Best Things To Do in Madrid, Spain

Are you looking for what to do in Madrid?

Madrid sightseeing is dominated by fine art museums, stunning parks, lovely road, tapas bars and flamenco dinner shows. Definitely check out the Teleferico (the Madrid Cable Car), and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The most popular Madrid tourist attractions, in descending order, are:

Historical Places to visit in Madrid
  • Plaza Mayor Madrid:
  • Royal Palace Of Madrid Or Palacio Real – Once the palace used to be the residence of royal palace. However, now only few rooms are open for public visit which you can see.
  • Templo De Debod – Visit this ancient Egyptian temple dating back to 2nd century BC which was rebuilt in Madrid.
  • Plaza De Cibeles: The Plaza de Cibeles is a heritage architecture and historical site of the province of Madrid. The site consists of four separate buildings and the famous fountain known as the Cibeles Fountain. 
  • El Escorial:
  • Almudena Cathedral: King Alfonso XII and his wife Maria Mercedes de Orleans Borbon are buried below the Virgin’s statue here.
  • Plaza De La Villa – It is one of the prettiest sites of Madrid, located right at the historic center of the city. Visit this place to see many other important heritage buildings of Madrid.
Things to do in Madrid with family and kids
  • Museo Del Prado Or Prado Museum – Wish to see the best collection of Spanish Art? Prado Museum is your answer. It displays only fraction of its art collection which is around 1300. Imagine how much its actual collection is!
  • Parque Del Retiro Or Retiro Park – One of the popular hangout places in Madrid which is always crowded with street performers like painters, musicians, jugglers, dancers and of course the travelers.
  • Museo Nacional Del Prado – This museum is considered as the top most art galleries in the world. It house artworks by some of the famous personalities like Goya, Bosch, Rubens, Raphael and Velazquez.
  • Thyssen - Bornemisza Museum – Besides the Prado and the Sofia, another name got famous was Thyssen. It displays artwork belong to both impressionistic and post impressionistic work.
  • Queen Sofia Arts Center Or Museo Nacional Centro – Visit this one of the top European art centers which used to be an old hospital.
  • Sorolla Museum – Previously used to be the residence of early 20th century painter Sorolla which has now been turned into a museum.
  • Rerina Sofia Museum:
Shopping in Madrid
  • Gran Via – If you are a true shopaholic by heart, then you cannot give a miss to this place.
  • El Rastro Madrid: If shopping is one of your favourite pass times, then this place will be able to satisfy you. It is because of the fact that, it is one of the biggest and most popular flea markets in the city of Madrid and also in Spain. 
  • Mercado De San Miguel: 
  • Casa De Campo: Two popular attractions within the park are an amusement park and the city zoo! Closeby is also the Madrid arena.
Adventure Activities to do in Madrid
  • Madrid Cable Car – If you wish to see the best view of Madrid, hop on a cable car that let you see the city in the best way. The car takes you into Casa de Campo. 
  • Zoo Aquarium de Madrid - 6000 animals covering 500 species! Considering that they’re all so exotic, they’re all celebrities really, but some are more so than others (sorry, but sexless giant pandas will always win out, even if they do no king-fu whatsoever).

Below we have a list of things to do in Madrid and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.

This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Madrid getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.

Make the most of your trip to Madrid with confidence.

Tourist Attractions in Madrid

Here is the list of things to do in Madrid and tourist attractions in city.

  1. Museo Nacional Del Prado

    4.7 (11130 Votes)
    Museo Nacional Del Prado

    Museum

    This museum is without a doubt the top cultural site of the city of Madrid and it is also amongst the topmost art galleries in the world. It is located on the street named El Paseo del Prado and houses some of the best and most beautiful works by masters like Velazquez, Raphael, Goya, Bosch and Rubens, and many more Italian and Flemish artists. Yet the 1300 art pieces on display are only a fra...Read more
  2. Parque Del Retiro

    4.7 (11579 Votes)
    Parque Del Retiro

    Park, Entertainment, Exhibition

    Madrid just does not run out of popular hangouts, and this is the most popular of all. It’s practically always crowded, especially in the weekends, when the families all come out and so do every kind of street performer imaginable- jugglers, painters, musicians, and dancers…even fortune-tellers! The highlights here are: Museo del Ejercito: A small military museum with a nice colle...Read more
  3. Thyssen - Bornemisza Museum

    4.6 (9069 Votes)
    Thyssen - Bornemisza Museum

    Art Gallery, Museum

    Madrid already had the The Prado and the Sofia, and somehow the Thyssen had to make a name for it among these incredibly popular competitor galleries. How did it do that? Well: With an intense focus on impressionistic and post impressionistic work. A clever chronological procession of paintings that let viewers almost literally strolls through history. Paintings that are superbly curated &ndas...Read more
  4. Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

    4.6 (3803 Votes)
    Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

    Stadium, Entertainment

    The iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid is one of the most famous and well-known sports venue in the world. It is the home ground for one of Europe’s biggest football team – Real Madrid. The stadium was inaugurated in 1947 and currently has the capacity to house an astounding 81,044 spectators. The experience of watching the Galacticos in action, with thousands of fans screa...Read more
  5. Sorolla Museum

    4.7 (5866 Votes)
    Sorolla Museum

    Art Museum, Museum

    Approaching this elegant house, you’re possessed by a sudden tranquillity. Everything just blends so perfectly into everything else. This was early 20th century painter Sorolla’s home, where he drew quite a bit of his post-impressionism work. The painting galleries are stunning – you’ll find yourself wondering why you haven’t heard of this man before. Walking thro...Read more
  6. Queen Sofia Arts Center

    4.5 (7731 Votes)
    Queen Sofia Arts Center

    Art And Culture, Historical Site, Monument, Exhibition

    16th century onwards, this was a big old hospital, and it became bigger and more sprawling as needs expanded. There was talk of tearing it down, but a 1977 decree declared the building a National Historic Monument. Today, it’s one of Europe’s top centres of 20th century art, and a half bad centre of 19th century art. Other exhibits are just as excellent – these include a phot...Read more
  7. Cerralbo Museum

    4.6 (1767 Votes)
    Cerralbo Museum

    Museum, Historical Site, Specialty Museum

    The 17th Marques de Cerralbo was a great intellectual, and he was also very rich. Naturally he decided to go around the world collecting a massive number of curiosities that caught his fancy. Further, in the natural course of these things, his house after his death was converted into a fascinating museum. Grand ballrooms and dining halls are the order of the day, as are precious Tupperware, su...Read more
  8. Mercado San Miguel

    4.4 (6576 Votes)
    Mercado San Miguel

    Food And Drinks, Market, Street Market, Architecture

    Madrid’s oldest market gets more beautiful and interesting by the decade! The city renovated it, but everyone was still surprised that it made such a great public space. The architecture is cool enough – Beaux-Arts in steel and iron an glass. But the food… ah, the food. Pastries, tapas, wine and everything in between – it’s 33 stalls of sheer delight. Heck, they ...Read more
  9. Paseo Del Prado

    Art And Culture, Boulevard

    This north-south boulevard is an intensely cultural, historical and public space of Madrid. It trails past some of the city’s major attractions, including parks and museums, the Royal Botanic Gardens and even the National Congress. The art museums here – Museo del Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum – are called the Golden Triangle of Art. Den...Read more
  10. Plaza And Palacio De Cibeles Image
    ©

    Landmark, Walking Area, Palace, Plaza

    Madrid has many landmarks – this is perhaps the most beautiful. Cybele, the eponymous goddess whose fountain decorates the neo-classical plaza, has long been a symbol of Madrid; the Real Madrid Football Club reflects this, and fans celebrate wins right in front of the sculpture. Three beautiful and famous buildings border the square – the Banco de Espana, the Linares Place, and the...Read more
  11. Gran Via

    Walking Area, Shopping Center, Streets

    There are a few places in the city of Madrid that you should never miss and this is one of them. Basically, the place is a shopping destination and a vibrant one at that. If you are visiting Madrid and you are not here once, then indeed your trip to the city is incomplete. There are a lot of big hotels and movie theatres in the street and you can enjoy your time here completely, but the most i...Read more
  12. Real Basilica De San Francisco El Grande

    Church, Religious Site

    A chapel converted into a convent in the 13th century. Neo-classically decorated as a basilica in the 18th century. Once a national pantheon. Franciscan. Paintings by Goya. The biggest dome among all Spanish churches. White marble Rennaisance pulpits. 49 fabulous paintings that deal with the life of St. Francis. 12. 2.85 metre high statues of the apostles. Quite possibly the most beautiful chu...Read more
  13. Salamanca

    Shopping Center, Neighborhoods

    Salamanca is the most exclusive commercial and residential neighborhood of Madrid. It is associated with good taste and wealth. It is frequented and inhabited by ultra-conservative upper class. In this place, there is a concentration of prestigious Restaurants, private Art Galleries and Haute Couture outlets. You can definitely have a good time out here. Here, you will find various brands like...Read more
  14. Madrid Rio

    Park, Walking Area, Leisure

    A very clever public space planner saw Madrid’s Rio highway and decided this had park potential. And Viola! – there were long and wonderful walkways, on two sides of a lovely river (down which you can try and scull), and on the banks of which you can walk, jog, run, cycle, Segway, or just stroll with your romantic interest. You can rent the cycle and segways nearby (try neary Segov...Read more
  15. Museo Naval

    4.4 (979 Votes)
    Museo Naval

    Museum, Specialty Museum

    Established in 1843, the museum charts the history of the Spanish naval efforts from the time of the catholic Kings to today. Of course you must go! Spanish naval efforts played a massive part in the world’s history. It’s not just all models of ships; you’ll find fascinating maps of the world, including the historic Juan de la Cosa’s parchment map of the known world fro...Read more

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  • Free things to do in Madrid as a tourist?

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    • A few attractions that you may visit for free in Madrid include Palacio de Cristal, Prado Museum, Reina Sofia Museum,  Templo de Debod, Cathedral de Almudena, and Parque del Retiro. A few other free things to do in Madrid are wandering around the Royal Palace Grounds, checking out street art at La Tabacalera, and catching live performers at some of the city’s markets.

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