How Many Days to Spend in Madrid?
If you have never been to Madrid before you might be wondering how many days to spend in Madrid. This is an interesting question that can be answered short and long.
How many days to spend in Madrid? The short answer
For first-time visitors to Madrid, spending 5 days is ideal. So this means spending 5-6 nights in Madrid. This is enough time to visit all the popular tourist attractions and other landmarks in this city. During this time you will get a basic understanding of the city and how locals live their lives. If you are looking for more detailed itineraries in Madrid you should check our handcrafted Itineraries. 1 day in Madrid, 2 days in Madrid, 3 days in Madrid, 4 days in Madrid
How many days to spend in Madrid? The long answer
Madrid is a beautiful city located in the heart of Spain. It’s a popular destination among tourists and there are many attractions to visit in this city. The number of days you spend in Madrid depends on your interests, travel styles, and your budget.
I think that spending 5 days in Madrid is the best for the majority of the people. During this time you have all the time to visit the most important tourist attractions. The best thing about this timespan is that you don’t have to rush with going from one attraction to the other. Madrid is the capital of Spain and has many attractions so that is why 5 days is a perfect timespan to visit this city, without having to rush your trip to Madrid.
On the other hand, if you decide to spend less the 5 days in Madrid you will miss some of the cool spots in this city. But if you spend longer than five days in madrid then you will maybe run out of things to do. The most tourist hubs also recommend spending around 5 days in Madrid and Barcelona. These are the biggest cities in Spain and therefore are the most things to do.
Madrid is a big city, but the main attractions of the spanish capital are all located pretty close to each other, in the center of the city. However, if you want to visit Santiago Bernabeu, the football stadium where Real Madrid plays its home games it’s pretty far away from the center.
Attractions like Museo del Prado and Retiro Park are close to each other. All the attractions are different on how much time you want to be there. Retiro Park can be fun for as long as you like for example.
How long should you stay in Madrid? It depends on your travel style
If you want to relax and enjoy some sunshine, Madrid is located in the center of Spain, so it doesn´t have beaches. But what Madrid does have is parks, the most famous is Retiro Park and here you can relax en enjoy the sun. There are also outside pools that you might want to check out.
If you love history and architecture and like to spend your time in museums or other historic buildings you should plan to stay in the center of Madrid with your accommodation. Things you might want to visit are, for example, Museo del Prado.
If you’re planning a family trip to Madrid, Remember that everything takes a little longer with children, so you might want to book an extra day or two if you are going to madrid with children.
If you’re in your 20s and love to party and try new things, Spending a whole week in Madrid will give you enough time to experience the nightlife in Madrid. Without having the pressure to get up early every morning.
If you like exploring places off the main tourist track, then it might be great to visit nearby smaller villages, or natural wonders. There are a lot of day trips from madrid you can do by train or car. You should be aware of how many trips you want to do and then think of how many days will be the best for you.
How the time of year affects your Madrid stay
The time of the year is also a big factor in how many days you need to stay in Madrid. Here are a few tips that you might want to consider when you are making a plan.
If you are visiting Madrid in winter, you might not need the full 5 days. Enjoying the sun is not really an option most of the time in winter. So you cannot spend a full day or 2 just relaxing in the sun in Retiro Park. Madrid gets a lot of sunshine in the winter but it can be cold to just be relaxing in the sun. Therefore these months are perfect for enjoying the Christmas markets in Madrid and visiting museums.
If you are visiting Madrid in the Summer, Then you might want to add a few days just for you to relax and chill in for example Retiro Park. There are also plenty of outdoor pools in Madrid to spend a day relaxing in the sun.
So how many days in Madrid? Our Suggested Itineraries
For most people, 5-6 days is enough to fully experience everything Madrid has to offer. This will give you enough time to explore the city center, visit some museums, try the local cuisine, and see all the popular landmarks.
1 day in Madrid
If you only have one day in Madrid you should see my 1 day itinerary in Madrid. It’s a realistic scheme of what you can do in 24 hours in Madrid, but still, in 1 day, you can see a lot, like the Royal Palace, and Plaza Mayor, and visit the Prado Museum.
2 days in Madrid
If you have around 48 hours in Madrid, I suggest you follow my 2-day itinerary. On day one you can go to the city center, and see the Prado museum. On day 2 I recommend you to visit the Retiro Park and enjoy local cuisine.
3 days in Madrid
If you spend 3 days in Madrid you will have enough time to visit several different neighborhoods and discover the most popular landmarks in the city. You will also have enough time to truly enjoy the local cuisine and relax in Retiro Park.
4 days in Madrid
Spending 4 days in Madrid is almost enough to visit all the things you want to see in the city. Except for some hidden gems, or attractions further from the city like the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium where Real Madrid plays its home games.
