Madrid is Spain’s capital city and also its most populous. Renowned for its open spaces and abundance of art, you could easily spend a full week exploring it. But you can still get a flair for the city if you have only one day in Madrid. Here’s everything you need to know to enjoy one day in Madrid.
Royal Palace of Madrid
With history, culture, art and nobility rolled into one, the Royal Palace of Madrid is the perfect place to start your day in Madrid. Located just a few minutes west of the center of the city, the Royal Palace is easy to access from wherever you are staying. Purchase your tickets in advance and plan to spend 1.5-2 hours in the Palace and Armory. Get all the details about visiting the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Lunch and Snacks
Spain has no shortage of amazing food, and Madrid is the same. From the Royal Palace, we walked just a few minutes to the Mercado de San Miguel, an indoor food hall with nearly 30 different food stands. It was the perfect place to get a wide variety of food. We had tortilla Espanola, bocadilla, croquettes and jamon. From here, it’s a short walk to the Chocolatería San Ginés, which is well known for its Chocolate con Churros. The churros are a deep fried pastry, like a donut stick, that you dip into a bowl of warm chocolate. It’s the perfect treat to keep you going during a busy day in Madrid!
Walking Tour
After lunch, do a walking tour of downtown Madrid. From the Chocolateria, we walked by through the Plaza Mayor and admired the large bronze statue of King Philip III, who created this city center. On the northwest corner, you’ll find the La Torre del Oro Bar Andalú – a bar dedicated to the bull fight. The walls are covered with pictures of bull fighters and bull fights. From here we walked to the Puerta del Sol and by the famous Tito Pepe’s sign. Then we headed east towards the Paseo del Prado, where a number of art museums are located.
Museums
We chose to visit the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. The Thyssen Museum contains art from the 13th to the 20th century and has one of the largest private collections of art in the world. We especially like it for its more contemporary artists, including Rembrandt, Monet, Degas, O’Keefe and Gaugin. Children under 18 are free, which was a plus!
Also located on the eastern side of the city, el Museo del Prado houses the art of the Spanish Royal Family and includes works from some of the most famous Spanish artists as well as a large collection of Italian art. Diego Valazquez’ Las Meninas, Francisco Goya’s The Third of May and El Greco’s The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest are some of the works you can find here. The Prado is free in the evenings, but you’ll need to queue up early for the free tickets.
Just to the south of the Prado is the Reina Sofia, Spain’s national museum of 20th-century art. Named for Queen Sofia, the museum features works by Picasso, Dali and Miro. The Museum is home to a large collection of modern and contemporary Spanish art. Children under 18 are free and there are free evening hours as well for everyone.
Parque Buen Retiro
Located just east of the Paseo del Prado is Retiro Park. The park was commissioned by King Philip IV and remains one of the largest parks in Madrid. The park has over 15,000 trees in 125 hectares and is an amazing place for an afternoon stroll. The park is filled with sculptures, fountains and even a lake where you might see rowers practicing.
Madrid is an amazing city with an astounding collection of art, green spaces and delicious food. If you only have one day in Madrid, you still have plenty of time to get a flair for the city and enjoy all it has to offer.
Have you been to Madrid? What was your favorite thing to do there?
