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Madrid, Spain
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Madrid, Spain Travel Guide

Boulevards, art and all-night tapas

Why visit Madrid

Spain’s capital trades beaches for boulevards: the Prado’s Velázquez and Goya, the Royal Palace and Retiro Park’s boating lake. Madrid lives on its schedule — lunch at two, vermouth at six, dinner at ten — and the tapas crawl from La Latina to Malasaña never really ends. Day trips to Toledo and Segovia are 30 minutes away by high-speed train.

Last updated Aug 17, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Best time to visit Madrid

Weather decides when a city shines — and when it empties out. We pull 30-year climate averages for Madrid to show which months are warm, dry and worth booking.

Check live weather for Madrid →

3 days in Madrid: what to eat & see

D1 Day 1

Morning
Royal Palace & Plaza Mayor
🍴 Churros con Chocolate →
Afternoon
Prado Museum
Evening
La Latina tapas crawl
🍴 Patatas Bravas →

D2 Day 2

Morning
Retiro Park
Afternoon
Reina Sofía (Guernica)
🍴 Cocido Madrileño →
Evening
Malasaña bars
🍴 Tortilla Española →

D3 Day 3

Morning
Day trip: Toledo or Segovia
🍴 Mazapan
Afternoon
Gran Vía & rooftop views
Evening
San Miguel market dinner
🍴 Jamon

Eat your way through Madrid

These are the dishes to hunt down in Madrid — not just the country's greatest hits. Tap a dish to see where it's made best, then compare a stay in the same neighbourhood with your dates.

Browse all Spain food → No restaurant listings for Madrid yet — search the dish on Google Maps instead, or list a restaurant free.