Welcome to our Madrid Travel Guide. Madrid, the capital of Spain, is one of the unmissable European destinations, a must for museum lovers and a destination offering a wide range of attractions for people from all ages, all year through.
Our Madrid Travel Guide contains all the information you need to have to prepare the perfect trip to Madrid. From how to get to Madrid, to when to visit the city, what’s the weather like during the year, the best neighbourhoods, the unmissable attractions, the best day trips and much more.
On our Madrid Top 10 video we bring you all those must-see places you should include in your trip to the city.
Choosing where to stay is a crucial decision on any trip and we tried to break it down for you on this video presenting our favorite Madrid neighborhoods when it comes to looking for accommodation.
If you want to find out all the different transportation alternatives that will take you from Madrid Adolfo Suárez-Barajas airport to the center of town, we have summarized them on this video. Taxi, metro, train, buses, there is meant to be an alternative perfect for you.
As well as all the interesting places you can visit in Madrid, the capital boasts a fantastic range of day trips, including wonderful World Heritage Cities such as Ávila, Segovia or Toledo. Find out about the best day-trips leaving from Madrid and how to reach them.
Of course, tapas are an essential part of Spanish culture -often misunderstood-, and in Madrid you will be able to experience them at their best with our carefully curated tapas tour around the centre of the city.
And if you want to taste the best of the culinary traditions of Madrid, while at the same time saving some money, make the most of the selection of daily menus we have tested for you. The “menú del día”, the daily menu, is an typical Spanish tradition you should be familiar with.
Madrid, of course, is one of the museum capitals of the world. We went to check the 20 most important museums for you.
Are you ready for Madrid? We sincerely hope our Madrid Travel Guide will be of immense help to you!
excellent information about the city of Madrid
Thank you, Nick!
Hi Tony! I’m from Singapore and will be visiting Spain during the X’mas festive period (landing in Madrid on 24th Dec actually). I know that most attractions in Madrid will be closed on Xmas day and hence was thinking of doing a day trip to Toledo or Segovia on that day.
Do you think it is advisable? Will the attractions or shops and restaurants be open in these cities?
Thank you very much in advance.
Hello Kenneth, welcome to Road Trip Spain & Portugal. We would not advise you to go to Toledo or Segovia on Christmas Day as you will find many attractions close on that date. It would be better to stay in Madrid and prioritize open air activities (like the Retiro Park or the Madrid Río park). 25th December is a critical day everywhere in Spain. You will, however, not have many problems to find restaurants opened.
All the best!
Merci beaucoup pour vos capsules YouTube. Vos informations sont claires et précises. Elles nous aident grandement à préparer notre prochain voyage en Espagne.
D’une Québécoise
Merci beaucoup por vos aussi! ¡Muchas gracias!
Hello Tony: Found the info greatly helpful and watched all videos related to our Spain cities.
We are arriving Madrid in June, then train to Cordoba, train to Seville and flight to Barcelona. The TAL from Madrid to Cordoba, how long many minutes does it stop in Cordoba (handicapped). I just want to make sure that there is enough time for us to get off.
Hi Bela, the train usually stops briefly, four-five minutes. If you are disabled, get early to the station in Madrid, look for the ACERCA desk and request for assistance to board and disembark. It’s a free service. All the best.
Thank you so much Tony.
Hola Tony!
We are from Australia. My husband and I love watching your videos about Spain as we plan our trip this year. You have an excellent presentation style, very clear, friendly and not biased – well done! We are following your advice about Madrid and stay for 9 days so we can do day trips to Avila and Segovia. We’d love to stay overnight in Segovia. However, it is hard to get to Avila and then go to Segovia from there on the same day without a car. Our plan therefore is to book a tour to Avila and Segovia and ask the tour operator if we can leave the tour in Segovia, stay overnight and make our own way home to Madrid the following day. Will this plan work? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Hello Hannah, and welcome to Road Trip Spain and Portugal. We don’t have a very high opinion of trips doing Ávila and Segovia on the same day. In Ávila, you’ll end up seeing one fourth of the places we recommend, in a rushed way. If you are going to take a trip, you might as well give up on Ávila. Due to the fact that it has far more content, and also to the incredibly night view of the city, it is Ávila where we would spend the night rather than Segovia. If you don’t have time for Ávila and Segovia our advice would be, do Ávila properly, spending the night there, and leave Segovia for a future trip. All the best!
Hola Tony, I like to watch your videos about Madrid, your advices are perfect. I am from Czech republic and we will visit Madrid on Eastern. Could you give me advice about traveling for senior (65+) in Madrid please? I have read this:
From 1 January 2023, people aged 65 and over in the Community of Madrid will be able to use a ticket free of charge to travel throughout the region.
In order to benefit from the free fare, you must have a personal Public Transport Card on which you can load this new fare option that will give you access to our entire public transport network. You do not need to purchase a different card.
It is valid for all citizens from Europe? How can I use it? How can I confirm my age…?
Thanks
Hi Miroslav, be very welcome to the website (we love 🇨🇿!). Unfortunately, the discounted fares for +65 are only for residents of the capital. Everyone else, including people from other parts of Spain, pay the full fare. All the best.
Hola Tony, thak you so much, you are the best :-). Everything is clear.
For your information in Prag is possible to buy (for 20,- czech crowns) card. You need foto 2×3 cm. This card is valid for everyone from EU citizens.
All the best from Chequia
Hello Mr. Galvez,
I hope this email finds you and your family doing well. My plans are to visit Madrid for 4-5 days in June. I am looking into the hotels the Opera or Meninas are these hotel considered to be inside or outside of the city center when taking a taxi from airport. I would appreciate any suggestions in stating in Madrid.
Thanks.
Hi Diana, both hotels have a splendid location for tourism in Madrid. They are right in the heart of Madrid, the taxi will cost you 30€ from the airport. See the best regions to stay in Madrid.
Thanks. Wishing you and your family a Happy Easter. Blessings.
For you, too!
Hello Tony,
On taking a taxi from airport to Madrid city center do taxi drivers accept credit cards and how much tipping is required? Much appreciated.
Hi Diana, all taxi drivers should accept payment by credit card. No tip is expected, see how tipping works in Spain here.
How common are the van taxis at the airport in Madrid? We are traveling with 4 people with medium size cases and some backpacks. I don’t know if they would all fit in the normal taxi that looked like Toyota Prius or similar size? Also are the van taxis also 30€ ?
Van taxis are not as common as in Barcelona, but they exist, you will just have to ask for one and wait till it appears. The fare is the same regardless of the taxi size.
Thank you!
We love you videos and truly appreciate your detailed instructions! We will be visiting Madrid and want to see the last stage of La Vuelta cycle race. We have found tour operators that sell viewing platform access, with unlimited food & drink for $300+, we would rather not do that. We were wondering if you have any recommendations on a place that we could view the race from?
(We don’t have our hotel yet, so finding a hotel on the route could be one option.) Thank you for any help you can provide.
Hi Wendy, the truth is that we don’t have enough inside knowledge to advice on the best place to watch the last stage of La Vuelta – which, incidentally, tends to be quite a boring affair. If you don’t want to spend any money, I suspect the trick is to grab a place before anyone else does, a few hours in advance. A hotel in the Gran Vía with a room facing the avenue might be a choice, the riders will pass through the Gran Vía several times before the end of the state. All the best!
You response was greatly appreciated. We will look for a hotel on Gran Via. Thank you so much.
Hola Tony, We will be visiting Spain in a few weeks. We would like to buy a museum pass or attraction pass that will get us into the most museums, skip the line, etc. Which site do you recommend? I was going to use GoCity but I read many negative reviews. Can your recommend a pass for Madrid and also Barcelona?
Gracias!
Hi Tina, see the following videos:
– for Barcelona: https://youtu.be/DdI8q2ExeHo and https://youtu.be/R0A0k3gNCW8
– for Madrid https://youtu.be/oeb4MfDRy4U
All the best!
Hi Tony,
We are going to stay in the Gran Via neighborhood in Madrid for 4 nights. Would love to hear any of your recommended restaurants in that area?
Thanks as always for all the help and guidance!
Hi Peter, some of the restaurants we mention here are not that far from Gran Vía. All the best.
Hi Tony,
My Husband and I have just started viewing your YouTube videos and so far they are very helpful, so thankyou both. We are visiting Spain and Portugal arriving Barcelona 27/12/23. I have some accommodation booked there near Gracia as recommended thankyou. We plan to go to Madrid from there by train, arriving 31/12!! Had a look at your accomm recommendation video last night but not had time to investigate too much yet. Its looking quite booked up already as I would expect in the centre for NYE. There will be 3 of us including our 21 year old daughter so happy with a triple room, hostel style.
Are you able to recommend any where else not on your video further out? I would love something near a park or gardens. Not worried about being away from the NYE crowds at all!!!
Look forward to hearing from you,
warmest regards,
Helen.
Hello Helen, it’s is incredibly difficult to do blank hotel recommendations, but check out Hotel Petit Palace Savoy Alfonso XII right next to beautiful Retiro Park. All the best.
Hello Tony,
I have been watching your videos on Madrid and they have been very helpful and informative, thank you.
We are from the Azores and have been to various parts of Spain in the past, from north to east to south but, somehow never made it to Madrid!
Since it will be 3 of us and considering the skyrocketing costs of hotels everywhere, we have decided to book an apartment.
I have spent many hours doing all sorts of research and found, what seems to be an amazing penthouse apartment in Carrera de San Jerónimo. I know it is very near Sol and quite central but is this street safe for 3 seniors from late 60’s to early 80’s? It seems like a busy street however the pictures on google maps are a few years old so I can’t really get the vibe of the area, I was hoping you might have better insight.
Thank you
Hi Tina, we would be able to help if you gave us the specific address of the apartment. The vibe at Carrera de San Jerónimo depends very much on the actual location.
Hi Tony, My husband and I love your trip video. We are planning to travel to Madrid and Valencia. Do you have any recommendations for a short trip in Valencia? Thank you!
Hi Kate, we recommend a minimum of three nights in Valencia to be able to explore the city. Check out here what to see in Valencia. All the best.
Thank you for your reply!
Hi Tony
We are touring Spain next year and are over sixty and have been told about a discount card called Tarjeta Doranda but we can’t seem to find out where to buy them on line
Can you please advise us on this also can you advise the cheapest way to travel from north to South
Including bus and trains
Love your channel great advise
Thank you
Theresa
Hi Theresa, we don’t think Tarjeta Dorada provides a good deal, but you can find all the info about it here. Here we explain how to buy the train tickets in Spain. Booking early you will get much better deals than with the Tarjeta Dorada. Purchasing tickets in advance, trains are the way to go.