16 March 2022

Madrid bucket-list: what to do and see in the Capital of Spain

If you’re planning a trip to Madrid, you can’t miss the wonderful museums which make it famous all over the world!
The Spanish capital deserves a stay of almost a weekend not only for the art: you can walk through one of its lush parks, shop or have fun taking part in the fun nightlife… take note of the best things to you, they’ll help you!

1. A bocadillo with calamari in Plaza Mayor

With as many as 9 access doors, Plaza Mayor is the true heart of the city, especially on Sundays! If you find yourself walking in the square around lunchtime, you should try the bocadillo with calamari, a local speciality. Enjoy this takeaway option while you wander around admiring the splendid buildings, statues and shops that dot the square!

2. Prado Museum

The Prado Museum houses work by major Italian, Spanish and Flemish artists including Botticelli, Caravaggio, Raphael, Rembrandt, Titian and Goya just to name a few. Whether you’re an art lover or not, don’t leave the city before you have visited it!

3. El Retiro Park

If you love walking and relaxing in nature, El Retiro Park is the right place for you! A true green lung in the city, it houses unmissable attractions including the Lucifer fountain, the large lake in front of the equestrian monument dedicated to Alfonso XII, the Palacio de Cristal and The Forest of Remembrance (Bosque del Recuerdo)… let yourself be seduced by its beautiful panoramas!

4. Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

Not only a huge football field, but a real attraction of the Spanish capital, very complex, with a lot of hideaways to explore and admire: the Bernabéu is an interesting stop even for less sporty individuals! Every corner of the building, from the CT bench to the locker rooms, the Museum dedicated to the successes of Real Madrid, the official store and much more are accessible to visitors… enter and live the dream of the great stars of the team with the meringue-coloured jackets!

5. Basilica of San Francisco el Grande

Considered by many to be the most beautiful church in the Capital, it’s only possible to get a good view of this majestic temple by arriving from Carrera San Francisco. The impression of hardness that the church gives from the outside is refuted when you open its doors: the interior is an eclectic intertwining of works and decorations. The passages behind the main altar have even been turned into a small museum…prepare to be amazed!

6. Chamberì ghost station

An amazing space, where time seems to have stopped! Between the Iglesia and Bilbao stops of metro line 1 is Chamberì station, inaugurated in 1919 and then closed a few years later due to the impossibility of extending it (it was on a curve). Since 2008 it has become a museum, where vintage ceramic billboards, ticket offices, furniture and other original elements are kept. Travelling back in time is possible… give it a go!

7. A stroll around the Gran Via

A great way to see some of the best points of interest in the city? Taking a stroll along the Gran Via, one of Madrid’s main streets since its construction in the early 20th century. It is an important commercial and tourist reference point and thanks to its numerous cinemas it is known as the Broadway of Madrid. Absolutely not to be missed! Absolutely unmissable!