ES · Community of Madrid · 40.42°N 3.70°W

madrid

Prado paintings, grand squares and churros dipped in thick chocolate.

Best time
April–June and September–October are warm and sunny. July–August can pass 35°C, and many locals leave in August; winter is cold but bright, and good for museums.
How long
3–4 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop, usually via Dubai, Doha or Istanbul, about 17–19 hours all in. The airport express bus or the Cercanías train reaches the centre in about 40 minutes. Spain is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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ES · Community of Madridmadrid40.42°N 3.70°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Prado paintings, grand squares and churros dipped in thick chocolate.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingMadridES, Community of Madrid
KLmadrid
≈ 11,071 km from KL, as the crow flies
Vistas de Madrid desde la azotea del Edificio España (Sky Bar 360º, del Hotel Riu Plaza España). Imagen tomada el 7 de junio de 2021

Photo: Zarateman · CC0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Madrid is big art, leafy parks and late nights in packed little bars. Spend the mornings at the Prado and the palace, and the evenings eating your way around La Latina.

Makan

  1. Churros con chocolateFried dough sticks dipped in hot chocolate thick enough to stand a spoon in. Chocolatería San Ginés has served them since 1894.Map ↗
  2. Bocadillo de calamaresA crusty roll stuffed with fried squid rings, the classic snack around Plaza Mayor.Map ↗
  3. Tortilla españolaThick potato-and-egg omelette, served by the slice in nearly every bar.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Prado MuseumVelázquez, Goya and El Greco in one of the world's great galleries. Pick a few rooms; it would take days to see it all.Map ↗
  2. Retiro ParkRowing boats on the lake, the glass Palacio de Cristal and long shady avenues.Map ↗
  3. Royal PalaceA huge palace with gilded state rooms, still used for ceremonies, beside the Almudena Cathedral.Map ↗
  4. Plaza Mayor and La LatinaAn arcaded square, then the tapas streets of La Latina and the El Rastro flea market on Sunday mornings.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Madrid eats late: lunch is the main meal, around two, and dinner rarely starts before nine.
  • Halal is easiest in Lavapiés, where Bangladeshi, Indian and Moroccan restaurants fill the streets.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.