Madrid

Madrid 3-day itinerary

3 days in Madrid on foot. The plan moves through City, City, City, starting with Museum Triangle, Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor. No car.
Best for
A long weekend walking Madrid.
Pace
Three full walking days.
Base
City
Estimated budget
$240–$840

Day-by-day plan

Follow the stops in order. Walk times are estimates between nearby places.

  1. Day 1

    City

    Walk City in Madrid. Start at Museum Triangle, then Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Museum Triangle

      Museum Triangle is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    2. Stop 2 · 26 min walk

      Royal Palace

      Royal Palace is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    3. Stop 3 · 9 min walk

      Plaza Mayor

      Plaza Mayor may refer to:Plaza mayor, in Spanish-speaking countries, a major city square Plaza Mayor, Almagro, a plaza in the centre of Almagro, Spain Plaza Mayor, Madrid, a plaza in the centre of Madrid, Spain Plaza Mayor, Salamanca, a plaza in the centre of Salamanca, Spain Plaza Mayor, Segovia, a plaza in the centre of Segovia, Spain Plaza Mayor, Valladolid, a plaza in the centre of Valladolid, Spain Plaza Mayor, Lima, a plaza in the centre of Lima, Peru Plaza Mayor, Manila, a plaza in the centre of Manila, Phil

    4. Stop 4 · 5 min walk

      Puerta del Sol

      The Puerta del Sol is a public square in Madrid, one of the best known and busiest places in the city. This is the centre of the radial network of Spanish roads. The square also contains the famous clock whose bells mark the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes and the beginning of a new year. The New Year's celebration has been broadcast live since 31 December 1962 on major radio and television networks including Atresmedia and RTVE.

    5. Stop 5 · 5 min walk

      Gran Vía

      Gran Via may refer to:Gran Vía, Madrid, street in Madrid Gran Vía, metro station in Madrid Gran Vía de Montero Ríos, street in Pontevedra Gran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro, street in Bilbao Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, street in Barcelona Granvia l'Hospitalet, a major business district of Barcelona Gran Via Productions, a film production company founded by producer Mark Johnson Gran vía (song), from Quevedo's 2024 album Buenas Noches, with Aitana

    6. Stop 6 · 10 min walk

      Plaza de Cibeles

      The Plaza de Cibeles is a square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become a symbol for the city of Madrid. It sits at the intersection of Calle de Alcalá, Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado. Plaza de Cibeles was originally named Plaza de Madrid, but in 1900, the City Council named it Plaza de Castelar, which was eventually replaced by its current name.

    Eat · Café Comercial: See also es:Café Comercial.

    Browse Madrid tours
  2. Day 2

    City

    Walk City in Madrid. Start at Mercado de San Miguel, then Catedral de la Almudena and Plaza de España. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Mercado de San Miguel

      Mercado de San Miguel is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    2. Stop 2 · 6 min walk

      Catedral de la Almudena

      Catedral de la Almudena is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    3. Stop 3 · 11 min walk

      Plaza de España

      Plaza de España is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    4. Stop 4 · 37 min walk

      Parque del Retiro

      Parque del Retiro is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    5. Stop 5 · 42 min walk

      Templo de Debod

      Templo de Debod is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    6. Stop 6 · 15 min walk

      Teatro Alfil

      See also es:Teatro Alfil.

    Eat · Honest Greens: Cuisine: organic.

  3. Day 3

    City

    Walk City in Madrid. Start at Homenaje a las víctimas españolas que murieron en el campo de concentración nazi de Mauthausen-Gusen, then Museo Casa de la Moneda and Monumento a Claudio Moyano. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Homenaje a las víctimas españolas que murieron en el campo de concentración nazi de Mauthausen-Gusen

      Historic: memorial.

    2. Stop 2 · 76 min walk

      Museo Casa de la Moneda

      El Museo Casa de la Moneda alberga colecciones numismáticas y de artes gráficas: importantes dibujos, estampas, loterías, sellos. Posiblemente sea la mayor exposición numismática del mundo, cubriendo la historia de la moneda desde el siglo VII a. C. See also es:Museo Casa de la Moneda. Tourism: museum.

    3. Stop 3 · 32 min walk

      Monumento a Claudio Moyano

      See also es:Monumento a Claudio Moyano (Madrid). Historic: memorial. Tourism: artwork.

    4. Stop 4 · 20 min walk

      Teatro Príncipe Gran Vía

      Teatro Príncipe Gran Vía on OpenStreetMap within walking or short-transit range.

    5. Stop 5 · 17 min walk

      National Archaeological Museum of Spain

      Fundado en 1867, el MAN se inauguró en 1895 en su actual sede, en el Palacio de Biblioteca y Museos, edificio proyectado por Francisco Jareño y terminado por Antonio Ruiz de Salces. Visitas para grupos previa concertación de cita. See also es:Museo Arqueológico Nacional (España). Tourism: museum.

    6. Stop 6 · 18 min walk

      Teatro Maravillas

      theatre in Madrid, Spain

    Eat · La Parrilla de Nino: La Parrilla de Nino listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.

Where to stay

Sleep near the walking base. Pick an area, then search hotels by neighborhood.

  • The centre

    First-time visitors

    Stay inside walking range of the first-day stops in Madrid.

Full where-to-stay guide →

Things to book

Tours and tickets that match this plan. Book anything that needs timed entry.

Budget

Rough mid-range spend for 3 days in Madrid, excluding long-haul flights. Hotel nights drive most of the range.

  • Budget: about $240 (hostel/budget hotel, transit, street food)
  • Mid-range: about $420 (3★ hotel, sit-down meals, a tour or two)
  • Comfort: about $840 (nicer hotel, taxis, paid attractions)

Trip budget calculator →

Transportation

Get in

thumb|right|Madrid-Barajas airport Terminal 4 : Main article: Madrid–Barajas Airport | url = http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/madrid-barajas/en | email = | address = | lat = 40.472222 | long = -3.560833 | directions = | phone = | tollfree = | fax = | hours = | price = | wikipedia= Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport | wikidata = Q166276 | image = Barajas overview1.jpg | lastedit = 2018-05-04 | content = All commercial flights into Madrid use this airport, which is 13 km north-east of the city. There are direct flights from most major cities in Spain and across Europe, several from the Americas as well as a few African and Asian connections. There are two terminal complexes, widely separated: Terminals 1, 2 & 3, and Terminals T4 & T4S. To transfer between them land-side use the free shuttle bus.

Get around

thumb|277px|Map of the Madrid Metro Madrid proudly sports one of the best public transportation networks in the world and the second largest metro network in Europe after London's. Buses and subways work with the same tickets, and operate within the integrated transit network of (Plaza del Descubridor Diego de Ordás 3, M-F 08:00-20:00). With that said, be aware that Madrid's transportation infrastructure can appear complicated and daunting at first, so take extra time to know where to go and how to get there because it will not be as simple as in other European cities or what your map app is telling you. A single ticket for Zone A costs €1.50 (max.

Where to eat

Simple meal ideas near the day’s walking route.

  • Café Comercial

    See also es:Café Comercial.

  • Honest Greens

    Cuisine: organic.

  • La Parrilla de Nino

    La Parrilla de Nino listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.

  • Taj Mahal

    Cuisine: indian.

  • La Pomarada

    Cuisine: regional.

  • Sexto

    Sexto listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.

  • Brasa y Leña

    Brasa y Leña listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.

  • Picado Fino

    Cuisine: local.

Optional alternatives

Add one if a walking day finishes early. Don’t stack them onto the same afternoon.

  • Orquesta Nacional de España

    Tickets are sold at ticket offices in the Auditorio Nacional de Música, Teatro María Guerrero, Teatro de la Zarzuela, Teatro de la Comedia, and Teatro Valle-Inclán.

  • Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid

    The Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid, founded in 1903, is a Spanish symphony orchestra. Since 1998, it has been the principal orchestra of the Teatro Real.

  • Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid

    Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  • Banda Sinfónica Municipal de Madrid

    Performs in El Retiro Park in the summer. Tickets can be purchased at the Teatro Monumental (listed above), at the tourist information centre in Plaza Mayor, and online.

  • La Trashumancia

    Annual event during which the centre of Madrid is free of cars and is instead filled with shepherds exercising their ancient right to drive sheep and livestock through the city.

  • Madrid Gay Pride

    Annual event held between the last week of June and the first of July, with more than 1.5 million people in the street from all around the world. It began as a weekend party, but lately turned into a full-week extravaganza.

Before you go

Questions

Do I need a car in Madrid?
No for this plan. The days stay inside walking range, then local transit to MAD. thumb|277px|Map of the Madrid Metro Madrid proudly sports one of the best public transportation networks in the world and the second largest metro network in Europe after London's. Buses and subways work with the same tickets, and operate within the integrated transit network of (Plaza del Descubridor Diego de Ordás 3, M-F 08:00-20:00). With that said, be aware that Madrid's transportation infrastructure can appear complicated and daunting at first, so take extra time to know where to go and how to get there because it will not be as simple as in other European cities or what your map app is telling you. A single ticket for Zone A costs €1.50 (max.
Is 3 days enough?
Yes for the core around City. Switch to 5 days if you want a trip outside Madrid.
Where should I stay?
Base near City so the first walking day starts at the hotel. Room Mate Mario Hotel is a listed option, not a ranking.
Where do I eat?
Each day names one sit-down stop. Café Comercial is on the list. Keep the rest as bakeries and market counters.

Other Madrid trip lengths

Daily stops compiled from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, and OpenTripMap. Updated 2026-08-25. Edited by Lina Varela.