What to see in Madrid

The Spanish capital receives every year the visit of millions of tourists willing to go through all its streets and know each of its corners. Madrid is the largest city in Spain, and always manages to surprise its visitors by the great offer of historical monuments, emblematic buildings, hidden places, unique streets and its beautiful villages. It is also very well connected to the Barajas airport, so it will be very easy to get to the center. If you travel to the capital of Spain and do not know what to see in Madrid, we offer you a guide with the best places you can to visit.

What to see in Madrid: Puerta del Sol

In the center of the city is one of the busiest places of the Spanish capital, La Puerta del Sol . Also known as the origin of radial roads, the Puerta del Sol is a must if you travel to Madrid, and tread on the tile that indicates km 0. In Sol there is also the famous clock that marks the 12 chimes of New Year's Eve and They start the new year. On the far left of the square, there is the most well-known symbol of the capital, the statue of the Bear and the Madroño, by Antonio Navarro Santafé. It is a beautiful work sculpted in stone and bronze that you can not miss.

Leaving the Puerta del Sol in the east, in the direction of Espoz y Mina Street, just 5 minutes away, there is another place you should not miss in Madrid, Plaza de Santa Ana . Located in the heart of the district of letters, the Plaza de Santa Ana presents a range of possibilities. On the one hand, you can enjoy its cultural side, with the statues of Federico García Lorca and Calderón de la Barca, and the Teatro Español; and on the other, if you do not know where to eat in Madrid, this is the ideal place. In the Plaza de Santa Ana there are many bars and restaurants with a terrace that you will surely love.

What to see in Madrid: Plaza Mayor

Leaving the Puerta del Sol in the west, along Calle Mayor, you will reach another of the best places in Madrid, the Plaza Mayor . It is a rectangular porticoed square that has some of the most unique buildings in the capital, such as the Casa de la Panadería, located in the north-central part of the square. The identifiacarás by the two towers, one at each end of the house. In the center of the square, we find the well-known statue of King Philip III .

If you leave the Plaza Mayor on the west, three minutes walk, you will find the most famous and crowded market in Madrid, the Mercado de San Miguel . One of the peculiarities of this market is that you can buy meat, cook it and eat it right there. It is an unforgettable experience!

What to see in Madrid: Royal Palace

To the west of the Plaza Mayor, along Calle Mayor, you come to one of the most emblematic and spectacular buildings of the Spanish capital, the Palacio Real . Although this is not the official residence of the monarchs of Spain, it is one of the most important monuments in Madrid that you should not miss. The Royal Palace occupies an area of ​​13 hectares, with 870 windows, 240 balconies and 44 stairs.

The area where the Royal Palace is located has no waste. At the back of the palace you will find the Jardines de Sabatini, a beautiful labyrinth where you can lose yourself and relax for a while. To the south of the Royal Palace, we have the famous Cathedral of Almudena, a beautiful building that hides inside an incredible Neo-Romanesque crypt. Visit the best places in Madrid and do not miss any of these treasures!

What to see in Madrid: Gran Vía

On Felipe V Street, located north of the Royal Palace, you will arrive at the well-known Gran Vía in Madrid . It is the most touristy and famous street in the Spanish capital and rightly so, because it has the most famous buildings in the city, such as the Metropolis building. We recommend that you walk along Gran Vía at night and see this building illuminated. Along the Gran Vía, we can also reach some of the most visited places, such as Plaza de Callao, in the center of Gran Vía, or Plaza de España, at the end of Gran Vía.

If you go to Plaza España, you can not miss the opportunity to visit the Templo de Debod and the Parque de la Montaña, located next to the temple. It is a really amazing Egyptian temple.

To make your stay in Madrid more comfortable, you can stay at one of the Gran Vía hotels.

What to see in Madrid: Plaza de Cibeles

If you head towards the start of Gran Vía you will find Calle de Alcalá, through which you will reach the emblematic Plaza de Cibeles . This square is known, above all, for being the place where Real Madrid Football Club celebrates its triumphs. But it has many other charms, in the center of the square is the famous Fuente de Cibeles ; it is the nucleus that divides the boundaries of the districts Centro, Retiro and Salamanca; and in each of the corners of the square are some of the most popular and visited buildings in Madrid. Undoubtedly, the most outstanding buildings are the Palacio de Cibeles or Palacio de Comunicaciones, the Palacio de Linares and the Banco de España building .

To the west of the Plaza de Cibeles is the Paseo de Recoletos, through which you reach one of the busiest promenades in the city, the Paseo de la Castellana . You can not visit Madrid and not walk around the Castellana, it's really pretty. Between the Castellana and Recoletos is another of the well-known squares of the Spanish capital and that you can not miss either, Plaza de Colón .

What to see in Madrid: Buen Retiro Park

If there is any place in Madrid that can provide beauty, peace and tranquility, without a doubt, that would be the Buen Retiro Park . It is the largest park in the center of the city and one of the best places in Madrid . Its beautiful gardens and varied vegetation have turned it into the green heart of the Spanish capital. But, the Retiro is not only beautiful for its gardens, but it hides some of Madrid's most treasured treasures, such as the Palacio de Cristal, the Palacio de Velázquez, the Retiro pond and the impressive monument to King Alfonso XII. . So if you do not know what to see in Madrid, this is a place you can not miss!

The Buen Retiro Park can be accessed from several points in the city because it houses some 350 hectares, and has several entrances. But, in we recommend that you do it from the Plaza de Cibeles, along Calle de Alacalá, and observe Plaza de la Independencia, located at one end of the park. This square keeps in the center one of the most emblematic monuments of the city, the Puerta de Alcalá . Your visit is a must if you do not know the city and do not know what to see in Madrid.

What to see in Madrid: Most important museums

You can not travel to the Spanish capital and not visit the three most important museums in Madrid : El Prado, El Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza. If you want to know what museums to visit in Madrid, here is an article that will show you the best museums in the city that you should not miss.

If you visit the Prado Museum you can take the opportunity to see the Paseo del Prado and get close to two of the most cultural streets in the city: Calle Huertas and Calle Lope de Vega . The well-known neighborhood of letters is one of the most beautiful and interesting if you like Spanish literature. Throughout Huertas Street you will find quotes recorded on the floor of the best known poems and literary works of the illustrious writers of the Golden Age, such as Quevedo, Cervantes, Góngora or Lope de Vega. In the Lope de Vega Street is what was the residence of the writer Lope de Vega, now converted into a museum that you can visit.

Hotels and Accommodations

To make your stay more comfortable and pleasant, here is a list of the best hotels in Madrid, so you can choose the one you like the most and adapt to your needs.