Madrid

Madrid has over 3.4 million residents within the city limits and 7 million people live in the autonomous Community of Madrid region (as of 2025).

Location

Madrid is just northeast of the geographical centre of the Iberian Peninsula, in the middle of the Spanish central Castillian plateau (Meseta central), at an average altitude of 650 m (2,130 ft). Nearly all of the most famous tourist areas are in the centre of the city including Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, and Plaza de Colón. The major streets in Madrid include the Gran Via, Alcalá Street, and Paseo de la Castellana.

Climate

The climate of Madrid is continental, mainly dry and quite extreme at times. Madrid experiences a characteristically hot and dry summer, along with a fairly cold winter with frequent frosts during the night and occasional snowfalls. Spring and autumn are generally mild with the most rainfall concentrated in these seasons. Spring and autumn are definitely the best times to visit, especially the months of April, May, June, September and October. There is very little rainfall during summer and also less rainfall during winter. During winter, snow occurs sporadically; however, snow usually lasts only for a few days, but there is abundant snowfall in the adjacent mountain ranges nearby.

History

Madrid is a city that goes back to the Spanish Muslims, but virtually nothing of Madrid before the Reconquista is left. A few historic city walls have been archeologically preserved but Madrid was by far overshadowed by Toledo (Roman Toletum) until the early modern era. To give just one example, construction on Madrid Cathedral did not start until the late 19th century, and only finished in the 1990s, as the archbishop of Toledo did not want to relinquish episcopal power, and the monarchs had moved the capital in part precisely to escape the power of Toledo's archbishop.

The culture of Madrid was dominated by its royal history, centre of the Spanish Empire. The Royal Palace, big plazas and buildings used by the Spanish Monarchy, enormous cathedrals and churches are plentiful in Madrid. Madrid is now just as much a cosmopolitan city as Berlin or London: full of modern architecture, lifestyle and culture.

Madrid became capital of Spain under Philip II who had a gargantuan palace built in nearby El Escorial. For a long while, Madrid would be the royal residence first, only becoming a city much later. Madrid architectu…

By plane

Main article: Madrid–Barajas Airport

1 Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD IATA). All commercial flights into Madrid use this airport, which is 13 km north-east of the city. There are direct flights from most major cities in Spain and across Europe, several from the Americas as well as a few African and Asian connections. There are two terminal complexes, widely separated: Terminals 1, 2 & 3, and Terminals T4 & T4S. To transfer between them land-side use the free shuttle bus. It runs 24 hours, every 5 min daytime, and takes 10 min between T1 and T4. You can also take it just between T1, T2 and T3, but it's as quick to walk. Between T4 and T4S, use the automated train. The metro also connects the two complexes but you'd have to buy a ticket for €3. There are other transfers air-side for connecting passengers, enquire at the airline transfer desk, but they will probably involve collecting your checked bags in the hall and lumping them onto an internal navette to the other complex. All the terminals have the usual full range of passenger facilities land- and air-side. (updated May 2018)

Madrid has two smaller airfields, Torrejón and Cuatro Vientos, but they have no commercial flights.

To and from the airport

During the day, Metro a popular best way to reach city centre. Line 8 (pink) runs from Nuevos Ministerios to Terminals 1, 2 & 3, Barajas town (no airport here, don't get off!) and T4. It runs from 06:00 to 01:30, taking 15 min from city to T123 and another 5 min to T4. The single fare is €5. See "Get around" for other ticket options.

The Cercanías (renfe) regional train service C-1 line runs between T4 and Chamartín, without needing to pay the metro airport supplement. You can change trains at Chamartín for Atocha and other destinations. Tickets are issued on a "+ renfe & tú" reusable card. However it is easier to use a contactless bank card at the barrier. When you present the bankcard at the barrier on exit, the correct fare is charged. You can transfer between T4 and other terminals on the free inter-terminal bus.

If taxis are your thing, there is always an armada of them readily available. There is a fixed fare of €33 for trips between the airport and central Madrid (defined as any point in Madrid inside the M-30 expressway).

Buses between city centre and airport are:

Exprés Aeropuerto bus 203 runs from Atocha (& Cibeles) to T1,2 & T4, 06:00-23:30 every 15-20 min, taking 30 min.

Bus 200 runs from Avenida de America transport hub to T1,2 & T4 (but T3 only city-bound, not outbound), 05:00-23:30 every 10-20 min.

At night bus N27 runs every 35 min from Cibeles to T1,2 & T4 and is the only public transport option.

Direct buses elsewhere include:

Bus 101 from Canillejas transport hub (Canillejas 5 ,) east edge of the city, to T1,2 (T3 only city-bound, not outbound).

Bus 822 from Coslada and San Fernando de Henares, just south of the airport, to T1.

Bus 824 from Alcalá de Henares and Torrejón to the east, to T1,2.

Bus 827 & 828 from the Autonomous University and Alcobendas, to T4.

Avanza buses run to T1 from Avila and Salamanca.

Alsa buses run to T4 from Zaragoza, Barcelona, Valladolid, León, Murcia, Alicante, Gijón, Oviedo, Lugo, Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, Burgos, Vitoria, San Sebastián, Santander, Bilbao, Logroño and Pamplona.

By public transit

Madrid proudly sports one of the best public transportation networks in the world and the second largest metro network in Europe after London's. Buses and subways work with the same tickets, and operate within the integrated transit network of 6 CRTM (Plaza del Descubridor Diego de Ordás 3, M-F 08:00-20:00). With that said, be aware that Madrid's transportation infrastructure can appear complicated and daunting at first, so take extra time to know where to go and how to get there because it will not be as simple as in other European cities or what your map app is telling you.

A single ticket for Zone A costs €1.50 (max. 5 stations), but the cost goes up to €2 if you go more than 10 stations, and can be purchased from metro ticket vending machines or directly from the bus driver on entry. A ten-trip ticket Metrobús (10 viajes) costs €12.20 (€6.10 until July 2025) for Zone A (no transfers from one mode of transportation to another allowed); these tickets can be shared with other travellers. Children under the age of 4 may travel without a ticket, and children under 11 receive a 50% discount. Tickets can be purchased at metro stations, newsstands, and tobacconists. There are no longer any paper tickets in use in Madrid so, if you do not already have one, you will need to purchase a Multi Card which is a reloadable, contactless card for €2.50 (Jan 2025). It is an anonymous card so can be used for multiple people by passing back the card to the next person in your group. These card support most ticket types except season & concessionary. The Multi Card does not support local rail travel except the tourist tickets.

If you plan to use public transport a lot you can purchase a Tourist Ticket, which allows unlimited travel as well as discounted admission for some tourist attractions. The card can be purchased at any metro station, as well as at the CRTM headquarters. For travel within Zone A the following rates apply: 1 day (€10), 2 days (€17.00), 3 days (€22.50), 5 days (€32.50), or 7 days (€41.00). These tickets are personalised so cannot be shared. They can be used on local rail (Cercanías) in the area of validity.

If you're planning on staying for a long time, you might consider investing into the personalised Tarjeta Transporte Público. You can load season tickets onto them according to your age – regular (adult), joven (youth) or mayor (senior). Application must be made in advance at any metro station with a completed application and a copy of your passport. The season tickets can be loaded from any metro vending machine.

The public transport system supports contactless payment. Simply tap your bank card or phone to enter and exit.

Metro

The Metro de Madrid (Madrid's subway/underground) is one of the best and least expensive metros in Europe. The underground tunnels can provide relief from the sun on hot days.

Ticket machines are multi-lingual with instructions Spanish; you can change the language to English by pressing the circular button with several flags in it. Swiping the smartcard once allows you to use the metro network as long and far as you like – but make sure you stay inside the Metro zone A, as once you leave it you'll have to swipe your smartca…

Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles

Madrid is one of the top addresses in the world for art, both contemporary and not-so-contemporary, with Goya's most famous works in the Prado, Picasso's Guernica in the Reina Sofía and countless other works in those two museums and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. The Prado goes back to the royal art collection which - for a nation that was the world's leading superpower for two centuries - is of course quite impressive. The Reina Sofía was opened to house what the Prado "had no room for" with a dividing line based on era ultimately being drawn. Besides art, Madrid also boasts some impressive architecture courtesy of kings who had access to the wealth of two continents and no qualms in spending it for extravagant royal residences.

The following is a non-exclusive taste of what Madrid has to offer. Dive into the districts to find more!

1 Museum Triangle. This is Madrid's museum district, named for the three major art museums clustered along Paseo del Prado east of the old city: the Museo del Prado, one of the finest art museums in the world, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, a baron's collection of classical art, and the Reina Sofia, Madrid's modern art museum. However, a couple of smaller museums also occupy the neighbourhood which are well worth seeing as well.

2 Royal Palace. An enormous palace, one of the biggest in Europe, with scorching plains of concrete around it. Though it is the official residence of the King of Spain, the royal family does not actually reside here and it is generally used only for state ceremonies. The Royal Palace is considered to be one of the most emblematic and beautiful buildings in Madrid.

3 Plaza Mayor. Perhaps the best known plaza in Madrid, this impressive square is now one of the main stops on any tourist visit.

4 Puerta del Sol. This plaza is the heart of Madrid and one of the busiest places in the city – a hub for the local transit system, a favourite meeting spot for locals, a visible area for festivals or political demonstrations, and an opportune location for tour guides, street performers, pickpockets and anyone else looking to take advantage of all the tourists on-hand. Several of Madrid's landmarks are found here: the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the main Post Office with its iconic clock tower and Kilometre Zero of the Spanish road network.

5 Gran Vía. One of the busiest avenues in Madrid, the location of the cinema district and a number of shopping malls and is lined with large billboards and lights.

6 Plaza de Cibeles. Large roundabout in the city centre with the neoclassical Cybele Fountain and the imposing eclectic Cybele Palace. Spain's former Palace of Communications is now the seat of the municipal government).

7 Mercado de San Miguel. Sets the ambience of a traditional market, with the advantages of the new times. It has an iron and glass structure from the 20th century.

8 Catedral de la Almudena. The main church of Spanish Catholicism, in neo-Gothic style. Built from the 19th century to the 1990s.

9 Plaza de España. A prominent square adjacent to two of the tallest buildings in Madrid: the Torre de Madrid and the Edificio España.

10 Parque del Retiro. The main park of Madrid, the perfect place to take a rest during a sunny day, or take part in the drum circles around the statue of Alphonso XII on summer evenings.

Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles

Sports

Football: the men's national soccer team don't have a fixed stadium, but often play at Bernabéu and Metropolitano stadiums in Madrid. The best known clubs are Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, both based in the Northern Suburbs. They play in La Liga the top tier, and routinely qualify for European tournaments. Other teams include Rayo Vallecano in Vallecas and Getafe in the nearby suburbs, reached by Madrid Metro.

Basketball: Estudiantes and Real Madrid play at Palacio de los Deportes. Fuenlabrada, based in the Madrid suburb of the same name, play at Polideportivo Fernando Martín.

Rugby Union: the Spanish national XV play at Estadio Nacional Complutense on the university campus. Cisneros play there in División de Honor, the Spanish top tier. Alcobendas play near the airport, also in the top tier.

Handball is also played in Madrid but no longer in the top tier, making BM Alcobendas the highest ranked team.

Cultural venues

Flamenco shows can be seen in numerous venues in Sol-Letras-Lavapiés, Moncloa and La Latina - Austrias.

Opera houses are spread through the city centre. In addition, several orchestras don't have a stable/home venue to play in:

Orquesta Nacional de España (Spanish National Orchestra), ☏ +34 902 224 949 (tickets), fax: +34 915 632 907. Tickets are sold at ticket offices in the Auditorio Nacional de Música, Teatro María Guerrero, Teatro de la Zarzuela, Teatro de la Comedia, and Teatro Valle-Inclán. (updated Feb 2017)

Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid (Madrid Symphony Orchestra), C/ Barquillo, 8, ☏ +34 915 321 503, fax: +34 915 325 364, [email protected]. (updated Feb 2017)

Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid (Community of Madrid Orchestra), C/ Mar Caspio, 4, ☏ +34 913 820 680, fax: +34 917 643 236, [email protected]. (updated Feb 2017)

Banda Sinfónica Municipal de Madrid, ☏ +34 915 267 147, +34 915 267 158 (M-F 08:00-15:00), [email protected]. Performs in El Retiro Park in the summer. Tickets can be purchased at the Teatro Monumental (listed above), at the tourist information centre in Plaza Mayor, and online. €5 (adults), €3 (seniors/youth/children).

Cinemas offer films in English, along with films in other languages. These original films are denoted in the listings by a designation of "V.O." (versión original) or, if subtitled in Spanish, "VOSE" (versión original subtitulada en español). Cinemas in Madrid will sometimes have días del espectador (viewer days) with cheaper ticket prices, usually on Mondays or Wednesdays. It also has the world's largest multiplex cinema, with 25 different screens.

Festivals

La Trashumancia. Annual event during which the centre of Madrid is free of cars and is instead filled with shepherds exercising their ancient right to drive sheep and livestock through the city. (updated Dec 2022)

Madrid Gay Pride. Annual event held between the last week of June and the first of July, with more than 1.5 million people in the street from all around the world. It began as a weekend party, but lately turned into a full-week extravaganza.

Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles

Cuisine

Dishes popular throughout Spain are also widely served in Madrid.

In addition, Madrid has a number of typical regional dishes:

Gallinejas and entresijos – Lamb chitterlings fried in its fat. Very traditional and typical from Madrid city.

Callos a la madrileña – A hot pot of spicy beef tripe similar to those found in Turkey and the Balkans.

Cocido madrileño – Chickpea stew with meat and vegetables. The particularity of this stew is the way it is served. The soup, chickpeas and meat are served and eaten separately.

Oreja de cerdo – Pigs ears, fried in garlic. This popular dish is widely eaten throughout central Spain.

Sopa de ajo – Garlic soup is a rich and oily soup which generally includes paprika, grated Spanish ham, fried bread and a poached egg. A variation of this soup is known as sopa castellana.

Sobrino de Botín is the oldest restaurant in the world, continously running from 1725.

It is ironic that Madrid, in the centre of Spain, has higher quality seafood than many coastal regions. This quality comes at a price, and most Spaniards only occasionally shell out for a mariscada or seafood feast. Experiencing Madrid's seafood may be, for the visitor, an experience which will be worth the cost.

Fresh meat and meat products (jamón ibérico, morcilla, chorizo etc.) are of generally a very high quality in Madrid.

Restaurants

Many of the restaurants and cervecerías in the Sol and Plaza Mayor area have generic poster board advertisements on the sidewalks with pictures advertising various paella dishes. These paellas are usually of bad quality and should be avoided. If you are looking for good, authentic Spanish paella, it is usually best to find a more expensive, 'sit-down' type of restaurant that offers a variety of paella dishes.

A much better option is the La Latina neighbourhood just south of Plaza Mayor, especially along Calle Cava Baja. There are also a number of deli-like shops along Calle Arenal that offer food to go (para llevar).

At bars, one generally orders various sized plates, a ración meaning a full dish, a media ración or a half-dish, or a smaller version which would be a tapa, a pinxto or a pincho.

The Spaniards don't eat lunch until 14:00 or 15:00, and dinner doesn't start until 21:00 or 22:00. As a rule of thumb, restaurants serve lunch from 13:00 until 15:30, then close and re-open for dinner at 20:00, serving until 23:00. This schedule is usually for restaurants, since bars and mesones are usually opened all day long offering a wide variety of tapas and sandwiches for a cheap price. If you're really desperate, the standard bunch of fast food chains do stay open throughout the day.

Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles

Tapas bars

In the tapas bars, you should get free food with your drinks. The highest concentration of tapas bars is in La Latina and around Plaza Santa Ana in the barrio de las Letras, but you will find them all over the city, including Malasaña and Chueca as well as the western districts, where there are probably less overrun by tourists.

1 Calle Cava Baja (Metro: La Latina). This narrow street in La Latina is by far the most famous and popular place for tapas. (updated Jul 2017)

Cafés

Cafés and confectioneries can be found all over the city, but the highest concentration can be found around Puerta del Sol, barrio de las Austrias and Lavapiés, in the Old town and in Malasaña and Chueca. A very popular and typical local sweet that is sold both in cafés and by street vendors is Churros. These fried-dough pastries are distantly related to doughnuts, but have a more elongated shape and are a lot crispier. They are usually drizzled with sugar or chocolate.

Bars

Nightlife starts later in Madrid, with most people heading to the bars at 22:00-23:00. One of the best options to enjoy the nightlife is in the popular quarter Barrio de las Letras, especially on its main street, Calle Huertas, and other nearby streets. A great choice of bars is also available in the more traditional La Latina area as well as in the younger and alternative-flavoured Malasaña and Chueca districts.

Draught beer (cerveza) is usually ordered in cañas (200 ml), but may also come in dobles (400 ml) or jarras (mugs).

Clubs

Clubs generally open at about midnight. If you go in any earlier you may find it quite empty. Many clubs do not close until 06:00, and even then everyone is still full of life.

Nightlife areas

Alonso Martínez - Many pubs and small discos. Until about 03:00, a very young crowd, and if you′re around here before midnight, and over the age of 20, prepare to feel positively old. Most places close around 03:00, then people move to clubs in Gran Vía or Tribunal to continue partying.

Chueca - Near Malasaña and Gran Vía, it is known as the gay district, but doesn't exclude straight people. Pop and electronic music. By far, the most cosmopolitan place in town. Has become quite chic and expensive.

Tribunal/Malasaña - Alternative area. Mainly rock and pop music clubs, some of them still open from "La movida madrileña" (beginning of the 1980s). Calle Manuela Malasaña is a great place to eat, Calle del Pez a great place to have some drinks and Plaza Dos de Mayo is the heart of the district.

Gran Vía - "The place that never sleeps". Major street that includes many popular nightclubs, usually open from 01:00 to 06:00-07:00.

La Latina - Near Lavapiés, it is the place to go for tapas and full of bohemian young people looking for stylish bars. In the old section are many small bars and pubs catering to people in their late 20s and 30s). Multiple bars serving fantastic tapas in the Cava Baja and Cuchilleros.

Lavapiés - Multicultural quarter of the city, with more than 50% foreign residents, mostly from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Plenty of world music bars. Lavapiés is maybe the most cosmopolitan and hippy area at the same time in Madrid.

Moncloa/Ciudad Universitaria - Due to its proximity to Universidad Complutense, Moncloa is associated with students and a student lifestyle, with many cheap bars and discos. Some of the places are bes…

While of course it is most convenient to have an accommodation close to the sights in the city centre, you should also consider hotels or apartments in the other districts. For example, Malasaña and Chueca are just 1 km north of the city centre, Chamberí 2 km, but the rates may already be noticeably lower. When travelling as a family or small group, you may also think about renting an apartment via AirBnB or similar sharing platforms. They are usually located in residential neighbourhoods and include a kitchen, so you can do your shopping on markets, supermarkets or alimentación stores and prepare some meals yourself. That way you may experience more of the Madrilenians' everyday life and reduce the total cost of your stay significantly. You will also find restaurants in these districts catering to locals rather than tourists.

Hostels

Cheap hostels starting from €8 for a dorm bed can be found near Plaza de España, in Lavapiés or the Sol area. There are also a bit more comfortable hostels offering single rooms for €30–40, doubles for €40–50, e.g. in Malasaña or the barrio de las Austrias.

Budget

Budget hotels and B&Bs charge around €30–60 for single, €55–100 for double rooms. Many of them can be found in the Barrio de las Letras or Chueca district.

Mid-range

A room in a mid-range hotel will cost you around €60–150 per night. Most of them are concentrated in the Barrio de las Letras and Sol area as well as the Paseo del Arte.

Splurge

A stay in a plush hotel will set you back at least €90 per night and there is no upper limit. Most of them are found in the posh Salamanca district, along the Gran Vía, in the historic centre and in the Retiro and Paseo del Arte area. Among the most famous names in the business are the Hotel Villa Magna, the Gran Meliá Palacio de Los Duques and the Madrid Ritz.

Madrid is a very safe city, with some of the lowest crime rates among Europe's largest cities. The police is highly visible, and the city is equipped with cameras. There are always people in the streets, even at night time, so you can walk across the city generally without fear. Travellers who remain aware of their surroundings, and keep an eye on their belongings, should have little to worry about. For police, medical, or fire emergencies, simply call 112. Operators usually speak English.

Neighbourhoods and suburbs

As with any place on earth, there are parts of Madrid and its metropolitan area that are less appealing and, consequently, less safe than others.

The Malasaña area, located north of Gran Via, is a lively bohemian neighbourhood, but it is also known to attract seedy crowds late at night.

Some districts in the south (Carabanchel, Puente De Vallecas, Villaverde) and east (Ciudad Lineal) are marginally less well-off than the rest of Madrid, and they can give off an uneasy vibe to those unfamiliar with these places. They are safer than many "bad neighbourhoods" in other western European countries, but be on your guard at night. Most places within reach of metro stations are safe.

Though - or rather because - it is the wealthiest district in Madrid, Salamanca has its share of pickpockets, namely in and around the Avenida de América station.

Several of Madrid's suburbs to the south (Móstoles, Alcorcón, Parla) and east (Alcalá de Henares) have fairly undeserved reputations to seediness. In reality, they are mostly safe, though it is always wise to stick to well-lit and crowded streets.

The areas surrounding the Chamartin train station in the north have started seeing homeless and refugee encampments. Squatters inhabiting these encampments rarely interact with strangers and passer-by, but watch yourself at night.

Football

Despite the notoriously intense and politically-charged rivalry between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, most people will not care if you wear an FC Barcelona football shirt, and in fact you will often see people (usually tourists) wear that shirt around the city. As Madrid is the capital city of Spain, it attracts people from all over the country, including Catalonia. One notable exception: on match days, do be careful, as violence has been known to occur between supporters of both clubs.

Furthermore, there is a love/hate relationship between the two major football clubs in the city: Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Both are storied clubs with diverging identities; Real Madrid was always seen as the club of the elite, whereas Atletico Madrid is seen as the "people's club". Many fans and analysts believe that the "Derbi Madrileño" is more entertaining than "El Clasico", partially because of those differences in identity, but also because fans of the clubs have been known to engage in fiery arguments. If you ever see Real and Atletico fans argue, be careful if things start to escalate.

One of the lesser-known clubs in Spain, Rayo Vallecano is known for its very left-wing culture, traditions, and fan base. While games are usually fun and harmless, there have been reports of robberies in and around the Vallecas Stadium, which is located in the working-class neighbourhood of Puente De Vallecas. It is also highly discouraged to talk about politics.