{"id":14785,"date":"2022-12-22T17:50:10","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T15:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/destinia.com\/guides\/best-things-to-do-and-see-in-madrid"},"modified":"2023-11-27T13:28:33","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T11:28:33","slug":"best-things-to-do-and-see-in-madrid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/destinia.com\/guides\/en\/best-things-to-do-and-see-in-madrid\/","title":{"rendered":"Best things to do and see in Madrid"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/strong> architectural, historical, gastronomic, social and cultural heritage<\/strong>. Vacations in Madrid are perfect to make many plans totally different from each other, but that converge in the same city.<\/p>\n

A day at El Prado<\/h2>\n

Madrid has many great museums with unique collections, but there is one that is a must-see during your stay. The Museo del Prado<\/a>, one of the most important museums in the world, which has works of the stature of The three graces<\/i>, by Rubens; El<\/i> Greco’s El caballero de la mano en el pecho<\/i>; Goya’s La maja desnuda<\/i> and El 3 de mayo en Madrid<\/i>; Bosch’s El jard\u00edn de las delicias<\/i>; and Vel\u00e1zquez’s masterpiece Las meninas<\/i>. General admission is 15 \u20ac.<\/p>\n

\"Prado

Prado National Museum<\/p><\/div>\n

The Madrid of the Habsburgs and the Madrid of the Bourbons<\/h2>\n

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<\/strong>, 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 Jos\u00e9 and the Plaza de Cibeles, among others. There are many options for free<\/i> guided tours along both routes that you can do leaving a tip at the end.<\/p>\n

\"Plaza

Plaza de La Villa<\/p><\/div>\n

Tapas at San Miguel Market<\/h2>\n

In the center of the city is the San Miguel Market<\/a>, a must for all lovers of good food and wine<\/strong>. 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<\/strong> 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<\/strong> in the evening. The average price of a tapa with a glass of wine is 5 \u20ac.<\/p>\n

\"San

San Miguel Market<\/p><\/div>\n

Visiting the Almudena Cathedral<\/h2>\n

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 \u20ac is requested for building maintenance expenses. It is one of the most important and visited religious temples in Spain.<\/p>\n

\"Cathedral

Cathedral of Santa Mar\u00eda la Real de la Almudena<\/p><\/div>\n

Going to the theater<\/h2>\n

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<\/strong>, 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 Espa\u00f1ol, 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.<\/p>\n

\"Madrid

Madrid Theater<\/p><\/div>\n

Malasa\u00f1a: Movida Madrile\u00f1a bars, stores and bookstores<\/h2>\n

Malasa\u00f1a is the neighborhood that, during the 80’s, concentrated the main manifestations of the Movida Madrile\u00f1a, all that countercultural reaction to the years that followed the death of Franco<\/strong> in the beginning of democracy in Spain. Figures such as the filmmaker Pedro Almod\u00f3var or the singer Alaska are fundamental names to understand what happened in those intense years, of which the bars of Malasa\u00f1a remain as witnesses. El Penta, La V\u00eda L\u00e1ctea, Tupperware or Madrid Me Mata<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

In addition to this historical legacy, Malasa\u00f1a has evolved in recent years into a hipster<\/i> and chic<\/i> neighborhood, with many bookstores, antique and fashion stores that invite you to take an essential stroll through these streets.<\/p>\n

\"Malasa\u00f1a\"

Malasa\u00f1a<\/p><\/div>\n

Santiago Bernabeu and Wanda Metropolitano Tour<\/h2>\n

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<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

The Real Madrid stadium tour<\/a> costs \u20ac15 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.<\/p>\n

Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid also offers a guided<\/a> 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 \u20ac per person.<\/p>\n

\"Santiago

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium<\/p><\/div>\n

Visiting the Royal Palace<\/h2>\n

Located in front of the Almudena Cathedral, in the Plaza de la Armer\u00eda, 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.<\/strong> and many other attractions that you can visit for 13 \u20ac if there is a permanent exhibition in progress or for 12 \u20ac as general admission, without exhibitions.<\/p>\n

\"Royal

Royal Palace of Madrid<\/p><\/div>\n

Another day at the Reina Sof\u00eda and the Thyssen<\/h2>\n

In addition to the Prado Museum, there are two other must-see museums in Madrid. First, the Reina Sof\u00eda Museum<\/a>, with its great star, Pablo Picasso’s Guernica<\/i>, and also with other gems by Dal\u00ed, Mir\u00f3 and many other contemporary and 20th century artists. General admission is 12 \u20ac.<\/p>\n

Second, the Thyssen-Bornemisza<\/a>, 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 \u20ac.<\/p>\n

\"Madrid

Madrid Museum<\/p><\/div>\n

A stately stroll through Salamanca district<\/h2>\n

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 \u00c1rabe, the Colegio El Pilar and the National Archaeological Museum.<\/p>\n

\"Salamanca\"

Salamanca<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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