Madrid Travel Guide: 10 Great Ways to Enjoy the Spanish Capital

Madrid moves to its own rhythm. Mornings start slowly, lunch runs well into the afternoon and the city only really comes alive after dark. In between, it has some of the world's greatest art museums, elegant boulevards and a food scene to rival anywhere in Spain.

Art and history

1. The Prado

One of the world's great art museums, with masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens and Bosch. Don't try to see it all: pick a few highlights such as Las Meninas and The Garden of Earthly Delights. Book a timed ticket online.

2. The Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza

Together with the Prado, these make up Madrid's "Golden Triangle of Art" along the Paseo del Prado. The Reina Sofía holds Picasso's Guernica and modern Spanish art; the Thyssen fills the gaps with a private collection that runs from the Renaissance to Pop Art. A combined ticket, the Paseo del Arte card, covers all three.

3. The Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral

The official residence of the Spanish royal family (used today for ceremonies) has more than 3,000 rooms; the tour takes in the grandest. Next door, the Almudena Cathedral and the Sabatini Gardens are free to visit, and the Templo de Debod, an Egyptian temple rebuilt in a park nearby, is the best place in the city to watch the sunset.

4. Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol

Plaza Mayor, an arcaded square dating from the 17th century, is the historic heart of the old town. A short walk away, Puerta del Sol has the "Kilometre Zero" marker from which Spain's roads are measured, and the clock that Spaniards watch at New Year.

Parks and neighbourhoods

5. Retiro Park

Madrid's green lung was once a royal garden. Rent a rowing boat on the lake, visit the Crystal Palace – a 19th-century glasshouse used for art exhibitions – and join the locals strolling on Sunday afternoons.

6. Malasaña, Chueca and La Latina

Each neighbourhood has its own character: Malasaña is young and alternative, Chueca is lively and stylish, and La Latina is the place for a tapas crawl along Calle Cava Baja. On Sunday mornings, the El Rastro flea market fills the streets nearby.

Food and nightlife

7. Go on a tapas crawl

Order a drink and a small plate in each bar, then move on. Try patatas bravas, croquetas, jamón ibérico and a bocadillo de calamares (a fried squid sandwich), Madrid's favourite snack. The Mercado de San Miguel near Plaza Mayor is touristy but a good place to try many things at once.

8. Chocolate con churros

A Madrid ritual, especially late at night or on a cold morning. Thick hot chocolate with crisp fried dough – the classic address is San Ginés, open around the clock near Puerta del Sol.

9. See a flamenco show

Flamenco is from Andalusia, but Madrid has some of the best venues in Spain, known as tablaos. Book ahead and choose a smaller venue for a more intense performance.

Beyond the city

10. Day trips to Toledo, Segovia and El Escorial

High-speed trains reach Toledo, the medieval "city of three cultures", in about half an hour. Segovia, with its Roman aqueduct and fairytale Alcázar, is equally easy, and El Escorial, Philip II's vast monastery-palace, is reached by suburban train.

Getting around

Madrid-Barajas Airport is linked to the centre by metro, suburban train and an express bus. The metro is fast and cheap, and the old town is easy to explore on foot.