Arriving at a new destination during a trip is always exciting with the amount of places you want to visit and things you want to see but it can also be a little overwhelming with so many things to do in Madrid in a short amount of time.
When I visited Madrid I only stayed for 3 days so I tried to fit as much as I could into those few days. After visiting many of these top places to see in Madrid I am here to tell you the places I recommend you visit while travelling to Madrid.
This post is all about the top things to do in Madrid Spain.
8 Things To Do in Madrid Spain
1. El Retiro Park (+Crystal Palace)
El Retiro Park is a very popular park in Madrid most commonly known for being the location of the Crystal Palace. El Retiro Park is a huge park with tons of walking trails, beautiful ponds, amazing gardens, and more. It is a perfect escape from the busy city right within the city. I highly recommend spending at least an hour walking around this park maybe bringing a picnic for lunch or dinner and just relaxing.
2. Catedral de la Almudena
Catedral de la Almudena is another amazing spot in Madrid. This cathedral was one of my favourite places I visited during my trip to Madrid. I highly recommend you visit the Cathedrals Crypt as well as the main Cathedral because both were amazing to see. To make this spot even better is the fact there is no entrance fee or ticket to enter, there is an option to donate before entering but it is up to you how much you would like to donate.
3. Royal Palace of Madrid
The Royal Palace of Madrid is another very famous monument in Madrid. This palace is right across the way from the cathedral and is a great sight to see. There are over 3,000 rooms within the Royal Palace and if you wish to visit some of these rooms you will need to purchase an entrance ticket. You can get a ticket for the Royal Palace of Madrid on GetYourGuide for as little as $26 CAD.
The opening hours of the Royal Palace of Madrid are:
- October to March: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- April to September: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Closed: Jan 1, Jan 6, May 1, Dec 24, Dec 25, and Dec 31
4. Temple of Debod
The Temple of Debod is an Egyptian Temple in the city of Madrid. This is not the kind of temple you expect to see in Europe so you should definitely plan to visit. The Temple of Debod is also free to enter but double check the day you are planning to visit as it may be temporarily closed some days. The opening hours for the Temple of Debod are:
- Tuesday – Sunday and Public Holidays: 10:00 am- 8:00 pm
- Closed: Mondays, Jan 1, Jan 6, May 24, May 25, May 31, and December
5. Museo Nacional del Prado
Museo Nacional del Prado, also called Prado Museum, is a popular art museum in Madrid. If you love art I highly recommend you visit this museum in Madrid. The opening hours of the Prado Museum are:- Monday to Saturday 10:00 am-8:00 pm
- Sundays and holidays 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Closed: Jan 1, May 1, and Dec 25
- Limited hours (10:00 am – 2:00 pm): Jan 6, Dec 24, and Dec 31
6. Plaza Mayor
Plaza Mayor is a large public square in the middle of Madrid. There is a lot of history behind this square, in the past it hosted executions, bullfighting, carnivals, and more. Now this square has restaurants surrounding it, is home to some people, and people can visit to learn about the history.
If you go on a walking tour, which I highly recommend you do while in Madrid, you will most likely visit Plaza Mayor. You can book free walking tours with GuruWalks. I went on a great walking tour in Madrid it was called “Old Town (Austrias), Plaza Mayor, San Miguel Market, cathedral, palace, theater, and more.”
7. Mercado de San Miguel
There are lots of different markets in Madrid but Mercado de San Miguel is one of the most popular ones. These markets have a wide selection of different foods you can try. Even if you don’t end up buying anything I think it’s worth just visiting and walking around. It’s a great way to see and maybe try some local food.8. Day trip to Toledo
This last thing to do when visiting Madrid is not in Madrid it is actually a day trip to Toledo, which is an ancient city in Spain. Toledo is around an hour drive from Madrid. You can organize this day trip yourself or you can book a tour whichever you prefer.
If you decide to organize a trip to Toledo yourself, without a tour, I recommend visiting Omio. You can purchase roundtrip train tickets from Madrid to Toledo for around 20 euros. Once you arrive in Toledo I recommend you join a free walking tour to learn a little bit about the history of Toledo. There are lots of Toledo walking tours on GuruWalk. Then you can spend the rest of the day exploring the city before heading back to Madrid.
If you would rather visit Toledo with an organized tour there are lots of options. I booked my tour to Toledo with GetYourGuide it was called “From Madrid: Toledo Full Day Trip.” This tour cost less than $40 CAD and included round-trip bus transport, a walking tour of Toledo, and more.
If you have an extra day in Madrid Spain I highly recommend you spend that time visiting Toledo. Toledo has an interesting history and beautiful sights to see.
That brings us to the end of the list of the top 8 things to do in Madrid Spain. If you are planning a trip to Spain I hope this convinced you to add Madrid to your travel itinerary and if you were already planning to visit Madrid I hope this helped give you ideas for your visit. I really enjoyed my visit to Madrid Spain so I hope you do as well. Hope you have an amazing trip and safe travels!
