Are you short on time and don’t know what to see in Madrid in one day? Are you visiting Madrid with teenagers? We can help you enjoy a city rich in diversity and history, offering a wealth of experiences that take up much more than one day. You’ll need at least 4 days to capture its essence, and even then you’ll want more.

We’re going to tell you what to do in Madrid in one day; of course, one day is not enough to capture all its wonders, but if your time is limited, we’ll give you a basic itinerary that will take you through the must-see places.

At the of the article, and for your convenience, we have included a map that shows the route of a day in Madrid, starting and ending at the Puerta del Sol. In this article, we’ll save you the trouble of deciding what to see in Madrid by giving you a taste of the most important things to do.

The best things to see in Madrid in one day. Visit Madrid.

This itinerary you to some of the most iconic places that define the heart of the city. From the Puerta del Sol, past the Royal Palace, home to kings and witness to royal history, to the cultural magnet of the Prado Museum, where masterpieces by famous artists come to life. See the map at the end of this article.

We’ll discover the serenity of an Egyptian temple, the Temple of Debod (a gift from Egypt where you can watch unforgettable sunsets), and then you’ll feel dwarfed by the majestic buildings of Plaza de España. You’ll stroll along Gran Vía, the bustling commercial centre, and end up in Plaza Cibeles, which will greet you with its fountain and emblematic buildings.

The Retiro Park is an oasis of peace amidst the hustle and bustle. Finally, immerse yourself in the Barrio de las Letras, where the streets are filled with the literary essence of past centuries.

From Puerta del Sol to Madrid de los Austrias.

We start in the city centre, at the Puerta del Sol. Here you will find the famous statue El Oso y el Madroño, a symbol of the city and a popular meeting place, as well as the “Kilómetro cero” plaque.  Walking down Calle Mayor, you will enter the centre of Madrid, or Madrid de los Austrias, and in about 5 minutes you will arrive at the largest square in Madrid, the Plaza Mayor.

On the south side of the square is the La Latina neighbourhood, which is well worth a visit, but as it takes time and you only have one day, you will have to leave it for another visit to Madrid.

Later, leaving the square and heading towards Calle Mayor, you can make a stop at Madrid’s gastronomic temple, the Mercado de San Miguel. From here it takes less than 5 minutes to reach Plaza de la Villa, the centre of life in Madrid when it was not yet the capital of  the kingdom.

Continue along Calle Mayor until you reach the Almudena Cathedral, which stands out for its architectural style. Nearby is Plaza de Oriente, where two of the city’s most representative buildings are located: the Royal Palace where the traditional Changing of the Guard takes place, and the Royal Theater.

The Debod Temple (Templo de Debod) and Plaza de España.

A short walk from Plaza de Oriente, along Calle de Bailén and through the Jardines de Sabatini, is the Templo de Debod, from where spectacular sunsets can be observed and photographed.

Close to the temple is Plaza España, where you will find the monument to Cervantes, with the iconic Edificio España in the background.

Gran Via walk

Crossing the Plaza de España, you will reach the Gran Via, full of shops, nightclubs, cafes, cinemas, and theatres. You will reach Plaza de Callao with its emblematic buildings: the Carrión, or Capitol, and the panoramic terrace on the top floor of El Corte Inglés, which we recommend you climb.

Continuing along Gran Vía and Calle Alcalá, you will reach the Metrópolis building, which you can see in the foreground if you go up to the roof of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, a building where interesting cultural exhibitions are held.

The Cibeles Square and the Retiro Park.

Continue along Calle Alcalá until you reach the emblematic Plaza de la Cibeles with its fountain and monument to the goddess Cibeles. Here you can see the fountain and the monument to the goddess Cybele, which you can admire at night when it is illuminated.

Around, the Palacio de Buenavista, the Palacio de Linares, and the Palacio de Cibeles (headquarters of the Madrid City Council), from where you can also enjoy a view of Madrid’s skyline.

Continue along Calle Alcalá until you reach Plaza de Independencia, where you will find the Puerta de Alcalá another symbol of Madrid that cannot be missed. Its two sides are different, and the stones are scarred by projectiles from the Civil War.

Cross the square and continue the day with a pleasant walk through the symbolic and representative Retiro Park (Parque del Retiro), the green lung of Madrid. We recommend a visit to the Estanque Grande and its impressive monument to Alfonso XII. You should also visit the Crystal Palace (Palacio de Cristal) and walk through the Jardín del Parterre.

Towards the Paseo del Arte and the Barrio de las Letras.

Continuing straight ahead, you will pass by the Casón del Buen Retiro, the building of the Royal Spanish Academy, and the church of Los Jerónimos Continuing downhill, you will reach the Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, where the famous Neptune fountain is located.

On one side of the square is the Prado Museum and on the other the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum. We do not recommend entering these if you are short of time, as both require a day to fully enjoy.

Continue through Plaza de las Cortes to the Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados) and continue along Calle del Prado to Plaza de Santa Ana, a good place to have a drink and rest.

Continue along Plaza del Ángel to Plaza de Jacinto Benavente and then down Calle de Carretas to get back to, Puerta del Sol.

Map of Madrid in 1 day

Here is a map of what you can see in Madrid in a day. It is a rectangular route with a duration of approximately two hours without stops.

What to book in Madrid for another occasion. What to do in Madrid in 3 days?

Although this article is about what to see in Madrid in one day, you can enjoy this route at a relaxed pace and add new places, as we suggest below.

For art lovers, you could spend one to three days, one day per museum, in the Art Triangle, which is unique to Madrid and to no other city in the world. So concentrate on the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen. Visit museums in Madrid.

If you have already been to Madrid several times and want to spend about three days seeing different places, these are beautiful but lesser-known places for a second visit to Madrid.

What to see in Madrid with teenagers is another challenge, and a sure bet is football; you can’t go wrong with a visit to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, which is one of the most visited places in Madrid. Visiting Madrid with teenagers can be more manageable if you visit small but iconic places like “The Temple of Debod (Egyptian temple)”, “The Sorolla Museum (house museum of the painter Sorolla)” and of course strolling around, enjoying tapas and a glass of wine or beer in the centre of Madrid.


Our accommodation is in Madrid.

For short stays, we have short-term apartments next to Calle Serrano and Paseo de la Castellana, in the Escultor building. We also have apartments in a quieter and less touristic areas, such us apartments in the Salamanca neighborhood.