2 days in Madrid

Day by day

1. Day 1: Prado Museum and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

   Prado Museum, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, CaixaForum Madrid and Reina Sofía Museum, then Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Prado Museum

      It is too large for one visit, so pick a route.

   2. Late morning

      Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

      It is the easiest of the three big museums to see in one go.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Churros con chocolate

      Chocolatería San Ginés in a lane off Calle Arenal, serving since 1894, and traditional churrerías across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      CaixaForum Madrid

      Beside it, a vertical garden of thousands of plants covers a neighbouring wall. Changing exhibitions inside are usually inexpensive.

   5. Late afternoon

      Reina Sofía Museum

      Its centrepiece is Picasso's Guernica, painted in 1937 after the bombing of the Basque town, shown with its preparatory sketches, alongside major works by Dalí and Miró.

   6. Evening

      Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía

      Look up rather than at the shops; the best view of Gran Vía and the Metrópolis dome is from the Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop.

2. Day 2: Royal Palace of Madrid and Retiro Park

   Royal Palace of Madrid, Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor and Santiago Bernabéu Stadium tour, then Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Royal Palace of Madrid

      The visitor route passes the grand staircase, the Throne Room with its Tiepolo ceiling, the Royal Armoury and a quintet of Stradivarius instruments.

   2. Late morning

      Retiro Park

      Street performers and puppet shows gather on weekends.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Calamari sandwich

      Small bars in the streets around Plaza Mayor, such as Calle Botoneras and Calle de la Sal.

   4. Afternoon

      Plaza Mayor

      The painted façade of the Casa de la Panadería is its highlight, and in December it fills with a traditional Christmas market.

   5. Late afternoon

      Santiago Bernabéu Stadium tour

      The self-guided tour includes panoramic views over the pitch, the trophy room with the club's European Cups, the dressing rooms and the players' tunnel.

   6. Evening

      Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop

      Go about an hour before sunset and stay for the city lights; drinks are pricey but the view is the reason.

Before you go

• Prado Museum: Buy timed tickets online, especially for weekends and holiday periods.
• Royal Palace of Madrid: Queues can be long in summer and at weekends; buy a timed ticket online.
• Santiago Bernabéu Stadium tour: Tour slots sell out in holiday periods; book ahead on the official site.

If it rains

• Swap in Mercado de San Miguel (Centro): Visit mid-afternoon on a weekday to avoid evening crowds; for local prices, try the Mercado de San Fernando or Antón Martín instead.
• Swap in Flamenco at a tablao (Centro): Choose a small tablao with a strong reputation over a large dinner show, and sit near the front.
• Swap in National Archaeological Museum (Salamanca): Allow time for the Iberian and Visigothic rooms, which are unique to Spain.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 17–21 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.3 hours in December to 15 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. Twelve metro lines run from about 6am to about 1:30am, with Sol, Gran Vía, Atocha and Ópera stations covering the main sights.

More or fewer days

• One day in Madrid
• 3 days in Madrid
• 4 days in Madrid
• 5 days in Madrid
• 7 days in Madrid

Questions travellers ask