Itinerary
What to See in Madrid in 1 Day
A 7.2 km walking route with 9 stops: Madrid de los Austrias in the morning, the Prado in the afternoon and the Retiro at sunset
You can see the essentials of Madrid in one day without taking the metro. The route starts at Puerta del Sol, crosses Plaza Mayor to the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral, stops for lunch near Mercado de San Miguel and heads down through the Barrio de las Letras to the Prado Museum. It ends at the Retiro and Gran Vía after dark.
The day at a glance
- 9:001. Puerta del Sol
- 9:202. Plaza Mayor
- 10:003. Royal Palace
- 11:454. Almudena Cathedral
- 12:305. Mercado de San Miguel
- 13:456. Barrio de las Letras
- 14:457. Prado Museum
- At sunset8. Retiro Park
- 19:009. Cibeles and Gran Vía
Before you go
- Book a time slot for the Royal Palace and the Prado: these are the two longest visits of the day and the best slots sell out on weekends.
- The Prado is free from Monday to Saturday from 18:00 to 20:00 and on Sundays from 17:00 to 19:00, but queues are long: pay to see it at your own pace.
- Wear comfortable shoes: it is about a 7.2 km walk, not counting the walking inside the palace and the museum.
- Watch out for pickpockets in Sol, Plaza Mayor and on the metro: wear your backpack on your front and keep your mobile phone tucked away.
Morning
1. Puerta del Sol
Free
Puerta del Sol
9:00 · 15 min
The centre of Madrid and Spain: on the ground, in front of the Real Casa de Correos, is the kilometre zero plaque for the radial roads. Its tower clock chimes in the New Year, and on the corner with Calle del Carmen is the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the symbol of the city.
Tip: First thing in the morning the square is quiet and it is easy to take a photo of kilometre zero. Sol is also a major metro and Cercanías hub: a good starting point if you are staying outside the centre.
Next stop: 5 min walk (0.4 km)
2. Plaza Mayor
Free
Plaza Mayor
9:20 · 20 min
The grand arcaded square of the Habsburgs, finished in 1619 and rebuilt several times after fires. In the centre stands the equestrian statue of Philip III; on the north side, the Casa de la Panadería with its painted façade. It was once a market, a bullring and the setting for autos-da-fé.
Tip: Leave through the Arco de Cuchilleros to see the staircase and the towering houses of Cava de San Miguel. The terraces in the square are expensive: it is better to grab a coffee in the surrounding streets.
Next stop: 13 min walk (1.0 km)
3. Royal Palace
18 €; with the Royal Collections Gallery, 24 €
Calle de Bailén, s/n
10:00 · 1 h 30 min
Best to book a timed ticket
The official residence of the Spanish royals, built in the 18th century on the site of the old Alcázar, which burned down in 1734. It is one of the largest royal palaces in Europe: you can visit the Throne Room, Tiepolo's ceilings, the Royal Armoury and the Royal Pharmacy.
Tip: Book a timed ticket on the Patrimonio Nacional website and arrive at opening time. From October to March it is open from 10:00 to 18:00 (Sundays until 16:00). EU citizens and residents enter for free from Monday to Thursday afternoons, but expect queues.
Next stop: 3 min walk (0.2 km)
4. Almudena Cathedral
Free entry; museum and dome, paid
Calle de Bailén, 10
11:45 · 30 min
Madrid's cathedral, opposite the palace, took over a century to finish: it was started in 1883 and consecrated in 1993. The exterior is neoclassical, matching the palace; the interior is neo-Gothic, with brightly painted ceilings that surprise almost everyone.
Tip: The neo-Romanesque crypt has its own entrance on Cuesta de la Vega. If you want views, the cathedral museum includes a climb up to the dome, with the palace and Casa de Campo at your feet.
Next stop: 8 min walk (0.6 km)
Midday
5. Mercado de San Miguel
Free entry
Plaza de San Miguel, s/n
12:30 · 1 h
An early 20th-century iron and glass market next to Plaza Mayor, now converted into a gastronomic market: oysters, croquettes, ham, vermouth and small plates to nibble on from stall to stall.
Tip: It is convenient but expensive and gets crowded at midday. If you prefer to sit down, the streets between Plaza Mayor and Sol are full of traditional tapas bars.
Next stop: 12 min walk (0.9 km)
Afternoon
6. Barrio de las Letras
Free
Plaza de Santa Ana
13:45 · 45 min
Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Quevedo and Góngora lived here. From Plaza de Santa Ana, Calle de las Huertas heads down towards the Prado with verses by classic authors written on the ground. Lope de Vega's house is on Calle Cervantes, and Cervantes' remains are in the Convento de las Trinitarias.
Tip: Walk down Calle de las Huertas looking at the ground: every few metres there is a quote in golden letters. The Lope de Vega House Museum requires booking; check their website.
Next stop: 15 min walk (1.1 km)
7. Prado Museum
15 €
Paseo del Prado, s/n
14:45 · 2 h 30 min
Best to book a timed ticket
One of the world's great art museums: Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's Black Paintings and The Third of May 1808, Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights, plus El Greco, Titian and Rubens. Two and a half hours is enough for the essentials if you go in with a list.
Tip: Buy a timed ticket on the official website. It is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00 and Sundays and bank holidays until 19:00. Entry is free from Monday to Saturday from 18:00 to 20:00 and on Sundays from 17:00 to 19:00, but expect queues.
Next stop: 17 min walk (1.3 km)
Sunset and night
8. Retiro Park
Free
Plaza de la Independencia, 7
At sunset · 45 min
Madrid's great park, a former royal recreation garden and, since 2021, part of the Landscape of Light World Heritage site alongside the Paseo del Prado. The large lake, with its monument to Alfonso XII and rowing boats, is the perfect spot to watch the sun go down.
Tip: The Palacio de Cristal, five minutes from the lake, is free to visit. Leave through the Puerta de la Independencia to walk past the Puerta de Alcalá. The park closes during high wind alerts.
Next stop: 23 min walk (1.7 km)
9. Cibeles and Gran Vía
Free
Calle de Alcalá, 39
19:00 · As long as you like
The Cibeles fountain, opposite the former Palacio de Comunicaciones (now the City Hall), and the Metrópolis building, with its dome and golden winged statue, mark the start of Gran Vía: the avenue of cinemas, theatres, and early 20th-century buildings, which fills with light at night.
Tip: Walk up Gran Vía to Callao to see the Telefónica building and the Schweppes neon sign. For dinner, Chueca and Malasaña are just a stone's throw away, to the right of the avenue.
If you have time to spare
- Reina Sofía Museum. Picasso's Guernica and 20th-century Spanish art, a ten-minute walk from the Prado. Closed on Tuesdays; free entry from 19:00 to 21:00 (Sundays from 12:30 to 14:30).
- Temple of Debod at sunset. A real Egyptian temple in a park next to Plaza de España, offering one of the best sunsets in Madrid. Free.
- Royal Collections Gallery. Royal tapestries, paintings, carriages, and armour in a new building next to the Royal Palace. Combined ticket with the palace for 24 €.
More itineraries in Madrid
Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Puerta del Sol (Matt Joseph, CC BY-SA 4.0); Plaza Mayor (Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0); Royal Palace (Basilio, CC BY-SA 4.0); Almudena Cathedral (Fernando, CC BY-SA 4.0); Mercado de San Miguel (Juan Antonio Flores Segal from Madrid (Spain), CC BY 2.0); Barrio de las Letras (Gerda Arendt, CC0); Prado Museum (Emilio J. Rodríguez Posada, CC BY-SA 2.0); Retiro Park (Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0); Cibeles and Gran Vía (El fosilmaníaco, CC BY-SA 3.0).