The capital of Spain is a vibrant dynamic city with a rich cultural scene, excellent dining opportunities and a lively nightlife. Madrid has successfully achieved the blending of the traditional and the modern with interesting architecture ranging from elegant Art Deco buildings to ultra-modern constructions lining its streets. Madrid has not one but three world-renowned art museums containing masterpieces by some of the most famous artists in the world.
What’s more, well-manicured parks add a touch of greenery to the city and are the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s also a fashion hub with lots of shopping opportunities. The charm of the old town combined with animated plazas, enticing tapas bars and shops make Madrid an exciting place to visit year-round.
Many of the city’s highlights are located in or in the vicinity of the historical center making Madrid an easy place to visit by simply walking around.
Top places to see in Madrid’s historic center
Royal Palace
It goes without saying that the Palacio Real is a must for any visit to Madrid. King Felipe V commission the construction of the palace on the site of the old Alcazar that burnt down in 1734. In 1764 it became the Royal residence until 1931. It is still used today for official and state ceremonies and functions.
The lavish interior is well worth seeing and the Royal apartments showcase treasures including Stradivarius violins. Other highlights include the frescos on the ceiling of the Hall of Columns and the bronze lions in the Throne Room.
The exterior façade is best seen from Plaza de Oriente but we preferred the view from the Plaza de la Armenia, the palace’s court.
We loved that we could see the snowcapped mountains from the palace’s terrace.
Across the street from the Royal Palace and the Plaza de Orient there is the Royal Theater, a state-of-the-art opera house.
Almudena Cathedral
While in the area why not explore more of Madrid’s attractions in the vicinity of the Royal Palace. Adjacent to the palace there’s the Almudena Cathedral but even if it was built only a few years ago in the 20th century it’s still nice to see.
The exterior was designed in a similar style to the Royal Palace. We had seen the cathedral from the Plaza de la Armenia, but we wanted to take a closer look at the beautiful bronze doors.
Royal Collection Gallery Museum
The new museum, Galería de las Colecciones Reales, is located around the back of the Cathedral of La Almuneda. You can buy tickets at the door.
Amazingly we saw a long line at what looked to be part of the same royal palace museum and waited in the back of the line for a few minutes when the crowd started to dissipate. We knew that the new museum was open until 8pm so we asked the guard who pointed us toward the new museum that was unmarked (or at least badly marked!). As we approached the gate at the far end of the courtyard, we saw the sign and the museum was nearly empty. I guess many tourists had the same confusion.
The museum includes artifacts, sculptures and paintings spanning over 500 years and is organized in chronological order. Level-1 is dedicated to the Habsburgs and Level-2 to the Bourbons family. The armory is in a room on the right-side wing of the Royal Palace.
See the interesting contraption from 1840 called a Chirogymnast, a device that allowed pianists to exercise their fingers. It was the only device adopted by piano teachers at the conservatories of Paris, London, Brussels and Madrid.
Campo del Moro
These formal gardens behind the palace are a nice place to go to take a break and enjoy the peace and quiet of the park. There are walking paths with ornate fountains and great views of the palace. Exiting by the west gate we ended up on Paseo de la Virgen del Puerto and got a lovely view of the gardens and palace.
Descalzas Reales Monastery:
This 16thcentury convent is still active today and to visit it you must take a 1 hour guided tour. It is wise to reserve ahead. We bought our ticket at the door but had to come back later for our tour. Some highlights include the Grand Staircase, the Royal Balcony and remarkable frescoes. The convent has an impressive collection of art, relics and tapestries.
Nearby there one of Madrid’s oldest church, San Ginés. A service was going on, so out of respect we left. Instead we went to the Chocolateria San Ginés which was founded in 1894. Of course, we had to sample their chocolate and churros combo. Delicious!
Plaza Mayor
The plaza served many purposes since its completion in 1619. At times it was a marketplace, an open-air theatre, a bullring and even an execution site. Now, it’s Madrid’s most famous square with its many cafes and restaurants. Sitting down at one of the numerous terraces is the best way to people-watch and take it all in. In the middle of the plaza you’ll find the statue of Felipe III who was king of Spain and Portugal from 1598 to 1621.
Puerta del Sol
Another bustling square in downtown Madrid with lots of shops and restaurants. There is a marker on the sidewalk in front of the regional government building indicating “kilómetro cero”. And this is where all the radial distances in Spain are calculated from. In the square there’s also a statue of King Carlos III as well as a bronze statue: “The Bear and The Strawberry Tree”, the symbol of Madrid.
Places to see around Paseo del Prado
Paseo del Prado is a lovely place for a walk and visit some of the city’s attractions including some of the city’s most prestigious museums as well as many others.
Starting with Madrid’s City Hall (Palacio de Comunicaciones) go inside to have a look at the splendid glass dome. Then take the elevator to the roof top terrace for great city views. Just in front of the city hall, you will see the Cibeles Fountain.
Next door to the city hall there is the Naval Museum with exhibits displaying various navigation instruments, ship replicas and maps including the first map of the New World. It’s free to get in but you need to present identification with a photo.
World-renowned Art Museums
Only a short distance away along Paseo del Prado you’ll see two of the city’s most impressive museums, the Prado Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.
The Reina Sofia Museum is located near the Neptune Fountain and Atocha Train Station at the other end of the Paseo del Prado.
The Prado contains one of the world finest art collection including the Royal collection. The Thyssen-Bornemisza focuses on European paintings of the pass 700 years. And the collection of the Reina Sofia displays artworks by Miro, Dali, Picasso, as well as many other 20th century Spanish artists. It’s also where you can see Picasso’s Guernica, a painting depicting the horrors of war.
Parque del Retiro
This huge urban park is ideal to escape the hustle and bustle of Madrid. These former royal grounds have been opened to the public since the 19thcentury. It’s a popular recreational area for the locals and tourists alike. There’s a lot to see and do.
People visit to partake in some of the park’s activities including concerts and puppet shows or boating on the lake. While others come simply to enjoy the sights, the peace and quiet of the walking paths dotted with fountains and statues. Most interesting was the Palacio de Cristal, a structure made of glass where people go to relax and enjoy de sounds of birds chirping. Peaceful and serene…
Nearby, there is the Botanical Garden. It’s a nice place to go to see a variety of vegetation including giant sequoia, cactuses and orchids. Absolutely delightful!
Further afield
Royal Site of San Lorenzo of El Escorial
About a 30-minute drive from Madrid is the Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a former palace-monastery dating to the 1500s.
The monumental Royal monastery complex houses old masters’ paintings. Be sure to visit the lavish apartments and vaulted library.
It was a bit of a trek and over an hour due to Madrid traffic, but we were glad to have seen it.
We visited in February, so the garden was still just getting started and many of the stone courtyards had a chilly winter wind going through them. All the same, unlike the Royal Palace in Madrid you are allowed to take pictures inside and no one is rushing you through the exhibits.
Conclusion
The first time we visited Madrid we stayed at a hotel on Gran Via, a popular tourist street with lots of shops and entertainment venues and found that this was an ideal home base. From here it took us only a few minutes to walk to the historical center or to the Plaza de Cibeles and Paseo del Prado. Also, there are plenty of hotel to choose from as well as beautiful Art Deco and Art Nouveau to look at.
Madrid is one of those places that we would not hesitate to revisit (and we did in February 2024) if only to go on a tapas tour or to simply people-watch from one of the numerous terraces. It’s also an excellent starting or ending point to head out and explore beyond the Spanish capital.
See our post: Road Trip: Madrid to Toledo and Cordoba with a Few Castles Along the Way
The train system is efficient, affordable and makes for a great way to get to other parts of Spain.
It would give you an excuse to see the stunning covered tropical botanical garden complete with small lakes, fish and turtles, just like a peaceful oasis among the hustle and bustle of the Atocha Train Station.
See our post: Getting Around by Train in Europe
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Road Trip: Madrid to Toledo and Cordoba With a Few Castles Along the Way