WHAT TO SEE IN MADRID · YOUR STAY GUIDE

What to see in Madrid
in 1, 2 or 3 days

Discover the essentials without buying admission tickets. Follow the first-day route, then add parks, neighbourhoods and squares if you stay longer. Guided activities are optional.

Free self-guided outdoor route

No booking or paid activity is needed to follow these routes. Food, transport, admission tickets and shopping are separate expenses.

Make this walk work for you

Only a couple of hours?

Choose the Sol–Plaza Mayor–Plaza de la Villa stretch. Leave indoor visits for another day and start at the stop closest to you.

Walking and Metro

Use the Metro to reach your starting point or return after the walk. Keep nearby stops together instead of returning to the start between visits. Check your connection and service updates before leaving.

Open the Metro map

With children or tired feet

Pick two or three stops and leave time for breaks. You do not need to finish the whole route. The map is a planning aid, not an accessibility assessment.

Family ideas

Follow the walk, one stop at a time

Do I need to pay or book?

The outdoor walk is free to follow independently. Transport, meals and indoor tickets are separate. Optional guided activities have their own booking conditions.

What if it rains?

Shorten the outdoor walk and choose an indoor visit with confirmed opening hours and availability. Rainy-day alternatives.

DAY 1

From Alcalá to historic Madrid

Puerta de Alcalá · Cibeles · Sol · Plaza Mayor · Plaza de Oriente

Allow a long morning or a relaxed day with a lunch break. The full route is roughly 3 km; your pace depends on how often you stop.

Puerta de Alcalá
Fernando Pascullo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Start at Plaza de la Independencia. Look at the gate from the pavements, then follow Calle de Alcalá towards Cibeles.
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Cibeles
Carlos Delgado · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Pause to see the fountain and the façade of Cibeles Palace. Continue along Calle de Alcalá towards Sol. There is no need to go inside any building.
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Calle de Alcalá
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Walk towards Sevilla and Sol. Near the start of Gran Vía, look up at the Metrópolis building and enjoy the surrounding façades.
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Puerta del Sol
Matt Joseph · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Look for the Bear and the Strawberry Tree statue, the Casa de Correos clock and the Kilometre Zero plaque. Step aside from busy walking routes when stopping for a photo.
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Plaza Mayor
Jorge Franganillo · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Follow Calle Mayor from Sol and enter the square through one of its access streets. Walk under the arcades and take a break. The arcades make a good spot for a short break.
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Plaza de la Villa
karel291 · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Return towards Calle Mayor and continue to this small historic square, a brief stop before the final stretch.
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Almudena Cathedral and Plaza de Oriente
Sammy pompon · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Continue along Mayor towards Bailén to see the outside of Almudena Cathedral and the Royal Palace. Finish in Plaza de Oriente. This route does not include entry to either building.
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OPTIONAL GUIDED VISIT
Guided visit to the Royal Palace
The walk ends outside the palace. If you want to see the interior with a guide, check the available visits.
From €36.27 · 1h 30m - 2h
Check dates on CivitatisIndicative price checked 7 October 2026. Confirm language, inclusions and final price. Affiliate link; opens a new tab.

DAY 2

A day of parks and easy walks

El Retiro · Paseo del Prado · Literary Quarter

A flexible half-day plan that you can extend with breaks.

El Retiro
Max Alexander / PromoMadrid · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Walk around the park and the large boating lake. Enjoying the park needs no admission ticket; renting a boat is a separate paid activity. Check for weather-related closures.
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Paseo del Prado
tnarik from Spain · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Head towards Paseo del Prado to see the promenade and the outside of the Prado Museum. Visiting the area does not require a museum ticket. Plan a gallery visit separately if you want one.
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OPTIONAL GUIDED VISIT
Guided visit to the Prado Museum
For a visit inside the museum, check the guided tour and its meeting time before planning the rest of your day.
From €28.12 · 1h 30m
Check dates on CivitatisIndicative price checked 7 October 2026. Confirm language, inclusions and final price. Affiliate link; opens a new tab.
Literary Quarter
Luis García (Zaqarbal) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Continue towards Calle de Huertas and Plaza de Santa Ana. Enjoy the streets and choose a place to rest that suits your budget.
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DAY 3

Gran Vía and a relaxed afternoon

Gran Vía · Callao · Plaza de España · Debod surroundings

A morning or afternoon walk; adapt the distance to your energy.

Gran Vía and Callao
Diriye Amey from Locarno, Switzerland · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Start where Alcalá meets Gran Vía and walk towards Callao. Enjoy the buildings and theatre signs without needing to shop or book a show.
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Plaza de España
Carlos Delgado · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Continue along Gran Vía to Plaza de España. Take a break before deciding whether to keep walking.
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Around the Temple of Debod
Matt Joseph · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
If you feel like continuing, head towards Parque de la Montaña to see the temple from outside. This stop is outdoors; check access to the park before you go.
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