Madrid in 3 days
The Prado, old Madrid and the Retiro in three days — with the museums in the evening, when they are free and empty.
- How long
- 3 days
- Getting around
- On foot
- Rhythm
- Streets and markets in the morning
Madrid runs on a different clock from the rest of Europe: lunch at three, dinner at ten, and the Prado is free for the last two hours of the day. A plan that ignores that pays full price and finds the kitchens shut.
Old Madrid, then the Prado at night
Plaza Mayor and the Mercado de San Miguel — a market turned into food stalls; expensive, but you go for the building and one tapa, not for lunch.
The Royal Palace (€18), the largest in western Europe by floor area. Timed entry; if the queue is long, the Almudena cathedral opposite is free and empty.
Lunch in La Latina, around Cava Baja — a row of tapas bars where you stand rather than sit.
A walk through the Barrio de las Letras, where Cervantes and Lope de Vega lived; their lines are set into the pavement.
The Prado in its free slot, the last two hours. Two hours is right for Velázquez, Goya and Bosch — everything else is for another visit.
Dinner, on Madrid time. Before nine the kitchens are mostly closed or empty.
The Retiro, the Reina Sofía and the park
The Retiro, the former royal garden. The glass Palacio de Cristal is free and usually has an exhibition; the rowing boats are for children and for Sundays.
The Reina Sofía (€12, a free slot exists with booking) — Picasso's Guernica is here, and it is worth coming for one painting. The museum closes on Tuesdays.
Lunch in Lavapiés, the most mixed quarter in the city, with Indian and Senegalese kitchens beside Spanish ones.
The Templo de Debod — a second-century BC Egyptian temple given to Spain and moved stone by stone. The best sunset in the city, and free.
Districts and a trip out
El Rastro if it is Sunday — a flea market running from nine to three that turns half a quarter into stalls.
If it is not Sunday: Malasaña, with vintage shops and bars along Calle del Pez, and Chueca, the city's LGBT district with terraces open all day.
For a fourth day: Toledo is half an hour by fast train, Segovia the same. Both are full days, not afternoons — take the morning train.
Where the day goes wrong
- Dinner at seven. Kitchens work after nine; what is open earlier is for tourists and priced accordingly.
- The Prado at noon. Same museum, full price (€15), longest queue. In the evening it is free.
- Tuesday for the Reina Sofía. Closed. Swap in the Thyssen, which is open.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
When is the Prado free?
Its last two opening hours: 18–20 Monday to Saturday, 17–19 on Sundays and holidays. The queue starts forming before the slot opens.
Why is dinner so late in Madrid?
Because lunch is at three. Kitchens open around nine and run to midnight; what is open at seven is mostly aimed at visitors.
How many days does Madrid need?
Three for the city, a fourth for Toledo or Segovia. Both are half an hour by fast train and both need a full day.
Ready for Madrid?
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→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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