Guides
Madrid Travel Guides
Expert essays and deep dives into the culture, history, and food of Madrid.
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Christmas in Madrid: What to Expect
"The Spanish Christmas peaks twice: once on 24 December, and again on 6 January, when the presents actually arrive."
March · April · May
Madrid in Spring
"Mild days, blooming jacarandas on Paseo del Prado, and Madrid's biggest street festival closing out the season."
June · July · August
Madrid in Summer
"Punishing midday heat, a city that moves outdoors after dark, and rooftop terraces at their absolute best."
September · October · November
Madrid in Autumn
"The heat breaks, the crowds thin, and heartier menus make a comeback."
December · January · February
Madrid in Winter
"Cold, clear skies over the sierra, festive markets in Plaza Mayor, and the year's thinnest queues at every major sight."
Madrid Royal Palace: The Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about visiting the Royal Palace of Madrid: tickets, state rooms, the Changing of the Guard, and how to avoid the queues.
Museo del Prado: The Complete Guide
How to visit the Prado Museum without wasting your visit: free hours, must-see rooms, and how it fits with the rest of Madrid's Golden Triangle of Art.
Madrid Museums: A Complete Guide
Which Madrid museums are worth your time: the Golden Triangle of Art, house museums, and free-entry windows, ranked and explained.
La Latina Guide: Madrid's Tapas Quarter
How to spend a day and night in La Latina: Cava Baja's tapas bars, El Rastro market, and Madrid's oldest streets.
Best Tapas & Vermouth Bars in Madrid
Where to find Madrid's best tapas and vermouth culture: from century-old bodegas to the modern tapeo scene, bar by bar.
Madrid Food Guide: Where to Eat
From centuries-old tabernas to Michelin-starred tasting menus: where to eat in Madrid across every budget and neighbourhood.
Madrid Airport Transfers: Complete Guide
Every way to get from Madrid-Barajas Airport into the city: Metro, Airport Express bus, taxi, and private transfer, with real prices and journey times.
Getting Around Madrid: Complete Transport Guide
How to get around Madrid: Metro, buses, walking distances between neighbourhoods, and when a taxi actually makes sense.
One Day in Madrid: The Perfect Itinerary
A realistic one-day Madrid itinerary: Royal Palace in the morning, the Golden Triangle of Art at midday, tapas in La Latina by night.
Malasaña Guide: Madrid's Coolest Neighbourhood
How to spend a day and night in Malasaña: vintage shopping, La Movida history, natural wine bars, and where the Madrid nightlife scene actually started.
Best Day Trips from Madrid
Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, and Ávila: the best day trips from Madrid by high-speed train, each doable in a single day.
Digital Nomads in Madrid: A Practical Guide
Working remotely from Madrid: coworking spaces, café culture, internet speed, cost of living, and which neighbourhoods suit a longer stay.
Madrid Fashion & Shopping Guide
Where to shop in Madrid: Salamanca's Golden Mile, Gran Vía flagships, Malasaña vintage, and El Rastro's flea market bargains.
Madrid Nightlife Areas: Where to Go Out
Madrid's best nightlife neighbourhoods: Malasaña for indie bars, Chueca for LGBTQ+ nightlife, Huertas for jazz, and where the superclubs are.
Best Churros in Madrid
Where to find Madrid's best churros con chocolate: the 24-hour institutions, the neighbourhood favourites, and how to order like a local.
Where to Shop in Madrid: Markets Guide
Madrid's best markets: Mercado de San Miguel's gourmet tapas, El Rastro's Sunday flea market, and the neighbourhood food halls locals actually use.
Best Cocido Madrileño in Madrid
Where to find the definitive Madrid stew (cocido madrileño), cooked the traditional way and served in its classic three courses.
Madrid's Best Rooftop Bars
Six of Madrid's best rooftop bars and terraces, from the iconic Círculo de Bellas Artes view to the city's highest rooftop at Riu Plaza España, with hours, prices, and how to get in.
Where to Stay in Madrid: Best Areas
Which Madrid neighbourhood to stay in: Sol for first-timers, Malasaña for nightlife, Salamanca for quiet, La Latina for tapas, and what each trades off.
Free Things to Do in Madrid
Madrid's best free sights and free museum hours: the Prado after 18:00, Templo de Debod at sunset, Retiro, El Rastro and more that costs nothing at all.
Best Flamenco Shows in Madrid
Where to see real flamenco in Madrid: the historic tablaos, what shows cost, when to book, and how to tell a serious venue from a tourist trap.
Madrid with Kids: A Family Guide
Madrid with children: Retiro rowboats, the Bernabéu tour, churros at San Ginés, and how to time a family day around Spanish meal and nap hours.
Retiro Park: The Complete Guide
El Retiro in Madrid: the Palacio de Cristal, the rowing lake, the Rosaleda, opening hours, which gate to use, and how to pair the park with the Prado.
Football in Madrid: Stadiums & Tickets
Watching football in Madrid: Bernabéu and Metropolitano stadium tours, how to buy match tickets, what they cost, and what to expect on a matchday.
Chueca Guide: LGBTQ+ Madrid
Chueca, Madrid's LGBTQ+ heart: the bars, restaurants and Pride celebrations, plus what the neighbourhood is actually like the rest of the year.
Menú del Día: Madrid's Set Lunch
Madrid's weekday set lunch explained: what the three courses include, what it should cost, the hours it runs, and how to tell a good one from a trap.
Usera: Madrid's Chinatown
Madrid's Chinatown is in Usera, south of the river. What to eat on Calle Nicolás Sánchez, why the cooking is Zhejiang not generic, and how to get there.
Madrid on a Monday: What's Open
Madrid's big museums close on three different days, not the one you expect. The closing-day table, the free-entry windows, and what to do instead.
Madrid's Century-Old Shops
More than 170 Madrid shops have traded for over a century, each marked by a bronze plaque. A walkable route through the best comercios centenarios.
Lavapiés: Multicultural Madrid
Lavapiés is Madrid's most mixed barrio: corralas, La Tabacalera, Calle Argumosa. What to eat, what to see, and an honest note on the atmosphere.
Shakira in Madrid, October 2026: The Final Shows, Venue & Travel Guide
Shakira's Madrid residency ends with two final shows, Oct 11 and the newly added Oct 12. Here's the venue, how to get there, and how to plan a trip around it.
Museo Reina Sofía: The Complete Guide
How to visit Madrid's Reina Sofía: the Guernica room, free-entry hours, the museum's one unusual closing day, and how it fits with the rest of the Golden Triangle.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza: The Complete Guide
How to visit Madrid's Thyssen-Bornemisza: the one Golden Triangle museum you can see start to finish in order, free-entry hours, and why it's usually the quietest.
Sol & Centro Guide: Madrid's Kilometre Zero
What's actually in Madrid's historic centre: Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, and why it's the right base for a first visit even though almost nobody who lives in Madrid eats there.
Salamanca Guide: Madrid's Elegant Grid
Madrid's upscale Salamanca district: the Golden Mile's flagship stores, two of the city's most ambitious restaurants, and why it suits a calmer, less budget-driven trip.
Puente de Vallecas Guide: Madrid Without the Postcard
Why Puente de Vallecas is worth a visit if you want working-class Madrid, street art, and Rayo Vallecano's matchday atmosphere, and who should skip it.