Being the heart of Spain, Madrid is a city full of life and known for a range of stuff. From its cultural and historical treasures, numerous museums and art galleries to the ongoing events, nightlife and gastronomy. If Madrid is on your list of places to visit, you might want to have a look at this post since we outline the fundamental questions before organizing your trip!
How many days you would need in Madrid
Many would choose to visit Madrid for a weekend. However, if you’re interested in discovering the city properly, we advise staying longer. To explore a variety of areas, perhaps four days would be better. That way you can visit museums, landmarks, and other historical spots, but at the same time you will be able to explore the city on a local level too. You can visit several restaurants to enjoy the cuisine, as well as some old-fashioned bars to feel the city’s atmosphere and authenticity. Also, you will have enough time to take leisurely walks around the city, without a rush. In fact, Madrid is a city with beautiful architecture that is unquestionably worth seeing on foot.
Furthermore, if you spend enough time in Madrid, you will have the opportunity to select and try a number of the things for which Spain is known, like its wine, fashion, nature, and arts. It is all up to your interests but we assure you there is something for everyone!
Reaching the city center from Madrid airport
If you fly to Madrid, you’ll land at Adolfo Suarez-Madrid Barajas Airport, one of Europe’s biggest airports and a hub for travelers from all over the world. Depending on where exactly your accommodation in Madrid is located, you might use public transport or maybe arrange a transfer in advance. Although it is 12 km from the city center, it is simple to get there via public transportation.
In case you prefer taking the metro, line 8 (the pink one) would probably be a good option for you. The trip to the city would take roughly 30 minutes. You might also travel by using the C-1 or C-10 train and it would take the same time. Another option would be the Exprés Aeropuerto bus. It leaves every 15 to 20 minutes, and you can buy the ticket online in advance. A good thing is that it is not restricted to any time, so in case your flight is delayed, you will not have to worry about catching it on time. If you arrive at night-time we would recommend either the airport express bus, or a taxi (to the central area of the city it would cost about 30 EUR).
Things to know as a tourist in Madrid
In a large unfamiliar city it might be helpful to keep in mind where you could find tourist information centres. Here you can see on the map a few of them. Aside from visiting the centers, you can learn more about the city following the tourism website, via email – turismo@esmadrid.com, or by calling (+34) 915 787 810.
If you’re traveling to Madrid and want to truly see the city as a tourist, you might want to think about getting the Tourist Travel Pass. The price is per person and includes unlimited use of the system’s buses, trains, and metros. There are various types of travel passes, each with a different duration. Also, there are two types in relation to the zones that are covered. More about the passes you can read here.
For those coming to Madrid by car, it might be useful to keep in mind that there are many Low-Emissions Zones in the city center where parking and driving are prohibited. On the City Council Centre you can find further information. If you want something different than the usual public transport, then you might like the idea of trying the cable car in Madrid.
As a tourist, you probably have the Real Madrid FC Stadium on your list! You might be thrilled to visit the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium by arranging a self guided tour. You don´t need to watch a football game in order to visit this enormous, breathtaking place. You could buy tickets for a tour and you will as well get to go behind the scenes of the stadium. The experience will be one that you can only feel with your heart and not imagine in your head. Give it a try!
It is a wonderful pleasure to travel throughout Spain and explore various locations, such as Barcelona, Mallorca, Costa Brava, Málaga, San Sebastián, and many others. However, you haven´t really experienced Spain if you haven´t seen its capital city! For that reason, we encourage you to consider a trip to Madrid. It is a place to which various motives might lead you – your willingness to explore and learn, business trips, family vacations, your desire to discover new opportunities and a lot more.
We believe a good first step to your planning would be to have a look at some accommodation possibilities. It is both one of the most challenging yet important things on the to-do list. Perhaps, it would be helpful for you to check out the accommodation alternatives in Madrid on our webpage below:
The way to your best stay! 