Museo del Prado
Spain's national art museum is consistently ranked among the world's five best. The permanent collection includes over 8,000 works, with masterpieces by Velázquez (Las Meninas), Goya (Saturn Devouring His Son, the Black Paintings), El Bosco (The Garden of Earthly Delights), Titian, and Raphael. Even two hours here barely scratches the surface.
Entry: €15 (free weekdays 18:00–20:00, Sunday 17:00–19:00). Book online to skip queues.
🏨 Nearest cheap hotels: Retiro · Embajadores · Justicia
Museo Reina Sofía
The national museum of 20th-century Spanish art. Picasso's Guernica is the centrepiece — a 3.5 metre tall, 7.7 metre wide monochrome painting depicting the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Civil War. It stops people in their tracks. The museum also holds the finest collection of Miró and Dalí outside their dedicated foundations.
Entry: €12 (free Monday 19:00–21:00, Sunday 13:00–19:00). Located next to Atocha station.
🏨 Nearest cheap hotels: Embajadores · Retiro · Palacio
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
The third point of the Golden Triangle of Art. Where the Prado is Spanish and the Reina Sofía is modern, the Thyssen is encyclopedic — 800 years of European painting from Flemish primitives to 20th-century American art. The impressionist wing (Renoir, Monet, Degas, Cézanne) is among the best in Europe. Located on the Paseo del Prado, a five-minute walk from both other museums.
Entry: €13 (free Monday 12:00–16:00). The villa building itself is worth seeing.
Parque del Retiro
350 acres of green at the heart of the city. Once a royal garden, open to the public since 1868. The Estanque Grande (boating lake) is Madrid's most romantic activity — rowboats rent for €7 per 45 minutes. The Palacio de Cristal is free and often hosts excellent contemporary art. The rose garden (Rosaleda) is spectacular in May. Madrileños come here on Sunday mornings — join them.
Entry: Free. Open daily from 06:00.
Puerta del Sol
The geographical centre of Spain. The Kilometre Zero marker is set into the pavement outside the Casa de Correos building — from here, all Spanish national roads are measured. It's the heart of Madrid's New Year celebrations (the famous twelve grape countdown) and the gathering point for every major event in Spanish public life. The square is always busy, always alive.
Entry: Free. Open always.
🏨 Nearest cheap hotels: Sol · Centro · Embajadores
Plaza Mayor
Built in 1619 under Philip III, Madrid's grand central square is one of the finest examples of Baroque civic architecture in Spain. 237 metres around, surrounded by uniform arcaded buildings, with a bronze equestrian statue of Philip III at its centre. The square hosts markets, festivals, and the most expensive coffee in the city (worth paying once, for the setting). The Sunday stamp and coin market fills the arcades.
Entry: Free. Nine archways connect it to the surrounding streets.
🏨 Nearest cheap hotels: Sol · Palacio · Embajadores
Palacio Real
Europe's largest royal palace by floor area — 135,000 square metres, 3,418 rooms, though only around 50 are open to visitors. Built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier Moorish castle. The Royal Armoury contains one of the finest collections of historical armour in the world. The Painting Gallery includes works by Caravaggio, Velázquez, and Fra Angelico. The terrace offers dramatic views over the Casa de Campo.
Entry: €14 (€7 for guided tour supplement). Free for EU citizens Wednesdays and Thursdays 17:00–20:00.
Gran Vía
Madrid's great boulevard, built between 1910 and 1929 through the old medieval street grid. The architecture is magnificent and deliberately grand — Beaux-Arts and Spanish Baroque Revival buildings line both sides, many with rooftop terraces that are now bars. The Edificio Metropolis (1911) at the Calle de Alcalá junction is the city's most photographed building. Gran Vía is also Madrid's theatre district.
Entry: Free to walk. Rooftop bar access varies (usually free or €5).
El Rastro Sunday Market
Every Sunday morning, the streets south of Embajadores transform into Europe's largest flea market. Over 3,500 vendors spread across the Ribera de Curtidores and surrounding streets, selling antiques, vintage clothing, art, vinyl, furniture, and everything in between. It's chaotic, vibrant, and genuinely Madrid. Arrive before 10:30 for the best finds and the most manageable crowds. The surrounding bars fill up from 11:00 with post-market vermouth drinkers.
Entry: Free. Sunday only, approximately 09:00–15:00.
🏨 Nearest cheap hotels: Embajadores · Palacio · Sol
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Real Madrid's iconic stadium, one of the most famous sports venues in the world. The stadium holds 81,044 spectators and has undergone a major renovation completed in 2023, adding a retractable roof and transforming the exterior. The stadium tour (€30) covers the trophy room — one of the most decorated in football history — changing rooms, pitch side, and press areas. Match tickets, when available, start from €50 and routinely exceed €200 for top fixtures.
Entry: Tour €30. Metro Line 10, Santiago Bernabéu station.
Find a Hotel Near Madrid's Best Attractions
Stay central and walk to most of these sights. Compare 5,393 hotels across all 21 Madrid districts.
Search Hotels in Madrid →