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Top 20 Things To Do in Madrid
Discover Madrid's must-see attractions and highly-rated experiences. Our expertly curated guide helps you plan the perfect visit with insider recommendations and traveler favorites.
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Madrid Travel Guide
Madrid enchants visitors with its royal grandeur, world-class art collections, and irresistible Spanish passion for life. Discover masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, and Picasso in the Golden Triangle of Art—the Prado, Reina Sofía, and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums. Explore the majestic Royal Palace with its 3,400 rooms, stroll through the historic Plaza Mayor, and hunt for treasures at the massive El Rastro flea market every Sunday. Experience authentic Spanish culture through passionate flamenco performances, traditional tapas tours through vibrant neighborhoods like Malasaña and Chueca, and late-night dining that doesn't begin until 10 PM. Madrid's legendary nightlife keeps the city alive until dawn, while beautiful parks like Retiro offer peaceful respites. From bullfighting at Las Ventas to world-class shopping along Gran Vía, Madrid embodies the soul of Spain.
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Top 20 Ranked
Best Attractions in Madrid
Our expertly curated list of the top experiences, tours, and attractions based on traveler reviews and ratings.
#1
Top Rated
Prado Museum Private & Customized Tour
5 (53)
Just you, the people you came with, the guide and Murillo, Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Greco... (Well, this people, they are actually painters, we mean, they are there but only in a symbolic way). This enjoyable tour goes deep into the Prado's collection, one of the largest in the world. We are up to discover the Art. LGTB version available too!!
#2
Top Rated
Private Tour to the Prado and Reina Sofía Museum
5 (40)
Did you know that Picasso was Director of the Prado Museum in a very short way? In fact, at the Picasso Museum in Barcelona you will find not a few "copies" of Las Meninas. Can there be a better way than knowing the artist from Malaga than knowing Velázquez, the great teacher whom the genius of the 20th century admired so much? We propose this tour as a simple and fun way to explore the history of painting.
#3
Top Rated
Reina Sofia Museum Madrid Exclusive Guided Tour
5 (22)
One of Madrid’s most popular museums, the Reina Sofia Museum houses an exquisite collection of Spanish modern and contemporary art. On this 2.5 hour private guided museum tour, your guide will lead you to the most important works, revealing the fascinating stories behind each one. You’ll skip the line so that you won’t miss a minute while visiting Madrid.
#4
Top Rated
Royal Palace & Old City Madrid Guided Tour Semi-Private 8ppl Max
5 (22)
History and architecture will collide in Madrid on this combo tour of the Old City & Royal Palace (Palacio). This 5.5 hour semi-private (8 Guest Maximum) guided combo tour, you will explore Europe’s largest royal residence as well as the streets and attractions around it. It’s the ideal way to make the most of your time in the Spanish capital.
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#5
Private Walking Tour to Royal Palace and Old Town of Madrid
4.7647057 (17)
We will show you its fascinating history, architecture, art and legends. We are history experts and what we love most about this tour is telling you about our history, our past aqnd our present. By the end of the tour, you too will feel like an expert on Madrid.
#6
Top Rated
Madrid Hidden Street Art Tour
5 (14)
Take a journey into the world of Street Art in Madrid as we explore one of its most storied and fascinating neighbourhoods Lavapiés. All of our tours are run by artists and art historians providing an authentic connection to the local scene. See the unmissable open-air pieces by internationally acclaimed artists, point out the details that the local art community creates that you would miss if someone never showed them to you and finish off in a gallery that's causing waves in the Madrid art scene. Delve into the culture of the Lavapiés, which has been voted as the coolest neighbourhood in the world by Timeout magazine, and get to know the character of its citizens. You will leave with a new way to look at the various artistic details all over the city of Madrid, enhancing your stay by providing you with a to better appreciate the city.
#7
Top Rated
Madrid Private Night Walking Custom Tour with Tapa and a Drink
5 (11)
Your guide will meet you at your accommodation and will walk with you to the famous sites and will take you down the lesser known parts of the very center of the city. Be assured that you will have a very personalized and professional experience, you will see different faces of the capital and will learn about historical facts, cultural background, current developments and social life of Madrileños from locals. Our guides are Spanish professionals with a lot of passion for history and their home city. At the end of the tour you will make a stop to refresh with beverages and tapas. Madrid has such a vivid night life that it can rival with the famous City of New York, that claims to never sleep, be prepared to see local daily life. This 4-hour, private tour can be customized according to your preferences during the evening and into the early night.
#8
Top Rated
Madrid Gay Nightlife Tour
5 (16)
Experience the charm of one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in the world with the help of a local LGBT+ guide. Explore the renowned gay neighborhood of Chueca, the beating heart of the LGBTQ+ community. Visit 3 gay bars in Chueca in this 2-hour group tour with 3 drinks included. From its LGBTQ+ history to the current trends of the city, we'll also give you tips on additional bars and clubs to visit if you want to extend your night. And if you're feeling a bit adventurous, we'll even recommend the top cruising venues, fetish clubs and gay saunas/bathhouses in the city. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask, we're here to help!
#9
Top Rated
Rock Climbing in Madrid National Park with Transport
5 (7)
ENJOY ROCK CLIMBING IN LA PEDRIZA MADRID WITH DREAMPEAKS Madrid and The Sierra de Guadarrama National Park are unknown paradises for climbers. 5-stars rock climbing spot like La Pedriza offers more than 1.200 climbing routes on granite. La Pedriza is the largest granite outcropping in Europe, a National Park consisting of numerous cliffs, rock walls, rivers and meadows in the Sierra de Guadarrama. It is an area of great geological, scenic and sporting interest. Discover with our certified climbing guides and instructors the best outdoor locations for rock climbing in sunny mild weather, even during the winter season. Travel just one hour by car to the best climbing crags in La Pedriza National Park.
#10
Top Rated
Private E-Bike Tour: Madrid City Center & Retiro Park
5 (10)
Enjoy Madrid on two wheels with the comfort of an e-bike. On this private tour, you’ll ride through the lively streets of the historic city center and explore the beauty of Retiro Park, the city’s green heart. With your own guide, you’ll discover history, culture, and hidden gems at your own pace.
#11
Top Rated
To sweat Madrid toxins in Hammam and enjoy the best couple massage downtown
5 (13)
The treatments we offer start from a holistic vision of the human being promoting the well-being of both the body and the spirit. Thus we propose a journey through the ancestral and traditional care that other cultures have developed. From the Turkish Bath or Hammam to the mud masks of the Dead Sea. From Japanese Kobido massage to Aryuveda. Embark on your own trip to paradise !!!
#12
Top Rated
Private transfer from Madrid to Lisbon
5 (7)
Clean, discreet vehicles, with wi-fi on board, chargers for your mobile phone, and bottled water for all customers. We adapt to your needs to make your trip as comfortable as possible. Whenever requested in advance, and for an extra cost, we can accommodate sightseeing along the way. Children's seats are available if requested in advance.
#13
Top Rated
Royal Palace + Old City Madrid Exclusive Guided Walking Tour
5 (8)
History and architecture will collide in Madrid on this combo tour of the Old City and Royal Palace. This 5.5 hour Exclusive guided combo tour will explore Europe’s largest royal residence as well as the streets and attractions around it. It’s the ideal way to make the most of your time in the Spanish capital.
#14
Top Rated
Guided visit to Madrid May 2
5 (6)
The first Edecán is an official tourist guide specialized in military history by the UCM, providing the visit with highly specialized knowledge about the Napoleonic period. In fact, it is a guide to battlefields, with Madrid being another battlefield in the so-called War of Independence.
#15
Top Rated
Personalized One Day Tour. Prado Museum and Toledo in Private Car
5 (5)
THIS TOUR CAN BE CUSTOMIZED FOR JEWISH, CHRISTIAN OR AGNOSTIC TRAVELERS. An amazing personalized Tour through Spain's two most popular tourist attractions ! The Prado Museum and Toledo tour in private van belong to our client’s favorite day tour from Madrid. Led by a licensed guide, specialized in Toledo's history and monuments. Pick up/Drop off at your hotel. Enjoy a customized, private Tour through Prado museum highlights. Combine it with a private Toledo sightseeing which features main Toledo's attractions. - The Art in Toledo's Gothic Cathedral. - The Sephardic Museum - Greco's masterpieces. - A placid walk through Toledo’s ‘off the beaten path’ winding streets. - Indescribably beautiful panoramic views of the city from the nearby mountains. - A tasty lunch in the best restaurant for local foodies.
#16
Top Rated
Tour of the Royal Collections of Madrid small group and skip the line
5 (5)
The Gallery of Royal Collections is the newest Museum in Madrid. Its exhibition is based on hitherto hidden objects that have belonged to the Spanish Monarchy. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to live as a King, this is the answer. And what better way than to do this tour in a group of 7 people maximum? And what better way than to do this tour in a monolingual group? And, of course, what better way than to do it with a professional guide with years of experience?
#17
Top Rated
Madrid Retiro Park and Literary Quarter by Bike
5 (5)
Enjoy the most beautiful and rich tour of Madrid with this 2 hour long journey from the Spanish Inquisition to the Golden Age of Spanish Literature, through the Literary Quarter and the Retiro Park - living remains of Madrid and Spain’s former Empire’s wealthiest centuries, while on top of a futuristic and eco-friendly bike.
#18
Top Rated
Private walking Tour: The oldest taverns of Madrid
5 (7)
A route through the most popular history of Madrid: its taverns. Bars with more than 100 and 200 years of age, which are the living history of the city. Some have seen the kings eat and drink there, writers and others of the lower classes also. Between us, we will discover some of the most rooted traditions of our city. The anecdotes, the way of life of the people and the innumerable things that their walls have seen. Of course, we can stop to try a wine or beer of some of them! With the oldest restaurant in the world and an unequalled tradition in the world of bars, without doubt, Madrid is a city that you must get to know from the point of view of its illustrious taverns and restaurants. *The route may vary. You will not always enter all the venues.
#19
Prado Museum and Reina Sofia Museum Private Tour
4.3333335 (6)
Hit the Prado Museum right when the doors open to the public. This private tour offers you the possibility of seeing Velazquez’s ‘Las Meninas’ and El Greco’s and ‘The Annunciation’. Learn about the artwork from a guide, and then head to the Reina Sofia to admire abstract and surrealist works by Picasso, Dali and more. This private tour will allow you to get the best experience.
#20
Top Rated
Lavapiés: The most multicultural neighbourhood of Madrid, Private Walking Tour
5 (4)
Lavapiés is one of the most popular neighbourhoods in Madrid, and often known as the most multicultural in Europe. It is located inside the downtown area, an industrial part of the city since the XVIII century, when royal factories were created. Bullfighters, Caleseros (carriages drivers), and Manolos (Jewish descendants) inhabited here traditionally. The tiny and old apartments made for the low-class workers were chip enough for the immigrants from the '80s on, generating a new cultural landscape. For the past 10 years, there have been great projects to rehabilitate the old buildings and promote Lavapiés’ economy through culture. Theatres, Exhibition centres, cultural foundations, and a circus have raised up. It has also dozens of bars, cafes, and restaurants from every possible country. The British magazine “Times Out” named it the coolest neighbourhood in the world in 2018. You will be able to deeply discover all of it with an expert in a private Tour
Review counts and ratings based on Viator and Tripadvisor data
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do tours cost in Madrid?
Tours in Madrid range from $28 to $992, with an average price of $194. The highest-rated tour is "Prado Museum Private & Customized Tour " at 5 stars.
What are the best experiences in Madrid?
Our guide features 20 top experiences in Madrid, averaging 5 stars across 278 reviews. The top-rated is "Prado Museum Private & Customized Tour ".
When is the best time to visit Madrid?
The ideal time to visit Madrid depends on your preferences. Plan your trip with Plan Harmony to organize all your activities and make the most of your visit.
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