5 best things to do in Madrid
The essentials of Madrid with the booking notes that actually matter — which tickets sell out, which slots are quietest, which formats reward the advance purchase. Every booking happens with the provider you choose.
Browse all Madrid activities
Attractions, tours, day trips and transport passes from major providers — instant mobile tickets.
The Madrid shortlist
- Prado Museum — the free-entry evening hour is the connoisseur’s slot; timed tickets otherwise.
- Royal Palace of Madrid — the largest functioning royal palace in Europe; skip-the-line tiers matter on weekends.
- Retiro Park rowboats & Crystal Palace — free park; the rowboat is the classic afternoon.
- Tapas crawl of La Latina — the Sunday El Rastro adjacency makes it a full morning-plus-lunch plan.
- Toledo half-day trip — the hilltop former capital, 30 minutes by high-speed train.
Flying in, Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) serves the city — attraction districts sit 30–60 minutes away at typical city speeds.
Compare Madrid activity providers
- Klook — Madrid activities — the widest catalogue, instant QR tickets, strong on transport passes and day trips.
- KKday — Madrid experiences — local-led formats and small-group tours.
- Tiqets — museums and landmarks with instant mobile entry.
Frequently asked questions
What is the number one thing to do in Madrid?
Prado Museum — the free-entry evening hour is the connoisseur’s slot; timed tickets otherwise. Start there, then build the itinerary around it.
Do I need to book Madrid attractions in advance?
The headline attractions reward advance booking — timed-entry systems and quota tickets mean walk-up availability is worst exactly when you want to visit. Everything on this page links to providers showing live availability.
How many days do you need in Madrid?
Three to four days covers the shortlist above at a humane pace for a first visit; add days for the day-trip formats rather than compressing the city itself.
Is a city pass worth it in Madrid?
Run the arithmetic honestly: a pass wins when you would genuinely visit three-plus ticketed attractions in its window. Our provider links show pass options side by side with single tickets — compare before committing.