Things to Do in Madrid: Palace, Prado, Retiro and an Evening of Tapas

The short answer. On a first visit, see the Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor, spend a morning at the Prado, walk through Retiro Park, and finish an evening in the bars of La Latina or Huertas. Add the Reina Sofía if you like modern art, and Debod at sunset if the weather’s good. Three days covers all of it without rushing.

Roam Madrid read 9 guides on this, in English, Spanish and French. The Royal Palace, the Prado, Retiro and Plaza Mayor are named by all 9. Hours, prices and closing days below come from the museums’ and operators’ own pages, and not from those guides. They change, so check the link before you go. Every place is on the map, and the events page shows what’s on during your dates, from gigs to markets. If you haven’t booked a room yet, where to stay in Madrid covers the areas.

The short list

Royal Palace and the old centre

The Royal Palace is recommended by 9 of 9 guides read, Plaza Mayor by 9, Puerta del Sol by 7 and Almudena Cathedral by 6.

Start here, because it’s the most compact part of the city. The Royal Palace sits beside Almudena Cathedral, and Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol are a short walk east.

Patrimonio Nacional runs the palace. From October to March it’s open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00, and from April to September the weekday close moves to 19:00. The ticket office closes an hour early. A self-guided visit costs 18 euros and a guided one 26. It’s closed on 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 25 December, and on 24 and 31 December it closes at 15:00. Entry is free from Monday to Thursday, 16:00 to 18:00 in winter and 17:00 to 19:00 in summer, for EU and Latin American citizens and residents with proof, at the box office only. The queue can eat the saving, so book if your time’s short.

Madrid’s tourism site says the changing of the guard happens at noon on the first Wednesday of each month, weather permitting, and not in January, August or September.

Plaza Mayor opened in 1620, according to Madrid’s tourism site, and it’s lined with arcades and the Casa de la Panadería. It’s a good place for a coffee. For lunch, walk a few streets off the square. The Puerta del Sol is where Spain’s Kilometre 0 plaque sits in front of the Real Casa de Correos. The Sol Metro station is on lines 1, 2 and 3.

The art museums

The Prado is recommended by 9 of 9 guides read, the Reina Sofía by 7 and the Thyssen-Bornemisza by 5.

The three together are the Golden Triangle of Art, and one guide advises half a day for each. If you only pick one, the Prado is the usual first choice. The Prado or Reina Sofía guide goes through the choice in detail.

Official facts, all from the museums’ own pages:

• Prado: open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00 and Sunday and holidays from 10:00 to 19:00. General admission is 15 euros, with free entry from 18:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday and 17:00 to 19:00 on Sunday and holidays. Closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. See the Prado’s page on esMadrid.
• Reina Sofía: 12 euros, closed on Tuesdays, and home to Picasso’s Guernica. Details on the museum’s visit page.
• Thyssen-Bornemisza: 14 euros on its visit page, which also lists free entry on Mondays.

Free slots mean queues, so go early or pick another time.

Retiro, Debod and the views

Retiro Park is recommended by 9 of 9 guides read, the Temple of Debod by 6 and rooftop viewpoints by 6.

Retiro is free, and it’s open from 6:00 to midnight from April to September and from 6:00 to 22:00 from October to March, as esMadrid lists. The park can close in severe weather. The Palacio de Cristal, a glass pavilion from 1887, is the picture everyone takes. Guides add rowboats on the lake and the Rose Garden.

The Temple of Debod is an Egyptian temple on the west side of the city, and guides send you at sunset. Entry is free and the temple is closed on Mondays. Winter hours (listed on esMadrid) are 10:00 to 20:00, Tuesday to Sunday, and reservations are recommended through the city’s booking page.

For city views, guides name the Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop and the Gourmet Experience above Callao, and one adds the lower-cost Faro de Moncloa. Check each venue’s own page for opening times and prices, since none were confirmed for this guide.

Gran Vía, Cibeles and the boulevards

Gran Vía is recommended by 7 of 9 guides read.

Gran Vía is the long boulevard of theatres, shops and grand buildings, and guides recommend walking it at sunset. The Metropolis building, with its winged figure on the dome, is the one you’ll recognise.

From Gran Vía it’s a stroll to the Palacio de Cibeles and the Puerta de Alcalá, which are the start of the Paseo del Arte, the route to the museums.

Markets, tapas and food

Tapas are recommended by 6 of 9 guides read, Mercado de San Miguel by 5, El Rastro by 5 and churros at San Ginés by 4.

Madrid is a city to eat in. The guides’ tapas picks are La Latina and the streets around Huertas, and they say to go in the evening. The Mercado de San Miguel, near Plaza Mayor, is a covered market where each stall sells small plates. It’s a good first taste of Madrid food.

El Rastro is the Sunday flea market, open on Sundays and holidays from 9:00 to 15:00 along Ribera de Curtidores, according to the city council. The fixed shops and antique dealers in the area open on weekdays, but the street stalls don’t. Four guides mention chocolate con churros at San Ginés, and the calamari sandwich (bocadillo de calamares) shows up in three.

Less common picks

The Santiago Bernabéu stadium tour (4 guides), Malasaña and Chueca (4 guides) and day trips to Toledo and Segovia (4 guides) come up less often. Las Ventas bullring and Madrid Río are named by 2 guides each, so they’re left out. For the day trips, see the Toledo day trip and best day trips from Madrid.

A three-day plan

• Day 1: Royal Palace, Almudena Cathedral, Plaza Mayor, Sol, then tapas.
• Day 2: Prado in the morning, Retiro in the afternoon, Cibeles and Gran Vía at dusk.
• Day 3: Reina Sofía, then La Latina. On a Sunday, do El Rastro first.

Swap in Toledo for day 3 if you’d rather leave the city. The travel tips guide covers the Metro, tickets and closing days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top things to do in Madrid?

The Royal Palace, the Prado, Retiro Park and Plaza Mayor, which all 9 guides read name. The Reina Sofía, Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía are named by 7.

How many days do you need in Madrid?

Three days covers the main sights without rushing. Most of the plans in the guides run to three days.

Are the Madrid museums free?

At set hours. The Prado is free from 18:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday and from 17:00 to 19:00 on Sunday and holidays, according to esMadrid. The Reina Sofía has free evening hours and is closed on Tuesdays. Check each museum’s page.

What is free in Madrid?

Retiro Park and the Temple of Debod have no entry fee. The Royal Palace is free only at set times and only for EU and Latin American citizens and residents, at the box office.

When is El Rastro open?

Sundays and public holidays, 9:00 to 15:00, on Ribera de Curtidores, according to the city council.

Is it worth taking a day trip from Madrid?

Yes, if you have a fourth day. Toledo is the usual first pick and takes about half an hour by train.

Places in this guide

Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.

National Museum of Decorative Arts Retiro Photo: Jeremy Thompson Puerta de Toledo La Latina Photo: Miguel Angel Masegosa Conde Duque Malasaña Photo: Jens Cederskjold Mercado de San Antón Chueca Photo: Carlos ZGZ Army Museum in the Alcázar of Toledo Toledo Photo: ajay_suresh Alcázar of Segovia Segovia Photo: Sharon Mollerus