What to do in Madrid for 3 Days Itinerary

Once the capital of one of the mightiest empires on Earth, Madrid is full of lavish palaces, wondrous art museums, and a gastronomic vibe that will fulfill your culinary experience.

Where to Stay:

Hotel Regina

This hotel was perfect for my three night stay in Madrid. Located steps away from Puerta del Sol, Hotel Regina offered a complimentary breakfast buffet with a wide spread of options and free wifi access. The reception was accommodating, professional and helped book my train tickets to Seville. The rooms were clean, modern and classy with a lot of attention to detail.

What to See:

Puerta del Sol

This is the heart of Madrid and serves as the measuring point for all of Spain’s major radial roads. It is one of the busiest and liveliest centers with street artists, food and shopping. Almost everything is accessible from here as there are three metro lines that run through Sol.

Plaza Mayor

Plaza Mayor is Madrid’s most famous public square. The stunning architecture, open air dining and the bronze statue of King Philip III attract people from all over. I did not eat here as it is heavily catered towards tourists therefore it is expensive. Instead, I recommend finding a local cafe or visiting Mercado de San Miguel, a popular market that serves gourmet tapas.

El Rastro

El Rastro is an open air flea market on Sundays and bank holidays with live music and plenty of bargains. It is best to get there early before it gets overly crowded but if you want the experience go between 11am-1pm. I definitely got caught up in the €5 white clothing section and all the various jewelry stalls. The clothes that I bought came in handy during the rest of my trip as I wasn’t fully prepared for the Spanish heat. In addition, there are numerous tapas bars that sell €1 cañas and snacks to keep you going.

Palacio Real de Madrid

Built by Phillip V in the 1700s, the royal palace was designed to be like Versailles and has over 2,000 rooms. With portraits of former kings and queens and tapestries, the palace is still used for state events and the front courtyard is used as a public space for all of Madrid.

I opted to go with the audio guide and spent around 2 hours going at my own pace. On the other hand, if you really love history, I would recommend going with the 90-minute guided tour. Be sure to check the available discounts. For example, my entrance fee using the youth discount was €7.

Temple de Debod

The Temple de Debod is a 2nd century Egyptian temple dedicated to the god Amun of Debod and Isis. It was donated to the Spanish government by Egypt 1968 as a thank you gift for helping save the temples of Abu Simbel. Be sure to check the hours before visiting because it was closed when I was in Madrid. The best time to visit is during golden hour or right before sunset for gorgeous photos.

Prado Museum

The Prado Museum is home to Spain’s finest art collection with an assortment of works by Goya, El Greco and Ruben. It is best to plan to be there for a couple of hours as one can get lost in the gorgeous paintings. Please take your driver’s license and/or student ID to utilize any senior or student discounts. Even though it’s called a student discount, this usually applies to individuals younger than 26. As a result, you may be able to get into the museum for free.

El Retiro Park

This royal park is the perfect place to take in some fresh air and relax for a bit. For instance, you’ll see people jogging, listening to music, eating, taking a boat ride or visiting the Palacio de Cristal, an 1887 glasshouse with contemporary art. I suggest having lunch at one of the small cafes and take a few moments to take in the tranquility of it all. One of the local cafes near the Palacio de Cristal had an amazing vegetable paella and a refreshing sangria.

Gran Vía

This is the most famous street in all of Madrid. In other words, you can do anything here from live performances to great restaurants to shopping. I personally enjoyed strolling through the street, gazing at the local boutiques and getting lost in Primark. If you have never been to a Primark before, I suggest you take a look as there are so many good deals on quality clothing and accessories plus they have an entire section dedicated to Harry Potter.

Where to Eat:

Chocolatería San Gínes was founded in 1894 and is open 24 hours every day of the week. Their churros con chocolate is absolutely divine, reasonably priced and is great for sharing with friends.

Masa Madre Vegan is an incredible restaurant with tasty, fresh, original recipes that even meat-eaters will enjoy. I personally do eat meat but prefer to be vegetarian when I can. Their margarita pizza and mushroom ravioli were out of this world and bursting with flavor. The brownie with ice cream was delicious even though the brownie did not have the same consistency since it was vegan.

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