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Tourist Places to Visit in Madrid
Spain

Unmissable Tourist Places to Visit and Things to Do in Madrid

Mustafa Natalwala 3312 Views 0 Comments

Madrid is the national capital city of Spain. It is also the second largest city in the European Union as well as one of the most historically and culturally significant cities in the world. The city is also well known for its iconic football teams namely Real Madrid FC and Atletico Madrid FC. The city has preserved its history and culture very well.

Some of the best places to visit in Madrid go back several centuries and are still very well maintained. You will get to explore some of the finest architecture as you explore the city. Being a royal city for many centuries, you will come across several palaces among Madrid’s tourist attractions. Even if you know nothing about architecture or design, these buildings are a pleasant sight. The aesthetic beauty is not limited to palaces alone, the churches, banks, and even stock exchange buildings are a delight among things to see in Madrid.

The city is also well known for its grand collection of artworks. If you are an art enthusiast you will love Madrid sightseeing. The churches, palaces, historical buildings, etc. are blessed with great artworks by many renowned artists. Additionally, there are numerous art museums, galleries, and private collections to explore when you visit Madrid.

Madrid is also a very lively and happening place. Whatever your form of fun and leisure is, the city has something to offer. Among the top things to do in Madrid for many visitors is to watch a football match. It is an integral part of the city’s culture. The city also has one of the most vibrant culinary scenes in Europe. You will find many things to eat besides Spanish food during Madrid travel, but you should definitely not miss out on Spanish food.

Madrid is a unique experience by itself. Unless you have found the uniqueness of the city, you should not leave the city and keep exploring.

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Explore The Best Tourist Attractions of Madrid in 4 Days

This itinerary will help you navigate during Madrid travel as you explore the buildings, history, and culture of the city.

Day 1

1. Plaza Mayor

This historic square is surrounded by some of the most popular Madrid tourist attractions. The square was designed by Juan de Herrera under Felipe II in 1560s. You will need 20 to 30 minutes to admire Plaza Mayor.

Plaza Mayor

2. Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great (Real Basilica de San Francisco el Grande)

This cathedral was built in 1760 under the reign of Carlos III. It is built on the ground where Saint Francis founded a covenant in 1217. The Goya frescos in this church are among the most beautiful things to see in Madrid. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to explore this church.

Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great

3. Almudena Cathedral (Catedral de la Almudena)

This church is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the city. The church was built by King Felipe when he moved the capital of the kingdom to Madrid. It is one of the best places to visit in Madrid to explore gothic revival architecture. You will need about an hour to explore this church.

Almudena Cathedral

4. Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real de Madrid)

This is the largest palace in western Europe and the largest building in the city. The royal palace was built upon another Morrish fortress. You will have highly opulent interiors and beautiful architecture at this palace. It is also among the top Madrid attractions with lush interiors and a great art collection. You will need about 2 hours to explore the palace.

I suggest you should get your Fast Access Ticket to the Royal Palace of Madrid in advance.

Royal Palace of Madrid

5. Royal Monastery of La Encarnación (Real Monasterio de la Encarnación)

This monastery complex was first commissioned in 1611 and redesigned in 1767 after a fire breakout. The entire complex is considered an architectural marvel. You will some of the most artistic interiors at this monastery during Madrid sightseeing. It will take you at least 45 minutes to explore it.

Royal Monastery of La Encarnación

6. Cerralbo Museum (Museo Cerralbo)

This museum depicts the life of upper-class citizens of the city during the 19th century. It might not be among the most famous places in Madrid but, is among buildings of cultural interest and houses the collection of its owner, Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa the Marquis of Cerralbo. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to explore it.

Cerralbo Museum

7. Temple of Debod (Templo de Debod)

This 4th-century Egyptian temple was relocated to this city in the 1960s. It is a unique place to explore when you visit Madrid. The temple is dedicated to ancient Egyptian gods Amon & Isis. You will need about an hour to explore it.

Temple of Debod

8. Western Park (Parque del Oeste)

This park used to be a garbage dump site and was later transformed into an English style garden by architect Cecilio Rodriguez in 1890s. It is among the places to go in Madrid for some leisure. You will need an hour to explore this park.

Western Park

Day 2

1. National Archaeological Museum (Museo Arqueológico Nacional)

Also known as the National Archaeological Museum of Spain, it houses several historical artifacts from different time periods in the history of the nation. The museum is also popular among places to see in Madrid for the collection of Royal treasures. You will need about 2 hours to explore it.

I suggest you should book a Guided Tour to National Archaeological Museum with a Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket.

National Archaeological Museum

2. Puerta de Alcala

This gate was built in 1778 in the neoclassical style design by Francisco Sabatini. It was once the eastern entrance to the city and is a Madrid must-see monuments. You will need 15 to 20 minutes to admire it.

Puerta de Alcala

3. Cybele Palace (Palacio de Comunicaciones)

This palace is one of the most beautiful Madrid tourist spots. The Neo-Gothic architecture makes it look like a fantasy film palace. The stained glass and marble designs of the palace are an incredible sight. You will need about an hour to explore it.

I suggest you should go for a Private Guided Tour to Cybele Palace with Retiro Park.

Cybele Palace

4. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

This museum is among Madrid top attractions to explore and admire great works of art. It houses artworks created between the 13th and 20th centuries. You will need about 2 to 3 hours to explore it.

I suggest you should get your Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket to The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in advance.

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

5. Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado)

This museum is dedicated to European fine arts created between the 12th and 19th centuries. It is considered to be one of the best art museums in the city and is among the top tourist places in Madrid for admirers of great art. You will have about 2 hours to explore this museum.

You should get your Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket to The Prado Museum in advance.

Prado Museum

6. El Retiro Park (Parque del Buen Retiro)

This is one of the largest parks in the city and a hub for many activities in Madrid. The park was a prominent part of King Felipe II as he hosted many events at this park. It is also surrounded by many historical and cultural places to visit in Madrid. You will need about an hour to explore it.

I suggest either you should go for a Guided Walking Tour of The Retiro Park or you should go for a Segway Tour in Retiro Park.

El Retiro Park

Day 3

1. Enrique Tierno Galván Park

This is the largest park in the city and you will find several fun things to do in Madrid here. The park has a film theatre, a planetarium, and two museums within it.  You will need 30 to 45 minutes to explore it.

Enrique Tierno Galván Park

2. Madrid Planetarium (El Planetario de Madrid)

This planetarium is located in Parque Tierno Galvan and is among interesting Madrid tourist attractions for those who are interested in astronomy. You can explore the stars with telescopes and the history of human discovery of the cosmos at this planetarium. You will need an hour here.

Madrid Planetarium

3. Railway Museum (Museo del Ferrocarril)

This railway museum has the largest collection of railway artifacts in all of Europe and is among the top Madrid attractions. The museum is established in Las Delicas station which was designed by renowned architect Gustave Eiffel. You will need an hour at least to explore this museum.

Railway Museum

4. Queen Sofia National Museum Art Centre (Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia)

This is a museum of modern and contemporary art. The building housing the museum itself is declared a National Monument. There are over 20,000 works of art to admire at this museum and you will need at least an hour here.

I suggest you should get your Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket to The Queen Sofia National Museum in advance.

Queen Sofia National Museum Art Centre

5. CaixaForum Madrid (Museo Caixa Forum)

This landmark building houses the center for arts. The building is known for its unique design and is an important cultural landmark to visit during Madrid travel. It will take you an hour or so to explore the building and the exhibits of the museum.

CaixaForum Madrid

Day 4

1. Royal Botanical Garden (El Real Jardin Botanico)

These are the Royal Botanical Gardens of Spain. It is among the few nature-oriented tourist places in Madrid. These gardens are divided into 7 parts exhibiting plantlike from around the world. You will need an hour to explore it.

Royal Botanical Garden

2. National Museum of Decorative Arts (Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas)

Housed in a 19th-century Palace, this museum exhibits a variety of object art from different time periods. You will get to see many interesting things to see in Madrid at this museum. It will take you 2 hours to explore this museum.

National Museum of Decorative Arts

3. Palace of la Bolsa de Madrid (Palacio de la Bolsa de Madrid)

This building is well known for housing the Madrid Stock Exchange. The building itself is a palace and features beautiful architecture and design. Though not all parts of the palace are open for visitors, so you won’t need more than 15 to 20 minutes here.

Palace of la Bolsa de Madrid

4. Naval Museum of Madrid (Museo Naval de Madrid)

This museum tells about the history of the Spanish Navy starting from 15h century onwards. Naval exploration and conquest have played a great role in history of Spain and hence this museum is among the top Madrid attractions. The museum features some amazing artifacts concerning seafaring. You will need an hour or two to explore this museum.

Naval Museum of Madrid

5. Bank of Spain (Banco de España)

This is the headquarters of the National Bank of Spain which is housed in a stunning architectural building. The building is among the most beautiful ones to come across during Madrid sightseeing for its architectural elements which are typical of Spanish architecture doing the 19th century. You will need about 15 to 20 minutes to admire it.

Bank of Spain

6. Metropolis Building (Edificio Metrópolis)

This is the most photographed building among places to see in Madrid for its iconic dome and the statue of a winged angel of victory. You will need about 30 minutes to admire it.

Metropolis Building

7. House of the Seven Chimneys (Casa de las Siete Chimeneas)

Also known as the House of Seven Chimneys, it was built in the 16th century and is most popularly known for being a haunted building. The house has several interesting stories associated with it but has become well known among Madrid’s top attractions. You will need 30 to 45minutes to explore this haunted house.

House of the Seven Chimneys

If you are planning to visit Madrid for more than 4 days, check out the section below.

Things to do in Madrid

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Madrid

  1. Museo Nacional del Prado
  2. Royal Palace of Madrid
  3. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia
  4. Thyssen Bornemisza Museum
  5. Temple of Debod
  6. Cathedral de la Almudena
  7. Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
  8. La Rotonda Restaurant
  9. National Archeological Museum
  10. Palacio de Cristal
  11. Puerta de Alcala
  12. Museo Sorolla
  13. Caixa Forum Madrid
  14. Circulo de Bellas Artes
  15. Cybele Palace
  16. Matadero Madrid
  17. Museo Lazaro Galdino
  18. Cerralbo Museum
  19. Museo del Romanticismo
  20. Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
  21. Teatro Real
  22. National Library of Spain
  23. Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
  24. Museum of the Americas
  25. Real Basilica of Saint Francis the Great
  26. Museo de Nacional Ciencias Naturales
  27. Museo de Historia de Madrid
  28. Naval Museum
  29. Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales
  30. La Casa Encendida
  31. Museo del Ferrocarril de Madrid
  32. Centro de Cultura Contemporanea
  33. El Oso y del Madrono
  34. Fountain of the Fallen Angel
  35. Monument to Alfonso XII
  36. Puerto de Toledo
  37. Museo de Nacional Artes Decorativas
  38. Neptune Fountain
  39. Fundacion Juan March
  40. House Museum of Lope de Vega
  41. Palacio de Alazquez
  42. Jardines de Sabatini Apartosuites
  43. El Pardo Royal Palace
  44. Museo del Aire
  45. Museo ABC
  46. San Jeronimo el Real
  47. Palacio de Liria
  48. Monumento Cervantes
  49. Museo de Antropologia
  50. Anden Estacion Museo
  51. Cibeles Fountain
  52. CA2M Centro de Arte dos de Mayo
  53. Real Monasterio de la Encarnacion
  54. Museo Casa de la Moneda
  55. Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida
  56. Museo Geominero

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Madrid

  1. El Retiro Park
  2. Zoo Aquarium de Madrid
  3. Real Jardin Botanico
  4. Madrid Rio Park
  5. Casa de Campo Park
  6. Parque de Atracciones de Madrid
  7. Parque de El Capricho
  8. Parque Warner Madrid
  9. Faunia Zoo
  10. Sabatini Garden
  11. Parque del Oeste
  12. Juan Carlos I Park
  13. Teleferico en Rosales
  14. Metropolis Building
  15. Museo de Cera
  16. Campo del Moro
  17. Manzanares Park
  18. Europa Park
  19. Quinta de los Molinos Park
  20. Estanque Grande de El Retiro
  21. Dehesa de la Villa

Shopping in Madrid

  1. Mercado de San Miguel
  2. Calle Preciados
  3. El Rastro
  4. Calle Serrano
  5. Mercado de San Fernando
  6. Mercado de Maravillas
  7. Mercado de San Ildefonso
  8. Mercado de San Anton
  9. Mercado de la Paz
  10. Salesas Village
  11. Gran Via
  12. Serrano
  13. Las Rozas Village
  14. Calle Fuencarral
  15. Princesa

Sightseeing in Madrid

  1. Plaza Mayor
  2. Puerta del Sol
  3. Calle Gran Via
  4. Plaza de Toros de las Ventas
  5. Plaza de Cibeles
  6. Plaza de Espana
  7. Plaza de Santa Ana
  8. Paseo del Prado
  9. Plaza de Oriente
  10. Calle de Alcala
  11. Calle de Fuencarral
  12. Plaza de la Villa
  13. Plaza de Colon
  14. Plaza de Espana
  15. Calle de las Huertas
  16. Fora de Moncloa
  17. Calle de Serrano

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Madrid

  1. Restaurante Sacha
  2. El Club Allard
  3. La Tasqueria
  4. Kabuki Wellington
  5. Saddle
  6. Cantina la Traviesa
  7. Casa Benigna
  8. Botin
  9. El Cisne Azul
  10. Santceloni
  11. El Rincon de Jaen
  12. Taberna Txakoli
  13. Sala de Despiece
  14. Zalacain
  15. Angelita Madrid
  16. Casa Dani
  17. Mo de Movimiento
  18. Cruz Blanca de Vallecas
  19. Bodegas El Mano
  20. Corral de la Moreria
  21. Sylkar
  22. El Paraguas
  23. DiverXo
  24. Roostiq
  25. Fayer

Where to Stay in Madrid?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Madrid. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Madrid.

Luxurious Hotels

  1. The Westin Palace Madrid
  2. The Principal Madrid
  3. Only YOU Boutique Hotel Madrid
  4. Hotel Europa
  5. Hotel Puerta America Madrid
  6. Axel Hotel Madrid
  7. Hotel Madrid Gran Via 25 Affiliated by Melia
  8. Catalonia Atocha
  9. Santo Mauro, a Luxury Collection Hotel
  10. Catalonia Las Cortes
  11. Only YOU Hotel Atocha
  12. Dear Hotel Madrid

Mid-Range Hotels

  1. Hostal Madrid
  2. Hotel Nuevo Madrid
  3. SLEEP’N Atocha
  4. El Rincon de Gran Via
  5. Hotel Nuevo Boston
  6. Hotel Acta Madfor
  7. Hotel Persal
  8. Clement Barajas Hotel
  9. Novotel Madrid City Las Ventas
  10. Vitium Urban Suites
  11. Hotel Madrid Chamartin Affiliated by Melia
  12. Hotel Exe Plaza

Budget Hotels

  1. ibis Madrid Calle Alcala
  2. Hotel Ibis Budget Madrid Calle 30
  3. Hostal Prado
  4. Ibis budget Madrid Calle Alcala
  5. THC Latina Hostel
  6. CC Atocha
  7. Dolce Vita
  8. Hostal Atelier
  9. 4C Bravo Murillo
  10. Far Home Bernabeu
  11. JC Rooms Santo Domingo Hotel
  12. Ibis Budget Madrid Centro Las Ventas

TripAdvisor

Custom Tours Package in Madrid

How to Reach Madrid?

By Air

The easiest option for Madrid travel is Adolfo Suarez Barajas Airport. The airport is about 13 km away from the center of the city. You can get direct flights to visit Madrid from several cities in Europe, the Middle East, North America, South America, and Asia. Some of the destinations for the Madrid trip via Adolfo Suarez Barajas Airport are Athens, Dublin, Moscow, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Beijing, Sao Paolo, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bogota, Bilbao, Caracas, Casablanca, Frankfurt, Havana, Ibiza, Lima, Lisbon, London, Medellin, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York City, Paris, Rome, Venice, Riga, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Brussels, Prague, Edinburgh, Cairo, Shenzhen, Tokyo, Shanghai, Oslo, Warsaw and many more. You can get metro, bus, and cabs to get around to places to visit in Madrid.

By Road

You can get a direct train to visit Madrid from Barcelona, Seville, Malaga, Zaragoza, Huesca, Lisbon, Milan, Paris, and more. There are also several bus lines connecting with the city from different places in Europe. If you plan to travel to Madrid by road, you can use routes R2, R5, E5, E901, A3, M50, and AP6.

By Water

As Madrid is a landlocked city, there are no direct water routes to reach here.

Image Reference

Mustafa Natalwala

Mustafa is a content writer and digital marketing expert at WideWorldTrips.com His mainly interests are into travelling, photography, film-making

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