Photo: Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.03 Days in Madrid: Prado, Retiro & Tapas Crawls
Three days in Madrid at foodie pace: the Prado and Retiro by day, tapas crawls through La Latina and Mercado de San Miguel, cocido in century-old taverns, and churros at San Gines. Answer a few questions and the plan re-plans itself around how you travel: your pace, your budget, your style.
Pick a style, a budget and a pace — the route and days below re-plan themselves.
9 stops · 6 meals · 1 hotelThis is the editor’s pick.
3 days
Each day takes one part of Madrid, kept close so you walk more than you ride. The map shows the whole route — pick a day to zoom in.
Spain's national modern art museum: Picasso's Guernica, Dali, Miro and Juan Gris. See Guernica first, on the second floor. Closed Tuesdays.
- Free evenings Mon, Wed, Fri 19:00-21:00 and Sunday afternoons.
The station bar across from Atocha famous for its bocadillo de calamares, 'the best in Madrid'. Family business for 56 years, open 18 hours a day.
- Handy stop before the Reina Sofia (Guernica) across the street.
- Handy before the Reina Sofia: the station bar across from Atocha famous for its bocadillo de calamares.
One of the world's great art museums: Velazquez, Goya and Bosch in a neoclassical palace. Allow three hours; the museum's own routes cover 15, 30 or 54 works.
- Free entry the last two hours (Mon-Sat 18:00-20:00, Sun 17:00-19:00).
Worth the trip
Family-run tavern since 1906 and the birthplace of gambas al ajillo. Stand at the garlic-scented bar; tradition says throw the prawn shells on the floor.
- Tradition: throw the prawn shells on the floor; pair with the sweet house red.
Closer: Bodega de los Secretos, 3 min out of your way
The royal botanical garden by the Prado: 15,000 plant species in an 18th-century layout with historic greenhouses. A calm hour after the museum.
- Adults EUR 4, under 18 free; free Tuesdays 10:00-13:00.
- Right next door: the royal botanical garden, a calm hour after the Prado's three-hour self-guided routes.
Madrid's oldest tavern, serving since before 1787: traditional Madrilenian cooking in a historic gem. Declared of significant cultural and touristic interest by the city.
- Menu devoted to traditional Madrilenian cooking: rabo de toro, cocido, vermut on tap.
Lavapies' 1902 Art Nouveau cafe: mirrors, a grand piano, live music almost every evening, and vermut on tap.
A 15-room urban hotel in Lavapies: warm, attentive staff and 9.4-rated comfort minutes from Atocha, Retiro, and the museums. 24-hour front desk, free Wi-Fi, library.
Worth the trip
Madrid's most famous churreria since 1894, serving chocolate con churros around the clock near Puerta del Sol. Two floors of marble tables and terrace seating.
- Chocolate EUR 3.70, six churros EUR 2.50; open 24 hours.
Madrid's legendary open-air flea market: up to 3,500 stalls every Sunday morning, from antiques to vinyl. Arrive before 11:00 to beat the crowds.
- Open Sundays and public holidays 9:00-15:00; entry is free.
La Latina's everyday food market: fresh produce, fish and meat stalls where locals actually shop, with none of the tourist markup. Closed Sundays.
- Mon-Fri 9:00-14:00 and 17:30-20:00, Sat 9:00-18:00; closed Sundays.
La Latina's packed modern pintxos tavern since 2001: the legendary tortilla de patatas, served thick on bread, plus creative Basque-inspired tapas. Always packed, especially Sundays; arrive early.
- Always packed, especially Sundays; arrive early or book ahead.
- Two minutes from the market: the legendary tortilla de patatas, served thick on bread. Arrive early or book ahead, especially on Sundays.
Cava Baja classic with creative tapas and a rotating wine-by-the-glass list. Squeeze in at the bar; try the oxtail, croquettes and calamari.
- Open lunch 13:00-15:30 (Sat-Sun to 16:00) and dinner 20:00-24:00; closed Wednesday midday.
- When the flea market winds down at 15:00, Cava Baja is minutes away: creative tapas and a rotating wine-by-the-glass list at Casa Lucas.
An iron-and-glass gourmet food hall by Plaza Mayor, with 30+ stalls serving tapas, vermouth and pastries. Graze across several stalls rather than ordering one meal.
- Sun-Thu 10:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 10:00-01:00; entry is free, you pay per stall.
A lively traditional tavern on Cava Baja: homely Spanish tapas, croquettes, and padron peppers in a classic setting. Rated 4.8/5 on Restaurant Guru. Open daily 12:00-24:00.
Tiny cod-tapas bar since 1966; the tajadas de bacalao are among the most famous tapas in Madrid, around EUR 3. No real menu; a glass case shows the offerings.
- Closed Mondays and Sunday evenings; crowded at lunch.
Stay put: 20 min walk back from Mercado de San Miguel tonight, ~19 min by taxi to Mercado de Chamberi in the morning.
Historic tavern from 1827 in the building where Cervantes is said to have lived, serving Madrid classics like callos and rabo de toro. Closed Mondays.
- Closed Mondays; open Tue-Sun from 12:00.
Madrid's 1919 ghost metro station, restored to its 1960s look; Line 1 trains still rush through the platform. Free, but book online: tickets go fast.
- Free entry; Fri 16:00-20:00, Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-14:00; closed Mon-Thu.
Chamberi's traditional municipal market since 1943: fifty stalls of produce, fish and meat plus a restaurant area. Closed Sundays.
Chamberi's beloved neighborhood market: traditional stalls mix with modern gastro stalls serving eggs, artisan cheeses, craft beer and paellas. Open late.
- Open Mon-Thu 9:00-23:00, Fri-Sat to midnight, Sundays 12:30-17:00.
Peruvian-Asian fusion inside Mercado de Vallehermoso: a hyped communal-table tasting menu from a Top Chef finalist. Bookings open the first of each month and sell out fast.
- Bookings open the first of each month and sell out fast; communal seating with a 6-dish tasting menu.
- Inside the market: Peruvian-Asian fusion tasting menu from a Top Chef finalist. Bookings open the first of each month and sell out fast.
Stay put: ~18 min by taxi back from Mercado de Vallehermoso tonight, ~17 min by taxi to the ghost metro station in the morning.
Where to stay in Madrid
Ranked for foodie travelers on a comfortable budget. The places this plan sleeps in come first.
Artrip Hotel
A 15-room urban hotel in Lavapies: warm, attentive staff and 9.4-rated comfort minutes from Atocha, Retiro, and the museums. 24-hour front desk, free Wi-Fi, library.
Hostal Persal
An 80-room budget classic in an 1871 building on pedestrian Plaza del Angel, 100 meters from Puerta del Sol. 24-hour reception, free luggage storage, library, and breakfast buffet. Rated 8.6.
Petit Palace Posada del Peine
Madrid's oldest inn, founded in 1610 steps from Plaza Mayor and Sol: 71 modern rooms, free bike rentals, and breakfast in an exposed-brick cave.
Flights to Madrid
Fly into MAD (MAD)
Flight results via Travelpayouts — we may earn a commission on bookings.
Getting around Madrid
How to actually move around the city — transit, rideshare, bikes, and taxis.
Public transit
Madrid's metro, buses and commuter trains cover the whole city and run late; contactless bank cards work at the gates, so most visitors never need a ticket machine.
- Metro de Madrid
12 lines plus the Ramal shuttle, running roughly 6:00 to 1:30. Tap a contactless bank card at the gate, or buy the Tourist Travel Pass (1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days) for unlimited rides. Line 8 (pink) reaches Barajas airport in about 30 minutes for 5 euros including the airport supplement.
Tip: For airport trips from T1-T3 take Line 8; from T4 the Cercanias train is cheaper.
- EMT city buses
Blue municipal buses fill the gaps the metro misses. The Expres Aeropuerto (line 203) runs 24/7 between Atocha/Cibeles and all terminals for 5 euros, and night buses (buhos) cover the city when the metro is closed. Pay contactless on board.
Tip: The airport express bus is the best option for arrivals between 1:30 and 6:00 am.
- Cercanias (Renfe commuter rail)
Renfe's commuter trains link Barajas T4 with Atocha and Chamartin in about 25 minutes for 2.60 euros (lines C-1 and C-10; T4 only). The same network runs handy day trips to El Escorial, Aranjuez and Alcala de Henares.
Tip: Cheapest airport option, but only useful if you land at T4.
Rideshare
Uber and the Madrid-born Cabify both run on licensed VTC cars with upfront fixed pricing; airport pickups leave from designated rideshare zones.
- Cabify
Madrid-born ride-hailing app with upfront fixed pricing and pre-booking. Airport to the center typically runs 25-40 euros depending on demand; pick up at the designated rideshare zones outside the terminals.
Tip: Often slightly cheaper than a taxi; pre-book for early-morning departures.
- Uber
UberX operates in Madrid with licensed VTC cars and upfront pricing. Expect roughly 20-40 euros between the airport and the center; surge applies at peak times.
Tip: Compare with Cabify and the 33 euro taxi flat fare before booking.
Bikes
Madrid is hillier than it looks, which is why the city's public bikeshare is fully electric; most central hops fit inside the cheap 30-minute window.
- BiciMAD
EMT-run electric bikeshare: about 7,800 bikes at 635 stations across all districts. Tourist passes cost 2/4/6 euros for 1/3/5 days, plus 0.50 euros per 30-minute fraction for the first hour (3 euros per 30 min after that). Unlock with the app and dock at any station, waiting for the green light and beep.
Tip: Keep every ride under an hour to avoid the steep 3 euro surcharge.
Taxis
Official taxis are white with a red stripe and the city seal; hail one on the street, at a rank, or from an app. Airport to anywhere inside the M-30 ring is a government-fixed 33 euro flat fare, and tipping is not expected.
- Free Now (official taxis)
The main app for hailing Madrid's official licensed taxis: request, track and pay in the app. Airport rides inside the M-30 ring cost the fixed 33 euro fare; within the city most central rides land between 5 and 10 euros on the meter.
Tip: At the airport ignore anyone offering rides inside the terminal; use the official taxi ranks outside.