the finest collections of contemporary art. The jewel in this museum's crown is Picasso's Guernica, but you'll also find works by artists such as Miró, Dalí, Juan Gris, Delaunay, Yves Klein, and Francis Bacon.
To make sure you don't miss anything, I highly recommend you take a guided tour:
- Buy tickets for the Reina Sofia Museum- from £10
- Guided visit to the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid- from £34
- Guided visit to the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen- from £55
Otherwise, to avoid waiting, it is best to book your tickets online. I also suggest that you check the opening hours of the Reina Sofia Museum before your visit to see if you can take advantage and have lunch in the museum restaurant or stop by the shop, as both places are worth a visit.
8. Visit the surroundings of Madrid
As we have already seen, you don't need to leave Madrid to see different places (although with nearby cities like Ávila, Toledo, Segovia or Salamanca the temptation is great). You can explore the outskirts of the capital on a guided day trip from Madrid, and discover places like El Escorial Monastery, the Valley of the Fallen, the Palace of Aranjuez or the Granja de San Ildefonso, among others. These are the most popular excursions:
- Excursion to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen from Madrid- from £47
- Excursion to the Escorial, the Valley of the Fallen and Segovia from Madrid-from £73.
- Excursion to Avila, Segovia and Toledo from Madrid- from £112
Discover El Escorial, a stone's throw away from the capital
If you have to choose, I recommend you to go to El Escorial from Madrid, because apart from visiting the Escorial Monastery, you will be surrounded by nature and great restaurants to eat, but also history just a stone's throw away from the capital. There is a lot to see in El Escorial.
9. Renew your Instagram feed at Ikono
Ikono Madrid is an installation art gallery where everything you see is interactive. You can dive into a pool of blue balls, get lost in a room of infinite mirrors, dance under confetti and neon and much more to delight your smartphone camera.
10. Go in search of the Crystal Palace
This impressive glass palace is for me one of the best kept jewels of Madrid. It is inside the Retiro Park itself, but for me, it deserves a separate mention because it is a bit out of the central area of the park, so not all tourists come here and it is a real marvel for all the senses. There is always a musician playing and several peacocks bathing in the small lake at the entrance.
11. Marvel at the aqueduct of Segovia
In addition to the advantages that Madrid has as a city, its geographical location makes it the perfect starting point for exploring nearby cities and one of them is Segovia, presided over by its famous stone aqueduct and known for the suckling pig served in its restaurants (if you book in advance). Getting to Segovia from Madrid will take you no more than an hour.
Visiting Segovia on an organised excursion will also take you, if you wish, to other nearby cities. In either case you can go and come back in one day and discover Segovia and Toledo and their places of interest such as the cathedral or the Alcazar.
12. Discover Toledo and its medieval atmosphere
Getting to Toledo from Madrid is also quick and easy. Toledo is located an hour away from Madrid and attractions such as its impressive cathedral make it one of the most visited cities in Spain. The charm of taking a guided tour of Toledo is to wander through its narrow stone streets (most of them uphill) and see in every corner the traces of the three cultures that formed the city: Christian, Muslim and Jewish.
And if you want to make the most of your time, you can opt to take a day trip to Toledo, Avila and Segovia and get to know two of the most emblematic cities around Madrid.
13. Tour the streets of Madrid in the comfort of its tourist bus
Madrid is a huge city and walking around it in a few days is an exhausting experience. Besides, in each of its areas you have a different shop to explore, a restaurant with a terrace where you can have an aperitif, or a square where you can sit and relax. To see all that Madrid has to offer without getting exhausted, the best thing to do is to take a sightseeing bus tour Madrid Hop-On Hop-Off Buses
14. Stroll through Madrid's neighbourhoods
You will probably have already discovered the most emblematic places and monuments of the city on your tour of the centre of Madrid (either guided or on your own), but you will still have one very important part left: its neighbourhoods. This is where you will find its true essence, which is why I recommend you:
- Attend a theatre performance in Gran Vía.
- Visiting the trendiest shops in Malasaña
- Eating in the trendy restaurants of Chueca and if you spend the night in Madrid, partying in the neighbourhood afterwards.
- Have a beer in Lavapiés
- Take a gastronomic tour of Madrid by night
- Visit the luxury shops of the Salamanca neighbourhood
- Go to the Rastro in La Latina on a Sunday
- Stroll around the stalls in Plaza Mayor if you go to Madrid at Christmas time
15. Taste Madrid's gastronomy and markets
There is no doubt that there are spectacular restaurants in Madrid, but if you really want to try the authentic local gastronomy, the best kept secret in the city is its neighbourhood markets.
The well-known Mercado de San Miguel is a delight for the eye and the taste buds, with plenty of options for the most sybarite, and despite having become a tourist attraction it has not lost any of its authenticity.
However, if you want something totally genuine, head to the Mercado de La Cebada, in the heart of La Latina, or my favourite, the Mercado de San Antón in Chueca, where you won't find so many crowds and can enjoy one of the best beers in the city with some papas arrugadas, croquettes and international delicacies. You can also book one of the wine and tapas tours available in Madrid.
16. Enjoy the exhibitions at the Matadero
Don't be scared, as cruel as its name sounds, the Matadero is a cultural space in the mythical neighbourhood of Legazpi, next to the river in Madrid. There you can see unique exhibitions, music concerts, have a snack or eat in one of its occasional food trucks or in its Cantina, and take a stroll along the river. A perfect option for a Sunday morning.
17. Go shopping on Gran Vía
On Madrid's famous Gran Vía, you'll not only see the capital's most luxurious hotels, but you'll also stop at each of its spectacular shop windows. Whether you feel like treating yourself or you're into low-cost shopping, you'll find something to suit all tastes and budgets.
It is also a good place to buy souvenirs in one of its historic kiosks. Discover the city from top to bottom and finish your walk in the beautiful Retiro Park.
18. Enjoy a musical
Whether you're a theatre fan or not, Gran Via's musicals are guaranteed to be a different experience. For several hours you'll forget the hustle and bustle of the capital and you won't be able to take your eyes off the incredible costumes, dances and musical numbers of mythical works such as The Lion King.
If you don't feel like spending the afternoon watching a musical, there are also other options such as going to a funny monologue at the legendary Chocita del Loro. There are musicals all year round, but if you go to Madrid in winter you will find Christmas premieres and it will also be a perfect plan to take shelter from the cold.
19. Take a stroll through the Capricho Park
The Parque del Capricho, in Alameda de Osuna, is a romantic fantasy in the style of European foliés like the Park of the Monsters in Bomarzo. Inside you'll see small palaces, promontories with sculptures inspired by Greek mythology and a fairytale atmosphere. Especially recommended if you visit Madrid in autumn.
It opens during very specific hours and not all year round, so before you go make sure you can visit it.
20. Experience pure theatre in the Teatros del Canal
One of Madrid's modern theatres, where you can see contemporary dance and theatre performances. Its seasons are some of the best in the city, and tickets are much more affordable than most shows in other European cities. It is located in the heart of the Chamberí neighbourhood, where you can also stroll around after the performance and discover the trendy bars on Calle Ponzano.
Plan your visit to Madrid
In a capital city like Madrid, there are things to do all year round. The months of July in Madrid, August in Madrid and September you will find the city with few people as the high temperatures deter the locals, but if you go to Madrid in October, November or December you will see that the streets are full of people especially during the weekend. That's why I recommend that you take advantage of Saturday or Sunday to go on an excursion to the surrounding area.
If you stay more than 3 days in Madrid you will have time to see the city and get to know other parts of Spain. I leave you different itineraries so that you can plan your visit in detail. However, I do recommend that if you are only going to spend a few hours in Madrid, take a look beforehand at the transfers from Barajas airport so that when you arrive you know where to go, saving time and making the most of your visit.