What to do in Madrid

Places Visit

• Visit Cibeles Palace (aka Centro Centro). Entry is free. Four levels of exhibitions, a fancy cafe and a rooftop bar. Afterwards you can walk up Calle Alcalá to Plaza de la Independencia (big arches) and then onto Retiro Park.

• Parque del Retiro is one of my favourite places in the whole world.  I’ve spent countless hours here since I arrived in Madrid. Running in the morning, reading under a tree, feeding ducks, watching rollerbladers and dancers and oh so many dogs!It’s special at every time of year,  and different throughout the day. In warmer months, go ‘pasear’ (take a walk) around 6 pm and see the place come alive with locals out socialising on their evening stroll. If it’s not too busy, have a drink – a fancy one at  Florida Park, or among the locals at Vivaz.

• While in Retiro, go to the Crystal Palace (free entry to whatever exhibition is there from Reina Sofia), and down to the La Rosalada (rose garden).

• Visit Plaza Mayor (a short walk from Sol, right next to Mercado San Miguel).
  While you are in the neighbourhood, visit the Royal Palace – it’s cool if you are into Palaces. It can be busy and is expensive  (and there are better ones outside of Madrid!). Changing of the guard happens on Wednesdays.

• Chamberi Anden 0 – Abandoned ‘ghost station’ on metro Line 1 – and if you are into trains there are a bunch of other metro museos (We’ve now done them all.. perhaps give the Pacifico vestibule a miss unless you are really keen and your Spanish is fluent!)

• Plaza de España – modern update on the old square at the end of Gran Via. You’ll often find markets and activities here throughout the year – including ice skating at Christmas and an outdoor cinema in summer.  

• Biblioteca Nacional de España (here) – a building befitting the greatness of Spanish literature, including a couple of gallery spaces with rotating exhibitions that are generally free. The domed reading room is said to be spectacular, but it only opens to the public during Open House Madrid.

Shop

• Centro is the go-to for shoppers! Try Gran Via, then the paseos down to Plaza del Sol.

• For Vintage stuff, go to Malasaña – there are heaps of second-hand and thrift style vintage in the streets around Plaza de San Ildefonso – most are ‘pay by the kilo’. Humana is a chain second hand clothing stores around Spain – you can find great bargains if you are up for the hunt!

• Go shopping and wander along Calle Fuencarral in Malasaña and around Chueca.  

• El Rastro – the infamous, famous flea market in Lavapies.

• Mercado de Motores – On the second weekend of every month, this art and makers market is held in the old train sheds in Delicias, which house Museo del Ferrocarril de Madrid. If you like old trains, then check out the museum as it’s chock full of them.

The Golden Triangle of Art – Try to do one of the big three museos if you can, and choose depending on your taste.

– Museo Reina Sofia (Modern art, great temporary exhibitions and of course, Guernica)
– Museo del Prado (old masters)
– Thyssen Bornemisza (private modern with an amazing collection of European art from the last 200 years)

Of all the arts spaces listed on this page, these are the only ones you will pay for.

A few things to note. All 3 have free times, but be warned, in peak tourist time, this will be unbearably busy! And if you want to visit all three, best to get a Museo del Arte pass!

Unless you are visiting for a week (or more), I’d recommend just choosing one of them and instead visit one of the other free arts centres listed further down for the real gold!

• Retiro Park’s Reina Sofia exhibition spaces – the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) and the Palacio de Velázquez. They are an extension of the programming at the Reina Sofia, except these exhibitions are in the beautiful Retiro and are FREE.  **Both are currently closed for renovation, to reopen 2027**

• Centro Centro – Madrid’s impressive old ‘communications palace’ is now a public arts space. It’s four floors of rolling exhibition space manages to somehow always have something that will blow your mind.
  And it’s FREE! If you are into architecture, the building and its history is fascinating, and they run free guided tours in English (book via the website)

• Sala de Canal Isabell II – A gallery space housed inside the first elevated water tower built in Madrid. Run by the Communidad de Madrid and dedicated to temporary exhibitions of photography and fashion, this is one of the best and most unique photographic gallery spaces in Madrid. Oh, and did I mention, it’s FREE!

• Matadero – Madrid’s old slaughter yards and meatworks on the banks of the rio now houses a contemporary arts precinct. The website is a usability disaster, but don’t be discouraged – you can stumble across the best contemporary installations in the world in this space.  See what’s on in Nave 0 (usually larger installations), Casa de Lectura, Intermediae, Design school, or just go down and go for an explore.  And almost everything here is always FREE!

• Conde Duque – another cultural precinct, in the inner north, just a short walk from Malasaña. As well as the Museum of Contemporary Art, the centre usually has a couple of exhibitions running, but can also house markets or installations in the massive dual courtyards. Also… It’s FREE!

• Tabacaleria – an amazing contemporary arts space in an old tobacco factory. A fantastic run-down old derelict space with edgy, yet to be discovered installation art  (**As at Feb 2026 – Currently closed for renovation**!)

Final Word 

Last but not leastthere is always something happening in Madrid.

A festival, performance, exhibition, open-house, or free show. So …

…check out the latest at madrid.es and the Madrid tourism mag for what’s on.

A few other tips. Incredible exhibitions can often be found in municipal buildings throughout the city – these are usually free and listed in the latest issue of the esMadrid tourist magazine.

Get a hard copy at tourist info points around the city, or find it online using the link above (and bookmark it as it is VERY difficult to find on the website!)  

Oh, and if you are visiting in July/August check out Veranos de la Villa – an incredible annual summer program