Things to do at Night in Madrid

The streets of Madrid come alive with lively tapas bars, flamenco shows and bustling markets at night. Iconic buildings and monuments including the Almudena Cathedral, Teatro Real and Temple of Debod are atmospherically lit, and young madrileños party the night away in Malasaña and La Latina. Read on for our guide to all the best things to do at night in Madrid…

By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak
Madrid's skyline at sunset, including the Almudena Cathedral and Royal Palace

Experience the City at Sunset

Plaza de la Villa at night

A guided tour is always a great idea if you want to get to know a new city quickly. But a guided tour at sunset? Magical. Your expert guide will bring Madrid’s storied streets to life with an engaging commentary as you visit atmospherically lit attractions like the neoclassical Almudena Cathedral, baroque Royal Palace and swoonsome arches of the Segovia Bridge.

Insta addicts will be in seventh heaven on Plaza de la Villa (pictured), home of several of Madrid’s oldest buildings, including the Mudéjar-style Casa de los Lujanes and photographers’ favourite Casa de Cisneros, a delicious 16th-century Renaissance mansion.

Tours conclude on the vibrant Puerta del Sol, where street performers ply their trade and people-watching opportunities abound from the many rooftop cocktail bars and jumping tapas joints.

Top tip: the Madrid night tour is included with the Madrid pass from Go City. The pass can save you up to 50% on 25+ Madrid attractions, including flamenco shows and tours of the Prado and Reina Sofia museums. Click here for more info.

Take in a Show

Spanish flamenco dancer in full flow

Flamenco is as Spanish as sangria, siestas and, um, Julio Iglesias. And there are plenty of opportunities to experience the colorful castanet-clicking Andalusian dance all over Madrid. Try the Corral de la Morería – the oldest flamenco tablao in town – for some of the most authentic (and intense) foot-stomping. Or hit up the terrific Torres Bermejas, with interiors that have been designed to conjure the Alhambra palace in Granada.

Fans of opera and classical music make beelines for the prestigious Teatro Real and National Auditorium of Music respectively, while Real Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium is where it’s at for major rock and pop spectaculars – Frank Sinatra, the Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift and dear old Julio himself have all performed here.

Parks in the Dark

Madrid's Temple of Debod at night

Don’t be afraid of the dark: Madrid’s parks are well-lit at night and generally safe as long as you keep your wits about you. The Temple of Debod in Oeste Park is hands-down one of the best sunset spots in town. Dating from the 2nd Century BC, this sacred Egyptian shrine is all tranquil pools and swoon-worthy stone archways, ideal for framing those bruised-purple night skies in photographic posterity.

There’s a fine riverside bike ride to be had along the banks of the Manzanares River in Río Park, with romantic views of the river’s many bridges reflected in the water. Just don’t forget to use lights and wear reflective clothing!

Then, of course, there’s the mighty Retiro Park, where illuminated paths make for sweet starlit strolls, and monumental treasures including the fantastical Fountain of the Fallen Angel, Crystal Palace conservatory, and colonnaded grandeur of the Monument to King Alfonso XII are all beautifully lit up.

Night at the Museum

Exterior view of the Prado Museum

Spain is responsible for some of the greatest art the world has ever seen. We’re talking Goya, Velázquez, Dalí and some guy called Pablo Picasso, to name just a few. No surprise then that Madrid isn’t short of a world-class gallery or six. The Reina Sofia Museum is the big kahuna around these parts, boasting one of the planet’s finest collections of 20th-century Spanish Art. Here’s where you can ogle Dalí’s Great Masturbator; Snail, Woman, Flower, Star by Joan Miró and – the museum’s crowning glory – 1937 Picasso masterpiece Guernica. The museum is open until 9PM most days and entry is free after 7PM.

Similarly, the Prado (pictured) is free for the last couple of hours, meaning you can view masterpieces like Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights and Goya’s Third of May 1808 absolutely gratis!

Top tip: guided (daytime) tours of both museums are included with the Madrid pass.

Check out our guide to free things to do in Madrid here.

Tapas and Cocktails

Restaurant chalkboard listing traditional Spanish tapas dishes

Madrid’s nightlife is the stuff of legend. This is a city of night owls, with dinner usually eaten around 9PM, and often later. Heck, most restaurants don’t even open until after 8PM. Make like a madrileño and start your evening with snacks and cocktails. Spain’s oldest cocktail bar – Museo Chicote on Gran Vía – retains much of its old-school 1930s charm, but the rooftop bars of Plaza de España and Puerta del Sol are where it’s at for the liveliest party atmosphere during the warmer months.

Suitably well-lubricated, make for the historic (and unashamedly picturesque) La Latina neighborhood where the colorful Calle de la Cava Baja is home to some of the most sought-after tapas in town – think succulent garlic shrimp, spicy sausage, fluffy Spanish omelet and moreish Manchego cheese. Stalwart tapas treasure Sobrino de Botín has been running for so long that Goya once waited tables here!

Group of young people partying at the club

Mosey down to Malasaña for cool indie pubs and clubs that stay open well into the wee small hours, or soak up the effervescent LGBTQ+ vibe over in Chueca. Meanwhile, up-all-night ravers make for the near-legendary Teatro Kapital, a multi-level mega-club on the edge of the Retiro Park.

But for the rest of us, it’s back to the hotel for a well-earned cocoa and bed…

Looking for more things to do in Madrid at night (and in the daytime)? The Madrid pass includes 25+ must-see attractions and could save you up to 50% on standard admission costs. Hit the buttons below to bag yours!

Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

Continue reading

Madrid skyline.
Blog

Free Things to do in Madrid

Madrid isn’t exactly renowned as a budget holiday spot, but that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank to have fun once you’re there. In fact, there are stacks of free things you can do in Madrid, from visiting world-class museums and royal palaces to browsing flea markets, picnicking in the parks, and simply enjoying the city’s elegant architecture. Check out our selection of the best free things to do in Madrid, including: Plaza Mayor Cibeles Palace Retiro Park Prado and Reina Sofia museums Almudena Cathedral El Rastro flea market Gran Via Temple of Debod Plaza Mayor A stroll around this most elegant of Madrid plazas is essential and, crucially, will cost you absolutely nada. Plaza Mayor is the city’s beating heart, a grand square that’s accessed via nine monumental arches. Grab a selfie by the extremely photogenic Arco de los Cuchilleros then take in the intricate mythological murals that adorn the Casa de la Panadería and say hola to King Philip III sitting astride his trusty steed (albeit in statue form). Pro tip: there’s no better way to people-watch in Madrid than by grabbing a cone of hot, sugary churros with chocolate dipping sauce and finding a seat beneath one of the plaza’s ornate towering lamp posts. Enjoy! Cibeles Palace The crowning glory of the already magnificent Plaza de Cibeles, Cibeles Palace is a glorious architectural confection complete with Neoplateresque facade and great wedding-cake turrets. There’s no charge for admiring its extraordinary exterior, taking a peek inside and filling your Insta feed with #humblebrag snaps galore but, if your budget will stretch to it, it’s worth paying the €3 fee to ascend the tower for 360-degree city views that take in the 11-kilometer-long Calle Alcalá, the Colon Towers and, of course, Plaza de Cibeles itself, with its iconic marble fountain depicting the goddess Cybele on a lion-drawn chariot. Retiro Park There’s more than enough free eye candy in Retiro Park to fill a day’s sightseeing (or more). Don’t-miss landmarks include the glass-and-cast-iron masterpiece that is the Crystal Palace, once a hothouse showcasing local flora and fauna; now an exhibition space for the Reina Sofia Museum. Feast your eyes on the Fountain of the Fallen Angel, a monumental sculpture depicting Lucifer’s fall from grace, stop to smell the roses in the formal gardens, and marvel at the epic Monument to Alfonso XII from a prime position on the tranquil boating lake. See it all on a guided bike tour or take it easy – a lazy picnic of Spanish cheeses, cured meats and still-warm bread, scoffed on the lawns by the kitschy Fisherman’s House, is just about as good as life gets. Free Museums Madrid has more world-class art museums than you can shake a paintbrush at. Chief among these are the Prado and Reina Sofia which, between them, cover the history of (mostly) Spanish and European art from the 12th Century to the present day. We’re talking masterpieces by the likes of Picasso, El Greco, Goya, Velázquez, Dalí, Miró, Bosch, Raphael and van Dyck, to name just a few. You’ll find some of their best-known works here. Hit up Reina Sofia for a close-up look at Picasso’s Guernica, one of the most powerful anti-war statements ever committed to canvas, and head over to the Prado for Velázquez’ illusory Las Meninas, Bosch’s enigmatic Garden of Earthly Delights triptych and other bucket-list pieces. Entry to the both museums is free during the last two hours of opening. Reina Sofia is completely free to enter on Sundays and holidays. You can also save money on guided tours at both (and access to many other Madrid attractions) with a Madrid pass from Go City. El Rastro Market The picturesque old neighborhood of La Latina is worth a visit any day of the week (top tip for foodies: it’s where you’ll find some of the best tapas in town), but Sundays are particularly enjoyable thanks to the vast El Rastro, Spain’s biggest open-air flea market. It’s great fun just browsing the hundreds of stalls in the streets and lanes around Calle de la Ribera de Curtidores, all piled high with antiques, retro fashions, kitsch kitchenware, vintage vinyl records and, well, pretty much anything else you can think of. It’s free to look, and free to take Insta-worthy snaps galore. But bring your best haggling game, too: there’s no way you’re walking out of here without being tempted by a phrenological head, old street map, Spanish Civil War medal, or some such other souvenir curio... Gran Vía Sticking with the shopping theme, the Gran Vía is Madrid’s most famous shopping boulevard, a long, elegant stretch of capitalist excess with hundreds of stores, malls, bars and restaurants in which to splash the cash. But resist the lure of Mango and Massimo Dutti and there’s plenty of gratis fun to be had here, by simply admiring the eclectic architecture and soaking up the lively atmosphere. Look out for the landmark Metropolis building, topped with its gilded cupola and winged goddess, snap a selfie beneath the Capitol building’s old-school Schweppes sign and – oh, go on then – treat yourself to a refreshing Seville orange sorbet from one of the many fine gelato joints. Almudena Cathedral This glorious 19th-century confection at the bottom of Calle Mayor (and right next door to the Royal Palace) is free to enter. The neo-gothic interior’s clean lines, vivid stained glass windows and, yes, even pop-art decor, set it apart from other European cathedrals of this era, lending a strikingly modern look that surprises and delights in equal measure. Look out for statues of contemporary artists, painted icons by Spanish legend Kiko Argüello and a neo-romanesque crypt that houses the mortal remains of several Spanish royals and other dignitaries. There’s a €7 fee to enter the cathedral museum, which contains effigies of the city’s patron saints. Temple of Debod Last but by no means least, you simply must enjoy a sunset from the atmospheric environs of the Temple of Debod in Oeste Park. Dating from the 2nd Century BC, this sacred Egyptian shrine found its way to Madrid in 1968 and has been a favorite with locals, tourists and hopeless romantics ever since. Comprising of a small temple and several stone arches, set over tranquil pools amid beautiful gardens, the temple is pretty special at any time of day or night, but rarely more so than at sundown, when the whole place seems to glow a fiery orange. Cost of this unforgettable Madrid experience? Precisely zero Euros. Heavenly. Save on things to do in Madrid Save on admission to Madrid attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Madrid's Plaza Mayor at sunrise.
Blog

3 Days in Madrid

There’s no shortage of attractions and activities to keep you entertained in Madrid, the thriving capital – and beating heart – of Spain. Think elegant boulevards crammed with eye-candy architecture, exquisitely manicured parks and gardens, museums filled with some of the planet’s finest art, and (whisper it) delectably decadent churros con chocolate. Three days is a decent amount of time in which to take in a handful of the major landmarks, soak up the city’s sophisticated vibe and, of course, to stuff your face with as much Spanish tapas as you humanly can. First-time visitors to Madrid often fall foul of the old ‘kid in a candy store’ approach, frenziedly attempting to see as many of the city’s big-ticket attractions as possible. But, like the sugar-stuffed child’s inevitable crash, whirlwind sightseeing is all but guaranteed to leave you feeling unsatisfied and burned out. Our guide to spending three days in Madrid takes a more leisurely approach, ticking off several of the must-sees but, more importantly, allowing plenty of time to relax and watch the world go by, too. Read on to find out how to make the most of Madrid. Day 1: Breakfast... and a Few Big-Hitters Make like the Madrileños: this is a city that wakes late and parties late, so breakfast before around 9AM and you’ll likely be doing so alone. Instead, enjoy a long lie-in then mosey on down to one of Plaza Mayor’s traditional Spanish breakfast joints, where a fiesta of flavors awaits the intrepid gourmand. Tuck into classic tostado con tomate y jamón (that’s toast with ham and tomato to you) or hearty Spanish tortilla, washed down with café con leche, the discerning locals’ coffee drink of choice. In fact, locals often opt for sweet over savory at breakfast, which is where such sugary delights as churros con chocolate, lemony magdalena cupcakes and honey-drenched torrijas (Spanish-style French toast) come in. Beautifully elegant and ornate, Plaza Mayor is as good a place to start your day’s sightseeing as any. After an essential spot of people-watching over breakfast, check out the medieval-style murals that decorate the huge baroque facade of Casa de la Panadería, then trot over for a selfie by the bronze statue of King Philip III astride his royal stallion. From here it’s a short stroll down Calle Mayor to your next stop: Almudena Cathedral (try not to be distracted by the foodie mecca that is the Mercado de San Miguel along the way – you’ve just had breakfast, you animal!). A fine photo opportunity awaits at the bottom of the road, where the cathedral’s baroque dome and bell towers loom over the city’s 9th-century Moorish walls. Pay your respects to the many royals interred inside before hopping next door to the palace. A guided tour is a great way to get a flavor of this stately confection’s highlights, among them a fairytale central staircase, an awesome Giaquinto ceiling fresco (plus loads more priceless art from the likes of Velázquez, Goya and Caravaggio), a royal armory, and an opulent throne room. Afterwards, stick around to relax in the ornate, statue-filled gardens. Take in the English-style Campo del Moro with its monumental neoclassical fountains, stroll maze-like avenues flanked by box hedges, magnolia trees and lofty cypresses, and enjoy panoramic palace views from the Sabatini Gardens. And take your time! After all, you’ve got all day: dinner isn’t eaten until 9 or 10PM in Madrid! Day 2: The Art of Relaxation You could easily fill a three-day trip to Madrid with world-class art alone. But if you have to pick only one museum, let it be the Prado. It is, after all, indisputably one of the best in the world. Here’s where you can ogle legendary masterpieces by the likes of Goya, Titian, Bosch, Rubens, Velázquez, Van Dyck, Rembrandt and more. Whatever you do, don’t miss Hieronymus Bosch’s hallucinatory triptych altarpiece The Garden of Earthly Delights or Goya’s The Third of May 1808, a brutal meditation on the horrors of war. You can enjoy a leisurely look around under your own steam, or take a guided tour of the collection’s highlights. Feeling suitably cultured, amble over to Retiro Park for 350 acres of lush greenery, meticulously manicured gardens, majestic fountains, opulent palaces, and more monuments, statues and sculptures than you could shake a very big stick at. Again, the key here is to be selective – there’s no way you’re going to see it all, so don’t wear yourself out trying. Instead, find a shady spot in one of the many gorgeous groves and plan your sightseeing over an antipasti picnic of Spanish salamis, breads and cheeses. However, if you simply must ‘see it all’, the best way to do so is on a segway or bicycle tour, which all but guarantee sightings of most of the park’s essential attractions, among them the boating lake, the beautiful iron-and-glass cupola of the Crystal Palace, the neoclassical confection that is the Velázquez Palace, and the Paradise Lost-inspired Fountain of the Fallen Angel. You’ll have worked up an appetite by now for sure. Prime time, in other words, to hit up some of the city’s best tapas joints for a feast of cured meats, spicy patatas bravas, moreish meatballs, stuffed peppers and garlicky grilled prawns. You’ll find authentic restaurants just about everywhere in Madrid, but the selection along Calle de la Cava Baja in the atmospheric La Latina neighborhood is particularly celebrated. DAY 3: La Latina, Gran Via, and the Temple of Debod Last night’s tapas is sure to have whetted your appetite for more of La Latina, an Instagram addict’s paradise of cobbled lanes, hidden alleyways and brightly painted window shutters. This lively and picturesque neighborhood is just made for aimless wandering, pausing to snap hidden squares and medieval churches and, of course, to refuel regularly with churros con chocolate along the way. Take time out to chill on the lush terraces of Vistillas Gardens and soak up views of the Casa de Campo and shimmering Manzanares river. Here on the weekend? Don’t miss the sensory Sunday saturnalia that is El Rastro, the largest open-air flea market in Spain, and the kind of place you can have hours of fun browsing. Don’t forget to bring cash and your best haggling game if you want to secure that coveted Julio Iglesias vinyl box set! Speaking of shopping, you’ll want to pick up a few souvenirs of your trip, and where better to do so than along Gran Via, Madrid’s legendary (and massive) shopping boulevard. Or – if you have particularly deep pockets – in the boutiques of Calle Serrano, home of Gucci, Chanel, Miu Miu, Manolo Blahnik and dozens more wallet-sapping designer emporia. Having scratched that itch (and given your bank manager a coronary), head up to Oeste Park, where the Temple of Debod is one of the best sunset spots in town. Somewhat incongruous in the modern city, this ancient Egyptian shrine was donated to Spain by the Egyptian state in the 1960s and has become something of a favorite with locals, thanks to its graceful stone arches and tranquil pools. Dinner back down the hill on the elegant Plaza de España is the perfect climax to your three-day Madrid adventure. Save on things to do in Madrid Save on admission to Madrid attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Cable Car Above Madrid
Blog

Getting Around Madrid

Getting around a big city like Madrid can be intimidating. Read below for our top tips to make it a breeze!
Adam Fraiel

Have a 5% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.