Everything you need to know about Madrid, sorted by topic, from the Prado and the Royal Palace to Toledo and Segovia.
How entering Spain works for a Madrid trip: who travels visa free and for how long, how the rolling Schengen count works, the new biometric border, passport validity, and what to have ready at the airport.
Which Madrid district to book: Sol and Gran Via for convenience and noise, Malasana and Chueca for food and nightlife, Salamanca for calm, La Latina for the weekend, and what each costs you.
A four-day Madrid plan that does not rush: the museum triangle, royal Madrid, the tapas neighbourhoods, Retiro, and a day trip out, with the local eating hours built in rather than fought.
Getting from Madrid Barajas into the centre: the metro and its airport supplement, the express bus that runs all night, the fixed-fare taxi, and which terminal changes the answer.
What to save before you travel: the single European emergency number, the local police lines, how Spanish pharmacies work, what the EHIC and GHIC actually cover, and what they do not.
When to visit Madrid: a month-by-month and season-by-season breakdown of weather, crowds, prices and events, and the sweet spots for the best trip whatever you are after.
The best day trips from Madrid by train or car: Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Ávila and Aranjuez, with how long to spend, how to get there and what not to miss in each.
How to see Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu: getting match tickets, what the stadium tour includes, matchday tips, and how to catch Atlético at the Metropolitano too.
How to eat well in Madrid: the tapas to order, the dishes the city invented, when locals actually eat, the best neighborhoods for a crawl, and how to skip the tourist traps.
A neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to where to stay in Madrid: Sol and the center, Huertas, Chueca and Malasaña, Salamanca, La Latina and more, with who each area suits.
How to do the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen without burning out: what to see, when to go, how the free hours work and how to plan the perfect art day in Madrid.
Everything a first-time visitor needs for Madrid: when to go, which neighborhood to stay in, what to book ahead, how to get around, what to eat and the rookie mistakes to skip.
Madrid's big museums open free for the last hours of the day. What that period is really like, which museums offer it, how early to arrive, and when paying is the better decision.
A plan for one of the great museums: the works most people come for, how to structure two or three hours instead of a whole day, when it is quietest, and what to skip without regret.
How to do the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen without burning out: what to see, when to go, how the free hours work and how to plan the perfect art day in Madrid.
Which Madrid district to book: Sol and Gran Via for convenience and noise, Malasana and Chueca for food and nightlife, Salamanca for calm, La Latina for the weekend, and what each costs you.
A neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to where to stay in Madrid: Sol and the center, Huertas, Chueca and Malasaña, Salamanca, La Latina and more, with who each area suits.
Everything a first-time visitor needs for Madrid: when to go, which neighborhood to stay in, what to book ahead, how to get around, what to eat and the rookie mistakes to skip.
Half an hour by fast train: the Roman aqueduct in the middle of town, the Alcazar on its rock, the cathedral, the walk to the viewpoints, and the long lunch Segovia is known for.
Toledo or Segovia for your day trip from Madrid? A honest, first-hand comparison of trains, hills, summer heat, food and what to see in each city.
The best day trips from Madrid by train or car: Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Ávila and Aranjuez, with how long to spend, how to get there and what not to miss in each.
How to move around Madrid: the rechargeable travel card, which pass is worth it, the zone boundary that catches people out, the Cercanias trains for day trips, taxis and when to just walk.
How entering Spain works for a Madrid trip: who travels visa free and for how long, how the rolling Schengen count works, the new biometric border, passport validity, and what to have ready at the airport.
Getting from Madrid Barajas into the centre: the metro and its airport supplement, the express bus that runs all night, the fixed-fare taxi, and which terminal changes the answer.
What to save before you travel: the single European emergency number, the local police lines, how Spanish pharmacies work, what the EHIC and GHIC actually cover, and what they do not.
Madrid's big museums open free for the last hours of the day. What that period is really like, which museums offer it, how early to arrive, and when paying is the better decision.
The site has 18 guides covering all of Madrid: the golden triangle of museums, the Royal Palace, neighborhoods, food and tapas, football, day trips and practical info. They are updated regularly.
Start with the general planning guide and the golden triangle of museums, then move on to the neighborhoods guide, the transport guide and the ready-made itinerary that matches the number of days you have.
Highly recommended. The Prado, the Royal Palace and the Bernabéu sell timed tickets that can sell out for hours at a stretch, especially in season. Booking ahead saves both a queue and money, and the guides explain exactly how.
World-class art museums, royal palaces, a superb food and tapas scene, top-level football and a lively European atmosphere that runs well past midnight. That mix suits couples, families and groups of friends alike.
