Rising amid the central sierras of Spain, this is the late-night city of Dalí and Hemingway, Ronaldo and Picasso, and those fast-talking '80s melodramas by Pedro Almodóvar. There is imperial baroque, and post-industrial cityscapes, street markets and seriously good museums. Despite its size and capital status, Madrid was often overlooked by those heading to Barcelona and the coast. But it emerged from Spain’s economic downturn with its head held up high and a renewed appetite for inventive menus, opening up new green spaces such as the Madrid Rio and fresh-faced arts hubs. Plenty of hip cafés, yes, like the ones on Calle Ponzano, but also those family-run joints that have endured for decades—where it’s possible to chow down for a handful of euros. Rather than meeting it head-on, best to approach it through its different barrios, all with different characters, from upscale Salamanca to unbuttoned Chueca and multicultural Lavapiés. And to really feel part of the scene, step out on "La Marcha," hopping from one vermouth bar to another all evening long and making friends along the way.
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Madrid Travel Guide
Plan Your Madrid Trip
A Local's Guide to Spain
Dancer Manuel Liñán on the best tapas and flamenco shows in Granada.
By Clara Laguna
Top 15 Hotels in Spain and Portugal: Readers’ Choice Awards 2022
Condé Nast Traveler readers rate their top hotels on the Iberian Peninsula, from Barcelona to Lisbon.
Featured
My Favorite Airbnb in Madrid: A Lofted Apartment with Seven Balconies
The view is only the beginning.
By Erika Owen
Author Stephanie Danler on Spain’s Eternal Draw
“I am always returning to Spain to measure how I've changed.”
By Stephanie Danler
Madrid’s Best New Restaurant Is Also an Ambitious Social Experiment
With salvaged interiors, locavore menus, and a kitchen staffed by at-risk youth, Mo de Movimiento is the kind of restaurant we can learn from.
By Benjamin Kemper
21 Best Hotels in Madrid
This buzzing capital has an energetic hotel scene that runs the gamut.
By Ramsey Qubein
Editor Hotel Recommendations
- Gran Hotel Inglés$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de Echegaray, 8This boutique hotel in the city’s historic center draws travelers with its legendary welcome while it’s also a favorite meeting place for locals.Read full review
Readers Choice Awards
Gold List
Powered By: Expedia - Rosewood Villa Magna$$$ | Spain, Madrid, Paseo de la Castellana, 22Set on Madrid’s famous Paseo de la Castellana, this hotel has immediate cachet, and spa draws plenty of attention.Read full review
Readers Choice Awards
Powered By: Booking.com - The Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid$$$ | Spain, Madrid, Plaza de la Lealtad 5Inaugurated with pomp by King Alfonso XIII in 1910Read full review
Readers Choice Awards
Gold List
Powered By: Expedia - UMusic Hotel MadridSpain, Madrid, C. de la Paz, 11A historic Broadway-quality theater and Madrid's pulse at your fingertips.Read full reviewPowered By: Booking.com
- URSO Hotel & Spa$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de Mejía Lequerica, 8Distinctive and refined, this hotel delivers a solid experience without too much fuss.Read full review
Readers Choice Awards
Hot List
Powered By: Expedia - The Edition Madrid$$ | Spain, Madrid, Pl. de Celenque, 2Madrid’s most exciting new hotel is a rich aesthetic statement imbued with a passion for contemporary design.Read full review
Readers Choice Awards
Hot List
Powered By: Marriott - Four Seasons Hotel Madrid$$$ | Spain, Madrid, c/Sevilla 3A grand hotel for the post-bling era.Read full review
Readers Choice Awards
Hot List
Powered By: Expedia - Generator Madrid$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de San Bernardo, 2Gen Z'ers will be glad to know there’s finally a cool, affordable hostel in Madrid—one with a great location, too.Read full review
Readers Choice Awards
Powered By: Expedia - Santo Mauro, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Madrid$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de Zurbano, 36If you’ve ever wanted to live like an aristocrat, this is your chance.Read full review
Gold List
Powered By: Expedia - Thompson Madrid$$$ | Spain, Madrid, Pl. del Carmen, 28013 Madrid, SpainOne of the most anticipated, and surprising, new openings in Spain’s capital.Read full reviewPowered By: Expedia
- BLESS Hotel Madrid$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de Velázquez, 62BLESS Hotel Madrid is a buzzy hive of activity that's marked by the high-design glamour of bustling Salamanca.Read full review
Readers Choice Awards
Powered By: Expedia - NH Collection Madrid Palacio de Tepa$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de San Sebastián, 2Upscale yet approachable, the interiors are a clever blend of old and new, and it all works beautifully.Read full review
Readers Choice Awards
Powered By: Expedia
The Best Things to Do in Madrid
- 17 Best Things to Do in MadridHit the major museums, haggle like a pro, and see the city from on high.By Ramsey Qubein
- 3 Best Day Trips from MadridBreak out from the capital, and head for Segovia, Toledo, and San Lorenzo de El Escorial.By Ramsey Qubein
- 9 Best Museums in MadridWhen it comes to major cultural attractions, this European capital is especially blessed.By Ramsey Qubein
- 12 Best Places for Shopping in MadridWhether you're partial to flashy, fashion-forward pieces or can't get enough of the locally crafted goods, you won't leave this city empty-handed.By Benjamin Kemper
- 10 Best Coffee Shops in MadridThough the third-wave coffee revolution has hit the city, there are still plenty of places to sip cafés con leche and gobble churros.By Benjamin Kemper
Editor Recommendations
- Corral de la Morería$$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de la Moreria, 17A flamenco nightclub is the last place you'd expect to find Michelin-starred dining.Read full review
- Royal Palace of MadridSpain, Madrid, Calle de Bailén, s/nGet up close with how the royals lived.Read full review
- Calle de FuencarralSpain, Madrid, Calle de FuencarralPedestrian gateway to Malasaña boutiques.Read full review
- Parque del Buen RetiroSpain, Madrid, Plaza de la Independencia, 7There's something for everyone at Madrid's largest park.Read full review
- Thyssen-Bornemisza MuseumSpain, Madrid, Paseo del Prado, 8With an enormous collection of European art from the continent’s most respected masters, the museum is a must-see for anyone.Read full review
- Almudena CathedralSpain, Madrid, Calle de Bailén, 10Some of Madrid's grandest architecture.Read full review
- Cinco MuseosSpain, Madrid,If you have been to Madrid before, this is an excellent way to see smaller museums that don’t make it to the front page of every guide book.Read full review
- Museo Nacional Del PradoSpain, Madrid, Calle de Ruiz de Alarcón, 23Madrid's most famous museum.Read full review
- Temple of DebodSpain, Madrid, Calle de Ferraz, 1An ancient Egyptian temple rebuilt stone by stone.Read full review
- Santiago Bernabéu StadiumSpain, Madrid, Av. de Concha Espina, 1There's nothing quite like being at a Real Madrid game.Read full review
- Palacio de CibelesSpain, Madrid, Plaza de Cibeles, 1Beautiful for a quick drive by.Read full review
- Madrid Atocha Train StationSpain, Madrid, Plaza del Emperador Carlos VA working train station with a spectacular botanical garden.Read full review
- Palacio de LiriaSpain, Madrid, Calle de la Princesa, 20A palatial private residence now open to the public.Read full review
- Teleférico de MadridSpain, Madrid, Paseo del Pintor Rosales, s/nConnecting two sides of Madrid.Read full review
- Plaza de Toros de Las VentasSpain, Madrid, Calle de Alcalá, 237Spain's iconic bullfighting arena.Read full review
Madrid After Hours
Condé Nast Traveler's Stephen Orr tours Madrid by night.
The Best Places to Eat & Drink in Madrid
- 21 Best Restaurants in MadridThe city's food scene is an ever-expanding patchwork quilt of cuisines and cultures waiting to be gobbled up.By Benjamin Kemper
- 15 Best Bars in MadridA glass of Rioja is a great start—but there's so much more to imbibe in this midnight mecca.By Benjamin Kemper
- 15 Best Tapas Bars in MadridNo need to commit to just one—this list has the makings of the perfect evening tapas crawl.By Benjamin Kemper
- 10 Best Coffee Shops in MadridThough the third-wave coffee revolution has hit the city, there are still plenty of places to sip cafés con leche and gobble churros.By Benjamin Kemper
- 9 Best Markets in MadridOne of the best ways to get to know this city is through its mercados—so start sampling.By Benjamin Kemper
Editor Restaurant and Bar Recommendations
- La Tasquita de Enfrente$$$ | Spain, Madrid, C. de la Ballesta, 6
- Osa$$$ | Spain, Madrid, C. de la Ribera del Manzanares, 123In every bite, expect the omnipotent presence of French technique with the aesthetic of Japanese minimalism.
Hot List
- RavioXO$$ | Spain, Madrid, dentro de Gourmet Experience ECI, Pl. de Manuel Gómez-Moreno, 5AAn exciting way for those who cannot score a table at DriverXO to get a taste of Dabiz Muñoz's food.
Hot List
- Casa Hortensia Restaurante & Sidrería$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de la Farmacia, 2Casa Hortensia teleports you to the cider houses of Asturias.
- Casa Lafu$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de la Flor Baja, 1At Casa Lafu, Madrid natives and Chinese expats unite over hot pot dishes cooked tableside in bubbling cauldrons of stock.
- Fayer$$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de Orfila, 7If this is your first Argentine-Israeli meal, you're in for a treat.
- DiverXo$$$ | Spain, Madrid, NH Eurobuilding, C. del Padre Damián, 23Like a gastronomic spaceship ready for liftoff.
- Bodegas El Maño$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de la Palma, 64A tapas bar is usually known for one or two specialties, but here, nearly every dish is worth visiting for.
- Mo de Movimiento$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de Espronceda, 34The pizzas here are a must, made with stone-ground Castilian flours, Riojan vegetables, and Galician cheese.
- Angelita Madrid$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de la Reina, 4This destination restaurant one block from Gran Via would be packed even if it were on the outskirts of town.
- El Rincón de Jáen$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de Don Ramón de la Cruz, 88All that's missing from this Andalusian fever dream is flamenco dancers.
- Casa Benigna$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle de Benigno Soto, 9The gregarious chef has devoted decades to perfecting his rice dishes, and he treats customers like they're dinner-party guests.
- La Tasquería$$ | Spain, Madrid, Calle del Duque de Sesto, 48A buzzy newcomer with a menu that's reviving near-forgotten dishes.
A Day in Madrid
Madrid is a city that radiates energy and to best experience it, you need to keep moving. Start the day touring la Plaza Mayor and the winding alleyways of the city’s center, then eat your way through San Miguel Market before a quick siesta in El Retiro, the city’s sprawling park. Dine late and party even later: “El Foro,” as the capital is known to locals, never stops buzzing.
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The Best Airbnbs in Madrid
Seven beautiful Airbnbs in Madrid for a perfect stay in Spain’s elegant capital city.
By Charley Ward
Inspiration
The Best Time to Visit Madrid
Here’s a season-by-season guide to visiting the Spanish capital throughout the year.
By Connor Sturges
News & Advice
How I Got to the Eras Tour in Europe With Points and Miles
Points and miles can make bucket-list trips for special events infinitely more affordable.
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Places to Stay
A Night Tour Behind the Scenes at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz Madrid
On the night when Christmas lights up in its salons, we take an exclusive look into the heart of the Ritz. This is how it is and how its night staff, the soul of luxury, works.
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News & Advice
The New Business Traveler: Marriott's Tina Edmundson Is Always Taking Notes on Hotel Rooms
We take a look at how interesting people with fascinating jobs are traveling for work right now.
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Points & Miles
How I Used Points to Book a Two-Month Stay in Some of Madrid's Best Hotels
I cashed in my mix of hotel, airline, and credit card points for stays in five of the city's finest hotels.
By Ramsey Qubein
News & Advice
Snowstorm in Madrid: How Residents Are Rallying After the Blizzard of the Century
A winter storm just buried the Spanish capital, leading to both celebration and chaos.
By Benjamin Kemper
Food & Drink
Madrid Residents Are Turning to Local Mercados Amid the Coronavirus
Younger residents are eschewing Madrid's big box grocery stores and instead choosing their small neighborhood food sellers.
By Nneka M. Okona
News & Advice
In Madrid, Balcony Bingo Is Bringing Neighbors Together
The games begin at 6 p.m.
By Erin Florio
News & Advice
Madrid's Top Chefs Are Choosing Homestyle Cooking Over Molecular Gastronomy
A slew of new openings have flipped from high to low.
By Benjamin Kemper
Destinations
What to Do in Madrid This Summer
Here's what's happening in the city this season.
By Rick Jordan
Inspiration
Tapas Crawling With Madrid’s 'Taberna King'
A tour of the city’s oldest taverns, before they disappear.
By Benjamin Kemper
News & Advice
Six-Day-Long Spanish Taxi Strike Ends
Road blocks have cleared across the country.
By Meredith Carey
Shopping
New High-Speed, Low-Cost Train Will Connect Madrid and Barcelona in 2019
And it's not "low cost" in the "makes you feel like you're in a cattle car" kind of way.
By Meredith Carey
News & Advice
Flight Deal: New York and Miami to Madrid From $400 Round-Trip
Spain is calling.
By Elaheh Nozari
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