Madrid is a city full of life and culture and to decide what to see while in town is no easy task. So I have picked 10 essential things to do when visiting Madrid.
1) Visit Madrid Museums
Madrid has three of the finest art galleries in the world, Museo del Prado, Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. So I recommend visiting them all if you have time.
El Prado – there are more than 7000 paintings held in this museum and it can be quite a long and overwhelming visit as you may imagine. Buy your skip-the-line ticket with free cancellation here: Prado Museum Direct Entrance Ticket
Reina Sofia – this is definitely my favourite of the three as this museum is home to Picasso’s Guernica, arguably Spain’s most famous artwork. In addition to plenty of paintings by Picasso, other major works are by Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró. Buy your skip-the-line ticket with free cancellation here: Skip-the-Line Madrid Reina Sofía Museum Entrance Ticket
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza – certainly one of the most extraordinary private collections of predominantly European art in the world. Most of the big names are here, sometimes with just a single painting, but the Thyssen’s gift to Madrid and the art-loving public is to have them all under one roof. Buy your skip-the-line ticket with free cancellation here: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza Tickets
2) Relax at Retiro Park – Parque del Buen Retiro
This was definitely one of my favourite places in Madrid. The park is huge and beautiful and comes alive on weekends. Originally meant for the Royals only, the park was open to the public in 1868. And the madrilenos love to enjoy their park on Sundays.
The focal point of the park is the lake surrounded by the massive ornamental structure of the Monument to Alfonso XII, where rowboats can be rented for an iconic Madrid experience.
Not far from the lake is the Palacio de Cristal, arguably Retiro’s most amazing architectural monument. This magnificent metal and glass structure were built in 1887 as a winter garden for exotic flowers. It now hosts temporary art and photo exhibitions.
Walking back towards the city centre from the north side of the park, you will stumble across Puerta de Alcalá. This imposing triumphal gate stands at Plaza de la Independencia and was completed by the Italian architect Sabatini in 1778. This gate was once the main entrance to the city and was surrounded by the city’s walls. It was here that the city authorities controlled access to the capital and levied customs duties.
3) Plaza Mayor
This is Madrid’s most famous square and it is one of the prettiest open spaces in Spain. Juan Gomez de Mora designed the square in 1619 in Herrerian style with its typical slate spires. Over the centuries, the square was used for bullfights during the celebration of royal weddings. it was also used for the ritual condemnations and executions of heretics during the Spanish Inquisition. These continued until 1790 when a major fire destroyed the square. Plaza Mayor was then rebuilt and it’s nowadays an epicentre of Madrid life.
Booking.com4) Almudena Cathedral
Located right in front of the entrance to the royal palace, this cathedral took 110 years to be built. Works began in 1883 with a neo-Gothic design, but another architect took over in 1944 and introduced a neo-classical style. The church was completed in 1993 and contains the 13th-century polychromatic funerary chest of San Isidro, Madrid’s patron saint.
5) Royal Palace and Gardens
The palace overlooks the beautiful Plaza de Oriente. The royal family doesn’t live in this palace anymore. So it is open to the public and only occasionally used for royal ceremonies. A guided tour leads visitors through 50 of the palace rooms, which hold a good selection of Goya’s paintings. During the tour, you will also get to visit the Throne room with its Tiepolo’s ceiling.
The adjacent gardens are a great place to watch the sunset and take amazing shots of the palace.
6) Palacio de Cibeles
Of all the grand roundabouts that punctuate the Paseo del Prado, Plaza de la Cibeles most evokes the splendour of imperial Madrid. The spectacular fountain of the goddess Cybele at the centre of the plaza was designed by Ventura Rodríguez in 1780. Moreover, the views from the summit of the Palacio de Cibeles are among Madrid’s best. On top of the building, there’s a terrace with a bar and an amazing restaurant.
7) Take a picture with ‘El Oso y el Madroño’ at Puerta del Sol
‘El Oso y el Madroño’ (the bear and the strawberry tree), which also appears in Madrid’s coat of arms, is the quintessential symbol of Madrid and the meeting point for lost of tourists and locals. The sculpture is in the centre of Puerta del Sol, which is in the heart of Madrid. But it is also the starting point (0 km) of all the motorways in Spain. In other words, the point from which Spain’s network of roads is measured.
The main building on the square houses the regional government of the Comunidad de Madrid, the Casa de Correos, which was built as the city’s main post office in 1768. The clock was added in 1856. On New Year’s Eve people flock the square to wait impatiently for the clock to strike midnight. And at each gong they swallow a grape. But believe me, it’s not as easy as it sounds!
8) Visit the Temple of Debod
This is an Egyptian temple dating back to the 2nd century BC, transported to Madrid’s Cuartel de la Montaña Park. The temple was donated to Spain by the Egyptian government to save it from floods following the construction of the great Aswan Dam. It was opened to the public in 1972. The reconstruction in Madrid kept the building’s original orientation; that is to say, from East to West. Entrance is free!
Closest metro station: Plaza de España (L2, L3, L10), Ventura Rodríguez (L3).
9) Walk along the Gran Vía
This grand boulevard is lined with belle époque facades and the street hosts some famous buildings such as the Edificio Carrion, the Telefonica building and the Edificio Metropolis. The latter was built in 1905 and the winged victory statue atop its dome was added in 1975. The street is full of shops, cafes and restaurants and is a great place for a stroll. For a great free view from a rooftop, head to the food court on the 9th floor of El Corte Ingles at sunset and enjoy the view!
10) Visit Madrid Food Markets & Go On A Tapas Tour
Not far away from Plaza Mayor, you will find the gorgeous art nouveau marketplace that was built in 1916. With its 20th-century glass walls, this is a great place to try and buy some local products like cava, cured ham, cheese, saffron or even caviar. Here you can find lots of tapas bar offering all the most popular dishes like patatas bravas and boquerones. It’s a great experience!
This place is a brilliant little surprise! This place recently inaugurated in the Chueca neighbourhood and spread across three floors. You can buy fresh products and get them cooked for you at Cocina de San Anton on the third floor for a supplement of only four euros. An experience not to be missed!
Wine and Tapas in Madrid: 2.5 Hour Tour
A great way to learn about Madrid’s culture, is to enjoy is gastronomy. On this tour you will get to enjoy an evening of tapas in Madrid’s oldest bars, in Barrio de las Letras, the literary district of Madrid and one with a very lively nightlife.
How to get to Madrid
Madrid is very easy to reach from most International airports in Europe. The Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport is very well connected to the city centre. Line 8 (Nuevos Ministerios – Aeropuerto T4) has two stations in the airport: the final stop, Terminal 4, and T1-T2-T3. The metro takes you to the city centre in 15 minutes (from T1-T2-T3 stop) and in 20 from Terminal 4.
The Spanish railway company RENFE, connects Madrid with Madrid-Barajas Airport through the local train network service “Cercanías” C1 and C10 lines. It connects the airport to the train station Estación de Chamartín (about 15 minutes journey) and the Estación de Atocha (about 30 minutes journey). The train station is on the terminal 4, on the floor -1. To move to the other terminals there is a shuttle bus service connecting the terminals. The single ticket tariff is 2,60 €. However, for passengers with long distance train tickets, or an AVE ticket (high-speed train), this service is free.
Booking.comWhere to stay in Madrid
I can recommend two places, depending on your budget:
- Luz Madrid Rooms. This well-equipped guest house offers comfortable rooms with free Wi-Fi. It has an excellent central location, a short walk from the Royal Palace and the lively Puerta del Sol. Breakfast is served at a nice café situated nearby. Moreover, the closest metro station (Opera) is just 20 metres away.
- NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding (4 stars hotel). Not as central as the previous option, this stylish hotel is near Real Madrid’s famous Bernabeu Stadium. The closest metro station is Cuzco (Line 10). The hotel is spectacular and it has a modern spa and 24-hour room service. In addition, there are 2 restaurants on site, the 3 Michelin-starred DiverXO, run by David Muñoz, and DOMO, run by chefs, Paco Roncero and Luis Bartolomé. There is also a 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant. Their breakfast is also spectacular. So, if you want to treat yourself for a couple of days, this is the place to try.
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