Location: Madrid
Top Things to do in Madrid
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The 10 Best Hidden Gems Things to do in Madrid, Community of Madrid
So many of Madrid’s buildings look like castles, you’ll think you’ve stumbled into a fairytale. Even City Hall is astounding, with its white pinnacles and neo-Gothic features. A self-guided architecture tour can begin by the great bear statue in the central Puerta del Sol. Wander by the fanciful Royal Palace before absorbing the natural beauty of Retiro Park, then visit one of the city’s many museums. You could happily cap off each day by nibbling on forkfuls of paella while sipping Spanish rioja.
Restaurants in Madrid
1. Urban Adventures
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 436 reviews
Madrid Urban Adventures provide you with Fun, Informative and Original Tours in Madrid. We use only local and enthusiastic Tour Leaders to make sure you will have the BEST. DAY. EVER!
2. Devour Madrid Food Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,362 reviews
At Devour Tours, we connect curious travelers with local food and people in a way that helps culture thrive. That means we love supporting local establishments whose businesses have often been in the same family for years. And when we bring curious travelers to these types of places, they discover the authentic Madrid. On Devour Madrid food tours, you can expect to hear great stories while devouring the city’s best food as we show off our favorite hidden secrets. Our offerings include daytime food tours, evening tapas tours, tapas tours with a flamenco, wine or history twist, and a Prado Museum and Botin lunch tour. Join the movement today, and #BeCurious with Devour Tours! https://devourtours.com/
3. Exposicion Pintores Plaza Conde Barajas
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 28 reviews
Reviewed By Luisaal - Community of Madrid, Spain
A walk with lots of art and without entering a museum. We enjoy seeing the exhibition and getting to know the artists, it is very nice and you can ask and order the painting you want.
4. Museo Sorolla
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,378 reviews
The Sorolla Museum preserves the original atmosphere of both home and study of the painter Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (Valencia, 1863 - Cercedilla, 1923). It houses the richest collection of his works, colourful paintings irradiating light and vitality. It is one of the more complete and best preserved artist homes remaining in Europe. The garden, also designed by himself, is a beautiful oasis in the city.
Reviewed By PatAustralia
This small museum in a smart part of Madrid is a gem. Not crowded, cheap entry fee, excellent English signage and audio and peaceful. It is worlds away from the bedlam of the Prado and Thyssen. It is Sorolla’s house and garden and we spent a leisurely hour or so taking in the beauty and cleverness of this wonderful Spanish artist who specialised in ‘light’. Plenty of really good cafes close by for a coffee afterwards. Highly recommended.
5. Casa Museo Lope de Vega
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 741 reviews
"My little house, my peace, my garden and my study" Such was the way Lope described his house in a letter to a friend. A visit to this house es a testimony, a literary and emotional journey, an invitation to travel through art, literature and history to a bygone Madrid. Access to the museum is via guided group tours (maximum 10 people accompanied by a guide)Tours must be booked in advance by telephone or email.
Reviewed By breezy1435 - Saratoga Springs, United States
Constant Companion and I booked an English Tour several months in advance and hoped for the best! We had tried to visit last year but on the day of our reservation the guide fell ill. Our guide, only two months in his job this year was terrific! I cannot say enough good about him--passionate, humorous, and accommodating! We were the only two on the tour so he showed us all the rooms, told wonderful stories, and provided us interesting insights. Lope de Vega was a contemporary of Cervantes. He wrote many plays, had 17 children, became a priest, had several loves including the "love of his life" in his 40's, an actress! It is this home which he purchased to settle down, to devote time to his gardens, and to outsmart the tax man by "having a military guest in his home"! We completely enjoyed our visit, particularly the living room, the bookcases, and the objects donated by a daughter who became a nun! Very highly recommended Madrid treasure!
6. Museo Lazaro Galdiano
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,124 reviews
Reviewed By FactotumDellaCitta - London, United Kingdom
Lázaro Galdiano was a publisher who was active during the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was an avid collector of, well, everything - paintings, coins, textiles, jewelry, arms, and furniture, to name some of his interests. Highlights of his collection are housed in this museum, which is his former mansion.
7. Naval Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,830 reviews
** This place is temporarily closed**The Madrid Naval Museum is a State institution which belongs to the Ministry of Defense. The Museum is under the organic command of the Admiral Chief of Naval Staff and is governed by a Board of Trustees (Real Patronato). The Naval Museum is a living institution opened to the public. Its curators not only study, look after, exhibit and acquire new objects, but use it as an instrument of communication, education and dissemination of the maritime history of Spain and its traditions. The following are some of the research fields: History of the Spanish Navy Naval shipbuilding Nautical science and auxiliary sciences like cosmography, cartography and nautical instruments. History of maritime voyages and discoveries. Underwater archaeology Maritime heritage
Reviewed By dicod712 - Oslos, Denmark
What a fantastic and interesting museum depicting Spain's history as the supreme naval power . Not huge like some of Madrid other world class museums. Alot more manageable.
8. Museo de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 457 reviews
9. Museo Cerralbo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,113 reviews
Reviewed By hilarionmartinez
Just got back from Madrid and have to share the pics I took at what I believe is Madrid’s BEST House Museum. The Museum Cerralbo houses the art and historical object collections of Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa, 17th Marquis of Cerralbo, who died in 1922. The mansion was built in the 19th century, according to Italian taste, and is luxuriously decorated with baroque furniture, wall paintings and in my opinion the best chandeliers I’ve seen anywhere. If you like beautiful chandeliers do not miss it. It is near the Plaza de España Metro. The home retains its original aesthetics; the grand staircase will leave you breathless. It features an interesting collection of paintings, archaeology and furniture, including works by Jacopo Tintoretto, Jacopo Palma the Younger, El Greco, Ludovico Carracci, Alonso Cano, Zurbarán, Luis Paret and many more. This palace is my favorite home to visit in Madrid in that you see a great collection of paintings, furniture and decorative arts and experience what life was like for one of Madrid’s aristocratic families. It is SPECTACULAR!
10. Ermita De San Antonio De La Florida
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,145 reviews
Reviewed By 598marisap - Dallas, United States
This is a beautiful chapel built under the reign of Charles the 4th. It was built in 1798 and Goya painted the frescoes. The painting are excellent. They are almost expressionist paintings, what is called the black paintings by Goya. Entrance is free!
