Preparing a trip to Madrid and wanting all the information needed to plan an unbelievable trip? In this comprehensive guide to planning your perfect Madrid itinerary, we’ll use our experience spending a week in Madrid to assist you plan your own trip.
The guide outlines a two-day itinerary exploring Madrid`s highlights. However, an entire section below provides suggestions for extending your trip to three days or fitting all you can into just one day.
We really enjoyed Madrid. After spending a week in Barcelona as the beginning of our month long trip around Spain, we arrived in Madrid, eager and anticipating, ready to explore the Spanish capital city. With other cities in Spain receiving most of the attention (chiefly Barcelona and Seville, at minimum based on our experience), we weren`t quite certain what to expect from Madrid.
Despite being Spain’s largest city and the country`s capital (though it was only named the capital in the 16th century before which it wasn`t much of a city), we found that we didn`t really know much about it.
After exploring for a week, we found that we truly enjoyed Madrid. Jaime, our tour guide from the Prado Museum (a definite must-see in Madrid – more on that below), asked which city I preferred – Madrid or Barcelona. And I had a really difficult time answering. They’re very, very distinct cities.
Barcelona seems more international – we heard far more English, German, and French in Barcelona than in Madrid – while Madrid feels more cosmopolitan.
Jaime – a lifelong resident of Madrid – spent a solid five minutes explaining why Madrid is the heart and soul of Spain. And, to be honest, I found myself agreeing with his points as he spoke passionately about his city.
Perhaps the biggest difference between Barcelona and Madrid is that, even in the city center of Madrid, it feels quite lived in. Which, thanks to overtourism (among other factors), isn’t really the case in Barcelona, specifically in places like the Gothic Quarter and El Born.
Madrid offers charm, authenticity, and as a major city, many unique neighborhoods and spots to explore due to its size. It also houses a world-class art museum considered among the finest in Europe, in addition to a vibrant culinary and drinks scene providing varieties of cuisines from worldwide.
Over the course of your 2 day Madrid itinerary, you’ll obtain a taste of what makes the city exceptional and learn about its pivotal role in Spanish history, particularly from the 16th Century onwards, which is the beginning of the golden age for both the Spanish Empire as a whole, and for Madrid as a city.
P.S.: Planning a journey to Spain? We have a comprehensive Spain itinerary as well as guides to Barcelona,Granada, and Seville to assist you plan an amazing trip!
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Table of Contents
How Many Days Do You Need in Madrid?
After exploring Madrid for one week, we believe spending two days in the city allows sightseeing of its major highlights, though those with additional time will find much more to see, sample, and experience to fully enjoy.
With 2 days, you can do a walking tour to understand Madrid’s layout, history, and significance, visit both the Prado Museum and the Royal Palace, walk in Retiro Park, and sample foods through La Latina and Malasaña.
Should you want to make a day trip to Toledo, as we highly recommend for its historical importance regarding the Iberian Peninsula, then you will need approximately three days in Madrid. If that aligns with your interests, follow this itinerary as written for two days, then refer to our guide on planning a day trip to Toledo to outline your third day.
We’d recommend spending the night in Toledo, if feasible, but it’s also just 30 minutes from Madrid via high speed train, permitting an uncomplicated day venture.
However much time you have in Madrid, we’re here to help you make the most of it. Below the detailed two day itinerary, you will find our thoughts on how to organize your time with one day, three days, or even more time in Madrid.
Where to Stay in Madrid
Madrid is an enormous, sprawling city, and it can be fairly overwhelming to determine precisely where you should stay based on your distinct needs, style, and budget.
We wrote a comprehensive guide to choosing the best location to stay in Madrid, with more details than this section. For an in-depth analysis of the pros and cons of each area, read that guide. Otherwise, here are the key takeaways for two excellent places to stay in Madrid.
Malasaña: The Coolest Area in Madrid
This is our favorite neighborhood in Madrid. Like Gràcia in Barcelona, we fell in love with the endless charm, excellent food and drink scene, and walkability of Malasaña.
Situated north of Gran Vía means you’ll be able to walk five to ten minutes to board the metro and zip anywhere required.
Within the boundaries of the neighborhood itself, you’ll find everything you could potentially want. Amazing coffee shops in the morning, a wide selection of great restaurants for lunch and dinner, and a bustling nightlife scene to end the evening.
Here are some lodging options in Malasaña that caught our eye and we think you will enjoy staying at.
- If you want a boutique hotel: 7 Islas Hotel
- If seeking an excellent value hotel: IBIS Madrid Centro
- If wanting to inhabit an apartment: limehome Madrid Calle de la Madera
- If someone wants a hostel (with a private room):Bastardo Hostel
Sol / Gran Vía: Central & Best for First Timers / Short Stays
This is where we resided, and while it may not be the most charming part of Madrid, it`s very functional.
You’ll be within walking range of most of the primary attractions in Madrid – including the best culinary neighborhoods – and well connected via the metro to the train station and airport.
Gran Vía runs through the center of the city, and is a wide avenue with lots of traffic, pedestrian and vehicle, at all hours. Parts feel like Times Square – right down to the theater venues and huge, moving electronic signs.
In general, we think this is the best neighborhood for first timers (like us!) and people with a short stay in Madrid, because it offers you the best access to the city’s main areas.
- If temporary lodging is preferred: Smartrental Collection Gran Vía Centric (where our party stayed!)
- If you want lodging (with a private room): TOC Hostel
📚 Related Suggested Reading: Locations Recommended for Independent Female Travel within the United States
2 Days in Madrid: Planning Your 2 Day Madrid Itinerary
Over the duration of 2 days in Madrid, we’d propose focusing your time on a single primary attraction each day, and spending the rest of your time exploring Madrid’s cool neighborhoods, eating your weight in tapas and other delicious meals, sipping wine or vermouth in the sun, and poking your head into a few churches and free museums along the way.
A note before delving deeper: this is not merely a rundown of different attractions and activities in Madrid. Rather, it is based on our own personal experiences there, depicting our perspective on the ideal way to spend a couple days in Spain`s capital city. Which, to us, is less about hurriedly bouncing between tourist hotspots. We are far more interested in genuine experiences – of which sights certainly can provide – and that viewpoint is reflected in the itinerary below.
Day 1: Walking Tour, Royal Palace, and La Latina
Start your day with a self-guided walking tour of Madrid`s center before joining a guide to delve deeper into Madrid’s medieval quarter and fascinating history.
Grab a midday meal at a food court (it`s really not a marketplace as the label implies), and spend the afternoon at the Royal Palace before heading to La Latina, home to the most well known tapas alley in the city.
Morning Coffee and Bites
Before embarking on your day`s activities, you will need to consume coffee. I have strongly held opinions about where you should obtain it after thoroughly scouring Madrid for the finest coffee offerings in the city (if you enjoy coffee, read my guide to Madrid`s best coffee).
If you followed the previous advice of staying in Malasaña or Sol / Gran Vía, those neighborhoods put you in an excellent central spot for finding noteworthy coffee in Madrid.
Head to Malasaña for your caffeine fix, and there are two places a few blocks away from each other that are well worth your time.
The first is HanSo Cafe, which is among my favorites and has better coffee. They source roasters from across Europe, and periodically change which coffees they have for patrons to sample. If top-quality coffee is what you seek, head there.
Second is Misión Café, which offers better food choices while maintaining good quality coffee. They operate their own bakery next door, so for a tasty breakfast and quality brew before the day`s tasks, dine here.
Puerta Del Sol & Plaza Mayor
After fueling up for the day with caffeine, make your way from there through the neighborhood of Sol, crossing the always-busy main street Gran Via and entering the most modern part of the city we explored.
Plaza del Callao, located directly across from where we stayed in Madrid, had a lively atmosphere similar to Times Square with ongoing activity and massive video screens showing ads around the clock.
Continue south to Puerta del Sol, mainly to see the statue of El Oso y el Madroño (the bear and the Madrono tree – madronos are a kind of berry, NOT a madrone like we originally thought).
This is the symbol of Madrid, and it has evolved over the years. Yes, there used to be bears in Madrid. No, there are no longer bears in Madrid (sad!).
Continue on to Plaza Mayor, which is where you’ll meet your walking tour. This is perhaps the most famous plaza in the entire city, and there’s a statue of Philip III in the middle of it (note the neck ruff, which was fashionable at the time).
He, apparently, wasn’t truly an impressive king similar to his father, additional average at most excellent. However he nevertheless gets a statue, for a few justification.
A Walking Tour with a Local Guide
Taking a self-guided tour is an essential part of our visit to virtually any city we find ourselves in these days.
Guides and travel blogs can only provide so much information about a location, and having a local guide who can offer you specifics, anecdotes (often personal stories), and context around the place you’re experiencing can add a depth to your trip that simply can’t be found elsewhere.
Previously, we were focused on free walking tours, but discovered during our three month European adventure that went to Portugal, Italy, and Spain, that paying for a local guide is nearly always worthwhile.
Guides for free tours often memorize a script and don’t necessarily provide their own perspective.
In Madrid, we’d recommend participating in an educational walking tour led by a knowledgeable local guide. We undertook this tour led by Bradley, who holds a PHD in Spanish History, teaches at a local university in Madrid, and conducts these walks as an alternative means of sharing his expertise in history with others.
It lasts two hours, and it provides a perfect introduction to Madrid and its history through Bradley`s guided tour of the medieval center of the city.
He typically offers his tour from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, which places you in an ideal position for lunch afterwards.
If that tour isn’t obtainable, consider inspecting Jaime’s walking tour(he led our guide for the Prado Museum and has extensive knowledge about all things Madrid, his hometown). It’s generally 10:00 am – 12:30 pm.
Mercado de San Miguel
For lunch, head over to Mercado de San Miguel, located across from Plaza Mayor.
It’s a marketplace built in the early 20th Century before being rebranded in 2018 to emphasize gourmet foods, with some of the city`s top chefs opening stalls – much like the TimeOut Market in Lisbon.
📍 Google Maps | Entrance: from $58, for ages 21 & up only
We’d recommend trying the arepas – a Venezuelan corn pocket – at the P.A.N. stand, and sampling some Spanish vermut (you might know it as vermouth) at La Hora del Vermut.
The Palacio Real de Madrid
Ah, the Royal Building of Madrid. Did you realize this is the biggest royal structure in Europe? Sure, the royal kin seldom show up here now, but it has played a very important role in the city`s history.
The area where the royal palace is today is the original heart of Madrid, then called “Mayrit,” which comes from an Arabic word (though there are different theories around what exact word is the origin of the name).
It was built by the Emir of Cordoba as a fortress on the border between the Christian lands and Arab stronghold in southern Spain in the 9th Century.
This is not the final time you’ll hear about the Arabic influence on Madrid, which is not something I had genuinely understood until visiting and learning about Madrid’s history on various tours with experts.
Even the Spanish language has been influenced by Arabic, as our guide to the Prado Museum Jaime (pronounced with a guttural initial sound that I found challenging to reproduce) pointed out, using the sound in his name to exemplify his point.
Originally, Madrid was just a small village built around that fortress, and nearby Toledo was the primary city in the area. In fact, Toledo served as the capital before Madrid!
Madrid was taken by Christian forces in the late 11th century as they made their journey towards Toledo, and then some centuries after, Madrid was named the capital of Spain in 1561, and the Royal Palace as known today was established.
Though it burned down multiple times and was subsequently rebuilt. But the general idea is conveyed.
Today, it’s essentially a museum that is open to the public except when there’s an official state ceremony happening (which doesn’t occur often). Only some sections are open to the public, but you can see rooms like the throne room, banquet hall, and royal apartments, among others.
Be sure to buy your ticket in advance! The line to enter gets pretty jam-packed, often wrapping the building and taking up to two hours to make it through.
You can easily avoid queues here with some forethought – simply visit the official website and book tickets in advance. Do so as early as your schedule allows – availability does become limited.
What if tickets are sold out? You have several options. Primarily, stand and wait at the ticket office. Secondly, check Get Your Guide to see if they have any tickets available without delay. Thirdly, join a guided tour that includes tickets, such as this one (it was intended to take this tour, but instead skipped it).
Pro-tip:Access is free from Monday to Thursday between 4:00 and 6:00 pm, but crowds are large, it`s busy, and last entry is at 5:00 pm. If seeking free admission, aim to arrive around 3:00 pm.
Catedral de la Almudena
Just across the way is the Madrid Cathedral. Although it may appear aged (somewhat), it was not consecrated until 1993. Prior to that, Madrid did not have its own archbishop despite being the capital of Spain – Toledo was the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop. Now, Madrid has its own, and this cathedral serves as their location.
Construction commenced in the latter aspect of the 19th Century, but was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War and construction picked back up in the 1950’s under a new architect. 40 years later, it was ultimately completed, and the first royal wedding took place at the new cathedral in 2004.
Previously, the royal family had to travel the entire distance from the palace across the city to be wedded at a church on the opposite side of the city.
Additional data on visiting the cathedral here.
Tapas and Exploring La Latina
After exploring the Royal Palace and Cathedral, make your way to the nearby La Latina neighborhood, which derives its name from Beatriz Galindo (known as “La Latina”) who was an influential educator of Queen Isabella and played an important role in the area’s history.
Today, it’s the place to go for tapas. Specifically Calle de la Cava Baja (or just “Cava Baja”), which is lined on either side with tapas bars that, come lunchtime and later in the afternoon, are bursting at the seams with a combination of hungry Madrileños and tourists shoulder-to-shoulder, eating their fill.
Exploring the entire neighborhood provides greater insight than just visiting here for tapas.
There are a couple of excellent coffee shops (namely, the Ruda Café), a market that serves locals to a significantly greater degree (which is an peculiar way of putting it, but hopefully you grasp what I mean) than Mercado de San Miguel, and the famous El Rastro flea market that occurs every Sunday.
The Museum of San Isidro – which does not charge admission – is also deserving of thirty minutes to become familiarized with the history of Madrid from the earliest humans until the present day.
The plaza just outside – Plaza de los Carros – is also an exceedingly pleasant place for relaxation in the afternoon sun or on a warm summer evening, in the shadow of the dome of the Iglesia de San Andrés Apóstol.
As is evident, we truly appreciated La Latina and believe spending an afternoon and evening exploring the region is worthwhile. Dine at one of the many tapas bars lining Calle de Cava Baja for a meal.
Taberna Tempranillo and Casa Lucas were proposed to us, though we went to La Lina because they offer excellent gluten free options suitable for me.
Later on, grab a drink on the terrace of one of the bars lining either Plaza San Andres ( here on Google Maps) or Plaza de Cascorro ( here on Google Maps). Or, actually, any place that catches your eye as you wander around the area.
There is a wide assortment of dining establishments, which is ideal whether you have a group with diverse tastes or you`re a couple wanting to sample various items. See the current vendor list here.
Day 2: The Prado Museum, El Retiro, and Malasaña
The notable experience of the day, and potentially your whole trip to Madrid, is the extensive and excellent Museo Nacional del Prado collection, predominantly showcasing paintings from Spanish, Italian, and Flemish artists. Then, explore El Retiro, a lovely park in Madrid’s center, and end your day in Malasaña, our personal favorite neighborhood in Madrid.
Note that the timing today relies on securing advance tickets for your visit to the Prado Museum in Madrid, which require booking ahead of time. More details below on how to reserve them, but you may need to modify the itinerary to see Parque del Buen Retiro before your scheduled time at the museum.
A Morning in Barrio de las Letras
Barrio de las Letras (which is apparently also known as Huertas) is a very romantic part of the city southeast of Sol / Gran Vía, and it’s along the way to the world-famous Prado Museum, which is your main destination today and will occupy the bulk of your day.
Barrio de las Letras is famous because it’s where some of Madrid’s (and indeed Spain’s) most renowned writers resided in the 16th and 17th Centuries, including Miguel de Cervantes, who famously wrote Don Quixote.
There’s a statue honoring Cervantes in Plaza de las Cortes ( here) at the eastern edge of the neighborhood, which could serve as a good starting point.
From there, head to Calle de las Huertas, the main corridor here, and look at the street to see some famous quotes from Spanish writers inscribed in gold along the cobblestones.
From there, grab coffee at ACID Cafe, which served me one of the best cups of coffee I had in Spain (made with an Aeropress) and had a delicious looking selection of pastries if you’re in the mood for a quick snack before heading to the Prado.
Museo Nacional del Prado
Subsequent to my visit, I can truthfully say that I think the Prado Museum (or Museo Nacional del Prado in Spanish) is one of the best craftsmanship exhibitions on the planet that I’ve gone to. Mostly in light of the fact that it doesn’t attempt to do an excessive amount, which is a class that the Louvre and the Met – while astonishing – tumble into.
It’s basically all focused on paintings, which are primarily from Spanish, Italian, and Flemish artists. “Flemish?!” I hear you thinking. Yes, Flemish, and it was actually my favorite part of the museum (though the Italian and Spanish sections have their noteworthy points too).
The museum is full of art that ranges from 12th to 20th Century, but there are a few main highlights that I think you shouldn’t miss:
- The works of Flemish painter Hieronymus Bosch: Particularly the Garden of Earthly Delights, which is a mind-bending, imaginative, dark, and colorful masterpiece.
- The statue of Charles the III, one of the most famous figures in Spain’s history. The armor worn by the statue (or not worn – it was removed when I was there) can be REMOVED. How intriguing is that?
- Tintoretto’s experimentation with perspective in Christ Washing the Disciples’ Feet (be sure to look at it from both angles!).
- The Art of Francisco Goya: Especially the “dark paintings,” which are truly grim (and were painted on the inner walls of his home – what a strange decoration for a bathroom wall).
Why We Think You Should Choose a Guided Tour of the Prado
Now, we have a pitch on why you should invest in a guided tour of the Prado Museum, which is what we did and loved every second of it. We participated in Jaime`s guided tour of the Prado museum, and highly recommend it.
As an expert in art history born in Madrid, he was able to lend a degree of richness, detail, and humor to our experience that we could never have attained independently.
The following paragraph outlines why booking a guided tour is recommended.
You could spend an entire day exploring the Prado without seeing everything.
The expert leading your tour is going to curate a selection of paintings for you to illustrate the historical patterns and influential works, helping you understand what you’re viewing, and what you should be focusing on.
Then, your visit inside the museum will conclude the tour, allowing further exploration if desired.
We`ve visited numerous museums all around the globe. The ones we recollect most fondly are those where we opted for a guided tour.
The stories behind the art and the context surrounding the time period when the art was created are essential to truly understanding what you’re looking at, and while you may be an expert in art history, we certainly are not.
That is why we advise booking a guided tour – to obtain that extra level of depth and context that will make your experience significantly more memorable (not to mention satisfying in the moment). This is the excursion we took part in, but this tour was also on our list if the first one was unavailable.
Getting Tickets to the Prado Museum
The first thing you need to understand is that you should book your Prado tickets as soon as you know you’re going to explore Madrid.
It does sell out, particularly in the summer and on weekends, so if you want to see it, you need to plan somewhat in advance. If you didn’t plan in advance, we have some suggestions on how to get in at the last minute below.
The Prado is divided up into two main sections as far as buying tickets is concerned. There’s the general collection (“general coleccion” in Spanish) – which is the one you want – and then there’s the other exhibitions, which is not the one you want if you want to view the main collection.
All you do is head over to the official website and click on the small ticket icon in the top right corner (or access it through the menu under “VISIT”, if using your phone).
Again, you want the “general collection” ticket, which at the time of writing is 15 Euros per person at full price. From there, you’ll select an entry time, and off you go!
If you’re not taking a guided tour, we’d recommend paying extra for access to La Guía del Prado, which is essentially the audioguide, but in a phone app. Bring headphones!
What options are available if tickets sell out online? There are three possibilities.
- Arrive early in the morning and queue at the ticket office, though this is not a guarantee of obtaining a ticket.
- Examine Get Your Guide to see if they have any prearranged tickets accessible for your dates. This is equivalent to the ticket that the Prado Museum official site presents you.
- Join a guided tour of the Prado museum, such as the tour we took, or this highly rated option.
The Museum is FREE on Monday to Saturday from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and Sundays and holidays from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. However, advance free ticket booking is not possible, and lines tend to be quite lengthy, as one might expect. We’d suggest paying for tickets and avoiding visiting during those hours to bypass long waits.
Tips for Visiting the Prado Museum
Here are some details to be aware of before your visit that we think are helpful to know BEFORE you arrive.
Large backpacks are prohibited. Leave the oversized, bulky backpacks at home, or wait in the enormous line for the coatroom if you must bring it. I carried a canvas bag that hangs over my shoulder, and it was completely fine.
Photography prohibited! Multiple visitors were stopped by security for stealthily taking images of the collection. Please do not do this – it violates the rules.
Bring personal audio equipment. For using the location-based educational application, if you’d like more context during your self-guided visit.
San Jerónimo el Real
Just outside the museum is San Jerónimo el Real,a nice church that is free to enter and worth briefly viewing. It was originally a Hieronymite monastery, and has transformed over the years after Napoleonic troops evicted the monks and damaged the monastery. It was restored in the Gothic style in the nineteenth century.
El Retiro Park
In our view, this is Madrid’s best natural area, and it’s so easily accessible from the city center that it’s a perfect spot for an afternoon stroll.
Our stroll could wander where the afternoon sun leads you to discover – this place invites getting lost in exploration – but one route we suggest follows the path shown here).
Begin from the northwest corner and the Puerta de Alcalá, a triumphal arch (nearly every significant European city possesses one) built where one of the original five gates into the city of Madrid stood.
Make your way south, past the pond, to the lavish Palacio de Cristal, which is beautiful, and then onwards to the rose garden at the southern end of the park, La Rosaleda.
Proceed back towards the city center by passing the statue representing Jacinto Benavente, and exiting through the Gate of Felipe IV at the midpoint on the western side of the park.
An Evening in Malasaña and Chueca
After that, head over to trendy locale Malasaña for an evening meal and drinks, and to conclude your second day in Madrid.
Once more, there are many choices here in terms of eating and drinking. Walking through this area in the morning and evening are VERY diverse experiences, which we like.
Unlike La Latina, which focuses on tapas, this area has all kinds of eateries from everywhere in the world. We dined here multiple times and savored cuisine from Central and South America, Asia, and Italy.
We’d suggest either Guasa (Venezuelan arepas), La Mordida (Mexican cuisine), or Okashi Sanda (gluten free and dairy free Japanese food with vegan choices). Though, like we’ve stated, there’s a limitless number of great possibilities waiting to be discovered.
What to Do with 3 Days in Madrid (Go to Toledo!)
With an extra day in Madrid, we’d recommend following the suggested itinerary and spending your third day on a day trip to Toledo, which offers a distinctive perspective on Spanish history.
Getting to Toledo
A high-speed train will transport you from Madrid to Toledo in approximately 30 minutes exact. We boarded the train, got settled, and suddenly we had arrived in Toledo. It`s so hassle-free and swift!
The trains depart from Madrid`s Puerta Atocha train station, usually from the lower platform situated on the ground floor.
If you’d rather not handle organizing your own transportation and itinerary in Toledo, you can book a guided scenic tour of Toledo, which also offers seeing Segovia as a bonus!
What to Do in Toledo
For a detailed guide on what to experience and see in a single day, check out our guide to spending a day in Toledo.
What to Do with More Time in Madrid
If you have more time in Madrid (or you aren’t interested in Toledo / already are going there on your Spain itinerary), here are some things to consider adding to your plan.
- A culinary expedition: One way we like experiencing a city is joining a food guided tour, where a local escort will take you to places otherwise undiscovered alone. Devour Food Tours sincerely deliver in Spain. Here`s another guided food expedition with stellar reviews.
- Temple of Debod:An Egyptian temple that, through a series of diplomatic interactions between Spain and Egypt, was relocated stone-by-stone to Madrid.
- More Churches!Madrid contains fewer immense, imposing places of worship than other European metropolitan areas, but there are still additional to investigate. If you`ve got a spiritual impulse you need to soothe, begin with the Pontifical Basilica of St. Michael & Iglesia de San Nicolás.
- Participating in a Cooking Demonstration: One of our favorite ways to get acquainted with a city is by taking a hands-on cooking class. This highly rated experience would be our top choice.”
- Visit the Reina Sofia: The Prado’s sibling institution is worth exploring if time allows. Additional data here.
What to Do with One Day in Madrid
If you only have one day in Madrid, we’d spend the bulk of your time on a guided tour of the Prado Museum. Prior to your tour, go to Malasaña for coffee and breakfast (at the excellent HanSo Cafe or Misión Café) and then walk through El Retiro briefly before meeting your guide at 11:00 am.
In the afternoon, make your way to Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, stopping at the Mercado de San Miguel for a late lunch, and then head down to admire the Royal Palace from outside, and go inside the Madrid Cathedral (it’s free!).
End your busy day in Madrid with tapas in Barrio La Latina on Calle Cava Baja, which is known for its tapas bars.
Getting Around Madrid
Madrid is fairly walkable in most parts of the main city center, though some outskirts outside have hilly terrain you may encounter if venturing further out. For the most part, we walked everywhere.
However, we also had an abundance of time in Madrid – we stayed there for an entire week.
If quicker movement is needed, Madrid’s subway framework is highly beneficial. Here’s a map of the full network.
Here are a few things you need to know about using the subway system.
- You must acquire a reusable Public Transportation Card before being able to purchase tickets. It costs 2.50 Euros, and only one is necessary per group. My companion and I shared a single card, loading it with two tickets whenever we wished to utilize public transit.
- Tickets and the Public Transport Card can be acquired at metro stations, including at the airport. There are machines, which toggle to English (and French and German) and are relatively straightforward to operate. Most stations also have attendants available, who can offer assistance if needed, such as for those having trouble precisely determining what must be obtained.
- You are able to choose between purchasing single tickets (beginning at 1.50 Euros at the time of writing and increasing as you get past five stations traveled), a pack of 10 tickets (at a slight discount), and an unlimited pass – referred to as a tourist ticket – for one, two, three, four, five, and seven days. Additional information on tickets and fares here.
- For unlimited travel within the city center (Zone A) using a “tourist ticket”, the cost is 14.20 Euros per person for two days. Importantly, this fee INCLUDES both the reusable transit card itself, which is 2.50 Euros separately, as well as transportation to and from the airport. For visitors spending two days in Madrid flying into and departing from the airport, it is a practical choice provided the ticket is used within 48 hours. Normally there would be a 3 Euro surcharge for airport access, but the card purchased includes this facility.
- Travelling to the airport necessitates a different ticket, which you can also obtain from the machines located at every subway station.
When your card is loaded, simply head to the turnstiles, tap the card on the sensor, pass through the open gate, and repeat for all in your party. No need to “tap off” upon exiting the station.
As always, it is best to verify this information by checking the official site for current costs and specifics.
Getting To Madrid From the Airport
To get to the center of Madrid from the airport – Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) – there are a few choices available. Only two are worthwhile considering for most travelers – the metro and bus system.
Taking the Metro
The first transportation option is taking the metro. Each group will need a Public Transport Card costing 2.50 euros, plus individual tickets at 1.50 euros each. Additionally, a 3 euro airport surcharge applies per trip. In total, the journey by metro will cost 7 euros and take approximately 30 minutes.
This is the best option if you’re planning on traveling around Madrid extensively by public transit because the travel card price and airport surcharge are both covered.
There are subway stations at terminals 2 and 4 at the airport, and you can purchase tickets from the machines situated there.
- Benefits: It connects more directly to all metro stops in Madrid. Trains come every 5 minutes from 6:00 am to midnight.
- Cons: More expensive without a tourist ticket. Stations only at T2 and T4. You may need to transfer within the metro system.
Taking the Exprés Aeropuerto Bus
The second good option employs the Exprés Aeropuerto bus – more information here. This journey costs €5 (you can buy tickets on board), takes 30-40 minutes, and arrives every 15 minutes for most of the day (every 20 minutes between 6:00 and 8:00 am).
The bus picks up passengers at Terminals 1, 2, and 4. There are three stops in Madrid – O’Donnell, Cibeles, and Atocha Station. Cibeles will likely be most practical for most travelers – from there one will probably need to transfer to the subway to complete their journey, or walk.
The buses are bright yellow, and are difficult to miss.
- Advantages: Cheaper if you`re not acquiring the visitor ticket metro pass.
- Cons: Fewer stops in Madrid, and likely requires a transfer to reach your final destination.
When To Visit Madrid
We’d suggest the intervals between peak seasons – autumn (September – November) and spring (April – June) as the best time to visit Madrid. It`s worth noting that the period around Easter tends to be as busy as possible, so be prepared for large crowds and expensive accommodations if in Madrid around Easter.
We visited Madrid in November – late fall – and the weather was quite suitable. Naturally, mornings and evenings were slightly cool, but days were sunny and warm, and far fewer people were around than during Madrid’s summer months.
In the winter, it gets cold, gray, and damp. It’s still not as rainy as most of northern Europe, so it would be a pleasant trip even in the winter months. We were there right before they turned on all the Christmas lights, and were disappointed that we were missing the Christmas Markets that multiple locals told us were magical.
Summer is both the busiest and most miserable time to be in Madrid. It’s sweltering – not as hot as somewhere like Seville, but still too warm to enjoy being outside for extended periods. Which is kind of an issue, since you’ll likely be walking a lot in Madrid.
Allow us to assist you in planning your incredible trip to Spain!
We’ve composed further detailed guides highlighting our favorite places across Spain – from Barcelona, to Madrid and Andalusia – that we crafted to aid in planning an extraordinary trip.
P.S.: If the connection isn’t there, it means we’re still working on it and the guide will be up shortly. It takes a significant amount of time and effort to put together these detailed guides! Bear with us.
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