What to see in three days in Madrid is the itinerary that we are going to see here. In another post we have ►what to see in Madrid in two days, if that’s the number of days you have. Started?
Indice:
Day 1
Free Tour
If you have never been to the city, we recommend that you take a free tour of the city on this tour of what to see in three days in Madrid. In fact, when we did it, it was not our first visit, but we enjoyed it a lot because it gave us a lot of information. It covers the most central and emblematic area of the city, giving you the starting point for you to go deeper into your visit to Madrid. You also have the night tour to see the illuminated city. I think both are good options. Remember to leave a tip according to the tour, the free part is just in the name.
Plaza Mayor
Whether you have chosen not to take the walking tour, or if you want to return to look at it in more detail, the Plaza Mayor will be waiting for you to start your first day in Madrid.
Look at it in detail..
With the statue of Philip III in the middle, the galleries with bars and stores around, the Plaza Mayor displays all its charm to welcome the arriving tourists.
It is one of the first things you think of seeing when you dream of arriving in Madrid. For centuries it has hosted popular celebrations, beatifications, coronations, and many other events. Today it welcomes every visitor to this city offering them the majestic view of its buildings.
San Miguel Market
Inaugurated as a food market more than a hundred years ago, today it is one of the most outstanding gastronomic markets in the world. In it you will find all kinds of snacks, from Iberian ham, seafood or fruit, that you will surely want to try. The prices are perhaps a little higher than elsewhere, but it is a typical walk not to be missed if you are in the Spanish city.
Almudena Cathedral
The Holy Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Santa María la Real de la Almudena, known simply as the Almudena Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral . It was consecrated on June 15, 1993 by Pope John Paul II.
Admission to the cathedral is free, and access to the museum and dome costs €7. Cathedral website
►Visit the Almudena Cathedral and the Royal Palace
Royal Palace of Madrid
A nice walk takes us to the Royal Palace of Madrid. Designed in the 18th century, it is the official residence of the kings of Spain. It is used only for receptions and official ceremonies, and can be visited either on a guided tour or a free visit.
You can pre-book your ticket for the Royal Palace or you can choose to take a guided tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid.
►Have you thought about getting a tourist pass?, it can be a good option to save if you are going to make many paid visits. It comes in two modes, “all-inclusive” or “explorer” see which one best suits your travel style► Go City Madrid
Sabatini Gardens
The Sabatini Gardens are located in front of the north façade of the Royal Palace of Madrid. These gardens were built in the 1930s on the site of the royal stables built in the 18th century by the Italian architect Francesco Sabatini next to the palace.
Royal Theatre
We will then pass through the Teatro Real in Madrid. The Teatro Real is the opera house of Madrid. It is located in the Plaza de Oriente, in front of the Royal Palace. Its construction began in 1818, and it was inaugurated in 1850.
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Temple of Debod
The Temple of Debod was a gift from Egypt to Spain in 1968 in compensation for the Spanish help to save the temples of Nubia, mainly that of Abu Simbel in danger of disappearing due to the construction of the Aswan Dam.
Admission is free.
Plaza de España
The Plaza de España is a large landscaped area in the city of Madrid, in the Argüelles neighbourhood of the Moncloa-Aravaca district. At its centre is a monumental fountain dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes. It acts as a continuation axis linking Gran Vía with Calle de la Princesa.
As we always say, this is one of the thousand ways we can plan our itinerary around the city, and all of them will surely be good, taking into account that we will all be staying in different areas. And in this tour of what to see in three days in Madrid we say the same thing again.
Speaking of accommodation, I can tell you that we have always chosen accommodation near Gran Vía, in the area surrounding Plaza Callao.
How about a tourist pass to get to know the city? ►Discover more with Go City
Lodging
As we said, we have always chosen to stay in the surroundings of Gran Vía.
We have stayed on occasion at the Hotel Regente, small, simple rooms, but correct and well located.
The JC Rooms Gardens, with small and simple rooms can also be an option.
If your budget is smaller, there are many hostels, we have stayed in a private room with bathroom in the Hostal Inn Madrid, simple, neat and with a very good location.
Another option can be Woohoo Suites, comfortable and centrally located.
But Madrid has plenty of accommodations to choose from, so it’s just a matter of doing a good search.
Booking.comDay 1 Map
Day 2
Puerta de L Sol
We are at kilometer zero of all Spanish routes, and in one of the most famous squares of this country, a meeting place for locals and tourists.
In it we find the old building of the Casa de Correos, which today houses the headquarters of the Presidency of the Community of Madrid. The clock of the Casa de Correos is the one that emits the famous chimes of the Puerta del Sol every New Year’s Eve.
And what we all hope to see, the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the famous statue that is so typical in Madrid.
Gran Vía
From Alcalá Street to Plaza España extends this avenue that was built in the early twentieth century. We find in it cinemas, theaters, stores, and stately buildings, always having a lively movement.
Rooftop of the Círculo de Bellas Artes
A good option to get a panoramic view of Madrid is to go up to the rooftop of the Círculo de Bellas Artes.
The entrance fee is €5 and the opening hours: Monday to Sunday: from 09:00 to 00:00 hs. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, cafeteria service from 11:00 am. But as there are other activities and schedules vary, I advise you to consult circulobellasartes.com/visitas/.
Cibeles Fountain and Palace
The Cibeles fountain, better known as La Cibeles, is located in the square of the same name and dates back to the 18th century. Traditions, such as being the place where Real Madrid celebrates its triumphs, have contributed to its worldwide fame.
Just across the street we find another beautiful building, the Palace of Cibeles, formerly known as the Palace of Communications. The palace can be visited and you can even go up to its viewpoint. Access to the viewpoint costs €3, and the opening hours are from Tuesday to Sunday between 10:30 and 13:30, and between 16:00 and 19:00.
►More information on their website
Neptune’s Fountain
Neptune is one of the most beautiful and majestic fountains in Madrid. The fans of Atlético de Madrid celebrate their victories in the Plaza del Dios del Mar, just as a few seconds ago we said that Real Madrid celebrates in Cibeles. The Plaza de Neptuno occupies a central place on the Paseo del Prado and is home to the Westin Palace Hoteland the Mandarin Oriental Ritz, two of the most historic hotels in Madrid.
Atocha Station
Atocha station is a railway complex located in the vicinity of the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V . It functions as a railway junction, and this makes it the station with the most passenger traffic in the country.
It is a beautiful interior with a large garden area. You might go there if you have to take a train to another part of Spain, but if not, try to take a walk around it and you will see a very beautiful station.
Museo Nacional del Prado
The most essential visit in Madrid, if you like art, is the Prado Museum. Madrid has many museums that we will name later, but surely if you have thought about visiting Madrid you have thought about visiting the Prado Museum. As you can see we left it for the last thing on this day, why? Because the free hours are from Monday to Saturday from 6 to 8 pm and Sundays and holidays from 5 to 7 pm. Access to the museum is up to 30 minutes before closing.
Let’s see, as you can see, the time frame is short, and the queue will take up your time, but if you want to take a look at the main works, and for free, it is an opportunity.
►Download the map of the Prado Museum to help you choose the areas to see.
The cost of general admission during normal hours is € 15, but as we said if you want you can take advantage of the free schedule, we did it.
Check the official website of the Prado Museum to confirm that the free days and times have not changed, as well as to book tickets.
►You also have a guided tour if you want to visit the Prado Museum. ↓↓
Day 2 Map
Day 3
Santiago Bernabeu Stadium
We begin this third and final day of what to see in Madrid in three days, visiting the Santiago Bernabeu. The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium offers, like other stadiums in the world, a tour of its facilities. Whether you are a fan or not, it can be an interesting visit.
You can book in advance for the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium tour.
Las Ventas Bullring
Going to see this construction can be an option. It is the largest bullring in Spain and the third largest bullring in the world, behind Mexico and Valencia (Venezuela).
We will continue our journey to the famous….
Puerta de Alcalá
The Puerta de Alcalá is one of the five former royal gates that provided access to the city, built by order of Charles III to replace an earlier one dating back to the 16th century. This monumental gate, inaugurated in 1778, is located next to the Retiro Park and is where such notable streets as Alcalá, Alfonso XII and Serrano converge, and is one of the most recognised tourist spots in Madrid. Over time, the gate and its appearance have acquired the status of a symbol of Madrid. It appears in postcard albums, logos, and more, representing the city.
Without a doubt, when we see it, the song popularized by Ana Belén and Víctor Manuel comes to mind.
Although we were very close to visiting this gate on day two’s route, we have left it for today because we want to dedicate a lot of time to our next visit….
The Retiro Park
We arrived at the Retiro Park. If there is something we will always think about visiting in Madrid, it is this park. Disconnect for a while from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy this peaceful walk.
The Retiro Park or Buen Retiro Park, is popularly known as El Retiro, is a historic garden and public park. Considered one of the main tourist attractions, it has architectural and landscape figures, including the Monument to Alfonso XII, the Crystal Palace, the Estanque Grande, the Parterre, the Gate of Philip IV, the Royal Astronomical Observatory and the Artichoke Fountain
It was built in the first half of the seventeenth century as part of the landscape project developed for the Buen Retiro Palace for the enjoyment of King Felipe IV.
Inaugurated as a public park in 1868, El Retiro is one of the main parks in Madrid, and the favorite of locals and tourists.
Since July 25, 2021, the Buen Retiro Park has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape, along with the Paseo del Prado.
It has many points of interest to visit in it, as we said we can highlight the pond, the monument to Alfonzo XII, the Crystal Palace or the walk of the statues.
It is an ideal place to take a nice walk and relax in the Spanish city. Opening hours: from October to March: from 6:00 to 22:00 hours. From April to September: from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight.
What else to add?
A tour of some neighborhoods in Madrid can be a great option to complement this tour of what to see in Madrid in three days. If you don’t want to do it on your own, you have free tours of Chueca and Malasaña, Lavapiés and La Latina or the Barrio de las Letras for example
Puerta de Toledo
We were talking about Madrid having 5 access gates to the city, the Puerta de Toledo is one of them. It was the last monumental gate erected in the old city of Madrid. It was built between 1813 and 1827, and was restored by the Madrid City Council in 1995.
Let’s go to our last point in the city
Moncloa Lighthouse
The Moncloa Lighthouse is a 110-metre-high lighting tower, built in 1992, the year in which the city was designated European Capital of Culture.
The panoramic lift travels 92 metres and takes us to the great viewpoint of the Moncloa Lighthouse.
This is perhaps not so common a visit for tourists, but it is another option to see Madrid from above. General admission is €4, and the opening hours are from Tuesday to Sunday from 09:30 to 20:00 ( last upload at 19:30 h). ►More information
Madrid is a city for walking, you won’t get tired doing it, or at least not too much. For some more distant points, such as those on the third day, it will be convenient to take the metro or bus.
One option we are always asked about is the well-known tourist buses. They can be a good option if it is your first time in the city and if you do not have your itinerary of what to visit in Madrid.
►Are you traveling with your family? The tourist bus for families is a very good deal
Museums
Madrid has an extensive list of recommended museums to visit. So far we have only named the Prado National Museum, but to this we can add:
Map day 3
[icon name=”info” prefix=”fas”] DOWNLOAD PDF ITINERARY MAP
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Visiting options if you have more days in Madrid
►If you have several days in Madrid you can add day trips to Toledo, Segovia, Ávila, Salamanca or Cuenca, in all of them we have been and they are wonderful cities.↓↓
A visit to El Escorial can also be a very good option.
If there is one thing that travelers need, it is to be in communication and not to have a large bill due to the use of roaming. During the whole tour I used the Holafly sim, and it gave me a very good result. I received the physical Sim at my hotel, but you have eSims that you can buy on the web in advance of your trip, activate them on your mobile easily through a QR, and so you have everything ready when you arrive at your destination, super comfortable! Here is the discounted link for followers of Europa Acompañada! Holafly Discount Code, EUROPAACOMPAÑADA5
Are you also planning to visit Barcelona?► What to see in three days in Barcelona
If there is one thing you cannot forget, it is to travel with travel insurance. We are never free from something happening to us on our trip, from losing our luggage to a health problem, for all this we must be proactive and take out insurance that covers any setback.
Iati insuranceVideos of Madrid
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NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links
