Top sights in Madrid

Madrid has enough to keep you busy for quite some time. From monuments, parks, palaces and experiences, you'll have your hands full here!

1. El Retiro Park

I absolutely love this park. You can have a picnic here, rent bikes and cycle through it, you can rent boats and row across the lake in there, there are cafes for a coffee and cake, AND there are many sculptures and buildings to marvel at. Basically, it’s a very versatile park that should absolutely be visited.

2. Plaza Mayor

Plaza Mayor is a large square that was once called the heart of Madrid, and is home to loads of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. It’s a great spot to park up and people watch whilst having a glass of wine or cup of coffee!

3. Royal Palace

Home to the Spanish Royal Family, this is actually the largest Royal Palace in Europe! You’re able to buy a ticket and explore inside the palace if you wish, or you can enjoy the view of the Facade from the outside. Both are very impressive!

4. Las Ventas Bullring

This arena holds 23,000 people, and is STILL home to bullfighting. We actually went along to see it for ourselves, and could not believe our eyes. It was such a surreal moment, it felt like we were watching gladiators fight in the Colosseum or something like that. It's absolutely not for everyone. Nevertheless, the stadium itself is EPIC and you should absolutely have a look around to get a feel for Spain’s most famous bullring!

5. Gran Via

Gran Via is one of the main streets in Madrid, and is a long strip that seems to span forever! It’s got lots of shops and also nightclubs on, and is always busy no matter what time of the day you go!

6. Plaza de Cibeles

I personally love this square and it’s one of my favourite views in Madrid! It’s essentially a massive roundabout with a huge fountain in the middle, and then around the outside you’ve got a number of neo-classical, marble sculptures and buildings. It makes for a great photo and is really cool to look at.

7. Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

If you’re a football fan or simply want to experience Spanish football, head to the Bernabeu Stadium and see one of the most famous teams in the world - Real Madrid! The stadium is super impressive and is known worldwide, so either go for a tour or if it’s matchday, take in the atmosphere as it really is something special. For more on European football advice, read my blog post 'European Football Trips'.

To see how much all of these activities would cost during your trip to Madrid, check out my post 'Your trip to Madrid cost HOW much?!'