Overview

The spectacular city of Madrid is filled with countless attractions to see while visiting, including numerous art museums and interesting city parks. The El Rasto flea market is an amazing sight with thousands of locals and tourists alike converging to enjoy the lively atmosphere and shop for unique items. There are fine examples of Spanish architecture to see such as the Palacio Real, the official royal residence.

El Rastro

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Madrid is the El Rastro outdoor market, which is located on Ribera de Curtidores and nearby streets. The market is a must-see, being the largest and oldest flea market in Madrid. The endless stream of people walking up and down the streets coupled with local entertainment makes for an exciting and lively atmosphere. The market stalls sell everything from second-hand clothing to locally made handicrafts and jewellery. The market is held from 09:00 until around 15:00 every Sunday and also on festive holidays.

Palacio Real

The Palacio Real is centrally located on the beautiful Bailen Street and is the official residence of the Spanish royal family. The impressive compound encompasses a huge building which was constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries. There are also lush green gardens and stunning courtyards which are open for public viewing. It is also possible to view inside the palace to see various rooms and significant pieces of royal history. Guided tours are available and take around an hour but expect to wait in a long queue during busy times.

Retiro Park — Plaza de Independenciae

Situated in the east of downtown Madrid, the beautiful Retiro Park is a wonderful oasis which provides the perfect place to relax and enjoy this exciting city. Once a palace garden, the park is home to stunning monuments and water features including a picturesque lake and numerous fountains. There is always something happening, with puppet shows, street performers and taro card readers lining the pathways. Sunday mornings are particularly busy with crowds of locals enjoying the park. Several cafés and restaurants are available for cold drinks or sit-down lunches.

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia

Centrally located in the heart of the city in Plaza Santa Isabel, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia is one of the best museum and art galleries in Madrid. The museum is housed in an old 18th century hospital which is a beautiful display of Spanish architecture in itself. The artwork is modern Spanish and the museum primarily showcases work from the 20th century up until the early 1980s. Picasso's Guernica is one of the main attractions but there are also works from famous artists such as Salvador Dali, Joan Miro and Vassily Kandinsky.

Museo Nacional del Prado

The Prado Museum is one of the most visited in all of Madrid with renowned art masterpieces from the 12th to 19th centuries. There is famous works from Murillo, Rubens and Goya, which are permanently displayed, as well as temporary exhibitions that run for several months of the year. The museum has guide books as well as audio guides available for a small fee. For art lovers, an entire day can be enjoyed at the museum and there is a comfortable restaurant and café to enjoy lunch.

Overview

Madrid is a great place to visit if you enjoy the outdoors and sporting activities. There are numerous places that offer great daytrips such as the Comunidad de Madrid reservoir, which is home to a host of water sports including sailing and waterskiing. Retira Park, located in the heart of the city, is perfect for an afternoon stroll or relaxing drink by the lake.

Golf

Madrid is home to several golf courses that are available for tourists and non-members to enjoy a round. With warm weather for the majority of the year, Madrid is a great place for playing golf. There are numerous golfing tours which take you to various courses across the city over the course of a few days. All equipment, green fees, transport and lunch are provided. By joining a golfing tour you can meet other people who share the same passion for golf.

Retira Park

Centrally located in the heart of Madrid, Retira Park is one of the city's best with a host of fun outdoor activities to enjoy. There is a huge lake to paddle a boat around and watch the ducks play in the water and numerous paved pathways to enjoy an afternoon stroll or bicycle ride. Children will love the large grass areas to run and play as well as the entertainment such as puppet shows and mimes throughout the park. You can sit down at one of the numerous cafés or bars to relax and have a bite to eat or a cold drink.

Bullfighting

Bullfighting is one of the most popular and famous sporting events to take place in Spain. Madrid is home to the beautiful Plaza de Toros Monumental de Las Ventas, which is the largest ring of its type in the world, seating over 23,000 spectators. The controversial sport is extremely historic and popular even today despite strong opposition. The atmosphere in the bullfighting arena is truly electrifying.

Sailing and waterskiing

Although not close to the seaboard, Madrid offers great opportunities to enjoy water sports within the Comunidad de Madrid. The lake area is filled with sailing boats and small powerboats during the warmer months. Small sailboats can be rented by the hour or day, with or without a skipper. Waterskiing as well as wake boarding is also offered by numerous companies. In the summer the lake is awash with locals and tourists alike enjoying the sun and water fun. Along the shoreline there are restaurants and cafés as well as table and chairs to enjoy a picnic.

Gredo National Preserve

Located only a short distance from Madrid is the beautiful Gredo National Preserve, which offers an abundance of outdoor activities to enjoy. There are hunting tours that operate from the park as well as fishing trips by boat which travel throughout the river systems. There are also numerous opportunities for hiking and climbing, with some great paths and cliffs providing fantastic views of the surrounding areas. The park is also known for its wildlife and has bird watching tours available with knowledgeable guides to explain the different species.

Dining and shopping

Dining and shopping in Madrid are both well catered for with a varied selection of restaurants and eateries coupled with several shopping areas across central downtown districts. Tasty and flavoursome Spanish dishes can be tried at any one of the numerous restaurants and cafés. Shopping includes designer boutiques and massive outdoor flea markets teeming with people and bargains.

Madrid has established itself as one of the primary dining spots in Spain with a varied array of flavours and cuisines from the surrounding regions. There are an abundance of local eateries which provide inexpensive and tasty dishes coupled with a long list of fine dining restaurants that rate as some of the best in the world.

With freshly caught seafood from the warm Mediterranean waters brought to the city daily, there are countless restaurants specialising in seafood dishes. Also in abundance are restaurants, cafés and bars that serve classic Spanish tapas (appetizers), which can include everything from olive pastes and Spanish cheeses served with freshly made breads to pan-seared fillet of beef or prawns cooked in tomato and garlic. The area around Plaza Santa Ana is brimming with restaurants serving tapas.

When visiting Madrid, be sure to try some of the different flavours and Spanish creations available. One national favourite is gazpacho, which is a freshly made, chilled tomato soup. Spanish stews are incredibly flavoursome and use ingredients such as chickpeas, lamb, beef and seafood combined with spices and herbs and deserve to be tried.

Madrid boasts numerous fine dining and contemporary modern restaurants which will not disappoint. The Salamanca area of the city is host to some of the best places to dine but be sure to bring your credit card. With innovative dishes prepared by world-class chefs, Salamanca dining guarantees a special night out.

Shopping in Madrid is an enjoyable experience, even for those who are not partial to spending the day walking through malls and shops for hours on end. The selection of merchandise is vast and the prices very reasonable compared to other big cities in Europe. During the mid- and yearly sales you will find bargains everywhere and notable discounts.

There are several main shopping areas within central Madrid and each caters to different styles as well as budgets. Chueca is located not far from the city centre and is on metro line 5. There is an abundance of trendy bohemian shops here as well as original designer brand boutiques. Calle Hortaleza is one of the best streets in this area and is particularly good for its selection of shoes.

One of the most exclusive shopping areas is Salamanca, which is filled with glamorous boutique shops and is appropriately known as the ‘Golden Mile'. The shops around Salamanca are expensive so don't forget your credit card if plan to shop here.

In the heart of the city you will come across numerous high street shops that you may be familiar with. Around Plaza Mayor there are some great clothing shops for both men and women selling gear at reasonable prices.

For markets, Madrid is home to some of the best in Europe with an array of varied goods at great prices. The famous El Rastro flea market is the oldest and largest of its kind in all of Spain. Every Sunday crowds of locals and tourists head to this large outdoor market to enjoy not only the shopping, but the great atmosphere.

Located within the central area of Madrid, there is a fantastic choice of restaurants to choose from. There are flavours and cuisines from around the world and of course, superb and authentic Spanish eateries. You will find an abundance of inexpensive restaurants as well as numerous fine dining of world-class standard. Don't forget to try snacking on Spanish tapas during your stay.

Overview

The most popular and easiest mode of transport to enter Madrid is by air and Madrid Barajas International Airport is situated only 25 minutes' drive from the city centre. Flights arrive from all corners of the globe as well as from other parts of Spain. The railway network in Spain is fast and efficient, providing a great alternative to arriving by plane. Buses and private coaches are also available as well as hire cars.

Airports

Conveniently located just eight miles from the city centre is Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD) which caters for all international and domestic air traffic to the city. The airport is becoming a major hub in the region for connecting flights to Central and South America. The airport has four terminals and caters for over 25 million passengers annually. Numerous budget carriers service the airport including Ryanair, easyJet and Spanair.

Madrid Barajas is massive but well organised, with shuttle buses connecting different terminals for transfer flights. The airport has a host of facilities on offer including several restaurants, bars, cafés and eateries as well as banking services, a post office, duty-free shopping, internet and newsstands. There are also car hire offices onsite providing hire vehicles.

Getting to the city centre of Madrid from the airport couldn't be easier, with numerous connections available. There are two EMT bus services from the airport as well as metro trains which run throughout the day. Both modes of transit are inexpensive and take around 45 minutes travel time. Catching a taxi is the most convenient mode of travel and usually takes approximately 25 minutes depending on traffic.

Public transportation

Getting to Madrid by train is an exciting and fun option which offers not only a comfortable journey, but a chance to see the varied landscape of Spain. The national Spanish railway network offers services to all provincial capitals in the country as well as connections to the European rail network. There are two railway stations within Madrid; Chamertin Station and Atocha Station, both of which are easily travelled to from the city centre.

There are several bus and coach operators in Spain which offer routes between most cities and provinces in the country. Getting around by bus or coach is one of the least expensive modes of transport but it can be uncomfortable with long travel times. Hiring a car and self-driving to Madrid from other Spanish cities is possible and allows you to travel at you own pace, stopping off to see sights along the way.

Within central Madrid, getting around is simple and painless with a plethora of transport options available. The metro train system is world class with a safe, efficient and easy to navigate network. Trains run from 06:00 until 01:30 every day and you will never wait more than five minutes for a service. You can purchase a ‘metrobus' ticket, which entitles you to 10 rides on either the metro service or city bus network.

Public buses in the city are also safe and efficient, providing a good alternative to the metro system. Bus maps and timetables are available and tickets can be purchased at automatic machines before alighting.

For late at night or when you're not sure of where your destination is, taking a metered taxi is a good option. Official Madrid taxis are white with a red stripe and can be found at numerous taxi stands or cruising the city streets.