A Visitor’s Guide to Madrid
By Archana Mahesh and Sarah Foy
¡Hola from Madrid! If you are thinking about studying abroad in Madrid, we put together the ultimate visitor’s guide for showing family and friends around or for getting to know the city yourself! Even if you choose a different study abroad destination, this guide is perfect for helping you plan an amazing weekend trip. There is a lot of art, history, and culture to explore in Madrid and it can be overwhelming at first, so hopefully this will be a helpful place to start planning your travels!
Famous Tourist Sites
While in Madrid, be sure to stop by the Palacio Real de Madrid, Templo de Debod, Puerta de Alcalá, and Palacio de Cibeles. These sites are some of the city's most visited for a reason, they are beautiful monuments with rich histories. Catch a show at Corral de la Morería, the world’s oldest and most famous flamenco tablao, to round out your Madrid experience!
Major Hubs
A meeting place for tourists and locals alike, these major hubs are must-sees on your trip to Madrid. Starting off, Puerta del Sol is one of the busiest places in the city, the location of many key events in Spanish history, and "Kilometer Zero'', the point from which all distances on the Spanish national road network are measured. Next head to Plaza Mayor, another plaza full of history and perhaps one of the most iconic picture spots in Madrid. Then stroll down Gran Vía, one of Madrid’s most famous streets, stretching from Plaza de Cibeles to Plaza de España, to check out a variety of clothing stores, restaurants, and iconic buildings such as the Metropolis building or Carrion building. Finally, the Plaza de España, near the Palacio Real, features a monument to Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, and some of the tallest skyscrapers in Madrid.
Markets
If you like Chelsea Market in New York, then you’ll love all the different markets that you can find around Madrid. There is the famous Mercado de San Miguel with 30 food stalls to experience a variety of cuisines, the Mercado San Antón which is right next to the NYU campus, and Mercado de San Fernando which is located in the Lavapiés neighborhood. Additionally in the adjacent neighborhood “La Latina” there is a famous flea market called El Rastro that happens every Sunday, spanning multiple streets in the area. These markets are a great way to try new things and simultaneously support the small business owners that run the individual stalls. All of these locations are also frequented by locals and tourists alike, so they provide a great opportunity to get a deeper sense of the Madrileño culture.
Neighborhoods
The best way to get to know a city is to explore it yourself! Some of our favorite neighborhoods (or barrios) to wander around are:
Chueca- the neighborhood where NYU is located; known as the LGBTQ+ neighborhood; very young and lively
Malasaña- home to restaurants of all cuisines and very lively at night
Lavapiés- one of Madrid’s most multicultural neighborhoods and another great food hub with a variety of different cuisines; also home to a lot of cool street art (such as the Muros Tabacalera)
La Latina- has lots of cool tapas bars; primarily known for El Rastro (the Sunday flea market)
Museums
While in Madrid, you should definitely make an effort to see some of the incredible art that the city has to offer. The three most popular collections are in the Museo del Prado, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, and Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. At the museums, you are able to see a variety of paintings that often illustrate elements of Spanish religious and political history. Some popular artists that are represented are El Greco, Goya, Velázquez, Bosch, and Picasso. Given the size and variety of these collections, there is something for everyone, so be sure to check them out and find what you enjoy the most. All of these museums also offer reduced admission prices for students, so you can take advantage of the discount and familiarize yourself with some Spanish art at the same time!
Viewpoints
To take in a great view of the city, both Faro de Moncloa and the Teleférico are very affordable options to get an aerial view. Faro is a former transmission tower that now has an observation deck you can visit for only 3€, and the Teleférico takes you on a round trip Gondola ride over Madrid for only 6€. Additionally, there are lookout points from both the Temple de Debod and the Palacio Real de Madrid where you can get a nice view of the Western part of the city for free! Going to any of these places during sunset on a clear day is the perfect way to get a skyline view of Madrid.
Parks
Take a break from the bustle of the city in one of Madrid’s many parks. We recommend Parque del Retiro and Parque Oeste. Parque del Retiro is a bit like the Central Park of Madrid, spanning a large area and containing many sites to see such as the Palacio de Cristal (a beautiful glass building that houses temporary exhibits hosted by the Museo Reina Sofía), Palacio de Velázquez (another Museo Reina Sofia annex), Estanque Grande (a lake that you can go boating in for a small fee), La Rosaleda (The Rose Garden). Parque Oeste is home to the Temple of Debod and has great views of the Palacio Real de Madrid and the western side of the city.
Day Trips
The best part of Madrid’s central location in Spain is that there are a number of interesting towns nearby that you can visit on a day trip. Some of the top destinations are Segovia, Toledo, Ávila, and El Escorial, which are all about 30 minutes to an hour and a half outside the city center. There are a number of trains and buses that go between Madrid and these locations every day, so it is very easy to make a last-minute trip. Exploring these places is a great way to learn about Spanish culture and history outside of Madrid.
We hope you found this guide useful and that you have some new ideas for your next trip to Madrid! Whether it’s a short visit or a semester-long stay, Madrid is a wonderful place full of unique experiences and we hope that you enjoy it as much as we have. Thanks for reading and safe travels!