Destination
Type of Activity
Editors Pick
Read MoreCaixaForum
The Herzog & de Meuron-designed CaixaForum is a 19th-century power station reborn as a contemporary art hub. Exhibits rotate frequently, but even if what’s currently on view doesn’t interest you, entrance is inexpensive and it’s well worth a stop just...
Photo by Abby Sandman, courtesy IndagareRead MoreCatedral de la Almudena
While ground broke on Madrid’s cathedral in 1883, it was not consecrated until 1993, making it one of the youngest of Europe’s grand cathedrals, though no less spectacular (thanks to design details like a small globe rendered in stained glass...
Read MoreConde Duque
This 18th-century military barracks turned modern art museum, the Conde Duque has two galleries with permanent exhibitions, open-air patios for large sculptures and a rotating schedule of shows featuring up-and-coming artists working in all media. During the summer, the pretty...
Read MoreCorral de la Moriera
For a great Flamenco performance, head to Madrid’s Corral de la Moriera to see some of the discipline’s most respected performances. While no flamenco performance provides a truly local experience (you’d have to visit a proper flamenco bar in the...
Read MoreDay Trip: Àvila
The quaint medieval town of Àvila, a UNESCO World Heritage City, lies an hour-and-fifteen minutes drive northwest of Madrid in the Castille and Leon region. The city’s most alluring attraction, the 12th-century Romanesque walls, stand 40 feet tall, encompassing just...
Read MoreDay Trip: El Escorial
About an hour’s drive outside of Madrid, the UNESCO World Heritage Site El Escorial was built by King Philip II, a highly spiritual ruler, as a place of retreat but also to serve as a monastery and burial place for...
Read MoreDay Trip: Segovia
The Royal Palace of Le Granja and the city of Segovia combine for a great day trip for families as for those desiring a historical excursion. The duo of sights is just one hour north of Madrid and easily accessible...
Read MoreDay Trip: Toledo
Just south of Madrid lies the picturesque city of Toledo. The UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the few in Spain that displays influences from all three of the Abrahamic religions (Islam, Judaism and Christianity)—earning Toledo the nickname “City...
Read MoreEstadio Santiago Bernabéu
Sports fans shouldn't miss a chance to see the world famous Real Madrid in action. Although Americans haven’t caught fútbol fever just yet, soccer is practically Spain’s national religion. Should you score tickets to a Madrid–Barcelona match, you’ll witness a...
Read MoreIndagare Tours: Special Access
Some of Madrid’s hidden treasures like private clubs, palaces and houses can be visited with advance notice. Contact Indagare's Bookings Team to inquire about some of the special access we can arrange for visits or events.
Read MoreIvorypress Art + Book
Seeing Ivorypress, there is a feeling of visiting a laboratory and a treasure chest all at once but also of a magical coincidence.
Photo by Abby Sandman, courtesy IndagareRead MoreMuseo del Prado
Although many museums call Madrid home, none rivals the Prado in size, prestige or pedigree. Created to house the royal art collection, the Prado made history in 1819 when it became one of the world’s first public art galleries. Since...
Photo by Abby Sandman, courtesy IndagareRead MoreMuseo Nacional Reina Sofía
Lovers of modern art should reserve an afternoon for the galleries at the Reina Sofía. The museum, housed in an 18th-century hospital, opened in 1992 and then expanded in 2005 with a striking addition designed by Jean Nouvel. Although the...
Read MoreMuseo Thyssen-Bornemisza
This museum is the third leg of Madrid’s “golden triangle of art.” Its paintings constituted the private collection of the Thyssen-Bornemiszas, heirs to a shipping and banking fortune. When the holdings outgrew the family villa near Switzerland where they had...
Read MoreNational Archaeological Museum
Established by the Royal Decree of Queen Isabel II in 1867, this massive museum is housed in a Neoclassical building alongside the National Library. Highlights include sacred artifacts acquired from churches and monasteries all over Spain, including statues, mosaics and...
Photo by Abby Sandman, courtesy IndagareRead MorePalacio Real
Although the royal family actually resides in a smaller palace outside the city and uses the Palacio Real only for formal functions, Madrid’s Royal Palace still deserves a visit. It is built on the site of a 9th-century fortress that...
Read MorePlaza de Toros de Las Ventas
Hemingway introduced the world to Spanish bullfighting in The Sun Also Rises, and both the sport and its handsome practitioners still have a glamorous aura. But the gore and guts turn off many visitors, not to mention animal rights activists....
Photo by Abby Sandman, courtesy IndagareRead MoreRetiro Park
Originally built as a royal retreat, the Retiro Park opened to the public in the 19th century and has been a mainstay of Madrid life ever since. Families flock to the park’s lake on summer afternoons to rent rowboats or...
Photo by Abby Sandman, courtesy IndagareRead MoreRoyal Collections Gallery
Carved into the hillside behind the Catedral de la Almudena, Royal Collections Gallery is an important museum for anyone interested in learning more about the Spanish monarchy. The extensive collection includes tapestries, paintings, furniture, jewelry and much more from both...
Read MoreSorolla Museum
Joaquín Sorolla, a lauded Impressionist painter from Valencia, lived 13 years in this elegant Chamberí house until his death in 1923. His widow granted all of Sorolla’s works to the Spanish public, and following her death the house became a...
