Is Madrid Worth Visiting? Top 23 Reasons Why You Should Visit
Not sure if Madrid is worth visiting? Read on for the best advice!
Madrid, the beautiful Spanish capital is one of the most popular cities to visit in Europe, but is it really worth visiting?
Having lived and worked in Madrid for 8 months (I was an English teacher there), I’ve spent a lot of time in the city and know all of the hidden gems and secret places worth discovering.
Whether you’re visiting Madrid for the awesome nightlife or the fantastic shopping options, or you’re just curious to know what the city has to offer – these 23 reasons will definitely convince you to visit!
⌚ In a rush? My Top Tour Recommendations for Madrid:
✅ Royal Palace Guided Tour with Skip the Line Ticket
✅ City Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Bus
🏨 My Hotel Recommendations for Madrid:
⭐ Generator Madrid
⭐ Grupotel Mayorazgo
⭐ Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá
Is Madrid Worth Visiting?
The answer to that question is a resounding YES! I was always curious about Madrid and what it had to offer compared to Barcelona, Spain’s number one tourist destination.
And having spent one of the best times of my life living in the capital, I can attest that Madrid is one of the best European cities you can visit (I would actually say its better than the rest, but I’m biased!).
Madrid has so much culture with such vibrant, colourful neighbourhoods to explore and many sightseeing attractions, not to mention the top quality gastronomy – I really can’t recommend it enough.
Whether you’re going to visit for Madrid for just a day or two or want to discover the city over a longer period, knowing what exactly to expect is an absolute must.
Top 23 Reasons Why Madrid Is Worth Visiting
So without further ado, let’s take a look at what are the top 23 reasons why you should visit Madrid, in no particular order:
1. Amazing Art Museums
Madrid is most renowned for having some of the best art museums in the world, having a whopping 27 art museums in total – about half as much as the rest of Spain.
So if you’re an art lover then you really are in luck when in Madrid. You can easily spend a day or more exploring some of the best art museums in the world – most famously the Golden Triangle of Art, which consists of the following:
- Prado Museum – Spain’s main national art museum and a must when visiting Madrid. Featuring over 8,000 artworks in a stunningly beautiful building, with art from Goya and every other famous classical Spanish and international artists, you can easily spend a full day at this amazing museum.
- Reina Sofia – My personal favourite art museum in Madrid, Reina Sofia features more contemporary art from Spain and abroad, including Picasso’s world famous ‘Guernica‘ mural which is a breath taking piece of art to see up close in real life.
- Thyssen-Bornemisza – Located near the Prado, the Thyssen museum has over a thousand pieces of art to admire, dating from the 13th to the 20th century.
👉 Pro Tip: If you want to visit the Prado for free, then you can enter without paying every Monday to Thursday from 6pm-8pm, and every Sundays from 5pm-7pm.
You may have to wait in a long queue to enter at these times, but it’s a great way to appreciate some of the best art in the world at no cost whatsoever – something I did many times during my stay in Madrid!
2. Awesome Nightclubs 🎵
Madrid is one of Europe’s party capitals and has some of the best nightclubs in the whole continent, so if you want to get your boogie on then you can’t go too wrong in Madrid.
My personal recommendation would be Kapital, a huge nightclub which has a total of seven different floors to explore, each one unique with different aesthetics and music playing – easily the best nightclub I’ve ever visited!
3. Beautiful Parks 🌲
Madrid is also a very green city with some lovely parks to visit to go for a stroll and to chill out, especially during a hot sunny afternoon.
The city’s most famous park is El Retiro Park, which is my favourite place in Madrid and my favourite urban park in the world (its more beautiful than Central Park in my humble opinion).
The Retiro is a sprawling place where you can spend hours exploring the very many different areas within it – I highly recommend you go and give it a visit, especially if you’re a nature lover.
From its own lake where you can go hire a romantic paddle boat to its centrepiece – the magnificent Crystal Palace structure, there is so much to see and admire here.
There are even a few outdoor bars throughout the park, so you can relax with a nice cold beer and enjoy a spot of people watching.
4. Sightseeing Opportunities 📸
Of course like any major capital city, Madrid has plenty of sightseeing places that are a must for any tourist visiting the city for the first time.
I recommend hopping on a City Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off bus to see all that the city has to offer. This is a great way to see Madrid at your own leisure and to get a better understanding of the layout of the city.
This sightseeing bus stops at all the major points of interest in Madrid, including the really interesting Temple of De Bod – an actual ancient Egyptian monument that was given to Madrid by Egypt and dates back to the 2nd Century BC.
➡️ Go on the Madrid Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Bus here
5. Stunning Architecture
What I really love about Madrid is its magnificent architecture! Most of the architectural style of the city dates back to the 19th century and has a certain gothic and religious feel in what is termed: ‘Neo-Mudéjar‘.
Wandering around the city and admiring the beautiful buildings is apart of the magic and charm of the city.
Everywhere you look, from Plaza de Mayor to Gran Vía and the Torre de Madrid, the city is a colourful tour de force of absolute elegance that is a joy to experience.
6. Top Class Restaurants
Madrid is a renowned gastronomic city as well, with countless restaurants from cheap snack bars to a total of 27 Michelin star restaurants.
It’s easy to find the best of Spanish culinary in Madrid, from simple but delicious tapas dishes to the best quality Iberian ham and churros with chocolate – my favourite!
The city is an absolute feast for food lovers and is in my opinion the best city to experience Spanish cuisine in the whole country.
7. Contrasting Neighbourhoods
What I discovered about Madrid during my time living there is just how many uniquely different neighbourhoods there are to explore. The city has 21 different districts in total which are all very different from one another.
Each one has its own special identity and I recommend visiting the following neighbourhoods to see just how much of a contrast there is between each place:
- Lavapies – just a short walk from Vodafone Sol, Lavapies is Madrid’s main multicultural neighbourhood, where you’ll find independent theatre shows and a whole range of international restaurants, especially Indian – a great place for curries!
- Malasaña – this neighbourhood is easily the trendiest place in the whole city, located very centrally and full of hipster cafes, bars and clubs – this place comes alive after dark – especially during weekends and Friday nights.
- Salamanca – one of Madrid’s richest, poshest neighbourhoods, full of boutique fashion stores and fine dining restaurants.
8. Historical Points of Interest
As well as being a very modern, lively city, Madrid is also steeped in history, with several fascinating historical points of interest that are definitely worth visiting – from the famous Plaza Mayor to the gorgeous Cibeles Fountain.
The most famous historical landmark in Madrid is the Royal Palace – a stunningly beautiful building that is the official residence for the Spanish royal family, though they don’t actually spend time here these days.
➡️ Go on a guided tour of the Royal Palace here
9. The Best Football Team! ⚽
There’s no debating the fact: Madrid has the best football (soccer for my American readers) team on the planet: Real Madrid!
Having won La Liga and the Champions League several times in recent years, a visit to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium to watch a game is one of the top reasons tourists (especially football fanatics) visit Madrid.
I was lucky enough to see Real Madrid in action (the El Classico no less!) during my stay in the Spanish capital and it was without a doubt one of the highlights of my entire stay.
Even if you’re not a big football follower, it’s worth going to a game to experience the special atmosphere inside one of the world’s most impressive stadiums.
10. Fantastic Weather ☀️
Madrid enjoys mild to warm temperatures throughout each year and is pretty much sunny all 12 months – guaranteeing some warmth and blue skies no matter what time of year you visit.
I lived in Madrid from September to March and was amazed at how mild and sunny it was during the winter months, with only a handful or rainy days once in a while.
👉 Pro Tip: I would strongly advise against visiting Madrid during the summer months. Temperatures throughout July and August can reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and higher, meaning it’s very humid and quite unbearable to say the least.
Instead, either the spring or autumn months are an ideal time to visit, and winter in Madrid is a perfect escape, especially during the Christmas festivities.
11. Its Inclusivity
An important point positive about Madrid compared to the likes of Barcelona is that it is very much an inclusive city. No matter which part of the world you’re from, your race or sexual orientation, Madrid is really liberal in this respect.
There is a big LBGTQ community and the main gay neighbourhood of Chueca is one of the largest in all of Europe.
The same can be said of Barcelona of course, however there is a more noticeable separation between locals and tourists, even if tourists are from other parts of Spain – the whole independence of Catalonia debate is still a hot topic there.
12. It Is Very Safe
Madrid is considered to be a very safe city for international tourists, more so than Barcelona in fact.
There are very few violent crimes but petty theft occurs just like it does in any other capital city. So I would advise you to be cautious and use common sense; avoid dark streets at night and be aware of your possessions.
Thinking about it, I never witnessed any crimes whatsoever during my 8 month stay in the city, which shows just how safe it really it.
13. Incredible Food Markets
As well as having top quality restaurants, Madrid also has some exceptional food markets which you must visit if you’re a big food lover like I am.
The most famous food market is San Miguel market, which is an indoor market located very close to Plaza Mayor.
I absolutely loved visiting this indoor market! It’s full of countless food stalls selling every type of tapas you can imagine and other Spanish culinary delights. It is a bit pricey however but even just wandering around the market is a fun time.
👉 Pro Tip: San Miguel market can get very busy especially during weekends, so I would definitely advise you to visit during a quiet weekday, preferably during a morning or late at night – it opens at 10am every weekday and closes at 12am.
14. Friendly Locals 🙂
As well as being a very safe city, I found the locals of Madrid (known as: ‘Madrileños‘) to be very friendly too.
Everyone in Madrid appears to be happy and content with life and only too happy to help if you need assistance for whatever reason. A lot of locals speak English as well, so there isn’t too much of a language barrier to worry about.
What I really like about Madrid is its authenticity; the people are very welcoming, honest and importantly; diverse.
15. Excellent Day Trips
With Madrid being based very centrally in Spain, it is the perfect location for day trips if you fancy getting out of the city and want to explore other parts of the country.
It’s easy to hop on a train to other popular destinations such as Seville, Cordoba, Valencia or Alicante, but there are also plenty of lesser known cities close by Madrid that are definitely worth a day trip to.
Here are my top 3 recommendations for places to go to on a day trip from Madrid:
- Toledo – this is a beautiful ancient medieval city, full of cobbled streets and stunning architecture, and its only around an hour by train from Madrid. I spent a lovely day trip here and fully recommend a visit.
- Segovia – another day trip I took from Madrid was to Segovia, and you can reach it by train in under an hour. I was blown away by the Roman Aqueduct here and the castle of Segovia – one of the most impressive in all of Europe.
- Salamanca – just a couple of hours by train from Madrid, Salamanca is considered to be one of the most beautiful World Heritage cities in all of Spain, famous for its historic quarter and cathedrals.
16. Very Good Public Transportation 🚇
Madrid has a very good public transportation system, especially its metro system which is used by millions each year. With a total of 13 lines it is easy to use and you can get from one side of Madrid to the other pretty rapidly and it’s cheap.
I used the metro system a lot during my daily life in Madrid and would say it is one of the best I’ve used in the world, on a par with the London Underground and Seoul’s metro as well.
Madrid has a very good bus service too, but I would only use this if there are no metro stops to wherever you’re trying to reach, which is unlikely to be honest.
👉 Pro Tip: I recommend buying a Tourist Travel Pass when in Madrid. You can buy this pass for 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days. The cost of this pass really depends on how many days you need it for and which zones you want to use.
I recommend staying within Zone A which includes the whole city of Madrid. You can purchase this pass at all metro stations as well as at the Airport T4 train station,
17. Sunday Flea Markets
As well as food markets, Madrid has plenty of flea markets which mostly take place every Sunday.
El Rastro is easily the most popular flea market in the city, based between Plaza de Cascorro and Ribera de Curtidores.
Open every Sunday from 9am until 4pm, El Rastro is a huge open air market selling lots of bargains of all sorts, from clothes to jewellery to household items and more.
I used to love wandering throughout this market on a Sunday morning – it’s another great reason why Madrid is worth visiting.
18. Outstanding Culture
Madrid is of course well known for having so much outstanding culture 7 days a week, more so than any other Spanish city I would argue.
Whether you fancy catching a theatre show, some live music or stand up comedy (if you’re Spanish is good enough), the city really is a vibrant artistic place with so many cultural options available.
19. Ideal for Shopping 🛍️
As well as flea markets, Madrid is very famous for being one of the best shopping cities in all of Europe. Whether you fancy splashing some cash on a shopping spree or you just want to go window shopping, then Madrid is the ideal place.
Gran Via is the most famous shopping street in the city with plenty of well known clothes shops and there are several high streets close to Gran Via with plenty of shops too.
The Golden Mile in the Salamanca neighbourhood is made up of several streets that feature a lot of high end boutique designer fashion stores and is one of the most well known shopping areas in the city.
20. Its Not Too Expensive
Although you may think that Madrid is an expensive place to visit, it is actually surprisingly not all too expensive if you’re selective with your activities.
Yes, it is more expensive than the likes of Seville or Valencia, but overall its considered cheaper than many other European cities such as Rome or Paris.
Having lived in Madrid for 8 months on a very tight budget, I got accustomed to visiting cheaper restaurants and bars where tapas and beers are relatively cheap.
👉 Pro Tip: My advice if you’re on a budget in Madrid is to avoid the centre of the city and instead try dining out at some of the more interesting (and cheaper) neighbourhoods – such as Lavapies, where there are plenty of cheap restaurants.
And there are a lot of free activities available – from visiting the Prado during its free hours, relaxing at El Retiro Park or wandering around El Rastro flea market, you really don’t have to spend a lot of money.
21. Top Class Bars 🍸
As well as outstanding fine dining restaurants and awesome night clubs, Madrid is packed full of lively, bustling bars that are busy pretty much 7 nights a week.
Madrid locals are experts when it comes to socialising and hanging out with friends at trendy cocktail bars, rooftop bars, cheap bodegas or hipster dives is a normal part of every day life in the city.
There are so many options in Madrid but I would recommend visiting either Chueca, Barrio de La Latina or Malasaña if you’re looking for a good night out.
22. Awesome Music Festivals
If you’re a music lover then Madrid is the perfect destination, especially during the summer months when the city hosts some of the biggest music festivals in Europe.
Probably the biggest and most popular music festival in Madrid is the Mad Cool festival. This takes place annually over 4 days every July and features some of the most famous musical acts in the world.
There are other festivals that celebrate more diverse musical genres though, such as A Summer Story which is a more techno focused festival, and Reggaeton Beach Festival which focuses on Spain’s most popular music genre.
23. Magical Christmas Celebrations 🎄
And last but not least in this list of reasons to visit Madrid is the magical celebrations that take place in the lead up to Christmas every year.
December is a top choice to visit Madrid as mentioned earlier in this post, as the city is transformed with a Christmas lights display, turning it into a magical wonderland.
You can also expect to see Christmas concerts, ice skating rinks and Christmas markets take over the city, which will definitely get you in the spirit of the season.
Best Places To Stay In Madrid
Choosing a place to stay in Madrid is far from easy as there are a lot of very good options to choose from. Let’s take a look at 3 top accommodation choices at 3 different price ranges:
Budget Recommendation: Generator Madrid
If you’re on a tight budget when in the Spanish capital then Generator Madrid is your best choice when it comes to accommodation.
Based just a 1 minute walk from Gran Via, this hostel is as central as you could hope for. With a range of dormitory and private rooms, it also has a rooftop terrace, a bar and 2 hot tubs available for guests.
⭐ Check out Claire’s top review of Generator Madrid:
“Great location! 1 minute walk to Gran Via and 5 min walk to all metro stations. The staff bent over backwards to help (trying to find places to eat or print off boarding pass). Great bar and facilities to make use of.”
➡️Book a stay at Generator Madrid here
Mid-Range Recommendation: Grupotel Mayorazgo
Grupotel Mayorazgo is a really nice 4 star hotel also based very centrally in Madrid, close to Gran Via, Plaza España and the Royal Palace.
Offering very elegant rooms, this hotel has a Mediterranean restaurant that also features a fountain, plus a piano bar with live music. Rooms also come with hot tubs and balconies with stunning views of the Madrid skyline.
⭐ Check out Duffy’s top review of Grupotel Mayorazgo:
“Location was perfect, room was excellent, facilities were great and hotel was very clean and lovely contemporary feel.”
➡️Book a room at Grupotel Mayorazgo here
Luxury Recommendation: Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá
If you’re in the mood to visit Madrid in luxury then you can’t go wrong with a stay at Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá.
This is a fantastic 5 star hotel is just 300 metres away from the Royal Palace and you’ll feel like royalty staying here!
It really is a lush place indeed, with a historic garden, a spa and wellness centre, a fitness centre, an outdoor swimming pool and 3 restaurants.
⭐ Check out Sabina’s review of Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá
“Excellent location, very professional staff, everyone was very friendly and helpful, the food, the room, the garden bar, rooftop bar – all amazing.”
➡️ Book a room at Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá
Madrid FAQs
Still not sure about visiting Madrid? Let me answer some of the most commonly asked questions about spending time in the Spanish capital:
How many days do you need in Madrid?
It really depends on how much you want to get out of visiting Madrid. It’s ideal for a weekend trip if you just want to party and enjoy the nightlife.
But if you want to explore the city fully then I would recommend around 3-5 days, which would be the perfect length to discover all of its many attractions that I’ve mentioned in this post and more.
Is Madrid a walkable city?
Although it is a big city, Madrid is very much walkable when it comes from visiting one tourist attraction followed by another.
For example, the Golden Triangle of art museums are easily within walking distance of each other, and El Retiro Park is just a short walk from the Prado as well.
The same can be said for most of the shopping districts and historical sites; the Royal Palace is just a short walk from Plaza Mayor, with San Miguel Market located just around the corner from there.
Is Madrid better than Barcelona?
Personally I would say yes, but then again I’m quite biased! Most people assume that Barcelona is better as it has more famous tourist attractions and a beach, but I would beg to differ.
For me, Madrid is a lot more authentic than Barcelona and a truer reflection of Spanish life, whereas Barcelona is super crowded with tourists and a bit of a Disneyland for adults if I’m being honest – but that’s just my opinion!
Conclusion: Is Madrid Worth Visiting?
So that concludes everything you need to know about why Madrid is indeed worth visiting and all of the top things you can do when visiting.
It’s no secret that Madrid has a special place in my heart so I’m very quick to recommend it to people. I love its beauty, its people, lively neighbourhoods and energy that makes it such a special place.
I can’t recommend the city enough, so if you still have any doubts about whether Madrid is worth visiting or not then please don’t – give it a visit and see what all the fuss is about for yourself!
Check out more of my blog posts about Spain:
➡️ Best Time To Walk Camino de Santiago (& The Worst!)
➡️ What I Learned From Walking The Camino de Santiago Alone
➡️ Hidden Gems In Northern Spain That You Simply Must Visit In 2025
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➡️ Planning your trip? Here are my favourite resources:
🏨 Accommodation: I recommend using Booking.com
🚙 Rental Car: Use Discover Cars for the best car rental prices
❤️ Travel Insurance: I recommend using Visitors Coverage
✈️ Flights: Use Kiwi.com for the best prices on flights
