Madrid, Spain’s capital, is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city, full of incredible buildings. You’ll find yourself surrounded by stunning architecture. The streets are full of people at any time of the day or night. You’ll never be bored because there’s always something to do. Here is my Madrid City Guide. Hope you like it!
WHEN TO GO
The best time to visit Madrid is in the Fall or Spring but I went there with my friends and family in late December and it was great. It was a bit cold but it was no big deal.
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed at Friendly Rentals NoMaD La Latina. The apartment was clean and I really liked the simple, modern decor. It had a fully equipped kitchen, a living area with a sofa and a private bathroom with shower and hairdryer. The location was great, very close to the metro station. It was also lovely to have a terrace with fantastic views over the city. You can check my Instagram Stories Highlights to see the room tour. Just be aware that you have to pick the keys up from the office first and then go to the apartment.
HOW TO MOVE AROUND
The best way to move around is on foot and by metro. We took the metro a few times but we realized that Madrid is such a beautiful and walkable city and my friends really like to walk. That’s the best way to admire the beautiful buildings and feel the cosmopolitan vibe of the city so we ended up walking A LOT.
OUR 4-DAY Madrid CITY GUIDE
DAY 1
We took a 6 hour drive to Madrid so we were dying to eat something when we got there. As we still had an hour before we could get the keys and check in, we ended up looking for a restaurant nearby that I honestly don’t remember the name. It was a little difficult to park the car and we ended up leaving it far from the apartment. Then we went to the apartment and stayed there until the end of the day. We took the opportunity to rest.
Atocha Train Station
After dinner, we went to Atocha Train Station. It’s the main station in Madrid and a fabulous piece of architecture and engineering, built with iron and glass, under the supervision of Eiffel. It has a beautiful covered tropical garden, located in the old part of the train station. The garden has more than 500 different species of plants.
HOW TO GET THERE
- Metro: Atocha Renfe, line 1.
DAY 2
Parque del Retiro
The Parque del Retiro is very beautiful and is a place where you can relax. It’s the most important park in Madrid and one of the most popular places to visit. There are 118 hectares of green area in the city center. You’ll see both tourists and locals there taking a walk, having picnics, walking the dog. There, you can also find the Monument to King Alfonso XII, close to the lake, and the Palacio de Velázquez where you can see temporary art exhibitions.
HOW TO GET THERE
- Metro: Retiro, line 2.
PALACIO DE CRISTAL DEL RETIRO
The first place we visited was the Palacio de Cristal. It’s a beautiful metal and glass structure located in Parque del Retiro. When it was built, it was initially used as a greenhouse. I advise you to get there at opening time to avoid the crowds. It opens at 10 a.m. and the admission is free.
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
After that, we went to the Reina Sofia Museum. To be honest, I’m not a big fan of modern art, I prefer the old classics but there are some paintings that are worth seeing like Guernica by Picasso. The highlights are, without a doubt, the paintings of Salvador Dali, Picasso and Miró. There is also a viewpoint from where you can see Atocha Station. I also saw some paintings by Jörg Immendorff that caught my eye. It’s a whirlwind of colors and things happening at the same time.
HOW TO GET THERE
- Metro: Atocha Renfe, line 1.
Museo Nacional del Prado
We spent the whole afternoon at Museo Nacional del Prado. It’s the largest museum in Spain. Its art collection is based mainly on works of art from the 16th to the 20th century and includes works by painters like Velázquez, Rubens and Goya. I’ll do a specific post about the museum later, with everything you need to know, from ticket prices, what you need to see, how to avoid the crowds, etc.
HOW TO GET THERE
- Metro: Banco de España, line 2.
El Jardín Secreto de Salvador Bachiller
I talked to Marta (@martaxrodrigues) and she recommended me this place. I really loved the concept behind it. The decor is absolutely stunning. It looks like an enchanted forest hidden in the heart of Madrid and creates such a charming atmosphere. My sister ordered the pancakes while I ordered the chocolate cheesecake, we both ordered a cappuccino and my friend had a gin and tonic. It’s a little more expensive than other places but it’s so worth it. I also recommend you to take a look at the store below.
HOW TO GET THERE
- Calle Montera, 37
DAY 3
Palacio Real de Madrid
We started the day at the Palacio Real de Madrid. Nowadays, the Royal Palace is no longer the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family but rather where state ceremonies, official banquets and other state functions take place. We chose not to enter because the queue was huge and we didn’t have enough time to do everything.
HOW TO GET THERE
- Metro: Ópera, lines 2 and 5.
Jardines de Sabatini
Save this travel tip: if you’re planning to visit Madrid make sure you go to Sabatini Gardens. It’s a beautiful place and has the best view to the Royal Palace. Plus, it is not overcrowded. You won’t regret it!
Gran Vía
It’s known for being the Champs-Élysées of Madrid. Here you can find many restaurants, hotels and large department stores. It’s great for strolling, admiring the architecture, shopping or admiring the city’s fast pace. Down the avenue, you’ll find the famous Metropolis Building and the Schweppes Building. By the way, a shoutout to my friend Daniel (@epicdenz_ph) for the amazing photo of the Schweppes Building.
HOW TO GET THERE
- Metro:
Gran Vía, lines 1 and 5;
Callao, lines 3 and 5.
Plaza de Cibeles
It’s my favorite square in Madrid! Cibeles Palace is the City Hall and is so detailed and beautiful. To get a photo there without cars you just have to be patient. You need to pay attention to the traffic lights. You might stand there for a while but for a couple of seconds you will get the road just for yourself. That’s when you take the shot!
HOW TO GET THERE
- Metro: Banco de España, line 2.
Puerta de Alcalá
At the end of the day, we went to Puerta de Alcalá. It’s known for being one of the first triumphal arches constructed in Europe after the Roman empire fell, constructed before the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin,
HOW TO GET THERE
- Metro: Retiro, line 2
DAY 4
Barrio de La Latina
On the fourth day, we stayed in Madrid only in the morning and made the trip back to Lisbon in the afternoon. As we had little time, we ended up exploring the area where the apartment was: the Barrio de La Latina. We took the opportunity to visit the Mercado de la Cebada, which was nearby. It was funny because inside we found a place that served portuguese food.
WHAT WE MISSED
Plaza Mayor
It’s a huge city square in the heart of Madrid, where you can find many restaurants and shops. To be honest, it ended up reminding me a bit of Terreiro do Paço, in Lisbon, and since we didn’t have much time, we ended up choosing to see other things.
Mercado de San Miguel
Mercado de San Miguel is an old market that has been renovated and transformed into a place full of taverns and restaurants. I heard that the food is good but a little expensive.
This is my complete Madrid City Guide. I hope you liked it and found it useful! Feel free to check my Dubai City Guide and my Paris City Guide.
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