This guide of tips for traveling to Madrid It will help you prepare a multi-day getaway to an amazing city, which we are sure, will exceed all your expectations.
Get lost between stores and shops in the neighborhoods of Malasaña and Chueca, stroll through the Retiro park, visit fantastic museums such as El Prado or Reina Sofía, go for tapas in the San Miguel and San Antón markets, watch a sunset at the Temple Debod or tour the Gran Vía, are just some of the endless experiences that will make you fall in love with Madrid.
Based on the numerous times we have visited the city, in the last we wrote this guide of what to do Madrid in 4 days, we have made this list of 10 essential tips for traveling to Madrid.We start!
1. What is the best time?
Although any time is good for travel to Madrid, we would avoid the months of July and August, when the thermometers approach 40 degrees.
The seasons with a more pleasant temperature are spring and autumn, especially in May and June when the colors of the parks and the light fill the city with charm.
In winter it is quite cold and we would only recommend it to enjoy the Christmas season, when there is a great lighting of lights and the windows look at their maximum splendor, although if you do not like crowds, better avoid Christmas.
2. How to get to Madrid
The best ways to get to Madrid is by taking the high-speed AVE train or a plane to the Barajas Adolfo Suarez Airport, located 15 kilometers from the center.
Between these two means of transport, we prefer the AVE for its comfort and for having its station, Atocha, within the city and being well connected by subway with all neighborhoods.
A cheaper and slower option is to take a bus from a company like Alsa that will leave you at the Méndez Álvaro South Station (subway line 6) or at Avenida de América (lines 4, 6, 7, and 9).
Another alternative is to arrive by car, although you have to find a hotel with parking and if you stay in the center, it is not an easy or cheap task.
bird
3 How to go from Madrid airport to downtown?
If you arrive at Madrid airport you have all these ways to get to the center:
- Meter: Line 8 will take you from the 4 terminals of the airport to the Nuevos Ministerios station in half an hour for about 5 euros, plus two of the rechargeable card. From this station you can take the commuter trains C3 and C4 that leave you at Puerta del Sol or subway lines 6 and 10.
- Train: Line C1 of the suburban train will leave you in Chamartín in about 12 minutes for 2.60 euros. From this station you can take lines C3 and C4 that leave you in Sol in 20 minutes.
- Bus: The Express Bus, which runs 24 hours a day, will take you to the Atocha or Cibeles station in 40 minutes for 5 euros.
- Direct transfer: This is the most comfortable way to have a driver waiting at the arrivals terminal, which will take you directly to the hotel door in half an hour, depending on traffic. You can book it here.
- Cab: It has a fixed price of 30 euros.
In this post you can find more information on how to go from Madrid airport to downtown.
Sun Gate
4. Where to sleep in Madrid?
If you go to travel to Madrid, especially in high season, it is advisable to book the accommodation several months in advance to save money and have more choice.
Although there are many recommended options to stay in Madrid, especially if it is the first time you travel to the city, we recommend you choose a hotel near Puerta del Sol, to have the most points of interest nearby and good connection by metro with those that are further away.
Two of our favorite hotels in this area are Room007 Select Sol and One Shot Prado 23. In addition to its magnificent location, both hotels have comfortable rooms, friendly staff and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city.
For a more special occasion we recommend the Room Mate Óscar, located in the Chueca neighborhood and with a fantastic terrace.
This neighborhood next to Malasaña is also a good option to stay when being near the Gran Vía and have a great offer in restaurants and charming places.
If you want to stay in another part of the city you can search here for the best hotels in Madrid at the best price.
For more information on the best hotels and neighborhoods you can consult this post of where to stay in Madrid.
Malasaña
5. Transportation in Madrid
To move around Madrid the best option is to use the extensive subway network (12 lines) that runs throughout the center and the surrounding neighborhoods.
To access the subway you need to buy a rechargeable card that costs 2.5 euros, while the price of the single ticket moves between 1.5 euros and 2 euros, depending on the number of stops to your destination.
A good way to save money is to buy a 10-trip ticket that can be used by several people at the same time.
The subway runs from 06h to 1: 30h and the most common line for tourists is the one (light blue), which passes through most important points.
The hours that the subway is not open you have the night bus and taxi.
Another convenient way to tour the city is to book the tourist bus that stops at the main attractions and has recorded comments in Spanish about each of them.
Metro of Madrid
6. Tourist attractions
Before traveling to Madrid it is advisable to make a list of all the experiences you want to have and the places you want to visit, to make the most of your time.
Among the most famous sites in the city are the Retiro, the Puerta de Alcalá, the Cibeles Fountain, the Gran Vía, the Royal Palace, the Temple of Debod, the Plaza Mayor, the Puerta del Sol and the Prado Museum, One of the best museums in Madrid.
To visit the most touristic places such as the Royal Palace of Madrid it is advisable to approach first thing or book this guided tour without queues that will allow you to better know the history of the palace and save time.
In addition to knowing the most visited points of the city, it is worth getting lost in the most charming neighborhoods such as Las Letras, Chueca, Malasaña and La Latina, where you can enjoy a wide range of restaurants of all kinds, places for Having a drink and original shops is endless in these neighborhoods.
Madrid also has a great cultural offer by having world-renowned museums such as El Prado with masterpieces such as the "Las Meninas" of Velázquez, Reina Sofía with the "Guernica" of Picasso and the Thyssen-Bornemisza.
A good way to not miss anything important about the Prado is to book this guided tour without queues with an expert in art and history or take this offer that also includes the guided tour of the Reina Sofía Museum.
If you do not want to take a guided tour we recommend you book this ticket to the Prado Museum and this ticket to Reina Sofía, both without queues and for the same price as at the ticket office.
Another of the most popular places for tourists are the best viewpoints in the city such as the terraces of El Corte Inglés de Callao, the Círculo de Bellas Artes and the Hotel Riu Plaza España, the latest news in the city.
One of the best tips for traveling to Madrid is to complete this list of the 10 essential places to visit in Madrid and this one of the best things to see and do in Madrid.
7. Routes through the city
On a trip to Madrid, a city that you can see in 3 or 4 days, it is important to trace the routes on foot or by subway before leaving the hotel.
These routes can be combined with guided tours in Spanish that will allow you to better know the history and curiosities of the city, such as this free tour of Madrid Free!, This ghost tour or this night walk through the best illuminated monuments.
Based on the times we have visited the city, in the last one we spent more than 10 days, we have made these guides optimized according to the days you have
Main Square
8. Where and what to eat in Madrid
Another of the great reasons for travel to Madrid It is to taste its magnificent gastronomy, where tapas have a prominent place. Some of the most typical dishes are:
- Madrid stew: Chickpea stew with vegetables, meat and pork bacon.
- Madrid tripe: beef casings stewed and served on a clay pan with pieces of sausage and black pudding.
- Cheers with chocolate: typical Madrid breakfast that can also be accompanied with churros.
- Squid sandwich: squid sandwich battered in flour and fried in olive oil.
- Crashed eggs: french fries, eggs and ham, all mixed.
- Garlic soup: fillet and sauteed garlic, pieces of ham and slices of hard bread.
In addition to all these dishes in Madrid it is very typical to go for tapas in taverns and markets such as San Miguel, San Antón or San Ildefonoso. Among the most requested tapas is always the one with potato tortillas and white potatoes, two of the gastronomic jewels of Madrid and the rest of Spain.
Among the restaurants, located in the most recommended tourist areas to try these delicious and more modern dishes, you have: Taberna el Sur, Casa Lucio, La Campana, San Ginés, GastroVía 61, StreetXo, Kuoko 360, Santita, Sto Globo Sushi Room and Ramen Kagura, among many others.
You can find more information about gastronomy and restaurants in this post of where to eat in Madrid.
The bell
9. Tours and excursions
Another of the best tips for traveling to Madrid, if you have enough time, is to do some of the best excursions in Madrid.
The first recommendation would be the visit to Toledo, one of the best preserved medieval cities in Spain. To get to this city you can read this post about how to go from Madrid to Toledo.
Once in the city we recommend you follow this guide of what to do in Toledo in one day and complete this list of places to visit in Toledo essential.
Another of the best getaways near Madrid is the visit to Segovia, which has its two great architectural jewels in the Aqueduct and the Alcazar. To get to this city you can read this post about how to go from Madrid to Segovia.
Once in the city we advise you to follow this guide of what to do in Segovia in one day and complete this list of places to visit in Segovia essential.
The last proposal is the Ávila visit, famous for its great medieval wall that surrounds the entire historic center.
After reading this post about how to go from Madrid to Segovia we suggest you prepare your routes around the city with this guide of what to do in Ávila in one day and this list of places to visit in Ávila essential.
A more comfortable and interesting way to visit all these places, learning its history, is to book some of the best getaways near Madrid:
More tours and excursions in Madrid here
Aqueduct of Segovia
10. More tips for traveling to Madrid
Other of the best tips for traveling to Madrid They are:
- In the most recommended restaurants in Madrid we recommend you call ahead to reserve a table, especially if it is for dinner.
- Check if it is profitable to buy the Explorer Pass tourist card that allows you to save up to 40% on tickets to the main attractions of Madrid
- Go shopping on Fuencarral and Gran Vía streets if you are looking for large national and international brands or for the Chueca and Malasaña neighborhoods, for more original pieces.
- Book tickets to see a musical in an emblematic theater such as the Lion King, Billy Elliot or Anastasia, among others.
- Be careful in the subway and other tourist spots with pickpockets.
The Lion King
Do you want to organize a trip to Madrid?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Madrid here
The best hotels at the best prices in Madrid here
Book the best tours and excursions in Madrid in Spanish here
The 5 best tours and excursions in Madrid
Rent your car in Madrid at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
The best offers of Flights to Madrid here
The best hotels at the best prices in Madrid here
Book the best tours and excursions in Madrid in Spanish here
The 5 best tours and excursions in Madrid
Rent your car in Madrid at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount hereIf you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 essential tips for traveling to Madrid, add yours in the comments.
