Madrid Visitor Guide 2024: Everything you need to know

Spain's capital Madrid occupies a central position in the country. That's true not only geographically but culturally. Madrid is the economic and cultural hub of Spain and houses many of the country's most important institutions.

For that reason, Madrid makes a great place to visit. The city offers fascinating museums, rich culture, excellent dining, and plenty of outdoor activities too. Whether you travel to Madrid for a long vacation, a short break, or business, you'll find plenty to occupy yourself in the Spanish capital. Bullfights and Flamenco shows, stunning art museums and vibrant nightlife districts, bustling city squares and peaceful sun-dappled parks–all of these and more exist side-by-side in one of Europe's great capital cities.

A weekend in Madrid

10 Best Things to Do in Madrid in 2024

Spain's capital city is an elegant urban center with impressive boulevards, fine wines and bountiful art, including works by many of the great masters now housed in the Prado Museum.

There is much to do and experience in this great city but to take full advantage of all that is available, you're going to need to find somewhere secure and convenient to store your luggage. Bounce luggage storage services have thought of this and have partnered with local businesses to offer you safe storage facilities at extremely reasonable prices.

Best way to enjoy the outdoors - Horse Back Riding in Madrid – Guadarrama

Madrid is a city surrounded by trails, valleys, forests, and mountains. If you’re looking for an experience that will allow you to escape the city and venture into the great outdoors, these stables are right next to the National Park Sierra de Guadarrama. This affords you an opportunity to experience the rugged and unspoiled countryside whilst riding one of their impressive but obedient horses. You can opt for the two-hour adventure or make a day of it, or customize an experience to your own requirements. You can call them on 346–344–267–07 or email them at info@ridingmadrid.com

The best way to appreciate wine in Madrid – The Best Madrid Wine Experience

This is a company that has been offering wine tours of some of the best local wine estates for many years. Not only do they know the producers and the subject extremely well, but the knowledge is also supplemented by a deep passion for Spanish wines. The tours are all-day events and are restricted to groups of no more than seven. Children of more than eight years old are welcome. You can contact them by emailing info@madridwine.com or by calling them on 349–101–453–75

Best off the beaten path tours – The Making of Madrid

Few people are going to be able to offer you a better or deeper insight into the history of Madrid than the writer Felicity Hughes. In her efforts to understand the city more deeply, she has made thorough studies of some of the more unusual aspects that Madrid has to offer and her writing has appeared in publications such as The Guardian and Wired. She offers at least ten tours with fascinating names such as Social Housing to Hot Property or The History of Epidemics in Madrid. You can contact her by emailing hughesfelicity@gmail.com

Best Madrid tour for running enthusiasts – Local Run Guide

If you’re the sort of person who likes to combine healthy physical exercise with sightseeing and authentic experiences, then this is probably the perfect tour for you. Local Run Guide offers guided tours of the city for groups of up to eight people. They have two tours, one being the Must-See Madrid and the other Highlights of Madrid, but you are free to discuss tailor-making a tour to your own tastes. Tours are generally in the region of one and a half hours long, with eight to ten stops along the way. You can contact them by emailing ulric@localrunguide.com or by calling 346–253–149–29

Best Segway tours Madrid – Madrid Segway

Here is a really fun way to zip around town that is both enjoyable and good for the environment. Adults are not the only ones that will enjoy whizzing around the city and Madrid Segway welcomes kids on all of their tours. They offer a large variety of tours but they are also happy to customize adventures around you. One thing they guarantee is lots of laughter. You call them on 346–084–195–13 or you can email them at info@madrid–segway.com

Best tapas tours Madrid – Enjoyed Tapas Madrid

Tapas makes up a large part of the Spanish culinary culture and heritage. This company specializes exclusively in tapas tours. They will introduce you to some of the best tapas in the city and enlighten you as to how each dish carved its place in the Spanish gastronomic arena. They offer a wide variety of tours including Tapas with History or Tapas and Flamenco, so you will come away not only well fed but well-informed. Call them on 346–663–598–50 or email them at info@enjoyedtapasmadrid.com

Best guided tours for art enthusiasts – City Tours Madrid

This company will offer you great insight, not only into the artists and their works but also into the environment in which they were living and also the area where these works of art were created. In doing so, you will acquire a much greater depth of knowledge about the work that you will see. These guys believe in personalized attention to their clients, and among other possibilities you could opt for private tours of either the Prado or the Reina Sofia museums. Contact them on info@citytoursinmadrid.es or call them on 346 – 612 – 338 – 01

Best customized hop on hop off tour – Madrid City Tours

Few companies offer you such flexibility when it comes to customizing your own Madrid tour. With Madrid City Tours you get to circle the city on one of their unique open-top buses and are free to hop on and hop off as often as you like. They provide two routes and a night bus so there is no part of the city to which you won't be able to gain access as you explore to your heart's content. Call them on 349–020–247–58 or email them on customers–made@city–tour.com

Best history tour of Madrid – Official Guides Madrid

This company leads small-group walking tours and their objective is to help people get beneath the skin of the city so they know it as well as any Madrilenian does. They have a deep understanding of both the history and the culture of their city and the local guides are all officially registered. Tours can be taken in any of ten different languages. What’s more, kids are free. You can contact them by emailing info@guiasoficialmadrid.com or calling them on 346–224–024–69

Best free walking tour Madrid – 4U Madrid Walking Tour

Here’s a company that combines fun and learning in one easy walk. You will get to discover interesting facts, not only about the history of the city but also about many of its contemporary characters and their colorful lifestyles. By the end of the tour, you will know exactly why it is that Madrid is one of the most visited cities in the world. What’s more, you get to decide how good the service was and what you feel you ought to pay.  You can call them on 346–179–238–18 or you can email them at info@freetoursforyou.com

There's so much to see and do in Madrid that a weekend may not seem like enough. With such a short time in the city, you should be able to cram in some of the top attractions, but you'll need to prioritize.

• See one of Europe's greatest art collections at the Museo Nacional del Prado. Better known as simply the Prado, this sprawling gallery is the most important in Spain and one of the world's most impressive. You'll find paintings by Durer, Rafael, Titian, Rembrandt, Velasquez, Goya, and hundreds of other artists. Large bags aren't allowed inside the museum, so make sure to drop yours off at a bag storage in Madrid before you visit.
• Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the capital at Plaza Mayor. The center of old Madrid, this public space was laid out in 1617. Famous for the shaded porticos that line the square, it's the perfect place to grab a drink or a bite to eat and watch the world go by. There's always something happening on Plaza Mayor.
• Take a break from the frantic pace of the city at El Retiro Park. One of the largest parks in the city, this green space was once the property of the Spanish monarchy but is now open to the public. With a boating lake, the famous Crystal Palace, and over 15,000 trees, it's a fantastic place to take a stroll in the sun and recharge your batteries.

Madrid lockers

Madrid is a large city, but most of its main attractions are in the center of town. That, combined with sunny Spanish weather, makes Madrid a great place to explore on foot. You get a far better sense of the charm of the city when you explore at your own pace and are free to wander wherever your feet take you. Drop off any heavy bags at a luggage locker in Madrid to make your trip easier. Whether you're taking a vacation or live in the city and just need to get around more easily, Madrid luggage storage allows you to travel light.

Off the beaten path in Madrid

Beyond the well-known attractions, Madrid contains all kinds of lesser-known sites that are still worth visiting. Dig a little deeper, and you'll find plenty of unique attractions that are relatively unknown to the tourist crowds.

• You may not have expected to find an Egyptian temple in the capital of Spain, but at the Temple of Debod, that's exactly what you get. The temple is authentic and dates back to the 2nd century BC. Threatened by the construction of the Great Aswan Dam, the Egyptian government donated the temple to Spain, who dismantled it and rebuilt it in a park in Madrid.
• Sample some of Madrid's best baked goods at the convent of Corpus Christi. The nuns of the convent have taken vows to limit their contact with the outside world. However, they do need to support themselves, and they do so by making baked goods that are widely regarded as the best in the city. Buying cookies and pastries from these reclusive nuns is a fascinating experience all by itself, and the handmade products are definitely worth the journey.
• Pamper yourself at a Turkish bath in the heart of Madrid. Hammam al Andalus takes its name from the period of Moorish occupation in Spain, and it offers a truly luxurious spa experience. Immerse yourself in the soothing waters of the bath and treat yourself to a massage and leave rejuvenated. Drop off any heavy bags at a suitcase storage in Madrid so you can fully enjoy your spa experience.

What to do alone in Madrid

As a remarkably safe and welcoming city, Madrid is a great place to explore by yourself. Since the city gets so many tourists every year, in some ways traveling by yourself is actually preferable. It's a lot easier to deal with crowds when you're traveling solo, and you won't lack for things to do by yourself.

• Rub shoulders with local shoppers and traders at Mercado de San Miguel. This elegant food market is one of the grandest in Europe, housed in a purpose-built structure that dates back to 1916. It's the perfect place to sample Spanish delicacies like jamon iberico and gazpacho, and the lively atmosphere will keep you entertained while you shop. Make things easier yourself by dropping off your bags with a Madrid luggage storage service so you can move more easily through the crowds.
• Madrid has an enviable network of bike lanes, and that, combined with its many impressive parks, makes it a great city to explore on two wheels. Rent a bike and check out some of the predesigned tourist itineraries, or get lost and explore for yourself.
• Explore the book stalls at El Retiro. What used to be a zoo is now a large collection of book stalls where you can pick up books, including ones in English, to read in the park. You'll also find a 100-year-old book market on Cuesta Moyano close to the park.

The best souvenirs in Madrid

Saffron is an important element of Spanish cuisine, especially when it comes to paella. This exotic spice doesn't come cheap, but it is generally cheaper in Spain than anywhere else. Check out La Melguiza, where they sell a huge range of products made with saffron that make great gifts. Alternatively, you could head to Casa Hernanz and pick up some espadrilles, the famous Spanish shoes. Also, Spanish wine has a great reputation worldwide, and a bottle or two can be the perfect memento of your trip.