Discover Madrid’s 200 best Elegant Eye spots for your trip

Metropolis Building

★ 4.7 · 6,373 reviews

Admire the Metropolis Building, the ornate landmark marking the start of Gran Vía. Study the golden dome and winged statue from the street, then continue along the avenue.

Royal Palace Expert Guided Tour + Skip-the-Line

★ 4.7 · 9,333 reviews

Skip the queue at Madrid's Royal Palace with a live guide leading the way. You will see the Throne Room, Banquet Hall and private apartments, then wander the gardens on your own.

Royal Palace of Madrid

★ 4.7 · 134,456 reviews

Step inside the Royal Palace of Madrid, the ceremonial heart of the Spanish monarchy. Wander through opulent state rooms filled with art and antiques, either on your own or with a guide.

Cybele Palace

Take in Cybele Palace, the elaborate white former post office that now houses Madrid's council offices. Circle the building and the busy square in front to appreciate its ornate 1919 architecture.

El Retiro Park

★ 4.8 · 216,670 reviews

Spend a slow morning in El Retiro, Madrid's former royal park at the heart of the city. Stroll tree-lined avenues, circle the boating lake and pause among fountains, statues and the rose garden.

Royal Palace Entry with Audio Guide

★ 3.6 · 1,371 reviews

Tour Madrid's Royal Palace at your own tempo with an audio guide on your phone. You will pass through the state rooms, admire paintings and tapestries, and see the Stradivarius instruments.

Retiro

Stroll into Retiro, Madrid's beloved park just east of the centre. Wander shaded avenues to the lake, watch rowing boats drift past the monument, and pause at the glass Palacio de Cristal.

Monument to Alfonso XII

★ 4.7 · 3,401 reviews

Visit the Monument to Alfonso XII, the grand colonnade beside Retiro Park's lake. Photograph it from the steps, or take a rowing boat out for the view from the water.

Plaza Mayor

★ 4.6 · 205,108 reviews

Wander into Plaza Mayor, the arcaded square at the heart of old Madrid. Walk beneath the arches, take in the Philip III statue and linger at a terrace in one of the city's defining public spaces.

Jardín del Capricho

★ 4.7 · 22,478 reviews

Discover Jardín del Capricho, an elegant eighteenth-century landscape garden tucked in Barajas. Follow its paths past sculptures, a swan pond and quiet lakes, then find the Civil War bunker hidden in the grounds.

Museo Nacional del Prado

★ 4.7 · 157,363 reviews

Plan around the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid's great temple of Spanish painting beside Retiro. Spend a few hours in front of masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya and El Greco, moving through centuries of European art.

Prado Museum and the Royal Palace Guided Tour

★ 4.6 · 943 reviews

Spend a morning with a Blue Badge guide on a tour that links the Prado and the Royal Palace of Madrid. Study great paintings, walk past the Neptune Fountain and Puerta del Sol, then tour the palace's decorated rooms.

Temple of Debod

★ 4.4 · 70,464 reviews

Watch the sun set behind the Temple of Debod, a real Egyptian temple rebuilt in a Madrid park. Stroll around its reflecting pools, step inside the small museum, and enjoy the open city views.

Rosaleda del Parque del Oeste

★ 4.7 · 4,068 reviews

Wander the Rosaleda del Parque del Oeste, Madrid's formal rose garden in Moncloa. Follow paved paths past ponds and fountains, and take in the rows of rose varieties in an easy half-hour loop.

Cibeles Fountain

★ 4.7 · 57,583 reviews

Pause at the Cibeles Fountain, the white marble centrepiece of one of Madrid's grandest intersections. Take in the sculpted Cybele and her lion-drawn chariot, then photograph it beside the neighbouring Palacio de las Comunicaciones.

Segovia and Toledo Tour, Alcazar, and Cathedral

★ 4.7 · 10,421 reviews

Spend a day moving between two of Spain's historic cities on one coach tour from Madrid. You will see Segovia's aqueduct and Alcázar, then walk Toledo's medieval streets.

Toledo & Segovia Tour with Cathedral, Alcazar & Lunch

★ 4.6 · 7,037 reviews

Start at Toledo's panoramic viewpoint and end at Segovia's Roman aqueduct on this full-day trip from Madrid. In between, you will join a guided walk through Toledo's old town and have free time in Segovia.

Campo del Moro

★ 4.6 · 9,316 reviews

Slip into Campo del Moro, the terraced royal gardens spread beneath the Royal Palace. Follow shaded paths past monumental fountains, hedge mazes and rose beds, pausing for views up toward the palace facade.

Tour to Cuenca and the Enchanted City from Madrid

★ 4.8 · 628 reviews

Discover the strange rock formations of the Enchanted City and the hanging old town of Cuenca. Enjoy the view from the Devil's Window and lunch in the castle quarter.

Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great

★ 4.7 · 8,957 reviews

Step inside the Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great, a neoclassical church with an enormous frescoed dome. Look up at the dome and find the chapel painted by Goya.

Puerta de Alcalá

★ 4.7 · 63,954 reviews

See the Puerta de Alcalá, Madrid's neoclassical triumphal arch beside Retiro Park. Circle the arch to study its carved stone and sculptures, then continue into the park.

Segovia, Ávila, and Toledo Guided Day Trip

★ 4.7 · 1,317 reviews

Spend a full day exploring Toledo, Ávila and Segovia on this guided coach trip from Madrid. See Toledo's panorama, Ávila's walls and Segovia's aqueduct with an official guide and free time.

Real Jardín Botánico

★ 4.4 · 37,274 reviews

Slip into the Real Jardín Botánico, a calm walled garden next to the Prado and Retiro. Stroll shaded terraces and greenhouses, breathe in the herb and flower scents, and linger over the bonsai collection.

Teatro Real

★ 4.6 · 15,108 reviews

Discover Teatro Real, the opera house at the heart of Madrid's cultural life. Tour its grand interior by day, or take a seat in the evening for a full opera or ballet performance.

Mercado de San Miguel

★ 4.4 · 165,633 reviews

Step inside Mercado de San Miguel, a 1916 wrought-iron market hall in central Madrid. Graze across stalls of local delicacies and drinks, soaking up the elegant atmosphere even when the aisles are packed.

Sabatini Garden

★ 4.6 · 10,272 reviews

Step into Sabatini Garden, the formal neoclassical terraces beside Madrid's Royal Palace. Walk among fountains and statues, then pause on a bench for views of the palace facade.

Full-Day Guided Tour of Toledo with Cathedral Visit

★ 4.6 · 867 reviews

Spend a full day in Toledo, the city of three cultures, with a guide at your side. You will take in the valley viewpoint, see El Greco's masterpiece and enter the synagogue and cathedral.

Church of Saint Anthony of the German

★ 4.6 · 4,797 reviews

Look up inside the Church of Saint Anthony of the German, a Baroque jewel in central Madrid. Take in the frescoes that cover the elliptical walls and painted dome from floor to ceiling.

Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena

★ 4.6 · 33,357 reviews

Visit the Almudena Cathedral, Madrid's grand church beside the Royal Palace. Wander its colourful chapels, then descend to the Romanesque crypt and the museum.

Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum

★ 4.7 · 48,468 reviews

Discover the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, where 700 years of European art unfold in one central Madrid building. Move room by room from Old Masters and Dutch painting through to modern art and Pop Art.