Moncloa and Argüelles, Madrid
Photo: Hans Dinkelberg / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Neighbourhood guide

Moncloa and Argüelles

Debod, Goya and the big parks

Moncloa and Argüelles is the western side of the centre, around Plaza de España and the university city. It has the Temple of Debod, several museums and the two large parks, the Parque del Oeste and Casa de Campo.

The Temple of Debod is free, though booking ahead is recommended, and is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 20:00 in winter. The San Antonio de la Florida Hermitage holds Goya's frescoes and is free, open Tuesday to Sunday 09:30 to 20:00. Liria Palace, the Cerralbo Museum, the Costume Museum and the Museum of the Americas are all in this part of town.

The Faro de Moncloa is a 92-metre tower with a viewing gallery open Tuesday to Sunday 09:30 to 20:00. The Parque del Oeste has nearly 100 hectares and the Casa de Campo is the largest public park in Madrid at 1,535 hectares.

Casa Mingo on Paseo de la Florida has been a cider house since 1888. Las Tablas, on Plaza de España, has the biggest flamenco stage in Madrid.

Getting there

Plaza de España (L2, L3, L10), Príncipe Pío (L6, L10, R) and Ventura Rodríguez (L3) are the Metro stops the tourism board lists for the Temple of Debod.

12 places
Tap to open the interactive map
See Moncloa and Argüelles on the interactive map

What to see

The Cerralbo Museum and the Costume Museum both cost 3 euros and are free on Sundays.

Where to eat and drink

Casa Mingo is open every day 11:00 to midnight with the kitchen open all day.

Nearby neighbourhoods

Palacio and Ópera, Madrid Palacio and Ópera Royal Palace, cathedral and the Habsburg streets 28 places · 1.3 km away Malasaña, Madrid Malasaña Movida bars and old churrerías 15 places · 1.4 km away Sol and Centro, Madrid Sol and Centro Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía 41 places · 1.9 km away La Latina, Madrid La Latina Sunday market and tapas 21 places · 1.9 km away

The best of Moncloa and Argüelles

Temple of Debod
Best temple Temple of Debod Free, an Egyptian temple from the 2nd century BC.
San Antonio de la Florida Hermitage
Best frescoes San Antonio de la Florida Hermitage Free, with Goya's frescoes.
Faro de Moncloa Viewing Tower
Best view Faro de Moncloa Viewing Tower 92 metres, 4 euros.

Things to do in Moncloa and Argüelles

The gilded ballroom of the Cerralbo Museum
Museum · € Cerralbo Museum A museum in the 19th-century town palace of the 17th Marquis of Cerralbo on Calle de Ventura Rodríguez. It shows how an aristocratic family lived at the end of the 1800s.
Museum · € Costume Museum A museum of clothing and fashion history on Avenida de Juan de Herrera, opened in 2004. It reopened in autumn 2021 with a new permanent exhibition.
Museum · € Museum of the Americas A state museum of the Americas on Avenida de los Reyes Católicos, founded in 1941. The building was designed by the architects Luis Moya and Luis Martínez Feduchi.
Landmark · €€ Liria Palace An 18th-century palace on Calle de la Princesa, the Madrid residence of the House of Alba and the main home of its art collection and historical archive.
Plaza de España with the Torre de Madrid and Edificio España behind the square
Landmark · Free Plaza de España A rebuilt square of about 70,000 square metres with 1,110 trees, children's play areas and cycle lanes. It holds the Cervantes monument with Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
The Temple of Debod gateways on a paved terrace under blue sky
Landmark · Free Temple of Debod An Egyptian temple from the 2nd century BC rebuilt in the Parque del Cuartel de la Montaña near Plaza de España. Egypt donated it to Spain to save it from being flooded by a large dam.
The San Antonio de la Florida Hermitage seen through trees
Church · Free San Antonio de la Florida Hermitage A plain 18th-century chapel with a large cycle of frescoes that Goya painted in the late 1700s. It is run as a museum by the city.
A view over the Madrid skyline and boulevard from the Faro de Moncloa
Viewpoint · € Faro de Moncloa Viewing Tower A 92-metre tower in the university city with a panoramic lift to a viewing gallery. The tourism board lists it among the official tourist products of Madrid.
Umbrella pines and a sandy path in Casa de Campo
Park · Free Casa de Campo At 1,535 hectares, the largest public park in Madrid. Its history began when Philip II moved the court to Madrid and assembled an estate here.
Green lawns and tall trees in Parque del Oeste
Park · Free Parque del Oeste A park of nearly 100 hectares between the A-6 road, the university city and Moncloa. It is the first public park in Madrid and has the Ramón Ortiz rose garden.
Food · €€ Casa Mingo A cider house opened in 1888 on Paseo de la Florida, which the tourism board calls the oldest and most typical in Madrid. It sits midway along the road past the Goya frescoes of San Antonio de la Florida.
Nightlife · €€€ Las Tablas A flamenco venue at the corner of Calle de Bailén and Plaza de España, near the Sabatini Gardens, with the biggest flamenco stage in Madrid.

From the blog

The white Palacio de Cibeles on Plaza de Cibeles with its clock tower and turrets Things to Do in Madrid: Palace, Prado, Retiro and an Evening of Tapas Read

Stay in Moncloa and Argüelles

Browse live availability and compare prices around the neighbourhood.

See hotels near Moncloa and Argüelles on Booking.comPrices are for the night of Saturday 14 November. You can change the dates on Booking.com. If you book, Roam Madrid earns a small commission from Stay22 at no extra cost to you.