Madrid is one of those cities in Spain that we’ve always wanted to visit but usually skipped over in favour of the coast. We honestly booked this trip for one main reason: the theme parks. Parque Warner has been on our list for ages and we really wanted to try the new Batman roller coaster, considered the best in Europe at the moment.
However, we were completely surprised by how much we fell in love with the city itself. It’s grand, it’s lively and compared to other European capitals like Paris or London, it felt very relaxed. We spent a few days exploring the city centre, eating our body weight in tapas and screaming on rollercoasters.
If you’re thinking of booking a trip to the Spanish capital, here’s our ultimate Madrid travel guide for the perfect chilled-out city break!
A Little Bit About Madrid
Madrid is the capital of Spain and one of the largest cities in the European Union with a population of over 3 million people (or nearly 7 million if you count the whole metropolitan area). It sits right in the dead centre of the country.
One thing that really surprised us is just how high up it is. It’s actually the highest capital city in Europe which means the air is very dry and the sun feels really strong, even when it’s not that hot. It definitely catches you out if you aren’t wearing sunscreen as we found out the hard way!
It’s the political and economic heart of Spain, home to the Spanish Royal Family, the Government and of course, Real Madrid. But despite being a massive bustling capital, it doesn’t feel as frantic or stressful as other capital cities.
The currency is the Euro and the main language is, obviously, Spanish. Unlike some other major tourist hubs where everyone speaks perfect English, we found that having a few words of Spanish really helped, especially in the smaller bars and restaurants. And by we, we mean Kolyn. Denis just nodded and smiled!
Getting to Madrid
Madrid is served by Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD), which is one of the busiest hubs in Europe. Iberia, Air Europa and Ryanair are the biggest airlines at the airport.
Getting into the city is really easy. The Metro (Line 8 Pink) runs from all terminals to the city centre, takes about 15-20 minutes and costs less than €5. There’s also an Airport Express bus that runs 24 hours a day to Atocha station.
We used the Metro for our entire trip. It’s clean, fast and air-conditioned. We bought a Multicard at the machine in the airport which we could both share, making it very cheap to get around.
Madrid is the hub of the high-speed AVE rail network, connecting the capital to cities like Barcelona, Seville and Valencia in under three hours. Most high-speed trains arrive at Madrid Puerta de Atocha. We always use Omio to book our tickets. It’s generally much smoother and lets you compare prices across different operators.
Where to Stay in Madrid
Accommodation in Madrid can get expensive, especially during peak times like Easter when we visited. Because we booked late, we decided to stay slightly outside the city ring to get a better rate.
We stayed at the Travelodge Madrid Metropolitano which turned out to be an excellent strategic move. It was much cheaper than the city centre but still modern and comfortable. The hotel is right next to the Ciudad Lineal Metro station (Line 5) which takes you directly into the city centre (Gran VÃa) in about 15 minutes.
Being near the Metro is essential if you plan to do anything a little further out. Apart from going to Parque Warner, we also visited Parque de Atracciones and Zoo Aquarium Madrid, so it was handy for that. Both are close to metro stations.
We always use Booking.com for the best rates when we’re booking hotels.
What to Do In Madrid
We visited at Easter and were lucky with the weather. It was pleasant and not too hot at all which was perfect for walking around. There’s a huge amount to see but here’s the highlights from our trip.
The Royal Palace (Palacio Real)
You can’t visit Madrid without seeing the Royal Palace. It’s the biggest palace in Europe, even larger than Versailles! We took a tour of the inside and the scale of it is impressive. The Throne Room is VERY lovely with its velvet walls and massive chandeliers. We wanted to see the Royal Armoury but it was closed during our visit, but the palace itself was well worth the time.
We wrote a full guide on how to get tickets and skip the queue here, which we highly recommend reading because the lines can be crazy, and also because we wrote it! If you just want to grab tickets now, we used GetYourGuide to secure a time slot in advance.
Parque Warner Madrid
As we mentioned, we came for the coasters! Located south of the city, this theme park is home to DC Superheroes and Looney Tunes. The new Batman: Gotham City Escape ride is genuinely world-class and we’d know, we go to a lot of theme parks! We also loved Superman, which is a floorless coaster. It’s a bit of a trek from the city but well worth it.
You can read our full review of Parque Warner here or grab tickets on GetYourGuide to save time at the gate.
Parque de Atracciones
Closer to the city centre in the Casa de Campo park, there’s another theme park! We almost skipped this but we are so glad we didn’t. It has a very unique coaster called Abismo which lifts you vertically into the sky and a spinning coaster called Tarantula that made us dizzier than we expected. It also has a huge Nickelodeon Land which looked great if you have smaller kids. We were delighted to see Spongebob Squarepants and get a picture with Dora the Explorer!
Check out our Parque de Atracciones guide to see if it’s for you!
Zoo Aquarium Madrid
Right next door to the theme park is the Zoo! We spent a lovely morning here seeing the Giant Pandas (one of the few places in Europe to have them!). Unusually, the Zoo also has a massive aquarium inside with a shark tunnel and a dolphinarium. It’s a great relaxing day out if you need a break from the city noise.
Read our honest review of Zoo Aquarium Madrid here!
Mercado de San Miguel
Located just off Plaza Mayor, this stunning iron-and-glass market is a paradise for anyone wanting to try the local food. It’s definitely on the pricey side but the food is amazing. We grabbed a few tapas and rambled around with an Estrella. It gets incredibly busy so try to go off-peak (mid-afternoon) if you don’t want to be fighting for elbow room!
El Retiro Park
If you need a break from the noise of the city, head to El Retiro. It’s a massive park in the centre of Madrid and it’s beautiful. We walked down the Paseo de Recoletos to get there which connects the main museums like the Prado. Inside the park, you can rent a rowboat on the big lake for about €6-8 or just walk around and admire the glass Crystal Palace (Palacio de Cristal), which usually hosts free art installations. It was closed when we were there though!
Museo de Cera (Wax Museum)
For something a bit different, we popped into the Wax Museum. It’s a bit quirkier than Madame Tussauds and has a Wax Horror Experience that we LOVED! We really weren’t expecting too much from this to be honest but it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip and one of the most unique wax museums we’ve been to (and again, we’ve been to a few!).
Read more about our Wax Museum experience here!
The Spanish Inquisition Walking Tour
If you’re looking for something a bit different to the usual bright and sunny sights, you absolutely have to book a Spanish Inquisition walking tour. We always love haunted tours and decided to delve into the darker side of the city’s history. It’s genuinely fascinating!
You get to walk through the historic streets of the centre, hearing all about the brutal history, the myths of the Black Legend and the darker secrets of the past. The guide, Seigfreid, was incredibly knowledgeable and great at bringing the old stories to life without it feeling like a boring history lesson. It’s a brilliant way to see the old prisons, learn about the mass trials and get a totally different perspective on the capital. We’d highly recommend it if you fancy an evening stroll with a bit of a spooky edge!
Where to Eat & Drink in Madrid
The food in Madrid is amazing but you knew that already right? We found lots of nice tapas places and most were reasonably priced. Stray a little bit from the main squares like Plaza Mayor though because they can be a bit of a tourist trap. When in Spain, eating your body weight in tapas is mandatory! We loved ordering a few small plates like patatas bravas, croquetas and jamón ibérico to share.
Cards and phone payments are the norm here so you won’t need much cash and for tipping, simply rounding up the bill or leaving a few Euro is usually the way to go.
Our Restaurant Recommendation
If you’re looking for a great spot to grab some fantastic tapas, we highly recommend Me Mola Madrid. The food is absolutely delicious and it has a really brilliant atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy some authentic Spanish flavours after a long day of sightseeing.
Our Bar Recommendation
If you’re after a pint and you’re a football fan, you have to check out LaLiga TwentyNine’s right on the Gran VÃa. It’s a sports bar themed to LaLiga where you can grab a drink, watch the football and soak up the energy of the city. Even if you aren’t the biggest football fan, it’s a brilliant spot to chill out for the evening. They do great hamburgers too!
Madrid Travel Guide FAQs
Is Madrid expensive to visit?
It can be, but it’s generally much cheaper than places like Paris or London. If you stick to the Metro and eat at local tapas bars rather than the big tourist squares, your money goes surprisingly far.
How many days do you need?
Three to four days is the perfect amount of time to see the main sights, visit a theme park and eat plenty of tapas without rushing.
Is it easy to get around?
The Madrid Metro is absolutely brilliant. It’s cheap, air-conditioned and gets you pretty much anywhere you need to go in the city.
Do you need to speak Spanish?
It definitely helps! While you’ll get by with English in the big hotels and tourist spots, having a few words of Spanish is a lifesaver in the smaller bars and restaurants. Time to get the Duolingo out!
When is the best time to visit?
Spring and autumn are lovely. Summer in Madrid is roasting and many locals actually leave the city in August to escape the heat.
Why Madrid is the Perfect Chilled-Out City Break
To be honest, Madrid caught us off guard. We went in expecting a stiff, corporate capital full of suits and rushing commuters but instead we found a city that just feels very chilled out.
It’s the perfect city break if you want a bit of everything without having to choose between culture and actually having fun. One minute you can be looking at paintings in the Prado and the next you can be screaming your head off on a roller coaster in Parque de Atracciones.
It’s just a nice city to spend time in. The public transport is clean and easy, the food is incredible and it feels properly safe. We walked around late at night and never felt that edge or tension you sometimes get in other big capitals.
We went for the rollercoasters, but we’ll be back for the rest of it. It’s a lovely city.
