MadridMAD

What to do

• Prado Museum
• Plaza Mayor
• Retiro Park
• Tapas tour
• Flamenco show

Getting downtown

Downtown is 35 minutes from the airport by metro.

Out in the city

• Culture

  Museo del Prado

  Spain's national art museum on the Paseo del Prado, home to masterworks by Velázquez, Goya and Bosch. It anchors the city's Golden Triangle of Art.

  Jerónimos (bordering Retiro)$15

• Culture

  Plaza Mayor

  Madrid's grand 17th-century arcaded square in the historic center. It is free to enter and ringed by cafes and the Casa de la Panadería.

  CentroFree

• Fitness

  Parque del Retiro

  Madrid's landmark public park with the Crystal Palace, boating lake and formal gardens. Free to enter and popular for walking and running.

  RetiroFree

• Night market

  Malasaña

  A bohemian central district known for vintage shops, terraces and a dense tapas and nightlife scene around Plaza del Dos de Mayo. Traditional spots include Bodega de la Ardosa and Casa Camacho.

  Malasaña

• Craft

  Mercado de San Miguel

  A restored 1916 iron-and-glass gourmet market beside Plaza Mayor with more than 30 tapas and food vendors. Entry is free; food and drink are purchased on site.

  Centro (near Plaza Mayor)

• Spiritual

  Catedral de la Almudena

  Madrid's Catholic cathedral on Calle Bailén, facing the Royal Palace across the Plaza de la Armería. Entry to the cathedral is free with a suggested donation.

  Centro (Palacio, opposite the Royal Palace)Free

• Traditional medicine

  Herbolario Navarro

  A long-established Spanish natural-products and herbalist chain with several stores in Madrid, including one on Calle Fuencarral near Malasaña. It sells herbal remedies, supplements and organic food.

  Fuencarral (bordering Malasaña)