About

About ULTIMATE Madrid City Guide

ULTIMATE Madrid City Guide is an independent guide for visitors to Madrid, Spain. We publish 14 curated lists: restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels, sights, art & culture, parks, walks, shopping, health, property, developments, motoring and getting around. We cover Salamanca, Los Jerónimos and El Retiro, Chamberí, Centro and La Latina, Malasaña and Chueca, and Chamartín and the Castellana, with day trips to Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Ávila, Aranjuez and the Sierra de Guadarrama.

Our editor

Jai Michael is Editor-in-Chief of the ULTIMATE City Guides. With more than 25 years in the media industry, he founded ABSOLUTE brighton and London TV, and has worked with leading luxury brands around the world.

How we choose

Every place in our lists has been checked against its own website or an official source such as esmadrid.com (Madrid’s official tourism site), madrid.es, comunidad.madrid, Patrimonio Nacional, Metro de Madrid, Renfe, Adif, Aena, UNESCO or The MICHELIN Guide. MICHELIN stars are quoted only from the 2026 guide. We use no ratings, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

Before you go

Opening hours, entry rules and timetables change often. Please check directly with each place, and with official sources, before you travel. Prices are in euros (€).

For venues

Run a venue in Madrid and spotted something to update? We review our lists regularly and welcome corrections.

Photo credits

• The Puerta de Alcalá, the granite gateway at the edge of Salamanca and the Retiro, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The twin bell towers of the Almudena Cathedral, seen from its roof towards the Royal Palace, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The brick-and-stone front of the Royal Palace of Aranjuez across its forecourt, by Javier Montes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The bronze statue of Murillo before the columns of the Prado’s Murillo gate, by Carlos Delgado, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The iron-and-glass gable of the old Atocha station, crowned with griffins, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The south façade of the Royal Palace across the Plaza de la Armería, under a clear blue sky, by Carlos Delgado, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A tower of Ávila’s medieval walls beside a cobbled lane, by Carlos Delgado, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The view from the rooftop of the Círculo de Bellas Artes over the Metrópolis dome and the Gran Vía, by siestecita, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The view from the rooftop of the Círculo de Bellas Artes over the Metrópolis dome and the Gran Vía, by siestecita, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The renovated Santiago Bernabéu, wrapped in its steel skin, by Luis García (Zaqarbal), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The old brick front of Botín on Calle de Cuchilleros, with its painted sign, by Ank Kumar, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Churros and cups of thick hot chocolate on a marble table at San Ginés, by WeI-chieh Chiu from Taipei, Taiwan, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The west front of the Royal Palace rising above the lawns and fountains of the Campo del Moro, by Benjamín Núñez González, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Snow on Peñalara, the highest peak of the Sierra de Guadarrama, above bare winter woods, by Carlos Delgado, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 es, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rowers on the lake of the Casa de Campo, with the towers of Plaza de España beyond, by siestecita, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted façade and arcades of the Casa de la Panadería on the Plaza Mayor, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The renovated Santiago Bernabéu, wrapped in its steel skin, by Luis García (Zaqarbal), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Fountains among the trees of the Plaza de Chamberí, by Luis García (Zaqarbal), licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Fountains among the trees of the Plaza de Chamberí, by Luis García (Zaqarbal), licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Cibeles fountain, the goddess in her lion-drawn chariot, before the Palacio de Comunicaciones, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The granite fins of the Galería de las Colecciones Reales against a cloud, in black and white, by Javier Perez Montes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Tagus below Toledo, with the Alcántara bridge and the Alcázar on the hill, by King of Hearts, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The gateways and temple of Debod lit at dusk, under a violet sky, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The iron-and-glass gable of the old Atocha station, crowned with griffins, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted vaults and bookcases of the library at El Escorial, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Snow on Peñalara, the highest peak of the Sierra de Guadarrama, above bare winter woods, by Carlos Delgado, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 es, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The glass-and-iron Palacio de Cristal in the Retiro, beside its pond, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Metrópolis building, its dome crowned by a winged Victory, where the Gran Vía meets Calle de Alcalá, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The front of Gran Hotel Inglés on Calle de Echegaray, garlanded with lights, by Javier Perez Montes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The front of Gran Hotel Inglés on Calle de Echegaray, garlanded with lights, by Javier Perez Montes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The front of Gran Hotel Inglés on Calle de Echegaray, garlanded with lights, by Javier Perez Montes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The glass-and-iron Palacio de Cristal in the Retiro, beside its pond, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red-lacquered corner front of Taberna La Bola, with its gilded lettering, by Tamorlan, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The brick-and-stone mansion of the Museo Lázaro Galdiano, with its balustraded terrace, by Luis García (Zaqarbal), licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 es, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red-and-gold Salón Isabelino dining room at Lhardy, laid for lunch, by Tamorlan, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Cibeles fountain, the goddess in her lion-drawn chariot, before the Palacio de Comunicaciones, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Matadero arts centre and its arched footbridge over the Manzanares in Madrid Río, by Malopez 21, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran Vía, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A ticket machine and the help point in the new hall of Gran Vía metro station, by Lojwe, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran Vía, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alhambra in Granada in the evening light, by Jebulon, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos Hill, by Giles Laurent, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the Bahamas, by Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open sea, by Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Grand Palace reflected at dawn, by Nawit science, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. James, by Barry haynes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sagrada Família lit up at night, by Maksim Sokolov, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunset, photo: © ULTIMATE International Media.
• The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the Danube, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coast, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro, by Gzzz, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hour, by Robert Bock, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key West, by Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es Vedrà, by Beni Marull, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Baie des Anges, Nice, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini caldera, by Norbert Nagel, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Cathedral above the South Harbour, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria Peak, by Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sun, by Charles from Port Chester, New York, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening light, by Nserrano, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Las Vegas Strip at dusk, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behind, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the Thames, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains, by Alek Leckszas, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran Vía, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la Mar, by Enric, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the Maldives, by Luka Peternel, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts in Puerto Banús, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, Menorca, by Markus Trienke, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, by Robbschultz69, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountains, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbour, by iMahesh, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sunset at the Naples Pier, by pmarkham, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The New York City skyline from Top of the Rock, by Dillan Payne, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Millennium Bridge over the Morača, by Desemeus, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, by Berthold Werner, edit by Böhringer, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery Spencer, by Christoph Strässler, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sebilj fountain and the square of Baščaršija, by Yukof, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu River, by King of Hearts, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Matterhorn in winter above Zermatt, by JoachimKohler-HB, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at night, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening sky, by Jose Ligero Loarte, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, Kandy, by Daniel Liabeuf, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed Pitons, by xiquinhosilva, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue sky, by BBB2021, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’Orcia, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Calatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its pool, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper Town, by Jorge Láscar from Australia, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The south façade of the Royal Palace across the Plaza de la Armería, under a clear blue sky, by Carlos Delgado, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The glass-and-iron Palacio de Cristal in the Retiro, beside its pond, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted façade and arcades of the Casa de la Panadería on the Plaza Mayor, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The bronze statue of Murillo before the columns of the Prado’s Murillo gate, by Carlos Delgado, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Puerta de Alcalá, the granite gateway at the edge of Salamanca and the Retiro, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Puerta de Alcalá, the granite gateway at the edge of Salamanca and the Retiro, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Joan Miró’s bronze Lunar Bird in the garden courtyard of the Reina Sofía, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red-and-gold Salón Isabelino dining room at Lhardy, laid for lunch, by Tamorlan, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The glass-and-iron Palacio de Cristal in the Retiro, beside its pond, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Puerta de Alcalá, the granite gateway at the edge of Salamanca and the Retiro, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Churros and cups of thick hot chocolate on a marble table at San Ginés, by WeI-chieh Chiu from Taipei, Taiwan, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The iron-and-glass Mercado de San Miguel lit at night, in black and white, by Javier Perez Montes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alcázar of Segovia on its rock at dusk, with the cathedral tower beyond, by Rafa Esteve, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The iron-and-glass Mercado de San Miguel lit at night, in black and white, by Javier Perez Montes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tiled street sign of the Puerta del Sol on a stone wall, by Carlos Delgado, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The horseshoe of red and gold boxes in the Teatro Real, seen from the upper gallery, by Fss.fer, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Tagus below Toledo, with the Alcántara bridge and the Alcázar on the hill, by King of Hearts, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The iron-and-glass gable of the old Atocha station, crowned with griffins, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The neo-Mudéjar brick façade of Las Ventas, with its horseshoe arches and towers, by Luis García (Zaqarbal), licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted façade and arcades of the Casa de la Panadería on the Plaza Mayor, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.