Best things to do and see in Madrid

Madrid offers so many activities, places, experiences and discoveries every day and in so many neighborhoods that it is inexhaustible, one of the most active and lively European cities of the moment. From minute zero, the Spanish capital makes the visitor feel all the opulence of its architectural, historical, gastronomic, social and cultural heritage. Vacations in Madrid are perfect to make many plans totally different from each other, but that converge in the same city.

A day at El Prado

Madrid has many great museums with unique collections, but there is one that is a must-see during your stay. The Museo del Prado, one of the most important museums in the world, which has works of the stature of The three graces, by Rubens; El Greco’s El caballero de la mano en el pecho; Goya’s La maja desnuda and El 3 de mayo en Madrid; Bosch’s El jardín de las delicias; and Velázquez’s masterpiece Las meninas. General admission is 15 €.

The Madrid of the Habsburgs and the Madrid of the Bourbons

Madrid’s historical and architectural richness is highlighted by two equally impressive routes. The first is the Madrid of the Habsburgs, with all the buildings that survive from the years when the Habsburgs reigned: Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Oriente and Plaza de la Villa, as the central nuclei of many buildings, squares and streets of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The second is the route of the Madrid of the Bourbons, the dynasty that succeeded the House of Habsburg, with its fundamental points in the street of Montera, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, the Royal Oratory of the Knight of Grace, the Church of San José and the Plaza de Cibeles, among others. There are many options for free guided tours along both routes that you can do leaving a tip at the end.

Tapas at San Miguel Market

In the center of the city is the San Miguel Market, a must for all lovers of good food and wine. It is one of the most famous markets in Madrid, all covered, with its particular and well-known iron architecture and more than 30 food stalls from different parts of the world. Spanish cuisine is, of course, a highlight. You will be able to taste the most typical dishes of the peninsula: Galician seafood, Iberian ham, Manchego cheeses and many more. And, of course, the most varied grape varieties grown in the country, with wines from all regions of Spain concentrated in one place: Rioja, Somontano, Priorat, Vilafranca, Ribera del Duero and many more. Ideal for tapas at noon or in the evening. The average price of a tapa with a glass of wine is 5 €.

Visiting the Almudena Cathedral

Walking along the Calle Mayor you reach the most famous church in Madrid, the Almudena Cathedral. Built on the ruins of an ancient mosque, it was the first cathedral to be consecrated outside Rome, in 1993, during the papacy of John Paul II. It is a temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and stands out for the huge dome on the outside and the stained glass windows inside, worked in great detail and that will give your visit a mystical atmosphere. It can be visited every day from 9:00 am to 8:30 pm and a donation of 1 € is requested for building maintenance expenses. It is one of the most important and visited religious temples in Spain.

Going to the theater

Madrid’s theatrical offerings cover all possible genres: opera, dance, classical theater, comedy, lyric, avant-garde drama and many more. A city with a centuries-old theatrical tradition, which had among its ranks playwrights of the stature of Miguel Cervantes and Lope de Vega and that today continues to be maintained in many of its theaters. One of the most important is the Teatro Real, a world reference for opera built in 1850. Another is the Teatro Español, very close to the Puerta del Sol and with more than 400 years of history, one of the oldest in the country. And another very important name in Madrid’s theater scene is the Teatro de la Zarzuela, created in the mid-nineteenth century as the first and only space designed from its very birth to host shows related to the genre of zarzuela. But the names do not end here and continue with Teatro Rialto, Teatro Victoria, Teatro Coliseum, Teatro Bellas Artes, Teatro de la Comedia and many more.

Malasaña: Movida Madrileña bars, stores and bookstores

Malasaña is the neighborhood that, during the 80’s, concentrated the main manifestations of the Movida Madrileña, all that countercultural reaction to the years that followed the death of Franco in the beginning of democracy in Spain. Figures such as the filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar or the singer Alaska are fundamental names to understand what happened in those intense years, of which the bars of Malasaña remain as witnesses. El Penta, La Vía Láctea, Tupperware or Madrid Me Mata are four bars where you can go for a drink in the heart of this fundamental neighborhood and get to know in depth what the Movida was through photos, newspaper clippings and other graphic documents.

In addition to this historical legacy, Malasaña has evolved in recent years into a hipster and chic neighborhood, with many bookstores, antique and fashion stores that invite you to take an essential stroll through these streets.

Santiago Bernabeu and Wanda Metropolitano Tour

Soccer in Madrid is a big deal and, if you love the sport, the Spanish capital has an incredible experience to offer you. Depending on the time of year, you can enjoy a Liga or Champions League match of Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, the two biggest soccer clubs in the city. And throughout the year you can take tours of their respective stadiums: the Santiago Bernabeu and the Wanda Metropolitano.

The Real Madrid stadium tour costs €15 per person and includes a visit to the Museum, the Santiago Bernabeu model of the 21st century, a photo with the Champions Cup (optional) and a panoramic tour of the stadium.

Atlético de Madrid also offers a guided tour of its new Wanda Metropolitano stadium, where you can get to know its very modern facilities and see what the soccer stadiums of the future will be like. The entrance fee for the visit including the museum is 24 € per person.

Visiting the Royal Palace

Located in front of the Almudena Cathedral, in the Plaza de la Armería, the Royal Palace was for many years the official residence of the kings of Spain, until they moved to the Zarzuela Palace. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in Madrid and the largest palace in Western Europe, with very luxurious halls, royal rooms, a very complete collection of weapons of all times. and many other attractions that you can visit for 13 € if there is a permanent exhibition in progress or for 12 € as general admission, without exhibitions.

Another day at the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen

In addition to the Prado Museum, there are two other must-see museums in Madrid. First, the Reina Sofía Museum, with its great star, Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, and also with other gems by Dalí, Miró and many other contemporary and 20th century artists. General admission is 12 €.

Second, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, located inside the Villahermosa Palace and with works by Van Eyck, Van Gogh and Caravaggio, as well as very interesting temporary exhibitions. General admission to the museum costs 13 €.

A stately stroll through Salamanca district

It is a neighborhood created especially for the Madrid bourgeoisie to settle in during the 19th century, also known as the Ensanche. It stands out for its orderly streets and large boulevards, as well as for its palatial buildings and luxury stores and restaurants. This district is home to Madrid’s six most stately neighborhoods: Recoletos, Goya, Fuente del Berro, Guindalera, Lista and Castellana. We recommend visiting Casa Árabe, the Colegio El Pilar and the National Archaeological Museum.