Tickets to visit Madrid
Madrid concentrates Spain's largest art collections, a Habsburg-era old town, and Europe's biggest active royal palace inside a walkable centre. UNESCO inscribed the Paseo del Prado and The Retiro park on its World Heritage list in 2021 as a "Landscape of Light," next to the Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen, Royal Palace, and Bernabéu Stadium. Since these major landmarks release timed-entry slots that quickly sell out during high season, securing your tickets to visit Madrid ahead of time is highly recommended.
Book your experiences in Madrid
Things to see in Madrid
Museo del Prado
The Prado Museum holds the world's deepest collection of Spanish painting, with rooms devoted to Velázquez, Goya, Murillo, Ribera, and El Greco alongside Italian and Flemish masters such as Titian, Rubens, and Bosch. Juan de Villanueva designed the present building in 1785 as a natural-history cabinet, on what is now the UNESCO-listed Paseo del Arte boulevard.
Headline works include Velázquez's Las Meninas, Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights, and Goya's black paintings.
General information for visitors
- Time zone: Madrid runs on Central European Time (UTC+1 in winter, UTC+2 in summer). Clocks change on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October.
- Meal times: Restaurants serve lunch from about 13:30 to 16:00 and dinner from 20:30 to 23:00, later in summer. A mid-morning almuerzo between 11:00 and 12:00, such as a tortilla pincho or a bocadillo de calamares near Plaza Mayor, bridges the gap.
- Currency and payment: The euro is the only legal tender. Visa and Mastercard work in most places, including on the metro and in taxis, though some small bars set a card minimum.
- Getting around: The Madrid Metro runs 15 lines and more than 300 stations from about 06:00 to 01:30; the EMT bus network covers what the metro misses, and Cercanías commuter trains link to Aranjuez, El Escorial, and other day-trip towns.
- From the airport: Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas connects to the centre via Metro line 8 (about 30 minutes to Nuevos Ministerios), the Cercanías C-1 to Atocha and Chamartín, and the 24-hour Exprés Aeropuerto bus to Atocha (or Cibeles at night).
- Free museum windows: The Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen, and several state museums open for free in fixed windows each week. The slots fill within minutes; arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the doors open.
- Booking timed slots: The Royal Palace, Prado, Reina Sofía, and Bernabéu Tour issue tickets for specific entry times. During Easter, July, August, and Christmas, peak slots sell out one to two weeks ahead.
- When to visit: April–June and September–October bring mild weather. July and August are hot, with Madrid above 35 °C on most summer days, while January and February draw the lightest crowds.
- Sundays at El Rastro: Madrid's open-air flea market runs every Sunday and public holiday morning along Calle Ribera de Curtidores, from Plaza de Cascorro down to the Ronda de Toledo.
- Safety and emergencies: The pan-European emergency number 112 covers police, ambulance, and fire. The Foreign Tourist Assistance Service (SATE) operates from the central police station at Calle Leganitos 19 and helps with reporting theft or lost documents.
- Tap water: Madrid's tap water comes from the Sierra de Guadarrama and ranks among the cleanest in Spain. Refilling a bottle saves money and time at kiosks.
