Things to Do in Madrid
Discover 28 activities and experiences in Madrid, Spain — from outdoor adventures to cultural events. Curated from real traveler recommendations.
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Real Madrid
For football fanatics, a trip to the ''Santiago Bernabeu'', the home of local club Real Madrid is not to be missed. Real Madrid is the most successful football club in Spain and Europe, having been crowned Spanish champions a record 32 times and European champions a record 11 times. Their biggest rivals by far are FC Barcelona, with which it contests matches known popularly as ''El Clásico'' at least twice a year. The rivalry between the two sides is by far the biggest in Spain and one of the most intense in the world, and stems from the longstanding traditional rivalry between the Spanish and Catalan speaking parts of Spain. As such, tickets for such matches often sell out very quickly. In case you arrive in Madrid on non-match periods, you can take a self-guided tour of the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. It includes tours around the field, the dressing rooms, the Press Room and the Real Madrid Museum where the trophies and other memorabilia are kept. Without a loyalty card, the typical fees for adults is €16. However, a few days before a match, the chances are you will not be able to take the full tour, but only a part of it, with at least the Real Madrid Museum, at a reduced price.
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Atlético de Madrid
Plays games in the Vicente Calderón stadium. The club is one of the most successful in Spanish League history, having won both La Liga and the Copa del Rey on ten occasions, including a double in 1996. They also won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1962, were European Cup runners-up in 1974 and 2014, Intercontinental Cup winners in 1975 and more recently won the UEFA Europa League both in 2010 and 2012.
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Las Ventas Bullring
The birth place of bullfighting. Unless you find this spectacle distasteful, this is a must see if you visit Madrid during the bullfighting season (May, during ''San Isidro''). Tickets may nevertheless be expensive and hard to get for the more important ''corridas''. Anyway, it usually is used as a venue for shows and concerts.
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Spanish National Orchestra
Performs every Fri, Sat and Sun at the '''Auditorio Nacional''' on Calle Principe de Vergara. The Auditorio Nacional is also the main concert venue for the symphonic concerts of the Community of Madrid Orchestra and the Madrid symphony Orchestra and the main venue for touring classical artists and orchestras.
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Circulo de Bellas Artes
A non-profit cultural center located a short walk from Sol, the CBA offers up a wide variety of events and shows including film, music, art displays, dance, theater and more. See the website (in Spanish) for a list of activities.
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- Calle Marqués de Casa Riera 2
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Corral de la Moreria
One of the most famous flamenco ''tablaos'' in the world. It′s right in the heart of the city, and you can enjoy a full fledged Spanish meal while you watch performances by renowned international flamenco music and dance artists.
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Cinesa Proyecciones 3D
This is a great movie theatre showing all of the latest movies. It has both 3D movies and normal movies. There is also a shop in the movie theatre where they sell all kinds of candy, drinks, and popcorn. Great for children!
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- Calle Fuencarral 136
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- 7.60€(on working days),7.60€ (on weekends and festives), 6.00€ (reduced priced). Note: an additional 2.50€ will be charged for 3D movies
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Madrid Gay Pride
Annual event held between the last week of June and the first of July, with more than 1.5million people in the street from all across the world. It began as a weekend party, but lately turned into a full week extravaganza.
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La Transhumancia
Annual event during which the center of Madrid is free of cars and is instead filled with shepherds exercising their ancient right to drive sheep and livestock through the city. thumb|Madrid Gay Pride 2008
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Cine Doré, la Filmoteca Española
This is a wonderful, old Spanish theater dating from the 1920s. It has three screens and shows mainly "art-house" and critically acclaimed films in V.O. In the summertime, they screen movies on the roof.
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- Calle Santa Isabel 3
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- From €2.50
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Cafe De Chinitas
A great show lasting about 90 minutes. Unbelievable amount of energy and passion put in by the performers. There is an option to have dinner as well but that is a separate package and costs more.
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- C/ Torija, 7-28013
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- 25 Euros without dinner / drinks
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Las Tablas
A very popular Tablao located near the Plaza España metro station. The package consisting of a Flamenco show (at 9 or 10PM) with a candle-lit dinner and a glass of Sangria wine is truly a treat.
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- Plaza España, 9
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Kinepolis
Outside the city, in the suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcon. The largest megaplex in the world by number of seats. Has 25 screens. The offer of movies shown in their original version is increasing.
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- C/ Edgar Neville s/n, Ciudad de la Imagen, Pozuelo de Alarcon
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Cinesa Dreams Palacio de Hielo
This cinema is located in a shopping mall know for its ice-skating ring. It is a great place where teenagers can hang out since the mall also has restaurants, bars, and shops.
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- C/ Silvano, 77
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- 7.50€
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Tablao Flamenco Cardamomo
Authentic Flamenco show in the center of Madrid, one of the gratest ''tablaos flamencos'' all over Spain, typical Spanish food during the performance.
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- Echegaray 15
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Rayo Vallecano
Plays games at Estadio Teresa Rivero. A popular team from the Vallecas area in Madrid, known for its alternative culture and left-wing ultras.
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Yelmo Cineplex Ideal
Probably the best known V.O. theater in Madrid, it offers the largest selection of movies and is only a short walk from Sol.
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- Doctor Cortezo 6
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Getafe Club de Fútbol
Plays games at Coliseum Alfonso Pérez in Getafe, one of the dormitory cities of Madrid.
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Madrid Fly
Madrid's first indoor skydiving facility. Perfect fun adventure for the entire family.
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- Av. Ntra. Sra. del Retamar, 16
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Orquesta de Radio Televisión Española
Performs every Thu and Fri at the '''Teatro Monumental''' on Calle Atocha.
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Teatro de la Zarzuela
The Spanish version of the Operetta (Zarzuela) is performed here.
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Banda Municipal de Madrid
Performs in El Retiro Park in the summer.
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Auditorio 400 of the Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofia
The main venue for contemporary music.
Exploring Madrid: A Traveler's Guide to Activities
Madrid rewards curious travelers with an exceptional range of experiences. Whether you have a weekend or several weeks, the city's 28 documented activities cover the full spectrum — architectural landmarks and world-class museums at one end, local neighborhood festivals and underground cultural scenes at the other. The activities listed on this page come from Wikivoyage contributors who have personally explored Madrid and written detailed, practical descriptions to help you plan your visit.
The most rewarding way to experience Madrid's activities is with company. Solo travelers who arrive without plans often find that meeting a fellow traveler at a hostel, cafe, or through the Nomax app opens up entirely new itineraries — a museum visit becomes a half-day exploration, a street food crawl turns into an evening of discovery, a day trip to a nearby site becomes an adventure. Madrid has an active traveler community, and the city is designed to reward those who explore it with open curiosity.
When planning what to do in Madrid, consider mixing well-known attractions with neighborhood-level experiences. The city's most photographed sights are popular for good reason, but Madrid's character lives in its quieter corners too — the local markets, the parks where residents spend their weekends, the small performance venues where the next generation of artists and musicians are finding their voice. The 28 activities on this page include both categories, ordered by the richness of their traveler-written descriptions.
How to Get the Most from Madrid's Activities
Timing matters in Madrid. Many of the city's best attractions have shorter queues and better atmospheres on weekday mornings. Major cultural sites — museums, galleries, historic monuments — often run free admission windows on certain days or evenings; check before booking. Outdoor activities and walking tours are best enjoyed in the morning before the city heats up or fills with tour groups.
Budget-conscious travelers will find that Madrid has a strong free-to-access layer. Public parks, open-air markets, architectural walking routes, and many community events cost nothing. The price information included with activities on this page (where available) helps you plan a realistic daily budget. A mix of free and paid activities across a week in Madrid is entirely feasible for most traveler budgets.
For travelers who want to do more than just sightseeing, Madrid offers organized activities through local guides, tour companies, and traveler apps like Nomax. Group activities — cooking classes, cycling tours, kayaking excursions, photography walks — are a natural way to meet people while experiencing the city. Many travelers who use Nomax in Madrid coordinate these types of group experiences together, splitting costs and building memories that last beyond the trip itself.
Activities for Different Travel Styles
Not every traveler wants the same experience. History enthusiasts will gravitate toward Madrid's museums, heritage sites, and guided historical walks that reveal the layers of the city's past. Outdoor and adventure travelers will focus on the parks, cycling routes, climbing areas, and day trips to surrounding natural areas. Food travelers will treat Madrid's markets, restaurants, and food tours as the primary activities of each day. Culture seekers will fill evenings with concerts, theater, gallery openings, and street performances.
The 28 activities documented on this page span all these categories. Use the numbered list above to browse in order of description quality — longer descriptions generally mean more detailed, firsthand traveler knowledge. For each activity, the address and opening hours (where available) give you everything you need to plan your visit without needing to search elsewhere.
Connecting with Travelers in Madrid
One of the best things about traveling to Madrid is the community of international travelers already there. Backpackers, digital nomads, long-term expats, and short-trip tourists all share the same city at any given moment. Nomax makes it easy to find who is in Madrid right now, see what activities they are joining, and coordinate plans. Whether you want a hiking companion, someone to split museum entry with, or a group for an evening out — the app connects you to people with the same itinerary in minutes.
Download Nomax before your trip to Madrid to set your travel dates and start discovering who else will be there at the same time. The app is free, requires no subscription, and works across all the major traveler destinations worldwide — meaning the community you build in Madrid often extends to your next destination too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do in Madrid?
Madrid offers 28+ activities and experiences for travelers. Top highlights include Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Las Ventas Bullring, and much more. This page lists every documented activity in order of description quality, so you can find both the major attractions and the hidden gems.
Are there free things to do in Madrid?
Yes — Madrid has a strong selection of free activities. Public parks, open-air markets, walking routes through historic neighborhoods, and many cultural institutions offer free admission on specific days. Scroll through the list above and look for activities marked with free or no price information — these are often the city's most authentic experiences.
How do I meet other travelers while exploring Madrid?
Download Nomax — a free travel companion app that shows you other solo travelers currently in Madrid. You can join group activities, chat with travelers at the same spots, and plan outings together. Many travelers in Madrid use Nomax to find companions for day trips, museum visits, and evening activities.
What activities can I do with travel companions I meet in Madrid?
Madrid has activities for every interest — guided tours, food experiences, outdoor adventures, cultural events, and nightlife. Use Nomax to coordinate with other travelers: join a group for a walking tour, split a day-trip cost, or simply explore the city together. The app makes spontaneous plans easy.
Explore Madrid with fellow travelers
Download Nomax — find travel companions, join group activities, and chat with solo travelers in Madrid right now. Free forever.
Travel tips by Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA 3.0). Content may have been updated since publication.
