What to visit in Madrid ?: 10 Essential places to visit
A charming city to enjoy at any time of the year
The city of Madrid is not only known for being the capital of Spain, but also for being one of the most dynamic and beautiful cities in Europe, where art, culture and history join beautiful green landscapes, which make it in a wonderful tourist destination.
On this occasion, we will show you historical sites, emblematic places, green spaces, and even, we will tell you about an Egyptian temple with an age of approximately 2,000 years, located in this city.
If you want to know the best places for sightseeing in Madrid, join us in this article; here we will show you what they are.
The best places for sightseeing in Madrid
1. Plaza Mayor
In the center of the Spanish capital you can visit the Plaza Mayor de Madrid, where you can go to other places in the city, thanks to its ten entrances, being the Arco de Cuchilleros, one of its most outstanding entrances.
The Plaza Mayor is located near another place that is very special for tourism in Madrid, it is the Puerta del Sol, which communicates with this square through the main street.
It has an area of 129 meters long and 94 meters wide, and is surrounded by important buildings, some residential and others very popular such as the Casa de la Panadería.
You can also see in this location, the iconic statue of Philip III, completed in 1616 and gifted to Spain by the Duke of Florence at that time, Cosme de Medici.
2. The Royal Palace of Madrid
At present, it is not the chamber of the Spanish royalty as it was in the past, however, it continues to be used for some important events, standing out as one of the largest royal palaces in the world.
In this Royal House you can see many artistic and historical pieces, in addition to the luxurious halls and rooms that served the royal family.
Without a doubt, one of the essential visits to get to know Madrid.
3. Plaza Cibeles and the Town Hall
When Real Madrid wins a title, or the Spanish team performs great feats such as the conquests of the 2010 World Cup, or the 2008 and 2012 Euro Cups, Plaza Cibeles is the meeting place used by locals to celebrate these triumphs.
It is located in the anteroom of the Palacio de Cibeles, where the City Hall is located, which has some areas open to the public, where you can enjoy art exhibitions or the imposing view that you can enjoy from its terrace.
4. San Miguel Market
The iron structure that adorns this building is one of the most emblematic of the city of Madrid, where you can enjoy numerous gastronomic options such as Iberian ham, Spanish seafood, Manchego cheeses and other jewels of European gastronomy.
The market is located in the heart of the city.
5. El Retiro Park
Every major city has green spaces that favor recreation and recreation. In Madrid, there is this beautiful natural park, better known as El Retiro.
A park where you can stroll along green paths, surrounded by various types of trees; or jogging if you prefer. In addition to this, you can visit the Crystal Palace, or the artificial pond that you can cross by renting a small boat.
6. Madrid Río Park
The history of this park is related to the modernization of the city, when a highway was buried that adjoined the banks of the Manzanares River, leaving a large empty space that had to be rehabilitated.
The reconstruction took place thanks to a novel idea that the Madrid City Council had in 2005 to rehabilitate these spaces.
The project had to link areas that had been unified by this highway, with emblematic places of the city, such as: the bicycle lane, the garden called Casa de Campo, the Toledo and Segovia bridges, or the famous hermitage of the Virgen del Puerto, in addition to other places.
In this wonderful complex you can see (among other places), the gardens of the Segovia and Toledo bridges, the so-called Salón de Pinos, which is located on the right bank of the river, the Huerta de la Partida, where you can see numerous trees fruit trees, and the Ribera del Agua.
Likewise, you can visit the Municipal Slaughterhouse which is a building that enjoys great architectural beauty, and the Arganzuela Park.
7. Prado Museum
The Prado Museum cannot be left out of your itinerary, since, in addition to its imposing architecture, it is a special place where you can see the magnificent works of great European artists. For example, this museum is where El Jardín de las Delicias, by the great painter El Bosco, or Velázquez's masterpiece, Las Meninas, is located.
You can also see here some works by the great master of Spanish painting Goya, or some works by the incredible Flemish painter Rubens.
8. Reina Sofía Museum
The master Picasso had an artistic and symbolic representation of the Spanish Civil War that has gone down in history and is internationally recognized; We refer to the famous painting: Guernica, which can be seen in this prestigious museum.
In addition, you can see works by the master of surrealism, Salvador Dalí, or the works of the Barcelona painter Joan Miró. This museum is one of the most visited places in the city.
9. Temple of Debod
When we began this rhetorical journey through Madrid, we commented that in this city an Egyptian temple with more than two thousand years old can also be appreciated; Although it seems unlikely, the truth is that in 1968 Egypt offered this temple as a gift to Spain, for having collaborated with the protection of several temples, which were located where the Aswan dam would be built.
This temple was an ancient Egyptian place of worship, but it is unknown to what divinity it was destined.
Today it is located in the Parque del Oeste in the city of Madrid, west of the beautiful Plaza de España.
When is the best season to travel to Madrid?
The city of Madrid is beautiful in all seasons of the year, however, many points out that the best time to travel to Madrid is in the spring and autumn seasons, since in this period the influx of tourists is lower as well as lodging prices.
In the same way, during the spring time the green places of the city will be better appreciated, and the climate is more pleasant.
I hope this travel guide in Madrid helps you organize a dream vacation.