The 30 must-sees at a glance
Times are rough estimates for the visit itself, not the journey. Click the name for the full page with opening hours and directions.
| No. | Place | Area | Time | Price | Ticket tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Palace | Palace / Ópera | 1.5 to 2 h | €18 | Book a time slot online |
| 2 | Almudena Cathedral | Palace | 30 min (1 h with the dome) | €1 donation; museum and dome €8 | Buy on the spot |
| 3 | Sabatini Gardens | Palace | 20 to 40 min | Free | No ticket |
| 4 | Campo del Moro | Palace | 45 min to 1 h | Free | Separate from the palace ticket |
| 5 | Descalzas Reales Monastery | Sol | 1 h | €9 (guided tour included) | Guided visit only, book ahead |
| 6 | Royal Collections Gallery | Palace | 1.5 h | €14; €24 with the palace | Combined ticket available |
| 7 | Prado Museum | Paseo del Arte | 3 h | €15; free late in the day | Buy online |
| 8 | Reina Sofía Museum | Atocha | 2 h | €12; free in the evening | Closed on Tuesdays |
| 9 | Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum | Paseo del Arte | 2.5 h | €14; free Mondays 12:00-16:00 | On the spot or online |
| 10 | CaixaForum | Paseo del Prado | 1 h | €6 | Vertical garden visible for free |
| 11 | National Archaeological Museum | Salamanca | 1.5 h | €3 | On the spot |
| 12 | Sorolla Museum | Chamberí | 45 min | Free (new extension only, since 15 October 2026) | House closed for works |
| 13 | Puerta del Sol | Centre | 20 min | Free | No ticket |
| 14 | Plaza Mayor | Old Madrid | 30 min | Free | Skip the square's terraces |
| 15 | Gran Vía | Centre | 45 min | Free | No ticket |
| 16 | Plaza de España | Argüelles | 20 min | Free | No ticket |
| 17 | Temple of Debod | Montaña park | 30 min | Free | Free booking advised; closed Mondays |
| 18 | Retiro Park | Retiro | 2 h | Free; rowing boat €6 (€8 at weekends) | No ticket |
| 19 | Puerta de Alcalá | Retiro | 10 min | Free | No ticket |
| 20 | Cibeles Palace viewpoint | Cibeles | 45 min | €4 | Viewpoint ticket on the spot or online |
| 21 | Moncloa Lighthouse | Moncloa | 45 min | €4 | On the spot |
| 22 | Madrid Río | Manzanares | 1 to 2 h | Free | No ticket |
| 23 | Casa de Campo | West | Half a day | Free | Cable car closed until early 2027 |
| 24 | El Rastro | La Latina | 2 h | Free | Sundays and public holidays, 9:00-15:00 |
| 25 | San Miguel Market | Plaza Mayor | 30 min to 1 h | Free entry | Pay at each stall |
| 26 | Chocolatería San Ginés | Sol | 30 min | Pay for what you order | No booking |
| 27 | La Latina | La Latina | 2 h | Pay for what you order | Tapas on the Cava Baja |
| 28 | Flamenco show | Centre | 1 h | €20 to €95.90 depending on the venue | Book online |
| 29 | Bernabéu stadium tour | Chamartín | 1.5 to 2 h | From €37 | Online tickets cost less than the box office |
| 30 | Las Ventas bullring | Salamanca | 1 h | €16 with audio guide | Visit on a non-event day |
Royal Madrid
The Royal Palace is the first visit to plan. From October to March it opens Monday to Saturday 10:00-18:00 and Sunday 10:00-16:00, with last entry an hour before closing. A full-price ticket costs €18; entry is free Monday to Thursday late in the afternoon for citizens of the European Union and Latin America, at the box office only, and the queue can be long. The palace can close for an official ceremony, so check the dates before booking.
Four visits combine easily around it. The Almudena Cathedral, opposite, is open daily; the dome climb and museum cost €8. The Sabatini Gardens and the Campo del Moro are free. The Royal Collections Gallery costs €14, or €24 with the palace. The Descalzas Reales Monastery, five minutes from Sol, can only be seen on a guided tour. The area is covered in our guide around the Royal Palace.
The museums: Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen
The three great museums are within 15 minutes' walk of each other on the Paseo del Arte. The Prado (€15) is open Monday to Saturday 10:00-20:00 and Sunday 10:00-19:00; allow at least 3 hours for Velázquez, Goya and Bosch. Entry is free Monday to Saturday 18:00-20:00 and Sunday 17:00-19:00, but the queue forms early: a ticket bought online saves you the box-office line, especially at weekends.
The Reina Sofía (€12) holds Picasso's Guernica; it is closed on Tuesdays and free Monday to Saturday (except Tuesday) 19:00-21:00 and on Sundays 12:30-14:30. The Thyssen-Bornemisza (€14) is free on Mondays 12:00-16:00. To choose between them, read Prado or Reina Sofía; to combine all three, see the Paseo del Arte guide and the tourist passes. The smaller museums on the list (CaixaForum, Archaeological Museum, Sorolla) make good add-ons; the Sorolla Museum has reopened only its new, free extension since 15 October 2026.
Squares, parks and viewpoints
The Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Gran Vía can be covered in a morning, with no ticket. The Temple of Debod is open inside Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-20:00 (last entry 19:30) and closed on Mondays; the park stays open for sunset. The Retiro is open 06:00-22:00 from October to March and until midnight from April to September; the Crystal Palace is closed for restoration until 2027. For views, two viewpoints cost €4: the Cibeles Palace and the Moncloa Lighthouse. The Casa de Campo cable car is closed for works, with reopening announced for the first quarter of 2027. For more panoramas, see the best views of Madrid.
Eating, strolling and going out at night
The San Miguel Market is open daily 10:00 to midnight (01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays); entry is free and you pay at each stall. For a proper meal, choose the taverns of La Latina, especially on Sunday after the Rastro, and the set lunch menu at midday. Hot chocolate and churros at San Ginés work at any hour. Our guide to where to eat in Madrid ranks the neighbourhoods.
In the evening, a flamenco show is the best plan: in October 2026 Las Tablas lists sessions from €20, Tablao 1911 from €40 with a drink, and Corral de la Morería €95.90 without dinner. Football fans can tour the Bernabéu, with online tickets from €37 (€40 at the box office), or the Las Ventas bullring (€16 with audio guide).
Day trips
Three towns are easy day trips. Toledo is 33 minutes by Avant train from Atocha: the cathedral costs €12, the Alcázar and its Army Museum €5. Segovia, about thirty minutes by Avant train from Chamartín, offers the Roman aqueduct and the Alcázar (€7). The El Escorial monastery, about 45 km away, costs €14. If you cannot choose between the first two, read Toledo or Segovia; for other destinations, our guide to excursions from Madrid compares train, bus and organised options.
What to pick for your time
- One day: Sol, Plaza Mayor, Royal Palace, Gran Vía and Debod, as in Madrid in one day.
- Three days: add the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Retiro, with the Madrid in 3 days itinerary.
- Small budget: about half the list is free or costs under €10; see free things to do in Madrid.
- Booking essential: Royal Palace, the Prado in high season, Descalzas Reales and flamenco.
Further reading
Complete this list with the most beautiful squares in Madrid, Madrid's markets and getting around Madrid.
