Top things to do in Madrid
Thirteen places that define Madrid, from the Royal Palace and the Prado to Retiro Park and the Sunday Rastro. Each guide covers what to see inside, opening hours, prices, the nearest metro and how long you need.
Royal Palace of MadridOver 3,000 rooms, with the best sunset in central Madrid next door.Metro: Ópera (lines 2, 5 and the Ópera–Príncipe Pío branch)
Prado MuseumVelázquez, Goya, Bosch and Titian in one of the world’s great museums.Metro: Banco de España (line 2) or Estación del Arte (line 1)
Retiro ParkMadrid’s great garden, a World Heritage Site next to the Paseo del Prado.Metro: Retiro (line 2), Ibiza (line 9) or Atocha (line 1) for the south side
Plaza MayorFour centuries of markets, fiestas and bullfights in Madrid’s most photographed square.Metro: Sol (lines 1, 2, 3 and Cercanías) or Ópera
Puerta del SolThe geographic and symbolic centre of Spain, starting point for any walk.Metro: Sol (lines 1, 2 and 3) and Cercanías Sol (C-3, C-4)
Gran VíaMadrid’s Broadway: early-20th-century architecture, musicals and viewpoints.Metro: Gran Vía (lines 1 and 5), Callao (3 and 5), Santo Domingo (2), Plaza de España (3 and 10)
Reina Sofía MuseumPicasso’s Guernica and 20th-century art in a former hospital.Metro: Estación del Arte (line 1) or Atocha (line 1 and Cercanías)
Thyssen-Bornemisza MuseumSeven centuries of painting in chronological order, from Gothic to Pop Art.Metro: Banco de España (line 2)
Temple of DebodA 2,000-year-old Egyptian temple with views of the Royal Palace.Metro: Plaza de España (lines 3 and 10) or Ventura Rodríguez (line 3)
Almudena CathedralMadrid’s cathedral, opposite the Royal Palace, completed in 1993.Metro: Ópera (lines 2, 5 and branch line)
Cibeles and Puerta de AlcaláThe monuments where trophies are celebrated, and the gateway to the Retiro.Metro: Banco de España (line 2) for Cibeles; Retiro (line 2) for the Puerta de Alcalá
El Rastro flea marketThe Sunday market between La Latina and Lavapiés.Metro: La Latina (line 5), Tirso de Molina (line 1) or Puerta de Toledo (line 5)
Madrid Río and MataderoA 10 km park built over the old motorway and a slaughterhouse turned arts centre.Metro: Príncipe Pío (north), Pirámides (line 5) or Legazpi (lines 3 and 6) for Matadero
How to plan your sightseeing
- Old Madrid on foot: Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace, the Almudena Cathedral and the Temple of Debod are all within a 30-minute walk. Do them in one morning and finish with the sunset at Debod.
- The Art Walk: the Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofía sit within 15 minutes of each other on the Paseo del Prado, next to Retiro Park. Use the free hours wisely: see our museums guide.
- Sundays: El Rastro in the morning, vermouth in La Latina and an afternoon in the Retiro, the most madrileño Sunday possible.
- Short on time? Follow our one-day itinerary.
Guidance checked in October 2026. Opening hours, prices and conditions change: always check the official sources.