Madrid is one of my all-time favorite cities. It is the capital of Spain and is a buzzing cultural hub. I had planned on staying in Madrid for three days and ended up extending my stay to a week. No matter how many days you plan on staying, there are plenty of sights to see and activities to do to keep you entertained. Madrid will steal your heart. Here is my list of Madrid’s top sights.
Visit the Royal Palace of Madrid
The Royal Palace is located in western downtown Madrid and is easily accessible via the metro or on foot, depending on where you are staying. It is the largest royal palace in Europe and has a staggering 3,418 rooms! Don’t worry, though, you won’t be touring all the rooms.
The entry ticket provides guided access to select rooms and the outside courtyard. You can purchase a group or private guided tour, or opt for the audio guide provided by the palace. I rented the audioguide, and it made the experience even better.
There are three types of tickets: self-guided, palace and the gallery, and guided visit. Seeing the palace plus the gallery is well worth it! As always, recommend booking from the official website for the best prices and to book in advance, as the palace is a main attraction and does sell out. You will need to pick and date and a time slot for your booking.
Almudena Cathedral
Officially called The Cathedral of Saint Mary the Royal of the Almudena, but that is a mouthful, so it’s commonly referred to as the Almudena Cathedral. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Spain.
Situated just opposite the courtyard of the Royal Palace, and better yet, it is free to visit! I happily donated the suggested 1 Euro; it felt like a small way to give back after such a great experience. I didn’t use the free audio guide offered by the church; instead, I opted to browse without one and read each reading at the points of interest. Very informative, amazingly beautiful, and holier than thou. This was great to pair with a visit to the palace, which I visited before my designated entry time.
Stroll Gran Via
Gran Via is one of the major streets in central Madrid. I didn’t know it at the time, but it is referred to as the “Spanish Broadway”. It is known for its shopping, theaters, vibrant nightlife, and, what I enjoyed most, its architecture. I strolled down it a few evenings and watched the bustling city become a nighttime playground.
Visit the Prado Museum
Museo Nacional del Prado, also known as The Prado Museum, sits at the heart of Madrid in an area recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historical and cultural significance. My passion for art was still in its infancy when I visited the Prado, but I still enjoyed the experience profoundly.
The Prado contains a collection of over 8,000 paintings, 7,000 drawings, and 1,000 sculptures. It is particularly renowned for housing the masterpieces of the Spanish Masters, including Velázquez, Goya, and El Greco. It also contains pieces from the likes of Titian, Bosch, and Rubens. My favorite pieces were Goya’s Black Paintings and Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights”. Strangely, I don’t recall the 7,000 drawings, but paintings are what really thrill me.
Tip
The Prado Museum is free 18:00 to 20:00 Monday through Friday and 17:00 to 19:00 on Sundays and public holidays. I went on a Sunday during this time. The visit was fine, but expect a longer queue time.
Day Trip to Toledo and Segovia
Toledo
There are a few day trips you can take from Madrid. I think the perfect one is a trip to Toledo and Segovia. Let me tell you why. “Holy Toledo!” You guessed it, that is where the saying comes from. Toledo is a historical center of Christianity and is steeped in religious significance. On the tour I went on, I learned why it was referred to as the “Holy City” during the Middle Ages. The city itself consists of well-preserved medieval architecture and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for that reason. The view of Toledo from across the Tagus River is worth the trip alone.
Segovia
Segovia had three main points of interest to me: the Roman aqueduct, the cathedral, and the castle. It is located in the autonomous community of Castile and León and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 for its historical and cultural importance. The first thing that sent me into an awestruck state of mind was the enormous Roman Aqueduct. I learned that the Romans built it in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. The fact that it is still standing is amazing. As I made my way through the city’s cobblestone streets, I saw the piercing spire of the Segovia Cathedral. It is a late-Gothic style cathedral and is one of the last of its kind to be built in Europe.
At the edge of the town, perched on the edge of the cliffs, is the Alcazar of Segovia. This castle served as inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella Castle. It’s amazingly beautiful! Now, a guided tour may or may not come with the day trip. If it doesn’t, there may be the option to add it, and I highly recommend you do! Touring the inside and hearing about the rich history of the castle, royal court, and the city was superb. If you don’t tour the castle, I would go see the inside of the cathedral, one thing I did not have time to do, but I really wanted to, since the outside was so stunning.
Eat at Mercado de San Miguel
Go here! Eat here! Indulge here! No, but seriously, you must go to The San Miguel Market. The colorful stalls of food and drink, the aromas, and atmosphere will send you in a frenzy. This was one of my go to places to go try something new, get a quick bite to eat, or even just some shots of espresso. This market preserves the original iron structure from the early Twentieth century. Be sure to take notice of it, a difficult feat with the many stalls of heavenly delights.
Riena Sofía
Queen Sofia National Museum of Art Center is located in the southern end of the Golden Triangle of Art and with the Prado it completes the second side of the triangle. It is dedicated to Spanish art and it highlights collections from two of Spain’s greatest 20th century masters Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. This is where my passion for art, paintings in particular began to grow. When I saw Picasso’s Guernica for the first time I was mesmerized. I came back to see it four more times just in that museum visit. Each angle offers a different perspective. I had seen it in books and learned about it in school, but you don’t realize its magnitude, size, and brilliance until you see it in person. The Sofia is ranked as the 8th most visited art museums in the world. You must visit it when you are in Madrid!
Go to Plaza Mayor
This is one of my favorite public squares, not just in Madrid, but anywhere. It just has a magical allure to it, dating back to the 15th century where it was once the center of Old Madrid, serving as the town’s main market. The Plaza has a dark history; it’s hosted sentencing from the Spanish Inquisition as well as various executions, but today it hosts much merrier events such as the Christmas market. It offers a variety of stores for shopping and a multitude of restaurants. I ate here often. The plaza really comes alive at night, so don’t forget to check it out then. Plan to have at least one dinner here; you will probably end up having a few.
See a Bull Fight
Now, I know this may not be for everyone, but it’s a big part of Spanish culture and I felt no trip to Spain would be complete without seeing a bull fight. Let me provide some context real quick. Bullfighting season is a major cultural event that draws large crowds to witness displays of traditional bullfighting artistry. I was lucky enough to be there during the San Isidro festival, which runs from May to June and hosts bullfights daily. The regular season runs from March through October, when fights are held on Sunday evenings.
If you are ever going to witness a bullfight, Madrid is the ideal place. The fights take place at the iconic Las Ventas Bullring, which is the most famous in the world and is referred to as the “cathedral of bullfighting”. It did seem very grizzly at first. After settling in and accepting what was happening, I was able to begin to see the art and skill involved. The atmosphere was electric. The crowd was going wild. It was an evening worthy of experiencing.
Spend Time in El Retiro Park
I ended up staying about a week in Madrid which left me with some leisure time. This was my favorite park in Madrid. It was once reserved for exclusively for the royal family but has been open to the public since the Glorious Revolution. Just wandering around the enormous grounds and taking in its beauty is amazing but it has some interesting features worth visiting as well. One of my favorites was the sprawling, vibrant rose garden. Visit the Monument of Alfonso XII which is situated near a small lake where row boats can be rented for some time on the water.
One of the top attractions is Crystal Palace, which was inspired by the Crystal Palace in London. It’s beautifully constructed with a cast-iron frame covered in glass! It’s owned by the Reina Sofia Museum and often host art exhibitions. When I was there is was filled with a very odd structure made from cardboard and held together with duct tape so I can’t imagine what you will be fortunate enough to see! I loved going to here to relax on a grassy knoll and read. There were many other park goers sprawled out on blankets in the grassy areas and it really made me feel like a local!
Go on a Pub Crawl
Granted, I do not drink alcohol, but I love music and dancing. Madrid has a lively nightlife, so I had to indulge in a pub crawl. They are great if you are traveling solo, that way you will have some impromptu friends to hangout with and dance the night away or even if your with friends already it’s a great way to have a local show you around to some of the best bars and clubs. I recommend finding a crawl on GetYourGuide.
See Temple of Debod
Believe it or not, but there is an Egyptian temple in the middle of Madrid! This was one of the signs that led me to Egypt on my next adventure. The temple is located in Cuartel do la Mantana Park which is a great mirador offering views of the royal palace and more. I recommend visiting it at sunset for the best views and the lights around the temple create a great ambience. Best of all, the temple is free to enter, there may be a queue though. How did this temple get here? Spain responded to Egypt’s international call for aid to save the temple from being damaged after the construction of the Aswan Dam. Spain made a generous donation, and Egypt gifted the temple to the city of Madrid.
Watch a Flamenco Show
Immerse yourself in Spanish culture and grab dinner and a Flamenco show. Flamenco is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain. Be ready for an intimate setting with a shadowed ambiance. Clapping, dancing, stomping, singing and some musical instruments. It’s best to just experience it yourself. Tickets for shows should be easy to find. Flemenco was declared one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Hit a Few Rooftop Bars
Madrid is pretty well known for its extravagant rooftop bars. I only visited two when I was there, Sky 44 was one, it was great. It offered food, drinks, great views, and cozy seating. I recommend going in time to catch the sunset for prime views and Instagrammable moments!
Visit the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
The Thyssen is the final side of the “Golden Triangle of Art” in Madrid. It fills the historical gaps of its counterparts The Prado and the Reina Sofía. It hosts an impressive collection ranging from Rembrandt, van Eyck, Titian, Caravaggio, Degas, Monet, van Gogh, Renoir, and one of my favorite pieces there, Franzi before a carved chair by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.
Ride the Madrid Cable Car
More commonly known as the Teleférico, enjoy an aerial ride in a gondola over the most evocative views of the city; gaze from the air at the most historical and greenest areas of Madrid. Ride to the station in Casa de Campo, an enormous park that is great for a picnic, which is home to an amusement park, the zoo, aquarium, and is the largest green space in all of Spain.
Plaza de Cibeles
The Plaza de Cibeles is a Neo-classical complex of marble sculptures that have become the symbol of Madrid. It sits as the intersection of three main streets and adjoins three adjacent districts: Centro, Retiro, and Salamanca. Four prominent buildings surround the plaza: the Bank of Spain, the Palace Linares, Palacio de Buenavista, and the most iconic, Cybele Palace, which is the seat of the Madrid City Council.
The fountain is a sculpture of Cybele, a Phrygian earth and fertility deity, sitting in a chariot being pulled by two lions. This square has become the location where Real Madrid and the Spanish National football team celebrate their victories with their supporters. I happened to be there when Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Champions League. I joined the celebrations at this square, not quite knowing what was going on. The crowd that gathered here was massive! People were climbing lamp posts and anything else that would give them a view. This is when I fell in love with Real Madrid CF!
Puerta de Alcalá
This is the most iconic arch in Madrid, and it is well worth a visit. It is situated in the Plaza of Independence, just a few meters away from the main entrance of Retiro Park. Around 1774, King Charles III commissioned the construction of this Neoclassical monumental gate.
The Bear and the Strawberry Tree
El oso y el madroño, the coat of arms of Madrid. This 13-foot statue made of bronze and stone represents the real-life form of Madrid’s coat of arms. The image appears all over the city: taxi cabs, manhole covers, carved on infrastructure, on pavement in the streets. It’s located on the east side of Puerta del Sol, which is in the historical center of Madrid, so you will undoubtedly see it. It’s also a well-known meeting location for many tours and pub crawls.
Conclusion
Madrid has much more to offer than this. These are some of the things I did and enjoyed when I was there for five days. Of course, now, I would without a doubt include a game watching Real Madrid. If not possible, I would at least include a tour of the Bernabéu!
There were numerous other places I wanted to see. Though, it is impossible to see and do everything! I will leave you with my list and let you see what adventures you can uncover!
I’m interested to hear what you have to say about Madrid. What did I miss? What should I see next time?
