Madrid in a day
6 h route5 stopsBest: Start at 9am, before Sol fills upUpdated July 2026
Madrid in a day is done on foot, in a near-straight line: fifteen minutes separate the Puerta del Sol from the Royal Palace, and along the way you cross the Plaza Mayor, the city’s most famous market and four centuries of history. Finish by walking up the Gran Vía and you’ll have seen the essentials without once taking the metro.
Don’t try to squeeze museums into this plan: the art is a separate route (and a full day). This is the Madrid of streets, squares and façades: free, and never closed. Eat around 2pm in La Latina, which is on the way.
The route, stop by stop
5 STOPS- 01
Puerta del Sol
The point from which every road in Spain is measured is set into the pavement on the south side, and there’s always a queue to stand on it. The square is the city’s geographic and emotional centre: this is where Madrid eats its New Year’s grapes and where every protest ends.
Find the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the city’s emblem, and the Tío Pepe sign above the rooftops.
Then don’t linger: the good stuff is two streets away.
- 02
Plaza Mayor
An enclosed, arcaded square from 1619 that has been a market, a bullring, and the stage for both public executions and coronations. Enter through the Arco de Cuchilleros, the south-east stairway, which is the postcard way in. The terraces in the middle are overpriced and mediocre: sit only if you want to pay for the view. The fried-squid sandwich, the local tradition, is eaten standing at the bars on the next street.
- 03
Mercado de San Miguel
An iron-and-glass market hall from 1916, converted in 2009 into a gourmet food market. It’s expensive and always packed, so don’t come for a proper meal: come to see the building and have a beer with a bite. For a real market, the Cebada or Antón Martín halls are nearby and local. This one is a showcase, but a handsome one.
- 04
The Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral
The largest royal palace in Western Europe by floor area, with 3,400 rooms: not one of which the royal family lives in. It’s used only for state occasions. You can tour the inside, but the best image is free, from the Plaza de la Armería, with the cathedral facing it.
The Almudena was only finished in 1993, so it’s a near-new cathedral built on a centuries-old plan.
Afterwards drop down to the Sabatini Gardens or the Campo del Moro to see the façade from below.
- 05
Gran Vía
The avenue that sliced old Madrid in two between 1910 and 1929, with buildings that imitated New York when New York was the future. Walk it end to end, west to east: the 1920s skyscrapers, the historic cinemas, the neon signs. It’s the loudest, most commercial street in the city, and at night it changes character with the musical theatres. A good place to end the day: from here you can walk back to any central hotel.
Frequently asked
Can you see Madrid in a day?
The essentials of the historic centre, yes: from the Puerta del Sol to the Royal Palace via the Plaza Mayor, then the Gran Vía, is a full day on foot with no metro. The big museums (the Prado, the Reina Sofía) need a separate visit.
Is Madrid a walkable city?
Very. The historic centre is compact: half an hour on foot separates the Royal Palace from the Retiro, with almost everything in between. The metro only pays off for the airport or the outer neighbourhoods.
When do people eat in Madrid?
Late. Lunch runs from 2 to 4pm and dinner starts from 9pm. Many kitchens don’t open before then. If you’re hungry at "normal" hours, go for tapas: the bars serve all day.