Madrid

Madrid city guide: the essentials

This Madrid city guide keeps the practical side short, because Madrid is best understood at street level, one plaza and one tapas bar at a time.

How many days you need

This Madrid city guide assumes a first visit. Two to three days cover the Prado and the Reina Sofía, the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor and an afternoon in Retiro Park, with evenings free for tapas in La Latina. Add a day or two for Toledo or Segovia, each about half an hour away by high-speed train.

Getting around

Everything in this Madrid city guide is reachable on foot or by public transport. The metro is extensive, clean and easy to use, and a rechargeable multi-trip card saves time at the machines. The centre, from the Royal Palace to Retiro, is walkable, and many of the best evenings happen on foot, drifting from bar to bar.

Where to stay

The area around Sol and the Barrio de las Letras is central and close to the big museums. La Latina and Lavapiés are lively and full of bars. Malasaña and Chueca are younger and busy at night, while Salamanca is quieter and more upmarket.

When to go

Spring and autumn are ideal. July and August are very hot, and many locals leave the city in August. Winters are cool, sunny and quiet. Our when to visit Madrid page has the month-by-month detail.

Before you go

Adjust to local hours: lunch runs from around two o’clock and dinner rarely starts before nine. The Prado offers free entry in the last hours of the day, but the queue builds early. For events and practical information, the city’s official tourism site, esMadrid, is the best source. When you’re ready to go beyond this Madrid city guide, start with our hidden gems and best tours.