Madrid is one of those cities that win you over slowly. It doesn't have a single postcard image that sums it all up, like the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum: it has an atmosphere, a light and a way of living the street that you discover by walking. If you're coming for the first time —or want to rediscover it— there's a handful of must-see places in Madrid you simply can't miss. But seeing them from the outside is only half the plan: you truly enjoy the capital when you live it from within.
In this guide we go through what to see in Madrid on a first trip —with opening hours, rough prices and practical tips— and give you an idea to turn two of those must-sees into an adventure you won't forget. They're all in the centre and well connected, so you can combine them over two or three days on foot and by metro.
1. The Prado Museum, the cultural must-see
Let's start with the biggest. The Prado Museum is Spain's great art gallery and one of the finest in the world. It holds masterpieces by Velázquez (Las Meninas), Goya (the Black Paintings, The Third of May 1808), Bosch (The Garden of Earthly Delights), El Greco, Titian and Rubens. It's impossible to see it all in one visit, and you don't need to: two or three hours are enough to leave feeling you've seen something monumental.
Practical tip: go in with a short list of the works you want to see so you don't get lost among its halls, and grab a map at the entrance. The museum opens every day and has a stretch of free admission in the late afternoon (usually 6–8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and the last two hours on Sundays); always check the official website for up-to-date hours as they change with the season. It's a short walk from the Retiro and the Barrio de las Letras, so it fits perfectly into a route along the so-called Paseo del Arte (Art Walk), which also includes the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía (home to Picasso's Guernica).
2. The Royal Palace and its gardens
The Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest royal palace in Western Europe, with more than 3,000 rooms, though only part is open to visitors. It was built in the 18th century over the old Alcázar of the Habsburgs, which burned down in 1734, and today it's the Crown's official residence, used for state ceremonies. Inside you can see the Throne Room, the Royal Armoury and the collection of Stradivarius instruments.
Even if you don't go inside, the Plaza de Oriente and the Sabatini Gardens are worth the visit, and at sunset the views towards the Casa de Campo and the mountains are postcard-perfect. Right opposite you'll find the Almudena Cathedral to round off the morning, and a few minutes away the Temple of Debod, an authentic Egyptian temple gifted to Spain and one of the best spots to watch the sunset in Madrid.
3. Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol, the heart of old Madrid
If the Prado is the cultural must-see, the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol are the must-see of timeless Madrid. The Plaza Mayor, an enclosed square with arcades, was once the setting for markets, bullfights and royal proclamations. Today it's a buzz of terraces, street performers and the perfect starting point to get lost in the Madrid of the Habsburgs.
A few metres away is the Puerta del Sol, the kilometre zero of Spain's roads, home to the clock of the New Year's Eve bell chimes and the meeting point par excellence for locals. Look for the statue of The Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the city's symbol, and the kilometre-zero plaque on the ground.
Foodie tip: in this area don't miss a calamari sandwich, a true Madrid classic, and pop into the Mercado de San Miguel, next to the Plaza Mayor, for tapas. If you love a lively atmosphere, the nearby Cava Baja is one of the streets with the most tapas bars in the city.
4. Retiro Park (and a unique way to live it)
Retiro Park is central Madrid's great green lung and, since 2021, a Unesco World Heritage Site together with the Paseo del Prado. It was a royal garden in the 17th century and today it's the locals' favourite spot to stroll, row on the lake, watch the peacocks or sunbathe on a Sunday. Don't miss the Crystal Palace, a beautiful iron-and-glass structure from 1887 that now hosts contemporary art exhibitions, the Rose Garden or the statue of the Fallen Angel.
You can stroll around quietly… or live it a different way. Our Retiro Gardens experience drops you into an immersive adventure set in 17th-century Madrid: you're trapped by an ancient royal enchantment and, as a team, you make your way through the historic gardens solving challenges and finding characters to break the spell. It's an outdoor escape room combined with immersive theatre, about two hours long, ideal for families and groups, and a wonderful way to discover the park's corners while having fun. It's played in English or Spanish, so it's perfect if you're visiting from abroad. Instead of crossing the park on your way to something else, you turn it into the setting of your own story.
5. The Barrio de las Letras (and how to turn it into a mystery)
The Barrio de las Letras —also known as the Barrio de las Musas— is Madrid's literary heart, the corner where the greats of the Spanish Golden Age lived: Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Quevedo and Góngora. Walk its cobbled streets and you'll find verses written on the pavement, the House Museum of Lope de Vega, the Convent of the Trinitarians (where Cervantes is buried) and a bohemian atmosphere of bookshops, century-old taverns and terraces. Its nerve centre is the lively Plaza de Santa Ana.
It's a neighbourhood perfect for strolling, but also for starring in a story. Our live Cluedo of the Barrio de las Letras turns you into a detective in 1950s Madrid: you start at the Plaza de Santa Ana, solve the mystery of a lost manuscript by Lope de Vega among professional actors scattered across the neighbourhood, and finish with a traditional vermouth. It's the ideal way to get to know the literary quarter: you don't just glance at it, you live it street by street. Available in English and Spanish and bookable from a single person.
Other Madrid must-sees if you have more days
If you're staying longer, these places also deserve a spot on your what-to-see-in-Madrid list:
- Gran Vía: the avenue of theatres and musicals, ideal for an evening stroll with its lights and early-20th-century buildings like the Metrópolis.
- Temple of Debod: an Egyptian temple over 2,000 years old, with one of the best sunsets in the city.
- Mercado de San Miguel: a gourmet food market next to the Plaza Mayor, perfect for tapas.
- Malasaña and Chueca neighbourhoods: the most modern, alternative and trendy Madrid.
- Santiago Bernabéu Stadium: a must if you love football, with its Real Madrid tour.
Practical tips for your visit to Madrid
- Getting around: the centre is very walkable, and the metro is fast, cheap and reaches everywhere. Almost all the must-sees lie between Sol, Ópera, the Retiro and the Paseo del Prado.
- When to go: spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) are the best seasons. Summer can be very hot at midday; make the most of mornings and sunsets.
- Meal times: in Madrid people have lunch around 2–3 p.m. and dinner from 9 p.m. Many kitchens close in the mid-afternoon.
- Free museums: the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen have free-admission time slots; check them before you go.
- Language: if you're visiting from abroad, don't worry: our experiences in the Retiro and the Barrio de las Letras are also played in English.
Frequently asked questions about what to see in Madrid
How many days do I need to see Madrid? With two or three days you can see the centre's must-sees at a relaxed pace. On a long weekend you can add museums, neighbourhoods like Malasaña and a more original experience.
What is the most essential thing in Madrid? If you could only pick five things: the Prado Museum, the Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol, Retiro Park and the Barrio de las Letras.
What can you do in Madrid that's different from the usual? Beyond museums and monuments, you can live the city as the protagonist with an immersive adventure in the Retiro or a live Cluedo in the Barrio de las Letras: original plans for groups, families, couples and tourists.
Madrid isn't seen, it's lived
These are the must-see places in Madrid, all in the centre and well connected on foot or by metro, so you can combine them over one, two or three days. But if you want your trip to be truly memorable, don't just look at them from the outside: book the adventure in the Retiro or the Barrio de las Letras and become the protagonist. Two of Madrid's must-sees, lived like you'd never imagined.
