Madrid – the most interesting attractions

Madrid, the capital and largest city of Spain, is situated on the Manzanares River. It is easily accessible to tourists due to the connections by the low-cost airlines. So what is worth visiting in Madrid – TOP 5 attractions?

1. The Royal Palace (Palacio Real) with the adjoining Sabatini Gardens

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official seat of the Spanish Royal Family. However, they have not lived here since 1931, and the facility is open to tourists. If we do not plan to enter too many monuments in Madrid, it is worth choosing this palace because of its beautifully finished apartments. The route covers only some of the many halls (2,800!) of this huge building and still makes a big impression on visitors. It is worth paying attention to the Throne Room, the Gasparini Salon, or the Banquet Hall. The cost of the ticket is 12 euros. You can check the current opening hours on the Palacio Real website.

Beautiful photos of the palace can be taken from the adjoining Sabatini Gardens. It is a great green oasis where we can look for a respite from the Spanish heat.

2. Temple of Debod (Templo de Debod), Rose Garden and Teleférico

When you get off the metro in the Plaza de España, pay attention to the monumental statue of Cervantes. What interests us, however, is the Parque de la Montaña located next door. It hides a beautiful Egyptian temple from the 2nd century BC. The Temple of Debod was donated to Spain by the Egyptian government as an appreciation for helping to save the monuments of Ancient Egypt. It is an extremely charming place because the temple is reflected in the water surface. Next to it, there is also an observation point from where you can take a look at the nearby Royal Palace. This is where many tours end their walks. However, it is worth going a bit further through the park.

After a short walk (about 700 m), we will reach an exceptionally beautiful Rose Garden. Admission to it is free, and during the peak of flowering the smell is stunning. From the Rose Garden, you can take a romantic ride on the Teleférico cable car. It is a great adventure, thanks to which we will see the old town from a new perspective. Below us will be the Manzanares River Valley, and the entire route is approximately 2.5 kilometers long. It ends in the largest park in Madrid, Casa da Campo (not very interesting in terms of plants growing there, but there is an amusement park, a zoo, and an artificial lake). We can buy a one-way ticket (4.50 euro) or a return (6 euro). More information on the Teleférico website.

3. Prado Museum, Madrid

For obvious reasons, the majority of the canvas in Prado is by the Spanish painters (140 works of art by Francisco Goya, including the famous „The Nude Maja” and „The Clothed Maja”!). Although, we can also admire paintings from other countries (the Netherlands, Italy, Germany). The museum is of considerable size, spread over three floors. Among more than 35,000 exhibits in over 100 rooms, we can admire gems by Rubens, Velazquez, Raphael, Rembrandt, and Titian. The ticket price is 15 euros, admission is free from 6 pm-8 pm (Monday-Saturday) and 3 pm-5 pm (Sunday and public holidays). More information on the Prado Museum website.

4. Retiro Park

The most beautiful park in Madrid allows you to take a boat trip on the lake at the base of the monument dedicated to Alfonso XII. It is a very photogenic place.

TIP: I do not recommend eating in bars overlooking this place. We got a ready-made dish and not completely defrosted!

It is worth taking a walk around Retiro to discover the magnificent Glass Palace (Palacio de Cristal). Beautifully situated by a pond, among lush greenery, it is an example of very interesting architecture.

In the entire Retiro Park we will meet impressive specimens of trees. The perfectly trimmed ones make an impression.

If you don’t have enough greenery, the Botanical Garden adjoins the Retiro Park (admission 4 euro). Right behind it is the Atocha station. The largest train station in Spain is famous for its exotic garden and turtles.

5. Madrid – social and culinary life

If you would like to explore places popular among locals, taste the local cuisine, or just experience some evening life, you may be interested in the following suggestions:

• Plaza Mayor – under the frontages of this square you will find a lot of pubs and cafes with gardens. The square has witnessed many important events in the history of the city. It is closed with tall tenements, among which Casa de la Panadería stands out.

• San Miguel Market – located near Plaza Mayor offers a wide range of products. Famous hams, cheeses, seafood. If you are looking for a place to eat tapas and drink wine, you’ve come to the right place.
• Puerta del Sol – another extremely popular meeting place, full of cafes. Its symbol is the statue of a bear climbing a strawberry tree. The square is very crowded and many local artists exhibit there.

• Gran Via – very crowded street, especially in the evenings. The social life of the city takes place here. We can easily find many bars and restaurants.
• Real Madrid Stadium – for sports enthusiasts, the football stadium of this famous team is open to the public (admission 25 euro). You can also try to buy tickets for the game and feel the atmosphere of the place.
• Chocolatería San Ginés – it is said that you can’t leave Madrid without trying churros with chocolate. Maybe that’s why there is always a queue to the most popular place where they are served. The treats have been sold here since 1894.

I encourage you to read my articles about Gozo, Malta, Milan, Seville, Budapest, and Prague.

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