Things to do in Madrid
Museums and galleries, attractions, special things to do
Madrid's “Golden Triangle” of The Prado Museum, Reina Sofia Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum on the Paseo del Arte warrant several days' exploration. The lesser known Lázaro Galdiano Museum in Salamanca and Museum of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Arts in the Centre offer similar quality without the crowds. Explore the Old Town on foot, from Plaza Mayor to the Royal Palace. Several museums are closed on Monday.
Museums and Galleries
Expand all1. Reina Sofía Museum - Home of Picasso's Guernica
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A modern-art extravaganza, the Reina Sofía Museum in Paseo del Arte is home to Picasso's world-renowned Guernica, as well as works by Dalí, Miró and Juan Gris. The museum grew substantially with the opening of Jean Nouvel's extension in 2005.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€6; concessions €3; free Sat 2.30pm-9pm; Sun 10am-2.30pm
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm; Sun 10am-2.30pm
Address
52 Calle Santa Isabel , Madrid 28012
Telephone
+34 91 774 10 00
2. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum - Centuries of European art
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The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, in Paseo del Arte, includes works collected by Baron Thyssen and his wife Carmen Cervera. They highlight the most significant artists and European art movements of the last 700 years as well as modern American art.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Permanent collection €6; concessions €4
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 10am-7pm
Address
Palacio de Villahermosa, 8 Paseo del Prado, Madrid 28014
Telephone
+34 91 369 0151
3. Sorolla Museum - Valencian artist's former home
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The Sorolla Museum, located in Chamberi, is a typical Andalusian-style house and the former home and studio of Valencian artist Joaquín Sorolla Bastida. Alongside Sorolla's Impressionist paintings, the museum exhibits work by Benlliure, Rodin and Bloy.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€2.40; concessions €1.20; Sun free
Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 9.30am-3pm; Sun 10am-3pm
Address
37 Calle General Martínez Campos, Madrid 28010
Telephone
+34 91 310 1584
4. The Prado Museum - Spanish master paintings
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The Prado Museum in the Paseo del Arte, contains an unrivalled Spanish art collection, including Goya's The Third of May and Velázquez' Las Meninas. It also has several Italian and Flemish paintings, such as Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€6; concessions €3; Tue-Sat 6pm-8pm & Sun free
Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 9am-8pm; Sun 5pm-8pm
Address
Paseo del Prado, Madrid 28014
Telephone
+34 91 330 28 00 / +34 91 330 29 00
5. Lázaro Galdiano Museum - Spanish and Flemish masters
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The Lázaro Galdiano Museum houses prized paintings by Spanish, Flemish and English masters. Located in the exclusive Salamanca neighbourhood, highlights of the museum include two Goya paintings of witches and Bosch's St John the Baptist in the Wilderness.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€4; concessions €3
Opening Hours
Wed-Mon 10am-4.30pm
Address
122 Calle Serrano, Madrid 28006
Telephone
+34 91 561 6084
6. Museum of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Arts - Art school museum
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Former San Fernando Royal Academy of Arts students include Dalí, who was expelled, and Picasso. He didn't excel either but did leave some sketches behind, held in the city centre Museum along with works by Goya, Sorrolla and Rubens.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€3; concessions €1.50; students free
Opening Hours
Mon 9am-2.30pm; Tue-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 9-2.30pm; & 4pm-7pm
Address
13 Calle Alcalá, Madrid 28014
Telephone
+34 91 524 08 64
Attractions
Expand all7. Royal Palace - Neoclassical masterpiece
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The Royal Palace in the Old Town is a Neoclassical masterpiece built by Italian architects Juvarra and Sacchetti. Inside are a maze of lavishly decorated chambers. Highlights include ceiling frescoes by Mengs and Tiepelo and Goya's brutally honest royal portraits.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€10; concessions €3.50-€6
Opening Hours
Apr-Sep daily 9am-6pm (until 3pm Sun); Oc-Mar daily 9.30am-5pm (until 2pm Sun)
Address
Calle Bailén , 28071, Madrid
Telephone
+34 91 454 8800
8. Society of Spanish Writers and Editors - Catalan modernism in Madrid
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The Society of Spanish Writers and Editors' building is an example of Catalan modernism, a rarity in Madrid and marvellously out of place in Chueca neighbourhood. José Grases Riera's creation resembles a wedding cake that hasn't quite set properly.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
24 hours daily
Address
4 Calle Fernando VI, Madrid 28004
Telephone
+34 91 349 9550
9. San Antonio de la Florida Hermitage - Exquisite Goya frescoes
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San Antonio de la Florida Hermitage by River Manzanares is an exquisite 18th-century chapel and final resting place of great Spanish artist Goya. The elaborate ceiling frescoes depicting a miracle by Saint Anthony of Padua are among Goya's greatest works.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Tue-Fri 10am-2pm & 4pm-8pm
Address
5 Glorieta de la Florida, Madrid 28008
Telephone
+34 91 542 0722
10. Descalzas Reales Monastery - Art in a convent
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Descalzas Reales Monastery, located close to the Plaza del Sol, was founded in 1564 and is still active today. It is an oasis of calm filled with art treasures, including elaborate floor-to-ceiling frescoes and paintings by Murillo, Rubens and Titian.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€5; concessions €4, €2.50
Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 10.30am-12.45pm; Tue-Thu & Sat 4pm-5.45pm; Sun 11am-1.45pm
Address
3 Plaza de las Descalzas Reales, Madrid 28013
Telephone
+34 91 542 0059
11. Plaza Mayor - Old Town's main square
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Once market square, Plaza Mayor became the Old-Town hub in the 17th century. Its uniform architecture is dominated by the Casa de la Panadería, whose bright frescoes only date to 1992. There's a coin and stamp market here on Sundays.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Address
Madrid 28012
Transport
Sol or Opera metro
12. San Francisco El Grande Basilica - Giant dome
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Located in La Latina, the beautifully restored San Francisco El Grande Basilica boasts one of the world's largest domes. Goya's depiction of St Bernardino of Siena is in the first chapel on the left with Goya himself looking on.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free; small fee for tours
Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 11am-1pm & 4pm-6.30pm
Address
Plaza de San Francisco El Grande, San Buenaventura, Madrid 28005
Telephone
+34 91 365 38 00
Transport
La Latina metro
Special things to do
Expand all13. Parque del Buen Retiro - City-centre park
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Buen Retiro Park ("The Retiro"), near The Prado Museum, is a large 17th-century French-style garden. Highlights include the Alfonso XII Monument overlooking the boating lake, the Crystal Palace, Velázquez Palace and the Fountain of the Falling Angel statue depicting Satan.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 6.30am-10.30pm
Address
Madrid 28009
Transport
Banco de España metro
14. Plaza de España - Franco's towers
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Plaza de España is dominated by two contrasting buildings, the Soviet-style Edificio de España and Benidorm-style Torre de Madrid from the Franco era. There's also a striking statue of Cervantes watching over his legendary characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
24 hours daily
Address
Madrid 28008
Transport
Plaza de España metro
15. KIO Towers - Madrid's leaning towers
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Also known as the Gate of Europe, the leaning KIO Towers on Castellana resemble a pair of designer stereo speakers. Originally planned to symbolise Spain's new economic dawn in the early 1980s, they were finally finished in 1996.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
24 hours daily
Address
Plaza de Castilla, Madrid 28046
Transport
Plaza de Castilla metro
