What to see in madrid

Madrid is the capital of Spain and a real delight for the thousands of travelers and backpackers who visit it and as we know you will be one of them, in this article of Traveling By, we will give you a list of things to see in Madrid, what to do and what to visit, so you can enjoy your stay in this beautiful European city to the fullest.

What to see in Madrid

Madrid is a place you would fall in love with completely, so much so that many travelers who visit it end up making this beautiful city their retirement home, as its well-kept parks, squares, elegant boulevards, museums, monuments and restaurants make this an earthly paradise for everyone.

However, if you are one of those who come to visit, you surely want to make the most of your time, and we are going to help you with our list of the best things to see and do in Madrid or as many know it, the imposing capital of Spain. Let’s get to it.

Plaza Mayor

Our list of places you have to visit in Madrid starts talking about the Plaza Mayor, which is the most important square in the city. This square has a rectangular shape and is one of the things you can do for free, because it really has no cost to visit it.

This square can be the beginning of your tour, because it has several paths to follow and another very important thing is that you will never get tired of visiting this place, because no matter the time of day or night, there will always be activities that you can do and if you love sunsets, you have to enjoy one here.

San Ginés Chocolate Shop

If what you are looking for is to know a place that “literally is as old as the city”, you have to go directly to the Chocolatería San Ginés that with the passing of time has not only become a point of “relaxation”, where you can enjoy a delicious hot chocolate with “porras”, it has become a tourist icon of the city.

This tourist attraction to visit in Madrid was inaugurated in 1894 and despite the years and years, still guards an aspect that makes us take a trip to the past and relive the tranquility of the cafes of the late nineteenth century.

Botín House

Did you know that Madrid has the oldest restaurant in the world? Another of the old places that we can enjoy on our trip to Madrid is the Casa Botin, a restaurant that was founded in the year 1725 with Castilian dishes, wood oven and classic vaulted dining room exposed stone.

This place is a few meters from the Plaza Mayor and since its opening, has never closed its doors. So this place has lived all the good times and bad times of Spain and is the ideal place to learn a lot about the history of the region and of course taste the cuisine of Madrid.

Puerta del Sol

If you have ever visited Paris, you probably know that there is the famous “Ground Zero or Kilometer Zero“. Well, Madrid is not far behind, because it also has its famous Kilometer Zero which is located in Puerta del Sol square.

One of the most emblematic squares of the city where according to legend, all visitors have to step on kilometer zero to return to Madrid, but that’s not all, because in this square we will find several points of interest such as the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree that are representative symbols of Madrid.

Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree

The statue of the bear and the strawberry tree are those places full of history, culture and surprises that captivate the eyes of all visitors to the Puerta del Sol square.

It is a representative sculpture of the city, created by Antonio Navarro Santafé, placed on January 10, 1967 and represents the heraldic arms of the town and not for nothing, but the sunsets and sunsets in these monuments are things you have to see in Madrid and visit it is a totally free activity.

Alcala Street

Alcala Street is the longest street in Madrid and the third longest in Spain. It is 10 kilometers long and its development began in the fifteenth century, so this clearly tells you that it is a street that saw the almost total transformation of the city.

Walking down this street is one of the things you can do for free, and you will find very beautiful and old buildings, as well as squares, parks, restaurants and endless activities to do, as it has become another of the representative symbols of Madrid.

Fine Arts Circle

We know that among the tourist places in Mexico, we find the palace of fine arts. A cultural icon where it takes place talks, exhibitions, parties, plays, ballets, folk dances and musicals.

Well, Madrid has nothing to envy Mexico because it also has a “circle of Fine Arts” and not only a cultural and artistic odyssey, you can also enjoy the best views of the city from its terrace, located on the roof.

Royal Palace

Another place to visit in Madrid and feel like a king of kings is the Royal Palace. While admiring it from the outside is free of charge and is a must, it will take your breath away. Visiting it from inside will be another song where you will be much more impressed by its gardens, the throne room, vaults, paintings, etc, etc..

Campo del Moro

If the external and internal architecture of the Royal Palace enchanted you, let me tell you that your walk to a does not end because another of the tourist attractions of Madrid is the Campo del Moro located behind the Royal Palace.

This beautiful field is perfect to rest and admire because it is a very neat place where you will find beautiful bushes cut very delicately, paths of lush green grass, a fountain that overlooks the back of the royal palace and several species of animals, such as peacocks or pheasants.

Debod Temple

The Temple of Debod is another of the places to visit in Madrid and completely breaks the European style, because it is an ancient Egyptian temple. What, how? That’s right, the Temple of Debod was a gift from Egypt to Spain.

This gift was a form of “thanks” for the help to save temples like Abu Simbel from disappearing due to the construction of the Aswan Dam.

Los Angeles Hill

Another essential place to visit during your visit to the capital of Spain is the Cerro de los Angeles, considered the geographical center of the Iberian Peninsula. And it is a religious place, comparable to St. Francis of Assisi in Rome. It currently houses a hermitage, a convent and the Monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Cibeles Palace

The beautiful white palace of Cibeles is one of the things to see in Madrid almost totally free, and we say almost, because it has several areas of public access as an exhibition hall, a reading area and an auditorium, among others.

And why does it have common areas? Because currently this palace is the town hall of Madrid. This place was built by Antonio Palacios and Joaquín Otamendi in 1909, but at that time the place was the headquarters of the Sociedad de Correos y Telégrafos de España.

San Miguel Market

If you feel like enjoying the real Spanish gastronomy you have to go straight to the Mercado de San Miguel. In fact, this is a mandatory place to visit in your visit to Madrid and not only will you forget the diet with its products and typical Spanish dishes, you will also be able to admire its iron architecture.

Plaza de la Villa

To lower the belly a little after devouring as if there were no tomorrow the delicious food of the San Miguel market, what better way to do it than walking through the Plaza de la Villa, a square near the market and one of the few that still retains its medieval appearance.

Don Quixote and Sancho Panza

Who does not know the story of Don Quixote de la Mancha “The knight of the sad figure” and of course his peculiar companion Sancho Panza. This novel was written by the Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes without knowing that it would become a literary icon of the twentieth century.

Well, if you haven’t read the book yet, don’t wait any longer and get it to read it, and take advantage of knowing the sculpture Don Quixote and Sancho Panza in Madrid and take the best pictures of these two fantastic characters created from the imagination of one of the best contemporary writers in the world.

Conclusion

There are many things to do, see and know in Madrid, some of them have no cost as we have seen throughout this post and others yes, but far from the beliefs of many people visit Madrid is much cheaper than other European destinations like Paris.

So now that you know some of the must-see places in the beautiful capital of Spain, do not hesitate to enjoy your visit to Madrid to the fullest.