Madrid

Understand

Madrid has over 3.4 million residents within the city limits and 7 million people live in the autonomous Community of Madrid region (as of 2025).

Location

Madrid is just northeast of the geographical centre of the Iberian Peninsula, in the middle of the Spanish central Castillian plateau (Meseta central), at an average altitude of 650 m (2,130 ft). Nearly all of the most famous tourist areas are in the centre of the city including Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, and Plaza de Colón. The major streets in Madrid include the Gran Via, Alcalá Street, and Paseo de la Castellana.

Climate

The climate of Madrid is continental, mainly dry and quite extreme at times. Madrid experiences a characteristically hot and dry summer, along with a fairly cold winter with frequent frosts during the night and occasional snowfalls. Spring and autumn are generally mild with the most rainfall concentrated in these seasons. Spring and autumn are definitely the best times to visit, especially the months of April, May, June, September and October. There is very little rainfall during summer and also less rainfall during winter. During winter, snow occurs sporadically; however, snow usually lasts only for a few days, but there is abundant snowfall in the adjacent mountain ranges nearby.

Getting there

By plane

Main article: Madrid–Barajas Airport 1 Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD IATA). All commercial flights into Madrid use this airport, which is 13 km north-east of the city. There are direct flights from most major cities in Spain and across Europe, several from the Americas as well as a few African and Asian connections. There are two terminal complexes, widely separated: Terminals 1, 2 & 3, and Terminals T4 & T4S. To transfer between them land-side use the free shuttle bus. It runs 24 hours, every 5 min daytime, and takes 10 min between T1 and T4. You can also take it just between T1, T2 and T3, but it's as quick to walk. Between T4 and T4S, use the automated train. The metro also connects the two complexes but you'd have to buy a ticket for €3. There are other transfers air-side for connecting passengers, enquire at the airline transfer desk, but they will probably involve collecting your checked bags in the hall and lumping them onto an internal navette to the other complex. All the terminals have the usual full range of passenger facilities land- and air-side. (updated May 2018) Madrid has two smaller airfields, Torrejón and Cuatro Vientos, but they have no commercial flights.

To and from the airport

During the day, Metro a popular best way to reach city centre. Line 8 (pink) runs from Nuevos Ministerios to Terminals 1,2&3, Barajas town (no airport here, don't get off!) and T4. It runs from 06:00 to 01:30, taking 15 min from city to T123 and another 5 min to T4. The single fare is €5. See "Get around" for other ticket options. The Cercanías (renfe) regional train service C-1 & C-10 lines run between T4 and Atocha, without needing to change trains or paying the metro airport supplement. Tickets are issued on a "+ renfe & tú" reusable card. You can transfer between T4 and other terminals on the free inter-terminal bus. If taxis are your thing, there is always an armada of them readily available. There is a fixed fare of €33 for trips between the airport and central Madrid (defined as any point in Madrid inside the M-30 expressway). Buses between city centre and airport are:

Exprés Aeropuerto bus 203 runs from Atocha (& Cibeles) to T1,2 & T4, 06:00-23:30 every 15-20 min, taking 30 min. Bus 200 runs from Avenida de America transport hub to T1,2 & T4 (but T3 only city-bound, not outbound), 05:00-23:30 every 10-20 min. At night bus N27 runs every 35 min from Cibeles to T1,2 & T4 and is the only public transport option. Direct buses elsewhere include: Bus 101 from Canillejas transport hub (Canillejas 5 ,) east edge of the city, to T1,2 (T3 only city-bound, not outbound). Bus 822 from Coslada and San Fernando de Henares, just south of the airport, to T1. Bus 824 from Alcalá de Henares and Torrejón to the east, to T1,2. Bus 827 & 828 from the Autonomous University and Alcobendas, to T4. Avanza buses run to T1 from Avila and Salamanca. Alsa buses run to T4 from Zaragoza, Barcelona, Valladolid, León, Murcia, Alicante, Gijón, Oviedo, Lugo, Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, Burgos, Vitoria, San Sebastián, Santander, Bilbao, Logroño and Pamplona. Socibus run to T1 from Andalusia, e.g. Córdoba, Cádiz, Jerez and Sevilla.

Getting around

By public transit

Madrid proudly sports one of the best public transportation networks in the world and the second largest metro network in Europe after London's. Buses and subways work with the same tickets, and operate within the integrated transit network of 6 CRTM (Plaza del Descubridor Diego de Ordás 3, M-F 08:00-20:00). With that said, be aware that Madrid's transportation infrastructure can appear complicated and daunting at first, so take extra time to know where to go and how to get there because it will not be as simple as in other European cities or what your map app is telling you. A single ticket for Zone A costs €1.50 (max. 5 stations), but the cost goes up to €2 if you go more than 10 stations, and can be purchased from metro ticket vending machines or directly from the bus driver on entry. A ten-trip ticket Metrobús (10 viajes) costs €12.20 (€6.10 until July 2025) for Zone A (no transfers from one mode of transportation to another allowed); these tickets can be shared with other travellers. Children under the age of 4 may travel without a ticket, and children under 11 receive a 50% discount. Tickets can be purchased at metro stations, newsstands, and tobacconists. There are no longer any paper tickets in use in Madrid so, if you do not already have one, you will need to purchase a Multi Card which is a reloadable, contactless card for €2.50 (Jan 2025). It is an anonymous card so can be used for multiple people by passing back the card to the next person in your group. These card support most ticket types except season & concessionary. The Multi Card does not support local rail travel except the tourist tickets. If you plan to use public transport a lot you can purchase a Tourist Ticket, which allows unlimited travel as well as discounted admission for some tourist attractions. The card can be purchased at any metro station, as well as at the CRTM headquarters. For travel within Zone A the following rates apply: 1 day (€10), 2 days (€17.00), 3 days (€22.50), 5 days (€32.50), or 7 days (€41.00). These tickets are personalised so cannot be shared. They can be used on local rail (Cercanías) in the area of validity. If you're planning on staying for a long time, you might consider investing into the personalised Tarjeta Transporte Público. You can load season tickets onto them according to your age – regular (adult), joven (youth) or mayor (senior). Application must be made in advance at any metro station with a completed application and a copy of your passport. The season tickets can be loaded from any metro vending machine. The public transport system supports contactless payment. Simply tap your bank card or phone to enter and exit.

Metro

The Metro de Madrid (Madrid's subway/underground) is one of the best and least expensive metros in Europe. The underground tunnels can provide relief from the sun on hot days. Ticket machines are multi-lingual with instructions Spanish; you can change the language to English by pressing the circular button with several flags in it. Swiping the smartcard once allows you to use the metro network as long and far as you like – but make sure you stay inside the Metro zone A, as once you leave it you'll have to swipe your smartcard again. If you are travelling in the city centre, then multiple people can tap in using the same Multi card; they don’t have to buy their own individual card. However, some outlying stations as well as airport stations have another check at the exit where you have to "tap out" because the fare from central Madrid is higher. Should you go there more than once, buy the "ten trip all network" ticket (which is slightly more expensive than the "ten trip central area" ticket) or a day ticket. When you travel to/from airport stations, there is additional supplement of €3, which can be paid at the entrance or exit. The tourist tickets do not require this supplement as it is included in the price. Generally the Metro operates daily from 06:00-01:30, although you can catch some trains as late as 02:00. Frequencies range from 2-4 minutes during rush hour to up to 15 minutes from midnight onwards. Bicycles are permitted on the Metro during most periods except during rush hour, generally M-F 07:30-09:30, 14:00-16:00, and 18:00-20:00. Pets in carriers and dogs are also permitted. Pickpockets are rife on the metro, and travellers should take appropriate precautions. Announcements in Metro trains and stations are made in Spanish only (except on line 8 from the airport), though some signs are bilingual in Spanish and English.

Bus

Whatever the Metro doesn't cover, EMT buses do. Generally buses run 06:00-24:00. Búho (owl) night buses have their main hub at 7 Plaza de Cibeles, covering most of the city at roughly 20-minute intervals. All buses are equipped with free Wi-Fi facility (EMTmadrid), easy to use with any type of laptop or mobile device. For travellers with smartphones, there is a helpful official EMT app for iPhone and Android with a route planner and schedules.

See

Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles Madrid is one of the top addresses in the world for art, both contemporary and not-so-contemporary, with Goya's most famous works in the Prado, Picasso's Guernica in the Reina Sofía and countless other works in those two museums and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. The Prado goes back to the royal art collection which - for a nation that was the world's leading superpower for two centuries - is of course quite impressive. The Reina Sofía was opened to house what the Prado "had no room for" with a dividing line based on era ultimately being drawn. Besides art, Madrid also boasts some impressive architecture courtesy of kings who had access to the wealth of two continents and no qualms in spending it for extravagant royal residences. The following is a non-exclusive taste of what Madrid has to offer. Dive into the districts to find more!

1 Museum Triangle. This is Madrid's museum district, named for the three major art museums clustered along Paseo del Prado east of the old city: the Museo del Prado, one of the finest art museums in the world, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, a baron's collection of classical art, and the Reina Sofia, Madrid's modern art museum. However, a couple of smaller museums also occupy the neighbourhood which are well worth seeing as well.

2 Royal Palace. An enormous palace, one of the biggest in Europe, with scorching plains of concrete around it. Though it is the official residence of the King of Spain, the royal family does not actually reside here and it is generally used only for state ceremonies. The Royal Palace is considered to be one of the most emblematic and beautiful buildings in Madrid. 3 Plaza Mayor. Perhaps the best known plaza in Madrid, this impressive square is now one of the main stops on any tourist visit. 4 Puerta del Sol. This plaza is the heart of Madrid and one of the busiest places in the city – a hub for the local transit system, a favourite meeting spot for locals, a visible area for festivals or political demonstrations, and an opportune location for tour guides, street performers, pickpockets and anyone else looking to take advantage of all the tourists on-hand. Several of Madrid's landmarks are found here: the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the main Post Office with its iconic clock tower and Kilometre Zero of the Spanish road network. 5 Gran Vía. One of the busiest avenues in Madrid, the location of the cinema district and a number of shopping malls and is lined with large billboards and lights. 6 Plaza de Cibeles. Large roundabout in the city centre with the neoclassical Cybele Fountain and the imposing eclectic Cybele Palace. Spain's former Palace of Communications is now the seat of the municipal government). 7 Mercado de San Miguel. Sets the ambience of a traditional market, with the advantages of the new times. It has an iron and glass structure from the 20th century.

Do

Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles

Sports

Football: the men's national soccer team don't have a fixed stadium, but often play at Bernabéu and Metropolitano stadiums in Madrid. The best known clubs are Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, both based in the Northern Suburbs. They play in La Liga the top tier, and routinely qualify for European tournaments. Other teams include Rayo Vallecano in Vallecas and Getafe in the nearby suburbs, reached by Madrid Metro. Basketball: Estudiantes and Real Madrid play at Palacio de los Deportes. Fuenlabrada, based in the Madrid suburb of the same name, play at Polideportivo Fernando Martín. Rugby Union: the Spanish national XV play at Estadio Nacional Complutense on the university campus. Cisneros play there in División de Honor, the Spanish top tier. Alcobendas play near the airport, also in the top tier. Handball is also played in Madrid but no longer in the top tier, making BM Alcobendas the highest ranked team.

Cultural venues

Flamenco shows can be seen in numerous venues in Sol-Letras-Lavapiés, Moncloa and La Latina - Austrias. Opera houses are spread through the city centre. In addition, several orchestras don't have a stable/home venue to play in:

Shopping

Major credit cards and foreign bank cards are accepted in most stores, but it is common practice to be asked for photo ID (DNI). If asked for your DNI present your passport, residency permit or foreign ID card — anything with your photo and name on it will be accepted by most shopkeepers. The signatures on credit cards are usually not checked.

Shopping districts

In addition to the shopping areas below, there are also a lot of H&M, Zara, Mango, and Blanco stores all over Madrid, with high fashion clothes and accessories at a low price.

1 Sol area. The most convenient area for tourists is around Calle de Preciados and Calle del Carmen, between metro stations Sol and Gran Vía, home to the El Corte Inglés department store, high-street names like Zara, Gran Vía 32, H&M, Sephora, Pimkie. (updated Apr 2017) 2 Salamanca (Metro Serrano, Núñez de Balboa or Retiro). The most upscale shopping district is northeast of the centre, around Calle Serrano and its side-streets. Top designer names like Chanel, Versace, Hermès, Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton, Emporio Armani and Dolce & Gabbana, including the fluid fabrics and elegant cuts of Spanish designer Adolfo Domínguez, are on Calle Ortega y Gasset. Head for Calle Serrano for Purificación García, Roberto Verino, Ermenegildo Zegna, Loewe, Carolina Herrera, Manolo Blahnik, Cartier, and Yves Saint Laurent. Prada is on Goya street, and on Jorge Juan St you can find even more luxury shops. (updated Apr 2017)

Eat

Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles

Cuisine

Dishes popular throughout Spain are also widely served in Madrid. In addition, Madrid has a number of typical regional dishes:

Gallinejas and entresijos – Lamb chitterlings fried in its fat. Very traditional and typical from Madrid city.

Drink

Individual listings can be found in Madrid's district articles

Tapas bars

In the tapas bars, you should get free food with your drinks. The highest concentration of tapas bars is in La Latina and around Plaza Santa Ana in the barrio de las Letras, but you will find them all over the city, including Malasaña and Chueca as well as the western districts, where there are probably less overrun by tourists.

1 Calle Cava Baja (Metro: La Latina). This narrow street in La Latina is by far the most famous and popular place for tapas. (updated Jul 2017)

Sleep

While of course it is most convenient to have an accommodation close to the sights in the city centre, you should also consider hotels or apartments in the other districts. For example, Malasaña and Chueca are just 1 km north of the city centre, Chamberí 2 km, but the rates may already be noticeably lower. When travelling as a family or small group, you may also think about renting an apartment via AirBnB or similar sharing platforms. They are usually located in residential neighbourhoods and include a kitchen, so you can do your shopping on markets, supermarkets or alimentación stores and prepare some meals yourself. That way you may experience more of the Madrilenians' everyday life and reduce the total cost of your stay significantly. You will also find restaurants in these districts catering to locals rather than tourists.

Hostels

Cheap hostels starting from €8 for a dorm bed can be found near Plaza de España, in Lavapiés or the Sol area. There are also a bit more comfortable hostels offering single rooms for €30–40, doubles for €40–50, e.g. in Malasaña or the barrio de las Austrias.

Budget

Budget hotels and B&Bs charge around €30–60 for single, €55–100 for double rooms. Many of them can be found in the Barrio de las Letras or Chueca district.

Stay safe

Madrid is a very safe city, with some of the lowest crime rates among Europe's largest cities. The police is highly visible, and the city is equipped with cameras. There are always people in the streets, even at night time, so you can walk across the city generally without fear. Travellers who remain aware of their surroundings, and keep an eye on their belongings, should have little to worry about. For police, medical, or fire emergencies, simply call 112. Operators usually speak English.

Neighbourhoods and suburbs

As with any place on earth, there are parts of Madrid and its metropolitan area that are less appealing and, consequently, less safe than others.

The Malasaña area, located north of Gran Via, is a lively bohemian neighbourhood, but it is also known to attract seedy crowds late at night. Some districts in the south (Carabanchel, Puente De Vallecas, Villaverde) and east (Ciudad Lineal) are marginally less well-off than the rest of Madrid, and they can give off an uneasy vibe to those unfamiliar with these places. They are safer than many "bad neighbourhoods" in other western European countries, but be on your guard at night. Most places within reach of metro stations are safe. Though - or rather because - it is the wealthiest district in Madrid, Salamanca has its share of pickpockets, namely in and around the Avenida de América station. Several of Madrid's suburbs to the south (Móstoles, Alcorcón, Parla) and east (Alcalá de Henares) have fairly undeserved reputations to seediness. In reality, they are mostly safe, though it is always wise to stick to well-lit and crowded streets. The areas surrounding the Chamartin train station in the north have started seeing homeless and refugee encampments. Squatters inhabiting these encampments rarely interact with strangers and passer-by, but watch yourself at night.

Go next

While Regional and Cercanías tickets don't have to be pre-bought and don't sell out, tickets for AVE, Avant and other long distance trains sell out once all seats are gone. if you want to take a day trip to Sevilla or want to take one of the faster trains to Segovia, buy your tickets in advance. Easy day-trips from Madrid include :

Alcalá de Henares is a charming old university town, birthplace of Miguel Cervantes the author of Don Quixote. Reach it by local train within 50 min. Aranjuez has the Palacio Real, the Bourbon monarchs' summer home, and the lavish Casa del Labrador near the river. Local trains take 45 min from Atocha, 55 min from Chamartin. Ávila has the most intact walled old town in Spain, spectacular when floodlit at night. Fast trains from Chamartin take 90 min. Chinchon is a hilltop small town that retains its character from the 1700s. No train, drive or take the bus. El Escorial is a huge monastery and palace, the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Reach it within an hour by local train from Atocha or Chamartin. Near El Escorial is Spain's most controversial monument - Valle de los Caìdos. Built by Spanish republicans taken prisoner during and after the civil war, it is a gigantomanic underground church with a huge cross on top of the mountain an edifice very much in the fascist style. It is the burial place of many fallen of the civil war, and it housed the tomb of dictator Francisco Franco until October 2019. There's an infrequent public bus to the entrance, from where it's another 9 km hiking. The nearby mountains, Sierra de Guadarrama, are the setting for Peñalara Nature Park. El Pardo is a village 8 km from Madrid with the Palacio de El Pardo, which in 1739 hosted a peace conference between Spain and England. War broke out. A bus runs from Madrid Moncloa. Segovia is a medieval city perched on a hilltop, with a great Roman aqueduct leaping across the valley to bring in the water supply. It's 30 min by train from Chamartin. Toledo is a medieval walled city and former capital of Spain, with excellent architecture and artwork. It's 30 min by train from Atocha. Further afield, day-trips at a stretch but deserving at least an overnight stay, are Salamanca, Leon, Valladolid, Zaragoza and Córdoba.

More pictures of Madrid

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.