Madrid
A capital by decree that turned out to enjoy the job
Madrid was a middling Castilian town until Philip II put the court here in 1561, and it has been the centre of Spain, by act of will, ever since. It is high, dry, loud and late, and the most liveable big capital in Europe if you can take the summer.
Madrid began as Mayrit, a fort built by the emir Muhammad I of Córdoba in the 860s to guard the road to Toledo; Alfonso VI of Castile took it in 1083, and it stayed a middling town until Philip II moved the court here from Toledo in 1561, the year the masthead uses, choosing it for being in the middle of nothing in particular. The Habsburgs gave it the Plaza Mayor, the Bourbons the Royal Palace and the Prado, opened in 1819. The uprising of 2 May 1808 against Napoleon's troops began the Peninsular War. The Gran Vía was cut through the old centre from 1910; the Second Republic was proclaimed in the Puerta del Sol in 1931; and the city held out under siege for almost the whole civil war, falling in March 1939. Franco ruled from here for 36 years. After his death the Movida of the 1980s made Madrid the loudest city in Europe, and the 2004 train bombings its saddest.
The Puerta del Sol is the centre of the city and, by the plaque of Kilómetro Cero, of the country. West of it, Los Austrias is the Habsburg quarter of the Plaza Mayor and the palace; east, Las Letras is where Cervantes and Lope de Vega lived; south, La Latina is the tapas and Sunday vermouth and Lavapiés the immigrant, bohemian quarter. Across the Gran Vía, Malasaña and Chueca are the nightlife and the gay village. The Paseo del Prado runs along the east edge of the old town with the three museums — Prado, Thyssen, Reina Sofía — and the Retiro park behind them; Salamanca, north-east of the park, is the gridded, expensive district of the 19th century; Chamberí, to the west of it, is the family neighbourhood everyone wants. The Castellana runs north past the Bernabéu to the office towers and Chamartín. South of the river, Usera, Carabanchel and Vallecas are the working-class districts, and Madrid Río is the park built over the buried motorway.
Madrid eats late and outside: lunch at two or three, dinner at ten, and a terraza on every square from April to October. The food is the whole country's — cocido madrileño on a winter Sunday, a bocadillo de calamares by the Plaza Mayor, churros at San Ginés at dawn, and tapas, pinchos and the menú del día everywhere. The three museums on the Paseo are among the best in the world, with Guernica in the Reina Sofía and Velázquez and Goya in the Prado; the Rastro flea market fills La Latina on Sunday mornings. Real Madrid at the Bernabéu and Atlético at the Metropolitano divide the city; Las Ventas still holds bullfights in May for San Isidro, and the argument over it is real. Around a million Latin Americans live in the region, and the city is the capital of the Spanish-speaking world in a way Spain's other cities are not. The nightlife is the loudest and latest in Europe.
The hard parts are the heat — July and August now run above 35 degrees for weeks and the city empties to the coast — and the fact that there is no sea, only a small river and a ring of dry hills. Housing costs have risen faster here than anywhere else in Spain, tourist flats have hollowed out the centre and Lavapiés, and rents are the main political complaint of the young. Regional politics is polarised and theatrical, the low-emission zone is fought over, and the airport is a long way out. The winter is cold, dry and short. What Madrid offers is one of the best metros in the world, a safe and sociable city that is still cheaper than London or Paris, museums to spend a week in, the Sierra de Guadarrama an hour away for snow and walking, and a way of living outdoors and late that visitors adopt within a day.
Where People Live
Sol & Los Austrias
The Puerta del Sol, the Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace and the Almudena cathedral — the Habsburg centre, with the calamari sandwiches, the San Miguel market and the heaviest crowds in the city.
Las Letras & Lavapiés
The writers' quarter of Huertas, with the Prado at the bottom of the hill, and Lavapiés below it, the old working-class barrio that is now the most mixed in Madrid — Bangladeshi, Senegalese, Latin American and the Tabacalera arts centre.
La Latina
The tapas streets around Cava Baja, the Sunday vermouth on the terraces and the Rastro flea market spilling down Ribera de Curtidores. The city's Sunday, all in one place.
Malasaña & Chueca
North of the Gran Vía: Malasaña's bars, vintage shops and the Plaza del Dos de Mayo, where the Movida started, and Chueca, the gay village with the good restaurants and the Pride crowds in July.
Salamanca & Retiro
The 19th-century grid east of the Retiro park with the luxury shops on Serrano, the embassies and the most expensive flats in Spain; the park itself, with its lake and the Crystal Palace, is the city's lung.
Chamberí
The family neighbourhood north of the centre — the market on Ponzano, the bars on the same street, the Sorolla museum and a stock of solid old flats that everyone in Madrid would move to if they could.
Chamartín & the Castellana
The business axis running north: the Bernabéu, the ministries at Nuevos Ministerios, the AZCA towers and the Cuatro Torres, with the station and the northern suburbs beyond. Where the money works.
Usera & Carabanchel
South of the river: Usera's Chinatown with the best dumplings in the city, Carabanchel's artists' studios in old workshops and the Madrid Río park along the Manzanares between them. Cheaper, and getting noticed.
Restaurants & places to go
La Rotonda Restaurant at Westin Palace Hotel
<p class="ProfileHeaderCard-bio u-dir" dir="ltr">Welcome to The Westin Palace, Madrid. Located in the heart of the city, the centenary hotel is an icon of… · larotondapalace.com
Tiffany's The Club
. Open: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays. â–ªï¸F: @tiffanystheclub â–ªï¸S: @tiffanystheclub â–ªï¸S: @bebesitanight · Av. Dr. Arce, 10 Madrid 28002 Spain · tiffanystheclub.com
Airports
Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) 15 km to the centre
Madrid, MD, ES — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 68 airlines (Iberia Airlines, Air Europa, Ryanair, easyJet…) · direct flights to 158 destinations incl. New York, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Porto, Brussels… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 68 airlines, 158 direct destinations
- Iberia Airlines IB (A319, A320, CRK, A321, 32S, CRJ-900…) · 95 routes: Accra, Algier, Alicante*, Almeria*, Amman*, Arrecife*, Aviles, Barcelona, Berlin, Bilbao, Bogota, Bologna*, Bordeaux*, Boston, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Casablanca, Chicago, Copenhagen*, Dakar, Dallas-Fort Worth*, Dublin*, Duesseldorf*, Florence*, Frankfurt*, Fuerteventura*, Geneva, Gran Canaria, Granada*, Guatemala City, Guayaquil*, Helsinki*, Ibiza*, Jerez*, Kiev*, La Coruna, Lagos, Lima, Lisbon … +55 more
- Air Europa UX (A330-200, 737-800, Embraer 190, A330-300, ATR, 32S…) · 43 routes: Almeria, Amsterdam, Arrecife, Aviles, Badajoz, Barcelona, Bilbao, Brussels, Bucharest*, Buenos Aires, Cancun, Caracas, Dakar, Frankfurt, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Havana, Ibiza, Jeddah, La Coruna, La Romana, Lima, Lisbon, London, Malaga, Mexico City, Milano, Montevideo, Moscow*, Munich, New York, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Prague, Punta Cana, Rome, Salvador, Santa Cruz, Santo Domingo, Sao Paulo … +3 more
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 30 routes: Alghero, Arrecife, Beauvais, Bergamo, Bologna, Budapest, Cagliari, Catania, Charleroi, Dublin, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Krakow, London, Malta, Manchester, Marrakech, Marseille, Palermo, Palma de Mallorca, Pisa, Porto, Rabat, Rome, Rygge, Santiago, Tanger, Tenerife, Tenerife
- easyJet U2 (A319, A320) · 12 routes: Berlin, Bristol, Edinburgh, Geneva, Lisbon, Liverpool, London, London, Lyon, Milano, Mulhouse, Paris
- Finnair AY (A330-300, A340-600, A321, A340-300, 757, 767-300…) · 10 routes: Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Frankfurt*, Helsinki, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Valencia*, Vigo*
- Alitalia AZ (737-800, Embraer 190, A330-200, A319, A320, A321…) · 9 routes: Fuerteventura*, Gran Canaria*, Ibiza*, La Coruna*, Mexico City*, Palma de Mallorca*, Rome, Tenerife*, Vigo*
- British Airways BA (A330-300, A340-600, A319, A320, A321, A340-300…) · 8 routes: Boston*, Chicago*, Dallas-Fort Worth*, London*, London, Los Angeles*, Miami*, New York*
- Air Berlin AB (A320, A319, A321, 737-800, A320) · 7 routes: Berlin, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt*, Geneva*, Munich*, Vienna, Zurich*
- American Airlines AA (330, 340, A330-300, 757, 767-300, 777) · 7 routes: Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles*, Miami, New York, Philadelphia
- US Airways US (ERJ-145, Fokker 100, A319, A320, A330-300, 757…) · 7 routes: Dallas-Fort Worth, Doha, Lisbon*, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Porto*
- LAN Airlines LA (A340-300, A340-600, 787, A320, 330, 767-300) · 6 routes: Frankfurt, Guayaquil, Lima*, Quito*, Santiago, Sao Paulo*
- Wizz Air W6 (A320) · 5 routes: Bucharest, Budapest, Cluj-napoca, Sofia, Timisoara
- AeroMéxico AM (A330-300, 762, 767-400, 777, 787, Embraer 190) · 4 routes: Atlanta*, Brussels, Cancun, Mexico City
- Air France AF (767-400, 318, A319, A320, A321, 737-800…) · 4 routes: Atlanta*, New York*, Paris, Paris*
- Vueling Airlines VY (A320, A319) · 4 routes: Barcelona, Florence, Ibiza, Paris
- Avianca - Aerovias Nacionales de Colombia AV (330) · 3 routes: Bogota, Cali, Rio Negro
- Czech Airlines OK (737-800, A319, A321) · 3 routes: Gran Canaria, Prague, Tenerife
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (737, 767-400, 767) · 3 routes: Amsterdam, Atlanta*, New York*
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A319, A320, A321, 757-200, A320) · 3 routes: Frankfurt, Munich, Newark*
- Royal Air Maroc AT (737-800, 737-700, ATR 72) · 3 routes: Casablanca, Marrakech, Tanger
- Air China CA (330) · 2 routes: Beijing, Sao Paulo
- Compagnie Africaine d\\'Aviation E9 (A330-300) · 2 routes: Cancun, Punta Cana
- Cubana de Aviación CU (IL9) · 2 routes: Havana, Santiago De Cuba
- Delta Air Lines DL (767-400) · 2 routes: Atlanta, New York
- Germanwings 4U (CRJ) · 2 routes: Duesseldorf, Hamburg
- SATA International S4 (ERJ-145, Fokker 100, A319) · 2 routes: Lisbon*, Porto*
- Scandinavian Airlines System SK (A320, A321, 737-800, 737-700) · 2 routes: Copenhagen, Stockholm
- Swiss International Air Lines LX (A320, A319, A320) · 2 routes: Geneva, Zurich
- TAM Brazilian Airlines JJ (330) · 2 routes: Beijing, Sao Paulo
- TAP Portugal TP (ERJ-145, Fokker 100, A319, A320) · 2 routes: Lisbon, Porto*
- Thai Airways International TG (777, ERJ-145) · 2 routes: Bangkok, Porto
- Transavia Holland HV (737-700, 737-800) · 2 routes: Eindhoven, Rotterdam
- Tunisair TU (A320, A320) · 2 routes: Djerba, Tunis
- Aegean Airlines A3 (A320) · 1 route: Athens
- Aer Lingus EI (A320) · 1 route: Dublin
- Aeroflot Russian Airlines SU (A320, A321) · 1 route: Moscow
- Aerolineas Argentinas AR (340) · 1 route: Buenos Aires
- Air Algerie AH (736) · 1 route: Algier
- Astrakhan Airlines OB (762) · 1 route: Santa Cruz
- Brussels Airlines SN (A319, A320, AR1) · 1 route: Brussels
- Bulgaria Air FB (A319, A320, Embraer 190) · 1 route: Sofia
- Cathay Pacific CX (777-300ER) · 1 route: Doha
- China Eastern Airlines MU (737) · 1 route: Amsterdam
- Conviasa V0 (330) · 1 route: Caracas
- Egyptair MS (737-800) · 1 route: Cairo
- El Al Israel Airlines LY (737-800, 737-900) · 1 route: Tel-aviv
- Emirates EK (777-300ER) · 1 route: Dubai
- Ethiopian Airlines ET (A320, A321) · 1 route: Frankfurt*
- Hainan Airlines HU (A319) · 1 route: Brussels
- Korean Air KE (A330-200, 747-400) · 1 route: Seoul
- Libyan Arab Airlines LN (A320) · 1 route: Tripoli
- LOT Polish Airlines LO (734, Embraer 195) · 1 route: Warsaw
- Luxair LG (ERJ-145) · 1 route: Luxemburg
- Niki HG (A320) · 1 route: Vienna
- Norwegian Air Shuttle DY (737-800) · 1 route: Copenhagen
- Olympic Airlines OA (A320) · 1 route: Athens*
- Pegasus Airlines PC (737-800) · 1 route: Istanbul
- Qatar Airways QR (777-300ER) · 1 route: Doha
- Royal Jordanian RJ (A319, A320) · 1 route: Amman
- S7 Airlines S7 (A319) · 1 route: Moscow
- Saudi Arabian Airlines SV (A320) · 1 route: Jeddah
- Tarom RO (737-800) · 1 route: Bucharest
- Transaero Airlines UN (737-800, 737-700) · 1 route: Moscow
- Travel Service QS (A320) · 1 route: Prague
- Turkish Airlines TK (A321, A330-200, 737-800, 737-900) · 1 route: Istanbul
- Ukraine International Airlines PS (737-800, 737-700) · 1 route: Kiev
- United Airlines UA (757-200) · 1 route: Newark
- Vietnam Airlines VN (737-800) · 1 route: Frankfurt
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport 8 km to the centre
Madrid, MD, ES — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Casarrubios Del Monte Airfield 33 km to the centre
Toledo, CM, ES
Robledillo De Mohernando Airfield 64 km to the centre
Robledillo De Mohernando, CM, ES
Santo Tome Del Puerto Airfield 89 km to the centre
Segovia, CL, ES
Aeródromo de Griñón 25 km to the centre
Griñón, MD, ES
Local transit
Metro de Madrid
Metro · One of Europe's largest metros; EMT runs the buses. · Fares: Tarjeta Multi · Airport: Metro Line 8 from Barajas T1-T4
Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid CRTM E
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data
Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid CRTM I
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data
Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid (EMT Ma
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data
Trains & rail
ALSA Rail
Rail operator
Cercanías Madrid
Rail operator
Construrail
Rail operator
Continental Rail
Rail operator
Low Cost Rail
Rail operator
Ouigo España
Rail operator
Renfe Operadora
Rail operator
Transfesa
Rail operator
Coaches & shuttles
ALSA → Barcelona
About seven and a half hours; the AVE train takes two and a half. · Barcelona guide →
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Air Charter Service
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
ExecuJet
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Flexjet
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Global Jet
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Jet Aviation
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.
Tours & experiences
Babylon Tours Madrid
Sightseeing
Living Here
Getting about
- Metro de Madrid has twelve lines and around 300 stations, one of the largest networks in the world, and it is clean, frequent and cheap; EMT runs the buses and Renfe the Cercanías suburban trains. A Tarjeta Multi, loaded with single trips or a ten-trip ticket, works on all of them, and the monthly abono by zone is the residents' deal.
- The centre is walkable and the summer nights are made for it; BiciMAD electric bikes are everywhere and the Madrid Río and Retiro paths are the good cycling. The hills are gentle but the heat is not.
- Barajas airport is 30 to 40 minutes out on metro line 8, the Cercanías from Atocha and Chamartín, or the 24-hour express bus; taxis charge a fixed fare to the centre. Atocha has the AVE to Barcelona in about two and a half hours, Valencia in under two, Seville in about two and a half; Chamartín serves the north, and Ouigo and Iryo now compete on price.
- A car is pointless in the centre and the low-emission zone (Madrid 360) fines older vehicles; the M-30 and M-40 ring roads are the arteries and the traffic on Friday afternoon is a fixture.
Health
- La Paz, Gregorio Marañón, 12 de Octubre, Ramón y Cajal and the Clínico San Carlos are the big public hospitals, among the best in Spain; Quirónsalud, HM and Ruber are the private groups. The regional health service (SERMAS) covers residents and care is free at the point of use.
- Dial 112. Pharmacies, marked with a green cross, are on every street and the 24-hour ones are listed on the door of any that is closed; a primary-care centro de salud is the first stop for non-emergencies.
- EU and UK visitors can use the EHIC or GHIC in public hospitals; others should carry insurance. Private clinics and many doctors speak English.
Work & study
- The Complutense is the largest university in Spain, the Autónoma and the Politécnica are strong in science and engineering, and Carlos III, IE and Comillas add private and business-school weight; the student population is huge and Erasmus is a way of life.
- Government, banking (Santander and BBVA are headquartered here), Telefónica, Iberdrola, Repsol and most of the IBEX 35, aerospace at Getafe, media, tourism and the Spanish or European headquarters of Latin American companies are the employers. Unemployment is lower than the Spanish average and wages are higher, though rents have followed.
- Spanish is needed for most work and all bureaucracy; the NIE number and the appointment system for getting one are the first test. Madrid is friendlier to business than Barcelona and says so at every opportunity.
Money & manners
- Euros; cards are accepted almost everywhere, even for a coffee. Tipping is small — round up or leave a euro or two, 5% at most in a good restaurant; VAT (IVA) is included. The menú del día at lunch is the best value in the city.
- Madrid runs late: lunch at two or three, dinner from nine, bars until the small hours. Two kisses on greeting, loud conversation as a sign of good health, and August is when the city closes and goes to the coast. Formality is low, but a greeting on entering a shop is expected.
- The climate is continental at 650 metres: cold, dry, bright winters with snow on the Sierra, spring and autumn that are as good as weather gets, and summers that pass 35 degrees for weeks in July and August. Sunscreen all year and a coat from November to March.