Madrid

When to go

October or April are my picks. You get sunshine without sweating through your shirt. If you come in August, the city empties out and many local restaurants close for two weeks. Call ahead.

What to see

Prado Museum, 2.5 EUR under 25, 8 EUR general for evening hours (Mon-Sat 6-8 p.m.). Full entry is 15 EUR. You need 3 hours minimum. Book online at least a week early. The queue for tickets at 10 a.m. is 45 minutes long. Skip the temporary exhibits if you are short on time. Go straight to Goya's Black Paintings and Velázquez's Las Meninas.

Royal Palace, 2026 tickets are 14 EUR general, 7 EUR for EU students. Free entry from 5-7 p.m. Monday to Thursday but you must book the free slot online weeks in advance. The palace takes 90 minutes. Skip the audio guide and use the free PDF from their website. The changing of the guard at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays is underwhelming. Do it only if you have kids.

Reina Sofía Museum, 8 EUR general. Free from 7-9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1:30-7 p.m. on Sundays. Picasso's Guernica is the only reason most people come. It takes 2 hours to see the whole museum. Go straight to Room 206 on the second floor. The rest is hit or miss.

Retiro Park, Free. Rent a rowboat (6 EUR for 45 minutes) at the lake. Crystal Palace is free but often closed for private events. Walk there from the park's main entrance on Plaza de la Independencia. Skip the Casa de Vacas unless you want overpriced coffee.

Plaza Mayor, Free to walk through. Do not eat at any restaurant on the square. A tortilla española costs 18 EUR here and 4 EUR two streets away in Calle Cava de San Miguel. Visit at 9 a.m. when it is empty or at midnight when it is lit up.

Mercado de San Miguel, Enter for free, but a single glass of wine and three tapas will cost you 30 EUR. It is a tourist trap. Go to Mercado de San Antón in Chueca instead. Same concept, half the price, actual locals.

Templo de Debod, Free. The Egyptian temple is nice at sunset but get there by 7:30 p.m. in summer to secure a spot. The queue for the inside is 30 minutes and not worth it. The view from the plaza is better.

3-day itinerary

Day 1: Royal Madrid

• 9:00 a.m. Royal Palace (booked ahead). 90 minutes.
• 11:00 a.m. Plaza de la Villa. Quick photo stop.
• 12:00 p.m. Plaza Mayor. Walk through, don't eat.
• 1:00 p.m. Mercado de San Antón in Chueca for lunch. 15 EUR fills you up.
• 3:00 p.m. Siesta or wander Gran Vía. Pop into the Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop (5 EUR entry, amazing views).
• 8:00 p.m. Tapas in Calle Ponzano (Calle de Ponzano, between metro Ríos Rosas and Alonso Cano). Try La Tasquita de Enfrente for real Madrid food.

Day 2: Art and Parks

• 9:30 a.m. Prado Museum (ticket pre-booked). 3 hours.
• 12:30 p.m. Retiro Park. Rent a rowboat or just walk. 90 minutes.
• 2:00 p.m. Lunch in nearby Calle Ibiza. Good menú del día for 13 EUR.
• 4:00 p.m. Reina Sofía. Focus on Guernica. 2 hours.
• 7:00 p.m. Cocktails at Salmon Guru (Calle Echegaray, 21). The best bar in town. 12 EUR per drink.
• 9:30 p.m. Dinner at Casa Lucio (Calle Cava Baja, 35). Famous for huevos rotos. Book a table.

Day 3: Local Madrid

• 10:00 a.m. Rastro flea market (Sundays only). Go early, watch your wallet. The best stalls are on the side streets.
• 12:00 p.m. Walk to Lavapiés. Grab coffee at Café de la Luz.
• 1:30 p.m. Lunch at a Pakistani or Senegalese spot on Calle Argumosa. 8 EUR for a great curry.
• 3:00 p.m. Matadero Madrid (free contemporary art space). 2 hours.
• 6:00 p.m. Sunset at Templo de Debod.
• 9:00 p.m. Last dinner in La Latina. Calle Cava Baja has 30 tapas bars. Try them all or stick to Casa Lucas.

Where to stay

I usually stay in Chueca or Malasaña. You get metro access, good food, and you are not surrounded by souvenir shops.

Getting around

Metro, Single ride is 2 EUR with the reusable card (2.50 EUR for the card itself). The 10-ride Metrobús costs 12.20 EUR and works on both metro and buses. Buy it at any station machine. The tourist pass is 8.40 EUR for one day unlimited. That is only worth it if you take 5+ rides a day. You probably won't.

Walking, Madrid is flat and compact. You can walk from the Royal Palace to Retiro Park in 30 minutes. Do not bother with the metro for distances under 2 km.

Bus, Slower than metro but you see the city. Same tickets as metro. Night buses (búhos) run all night from Cibeles. 5 EUR taxi is often faster after midnight.

Taxi / Uber, Taxis start at 3.50 EUR plus 1.20 EUR per km. A ride across the center costs 8-12 EUR. Uber is the same price but often harder to find. Flag down a free taxi (green light on the roof) rather than wait.

Bike / Scooter, BiciMAD public bikes cost 25 EUR for a 5-day pass. E-scooters from Lime and Voi are everywhere but do not ride on the sidewalk. Fine is 200 EUR.

What to avoid, The airport metro line (Line 8) is fine but slow with luggage. Take the 203 Express bus from Atocha train station to the airport for 5 EUR. Or a taxi for a flat 30 EUR.

Budget

Budget travelers can get by on 70 EUR a day by cooking in a hostel kitchen and hitting free museum hours. Mid-range is comfortable. Comfortable means you never check a menu price.

Mistakes to avoid

Eating near Plaza Mayor or Sol. You pay triple for worse food. Walk 10 minutes to Calle Cava Baja or Calle Ponzano. The difference is enormous.

Not booking ahead for top museums. The Prado and Royal Palace sell out day tickets by 11 a.m. in peak season. Book at least 4 days early online.

Thinking you can do the Prado in an hour. You cannot. The collection is enormous. Pick 10 rooms you care about and skip the rest. Attempting everything leads to museum fatigue.

Falling for the Puerto del Sol rose petal scam. Women come up to you with a sprig of rosemary or a rose, push it into your hand, then demand 5 EUR. Say no firmly and keep walking.

Dining at 7 p.m. like at home. Restaurants in Madrid do not open for dinner until 8:30 p.m. at the earliest. Many open at 9 p.m. Show up at 7 p.m. and you will eat alone in an empty room with bad service.

Taking taxis from the airport arrival hall. Official taxi rank is outside. Touts inside charge double. Always go to the clearly marked white taxi line.

Carrying a backpack on the metro during rush hour. Pickpockets love crowds. Keep your wallet in a front pocket and your bag zipped. The metro lines 1, 3, and 5 are the worst.

Buying a single metro ticket every time. The paper single ticket costs 2 EUR and expires after 1 ride. The Metrobús 10-ride card costs 12.20 EUR and works for 10 rides. It pays for itself after 6 rides.

Overlooking Sunday closures. Many small shops and some restaurants are closed on Sundays. Check Google Maps before you walk across town.

Drinking tap water in restaurants. Madrid tap water is safe and tastes fine. But most restaurants charge 2-3 EUR for bottled water. Ask for água del grifo (tap water). They will give it to you for free.