I have visited Madrid several times and did not realize that you can a) go into the Palacio de…read moreCibeles and b) that it is free. My bf made this discovery when he was exploring while I was at work. Great discovery! After entering through a security/bag check, you walk upstairs onto the 2nd floor. There is a tourist office as well as a large relaxing/working space. An exhibit offers an overview of the commitment to green spaces in English and Spanish. The floors above house the history of the building, including the architecture and design. There are also special exhibits featuring different artists. If you are visiting before early May 2026, I highly recommend Ana Juan's "Wunderkammer" exhibition. Beautiful and thought provoking! There is an observation deck that can be accessed for €4. It was closed in mid-Feb for technical repairs without a confirmed reopening date. Hopefully it will be available to the public again soon! A bit farther away but you can always venture to the top of the Riu hotel for incredible views.

So I was sad because I bought a ticket to go on the rooftop, but it was raining, so I couldn't. But…read morethey refunded me automatically, so that was good. So instead I meandered between floors looking at all the art waiting for the rain to dissipate a bit. Some was cool, some I didn't get, to each their own. It's a gorgeous building and worth a visit if you have the time. I'll have to come back for the rooftop next time!

Puerta del Sol is the "center" of Spain, both geographically and in its ability to attract every…read moresingle tourist with a camera and zero spatial awareness. If you've ever dreamed of standing in a crowd so dense you become part of a human gazpacho, this is your spot. Historically, it used to be a literal gate to the city hence "Puerta" and now it's just the gateway to dodging pickpockets and street performers. The clock tower at the Real Casa de Correos is iconic so go to see that. There's a statue of a bear eating from a strawberry tree (El Oso y el Madrono), which is the official symbol of Madrid. Why a bear and a berry bush? No one knows exactly, but it's been repping the city since the Middle Ages.

Being back in puerta del sol feels like home. Here's the deal- sol is like the central hub. From…read moresol, any direction you go, you'll find what you need! The metro station is sol connects to three lines making it one of the most accessible stops. The plaza area itself is always overrun with tourist and scammers, so beware and watch those pockets. But, the magic of sol is in the side streets that connect to it. Go north and you're in gran via or chueca. Take a step towards the irish pubs and grab a pint! Go north west in search of some churros at san gines. Sol is the connecting point to many notable places to visit! While I don't consider it a stop in itself, it is a great meeting point among groups to start your journey!

I usually pass through this intersection almost every day on the way to work or to go to north…read moreneighbourhoods of Madrid in the other side of this imaginary line which divades Madrid. The junction between the Gran Vía and Alcalá streets is one of the most emblematic places in Madrid. The view from Cibeles is one of the most spectacular skylines of the city, and therefore, photographed: El Círculo de Bellas Artes building, Metropolis building, Grassy building and Telefonica at the bottom, with a great architectonical buildings as the Ministry of Culture or the Number one Gran Via building. However, the views from this intersection are fantastic the east. You will see the building of the Bank of Spain on one side, the building today the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute on the other side, and facing the Cibeles fountain, the Palace of Communications, today City Hall Madrid and the background, Puerta de Alcalá. Despite supporting traffic and movement of people, is not an area with lots of conglomeration, which pass through this intersection can be done very quietly.

Expensive cocktails on the roof of the city hall? Go on then. Essentially you're paying the prices…read morehere for the view as the drinks themselves are no better than in most other such bars (no idea though if the bar staff can concoct anything off-menu) but the God Save The Queen (it was the Jubilee weekend after all) was tasty enough & the other dozen or so on the menu presented a decently varied selection.