Discover Madrid

As a major European capital city, Madrid offers incredible art, history, and culture, making it a must-visit on any trip to Spain. It remains less touristy than other European capital cities. Until the !6th century, the capital of Spain rested in Toledo. King Phillip II moved the regency to Madrid and created the most beautiful cultural destination to rival other European capitals. Today, it maintains a relaxed, local vibe where visitors blend in. Visiting Madrid gives you insights into the middle eastern, early goths, and Romans. It offers a comfortable and enjoyable way to explore and get to know the city.

Not sure if it’s Madrid or all of Spain, but I fell in love with this city. Maybe it’s that most things center on eating or drinking? Is it the feeling that everyone wants to enjoy life? Not a lot of rushing, urgent walking, or anger. Everyone seems to go with the flow. Slow down and enjoy the moments. Madrid is also a great starting point to explore other areas of Spain.

So, are you ready to explore Madrid? You probably have a few questions about where to stay, how long to stay, and more. You can get all the necessary details on visiting Madrid in our Know Before You Go – Spain post.

Whether you are visiting Madrid for the first or fifth time, these famous landmarks, parks, and museums show you something new each time. For first visitors, these spots are a perfect introduction to Madrid life. These are your don’t miss spots

• Royal Palace of Madrid
• Campo Del Moro
• Temple DeBod
• Plaza Mayor
• El Retiro Park
• Paseo Del Prado
• Mercado San Miguel
• Puerto Del Sol
• Gran Via
• Thyseen Bornemisza
• Prado Museum
• El Rasto
• Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (Real Madrid Stadium)
• Flameque Show

Made up of various neighborhoods, Madrid is easy to explore, so you can make the most of your visit. Madrid is an accessible city to walk in, and neighborhoods blend into each other. As you wander, you notice subtle changes in atmosphere and energy as you move into a new area. Yet each one retains its personality and point of view. We pick a different neighborhood each day and evening to explore – this gives a real feel for the area and the opportunity to find hidden, local spots. These neighborhoods are also great places to book your stay.

This is the most popular area, featuring many of the most popular and historic tourist highlights. It’s centrally located, making it a great spot to stay in for your Madrid adventure, but because of its popularity, it will be more expensive.

Open and welcoming, the neighborhood is holding onto its historic feeling. Sometimes referred to as the hippie or alternative area, it welcomes political and social debates. Many international restaurants can be found here, which is a nice break from traditional Spanish fare.

Hip and friendly with nightlife to keep you moving, it also mixes in history and important events in Madrid. Great area for enjoying outdoor dining and late-night entertainment.

If you have not visited or lived in a large metropolitan city before, it can seem daunting to navigate the city. Using the metro, we were able to move around the city easily and quickly. As we plan our itinerary, we select different areas to explore each day and identify convenient metro stops. If we ever strayed too far, the metro stop was a great navigational reference. 
The metro map is a great way to stay aware of where you are in the city. The metro and Renfe trains can work together to make your trip even more efficient. On one of our visits, we stayed a little further from central Madrid. We took the local Renfe to Atocha station and transferred to the metro to get to where we wanted to be. Check out the Renfe site to begin understanding the city and route options. 

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