Day 1: The Heart of Madrid in 24 Hours
Retiro Park & Prado Museum
Start at Parque del Retiro — 125 hectares of formal gardens, a lake with rowing boats (€6), and the Crystal Palace, a stunning glass pavilion hosting free art exhibitions. Walk south to the Prado Museum (€15, free Mon–Sat 6–8pm). Prioritise Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's Black Paintings, and Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights. Two hours covers the essentials.
Sol, Gran Vía & La Latina
Walk to Puerta del Sol — the geographic centre of Spain marked by the Km 0 plaque. Continue along Gran Vía, Madrid's grand boulevard lined with ornate early-20th-century buildings and rooftop bars. Metro to La Latina for a late lunch at a traditional taberna — Casa Lucas or Juana la Loca on Cava Baja serve excellent tapas from €3–5 each.
Sunset, Tapas Crawl & Nightlife
Head to Templo de Debod, a 2,200-year-old Egyptian temple gifted to Spain, set in a park overlooking the city — the best free sunset viewpoint in Madrid. Then back to La Latina or Malasaña for a tapas crawl: cañas (small beers, €1.50–2.50) and tapas at three to four bars. Madrid doesn't eat dinner before 9:30pm and nightlife starts after midnight.
