8 Great Things To Do When Visiting Madrid

Disclaimer: Included in this post are links to tours I have personally taken or booked for clients on Viator. If you book these tours thru the links in this post, as a travel agent, I will receive a small commission.

Much like other large cities across the world, there is no shortage of things to do in Spain’s capital city of Madrid. While visiting Madrid, you can experience history, culture, the outdoors, sports and food. With so much to see and do, it might be difficult to narrow down what should be on your Madrid itinerary. Below are my top 8 things that you should experience when visiting the capital city of Madrid:

1. Royal Palace of Madrid

Located in the historic district of the city of Madrid, is the Royal Palace of Madrid. It was built in the 18th century and is the largest palace in Western Europe. In fact, with 3,418 rooms covering 135,000 square metres, it’s also considered one of the largest palaces in the world. The Royal Palace is still a functioning palace today and one of the few that is open to the public to visit. For this reason, it should be on the top of your bucket list of places to visit in Madrid.

Before you go into the actual building, you will walk thru the very spacious courtyard. If you happen to visit on a Wednesday or Saturday, you will be able to see the changing of the guard in the courtyard between 11am and 2pm. The courtyard is also a good spot to get a photo of the Royal Palace and really take in exactly how big the palace is.

It’s important to note, that while visiting the interior of the palace, there are some rules to follow. If you have a larger bag or backpack, it will need to be checked, smaller purses are ok. There are also no photos allowed once you are past the Main Staircase.

Below are the highlights you will see in the Royal Palace:

Main Staircase – The main staircase is in the first room you will visit in the Royal Palace. As mentioned above, this is the only room inside the Royal Palace where photos are allowed. Flanked by lions, there are two staircases that make up the main staircase, one for the King and one for the Queen. Above the staircase is a beautiful fresco.

Hall of Columns – This was used as a ballroom and function hall for many civil ceremonies of the court that do not take place in the Throne Room.
Throne Room – Dating back to 1772, this room is full of lots of ornate gold furnishings and of course the King and Queen’s Thrones.
King and Queen Apartments – See the many rooms used by the King and the many rooms used by the Queen.
Royal Armory – The Royal Palace houses one of the most important armories in Europe, second only to the Imperial Armoury of Vienna. The items located here date all the way back to the 13th century.
Crown Room – One of the most important of the thousands of rooms in the Royal Palace is the Crown Room. In this room, you can see the King Charles III crown and scepter.

When leaving the interior of the Royal Palace and heading outside, make sure to have a look at the views from the balcony alongside the courtyard.

Another spot to see outside of the Royal Palace is the Plaza de Oriente, located on the east side of the palace. This square feature three separate gardens, Central, Cabo Novel and Lepanto Gardens. Along the sides of the Central Garden are a collection of statues featuring the Gothic Kings.

The line for the Palace gets quite long and I highly recommend considering purchasing skip the line tickets or better yet, a tour that includes skip the line tickets. I went on this tour and not only did we skip right by the huge line, the guide was wonderful and provided lots of information that I’m not sure I would have learned if I had visited the Royal Palace on my own. There is also an option to add on a tour of the Almudena Cathedral which is located next to the Royal Palace. More on the cathedral below.

2. Almudena Cathedral

Located next to the Royal Palace is the most important religious building in all of Madrid, Almudena Cathedral. It was the first cathedral outside of Rome to be consecrated when Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1993.

Construction on the cathedral began in 1883 and it wasn’t officially considered complete until 1993. The cathedral has been home to many weddings over the years, including the current King Felipe VI in 2004 when he was still Prince Felipe VI. Many members of the Spain Monarchy are buried in the crypt located in Almudena Cathedral.

The cathedral itself is free to enter, although a donation is suggested. When visiting the cathedral, you will notice the use of the stained-glass windows and sunlight to create a color within the interior of the cathedral.

There is also a museum located at Almudena Cathedral that includes 12 halls that explore the history of the catholic church in Madrid. There is an additional cost for the museum, prices and opening hours can be found on their website. You can also visit the Dome of the Almudena Cathedral for views of the city of Madrid.

3. Museums of Madrid

Like most major cities across the world, there is no shortage of museums to visit in Madrid. There are over 60 museums in Madrid covering a wide range of topics including art, history and science. Below are a few of the most popular museums in the city of Madrid:

Museo del Prado – As the best-known museum in Madrid, the Museo del Prado should be at the top of your list of museums to visit in Madrid. The Museo del Prado opened in 1819 and was one of the first public art museums in the world. The museum includes art collections of the Spanish monarchy and helps to show the history of Spain thru works of art.
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia – Located near the Museo del Prado is another well-known art museum in Madrid, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. Opened in 1992, this art museum features more modern art from the likes of Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso.
National Archeological Museum of Spain – If you are interested in ancient history, you will enjoy the National Archeological Museum. Here you can see artifacts dating back to prehistoric times thru the 15th century.

4. Madrid Plazas and Squares

A great way to see the city of Madrid is by exploring it’s many plazas and squares. In many of these you can find shops and restaurants to enjoy and historic monuments to see. Here is a list of some can’t miss plazas and squares in Madrid:

Plaza Mayor – If there is one square you must visit, it’s the iconic Plaza Mayor. As the name suggests, this is the main square in Madrid. The square was completed in the 17th century and there is a statue of King Phillip III in the center of the square to honor him for his involvement in completing the square. Plaza Mayor is surrounded by buildings on all four sides and has nine separate entrances into the square. Back in the early days, you could experience just about anything in the square from weddings to bullfights to even executions. Now the square is a major tourist attraction with many shops and restaurants. In the warmer weather, it’s a nice spot to grab a meal outdoors and as the weather gets colder and the holiday season nears, the Christmas Market is held here, it’s been at this same location for over 150 years! One of the more beautiful buildings at Plaza Mayor is Casa de la Panaderia. This building once housed the main bakery in Madrid and now it is adorned with beautiful artwork.

Puerta del Sol – Known as the center of Spain, it is the location of kilometer zero, which is the starting point of six of the major highways in Spain. The clock on the Real Casa de Correos is another famous landmark in Puerta del Sol. This clock is used to countdown to midnight on New Years Eve in Madrid. As it makes its 12 chimes, people eat 12 grapes for luck in the New Year. Another important site in Puerta del Sol is the Tio Pepe sign. The sign has been a staple in Puerta del Sol since 1936 until a new owner of the building it sat on top of took the sign down. There was public outcry but thankfully the sign returned on top of another building at Puerta del Sol.

Plaza de Cibeles – As a symbol of the city of Madrid, Plaza de Cibeles is located in the city center. It includes the famous Cibeles Fountain which features the greek goddess Cybele on a lion-drawn carriage. Behind the fountain is the beautiful architecture of Palacio de Cibeles which is the seat of the Madrid City Council. It’s a very striking building.

Plaza de Colon – Named after Christopher Columbus, this square includes a fountain, gardens and a monument to honor Chistopher Columbus.

Plaza de Santa Ana – The next plaza dates back to 1810 and has gone thru many renovations throughout the years. The plaza has a rich history of the performing arts and here you can find monuments to playwright Pedro Calderon de la Barca and poet Frederico Garcia Lorca (pictured below).

Plaza de la Villa – This beautiful plaza is surrounded by three buildings. The largest of the buildings, Casa de la Villa, was once a prison and town hall. The City Council was located here until it moved to the Palacio de Cibeles in Plaza de Cibeles.

5. El Retiro Park

After spending some time in a big city, it’s always a good idea to get a little close to nature to relax. A city park is a great escape right in the city. In Madrid, the largest city park is El Retiro Park. The park was originally owned by the Spanish Monarchy before it opened to the public in 1868. The 350-acre park has something for everyone. Some of the can’t miss sites in El Retiro Park are:

Paseo de la Argentina – This promenade it lined with statues of Spanish kings. For this reason, it is also known as the Paseo de las Estatuas.

Palacio de Cristal – Built in 1887, this beautiful building was designed after the Crystal Palace in London. While it was originally built as a greenhouse, it is now used as an exhibition venue.

Palacio de Velazquez – Built in 1884, this building houses temporary art exhibits and offers free admission.

Estanque del Retiro – This large artificial lake is a great spot to rent a rowboat or take a walk along the lake. A monument to King Alfonso XII is along the side of the lake.

Along with these above-mentioned must-see spots, taking some time to walk thru the park and enjoy the different paths and gardens is a great way to get a little bit of nature while visiting the city of Madrid. It’s also a great spot for a bit of exercise to work off some of those extra vacation calories. While visiting El Retiro Park, I saw many people going for a run or bike ride thru the park.

6. Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

Football (or as it’s known in America, soccer) is a much bigger and more popular sport in all of Europe than it is in America. It’s as popular, if not more, than our American Football. One of the most successful football clubs in the world is located right in Madrid. Real Madrid has won a record 14 European Cups, including the first five! They have also won the FIFA World Cup 5 times.

Needless to say, if you are wanting to see a football game while visiting Europe, Madrid is the place to see one. I highly recommend attending a game if there is one during your stay in Madrid, it’s definitely a fun experience.

If you are unable to attend a game, there is the option of taking a tour of Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and also visiting the Real Madrid Museum.

7. Mercado de San Miguel

As with most cities around the world, enjoying the local food should be on the list of top things to do. In Madrid, a visit to Mercado de San Miguel is a must.

Located close to Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel sits on the site of a former church. The church was demolished in 1809 and an open-air market was opened on the site. Then in 1916, a structure was built on the site and the indoor market opened.

Mercado de San Miguel is a great spot to try some of the local Spanish tapas. With fresh seafood, gourmet hams and cheeses, a variety of tapas, desserts and alcoholic beverages, you can create your own little tapas crawl right in one building.

The market is open from 10am to midnight Sunday – Thursday and 10am to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. It gets quite busy in there, so pack your patience or if you are looking for a slower time of day, head there right around opening time. Its never too early for tapas!

8. Chocolateria San Gines

If there is one food that you just cannot leave Madrid without trying, it’s churros, specifically chocolate with churros. While you can get this popular breakfast meal in many places in Madrid, Chocolateria San Gines is the most popular spot.

Founded in 1894, Chocolateria San Gines is the oldest chocolate shop in the city of Madrid. The famous chocolate with churros here became popular with theater goers after they got out of the show. Even though its located down a somewhat hidden alley, its popularity over the years makes it hard to miss.

They also serve coffee and tea as well. As it was my first stop in Madrid after flying all night from Boston, I ended up getting the churros with coffee. Even without the chocolate, the churros were still delicious! Not to fear, I did end up having chocolate and churros for breakfast a couple of other days I was in Madrid, so I didn’t miss out.

The interior of Chocolateria San Gines is reminiscent of a 19th century cafe. They have photos of celebrities that have visited the cafe on the wall, which is fun to see. The spot is small, but they have expanded to other small spots in the same alley. The line to get in can get quite long, so expect a wait. Luckily, you can try different times of day if the line is really bad, Monday to Wednesday, they are open 8am-midnight and Thursday to Sunday they are open 24 hours a day. And even if there is a line, it’s definitely worth the wait!

Bonus – Day Trips from Madrid

While there is so much to see within the city itself, make sure to save some time for some nearby day trips from Madrid.

If you are interested in history and different cultures, make sure to head to Toledo where you can explore the history of the three cultures that co-existed in this city for over 400 years. Learn more about Toledo in my post here.

If you dream of historic walled cities with fairytale like castles that inspired a Disney castle, make sure to take a day trip to the cities of Avila and Segovia. Learn more about both Avila and Segovia in my post here.

If a trip to Spain is on your bucket list, make sure you include Madrid in your itinerary. I would recommend spending 3-4 days there at minimum especially if you want to take a day trip to one of the surrounding cities.

For help in planning your trip to Madrid, check out the tours in the link below:

Book your Madrid Tour!

If you are looking for more detailed help in planning a trip to Madrid or other parts of Spain, Beyond The Miles Travel would be happy to help.

This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Madrid.

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