Madrid travel guide

Prado Museum

Spain’s royal painting collection is at its strongest in Velázquez, Goya and El Greco: start with Las Meninas, where the painter looks out at you from his canvas, then Goya’s dark, haunted Black Paintings and Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights. Entry is free for the last two hours of each day, but the line is long, so a timed ticket bought online saves an hour.

Reina Sofía Museum

Picasso’s Guernica, his huge black, white and grey protest at the 1937 bombing of a Basque town, hangs here, and few paintings land harder in person. Around it are Dalí, Miró and the rest of modern Spanish art, in an old hospital with glass lifts outside. Unlike most museums it closes on Tuesdays, and it has free evening hours on most other days.

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Where the Prado stops, this private collection carries on, through Dutch masters, the Impressionists, German Expressionists and Edward Hopper’s Hotel Room to Pop Art. It is the third museum on the Paseo del Prado, and a good half-day if the Prado feels like too much.

Royal Palace of Madrid

With more than 3,000 rooms, the palace is one of the largest in Europe, and the tour passes a throne room under a Tiepolo ceiling and a set of Stradivarius instruments. It is the royal family’s official residence, used for state ceremonies rather than as a home. Book ahead, and check the day before: it can close at short notice for official events. The Royal Collections Gallery next door opened in 2023.

Retiro Park

Madrileños row boats on the lake beneath a colonnaded monument to Alfonso XII, and in a quieter corner stands the Fallen Angel, a rare public statue of the devil. The rose garden is at its best in May. The glass Palacio de Cristal is closed for restoration and not expected to reopen before 2027.

Plaza Mayor

Bullfights, royal celebrations and Inquisition trials have all filled this arcaded square from the 1600s, and its painted Casa de la Panadería glows at dusk. It is the heart of the old town. The cafés on the square charge for the view, so eat in the side streets.

El Rastro

Old records, antique keys, leather jackets and bric-a-brac fill the streets of La Latina at this huge open-air flea market on Sunday and holiday mornings. Come early, watch your pockets, and stay on for tapas on nearby Cava Baja.

Templo de Debod

A real Egyptian temple over 2,000 years old stands on a Madrid hilltop, a gift from Egypt for Spain’s help saving Nubian monuments from the rising Aswan dam. It was rebuilt in a park west of the Royal Palace, and locals gather on the slope beside it to watch the sun set behind it.

Toledo

Christians, Muslims and Jews lived side by side in this hilltop city for centuries, and its churches, synagogues and mosque sit within a few steep lanes; El Greco’s Burial of the Count of Orgaz hangs in the church of Santo Tomé. It is about half an hour from Madrid’s Atocha station by high-speed train. Book the return train ahead and wear good shoes.

Mercado de San Miguel

Under an iron-and-glass roof from 1916 beside Plaza Mayor, counters sell oysters, croquetas, Iberian ham and glasses of vermouth. It is pricey and crowded, best for one drink and a few bites before you move on.

Tapas on Cava Baja

Madrid eats on its feet, one small plate and a drink at a time, and the narrow streets of La Latina, Cava Baja above all, are lined with tapas bars for exactly that. Order a plate and a drink at each, then move on. Sunday lunchtime after El Rastro is the busiest time.

Churros with chocolate

Crisp fried dough dunked in hot chocolate so thick a spoon nearly stands in it is how Madrid starts the day, or ends a very late night. Chocolatería San Ginés, in a passage off Calle Arenal, has served it since 1894.

Bocadillo de calamares

Squid rings fried in light batter and stuffed into a crusty roll are Madrid’s cheap, standing-up lunch, odd for a city so far from the sea and loved anyway. Bars around Plaza Mayor sell them.

Cocido madrileño

This slow-cooked stew of chickpeas, vegetables and several meats comes in stages, the rich broth with thin noodles first, then everything else on a platter. It is a long, heavy, cold-weather lunch, so plan a siesta after.

Best: April to June

Warm, sunny days before the summer heat, with the San Isidro festival in mid-May and roses in bloom in Retiro Park.

Best: September to October

Mild days and warm evenings for terraces, as the new arts season opens.

Harder: July and August

Very hot afternoons. Many locals leave in August, and some small bars and shops close for the holidays.

How do you get around Madrid?

• Tourist passThe Tourist Travel Pass gives unlimited Metro and city bus rides for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 days, airport supplement included. Buy it at any Metro machine.
• Reloadable cardStaying a few days without a pass? Buy a Tarjeta Transporte Público Multi at a Metro machine and load 10-trip tickets onto it.
• Tap to rideSince June 2026 you can tap a contactless bank card or phone at any Metro gate to pay for a single ride.
• Airport by metroMetro Line 8 runs from the airport to Nuevos Ministerios, about 12 minutes from T1 to T3 and under 20 from T4; change there for the centre. The airport stations charge a supplement unless you hold the Tourist Travel Pass.
• Airport busThe Exprés Aeropuerto bus runs 24 hours between the airport and Atocha station, with daytime trips to Cibeles too. The Tourist Travel Pass does not cover it.

Do you need cash in Madrid, and do you tip?

• CardsCards and phones are taken almost everywhere in Madrid, even for a coffee. Keep a few euros for El Rastro and small market stalls.
• ATMsChoose ATMs from major Spanish banks, and avoid independent machines with high fees and poor rates.
• TippingTipping is optional. Locals leave small change at the bar and a little more after a good sit-down meal.

Useful phrases

• HelloHola
• Thank youGracias
• PleasePor favor
• Good morningBuenos días
• How much is it?¿Cuánto cuesta?
• The bill, pleaseLa cuenta, por favor

Local manners

• GreetingsGreet shopkeepers and waiters with a buenos días before you ask for anything.
• Meal timesLunch starts around 2 PM and dinner around 9 PM, so restaurants are quiet early and full late.
• TapasOrder a drink and you may get a small free bite; it is part of the custom.
• Afternoon closingSome small, family-run shops close for a few hours after lunch; larger shops in the centre stay open all day.
• DressLocals tend to dress neatly, even for casual outings in the city.
• Lowering voicesKeep your voice down on public transport and in quiet streets, especially at night.

Useful apps

• Uber: Rides, eats, and moreRide-hailing around Madrid
• Google MapsWalking and transit directions in Madrid
• Citymapper: Your Transport AppMetro and bus routes in Madrid
• Google TranslateTranslating Spanish menus and signs
• Glovo: Food & Grocery DeliveryFood delivery across Madrid

Download links for these are in the Madrid guide in the Journey app.

Before you book

Check your government’s travel advice before you book.