First time in Madrid? What to know before you go

Madrid rewards a short, dense list rather than a long one. The three museums on the Paseo del Arte — Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza — sit within a 15-minute walk of each other, so you can do two in a day without crossing the city. Pick the Prado for Old Masters and the Reina Sofía for Picasso's Guernica; add the Thyssen only if you have a third half-day.

For the city itself, start at Puerta del Sol, walk the Plaza Mayor arcades, then drop into the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral next door. The Retiro park and the Prado are neighbours, so pair them. For sunset, the Templo de Debod and the terrace at Círculo de Bellas Artes both give a skyline view; the terrace charges a small entry (check).

Food is the other headline. A tapas crawl through La Latina or Huertas, a plate of jamón at the Mercado de San Miguel, and churros con chocolate at a late-night counter are the standard first-trip moves. Reserve one proper dinner if you want a sit-down meal, especially at weekends.

Madrid spreads around Puerta del Sol, at roughly 40.4168, -3.7038 (approximate). The old centre — Sol, Plaza Mayor, Ópera, La Latina and Huertas — is compact enough to cross on foot in about 30 minutes (check). The Paseo del Arte museums line the boulevard running south-east from Cibeles to Atocha, and Retiro park sits just east of them.

The metro is fast and cheap, with lines 1, 2 and 3 covering most first-trip stops (check). Single rides cost a few euros and a ten-ride ticket cuts the per-ride price (check current fares). Buses fill the gaps, and taxis and ride-hailing are metered and plentiful at night.

Madrid is a late city. Lunch runs from about 14:00, dinner from 21:00, and bars stay busy past midnight. If you want an early meal, look for places that open at 20:00 or eat tapas instead of a full dinner. Many shops close for a midday break, though department stores and chains stay open.

Cash is useful for small bars and markets, but cards work almost everywhere. Tipping is optional: round up or leave a euro or two. Tap water in Madrid is drinkable (check), and a caña (small beer) or a vermut before lunch is the local habit.

Pickpocketing is the main risk, especially on the metro, at Atocha and around Sol and the Prado. Keep bags zipped in front and phones out of back pockets. See the safety page for the current scams.

If you are coming from outside the EU, check your passport and any visa or ETIAS rules before booking; rules for UK, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand visitors can change. Buy travel insurance that covers medical costs.

April to June and September to October are the sweet spots: mild days, long evenings and terraces in use. Spring brings the city's biggest crowds around local festivals, and autumn is quieter than summer.

July and August are hot, often the hottest stretch of the year (check), and many locals leave. Sightseeing then means early mornings, a long midday break and late evenings. Winter is cold but clear, with fewer queues and lower hotel rates outside the Christmas and New Year weeks.

Check the calendar before you book: public holidays and big events can close museums or fill hotels. If your dates are fixed, plan indoor backups for the hottest or wettest days.

Madrid-Barajas airport (MAD) is about 12 km north-east of the centre (check). Metro line 8 runs to Nuevos Ministerios, where you change to lines 6 or 10; the airport express bus goes towards Cibeles and Atocha (check). A taxi to the centre takes roughly 20–30 minutes outside peak traffic and costs a flat-ish fare (check current rates).

By train, Madrid is the hub of Spain's high-speed network: Atocha and Chamartín stations link to Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Toledo and Segovia. Toledo is about 33 minutes from the centre, which makes it an easy day trip; Segovia is also reachable by high-speed train (check times). Book AVE seats in advance for the best fares.

From the airport, allow an hour door to door if you use the metro with luggage (check). If you arrive late, the bus and taxi are simpler than changing lines.