The Perfect Itinerary For 2 Days In Madrid

I fell in love with Madrid the first time I saw it in 2019. When I returned last month I felt exactly the same way. It’s a great city that deserves much more love from American tourists. Yes, Rome, London, and Paris are amazing cities, but Madrid is just as impressive while being less crowded and more affordable. 

My first trip to Madrid was five days long, giving me ample time to explore the city. This time my friend and I were in Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago, so we only had two days to spare for Madrid. I imagine most visitors won’t spend a long time in the city, so after two trips I’m sharing my favorite sights and experiences and exactly how to spend 2 days in Madrid that you will never forget.

Day One 

Wander through El Retiro Park

After flying from California to Europe I’m usually not in the mood to have a highly scheduled first day, so I’m recommending activities that are more leisurely and flexible. 

I highly recommend starting your first day with churros con chocolat. Unlike Mexican churros, these are not rolled in sugar and cinnamon, but instead dipped in a rich, melted dark chocolate. Paired with a cafe con leche and your day is guaranteed to be great. Find the cafe nearest you and enjoy (you can thank me later).

Next, head to El Retiro Park. Recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this lovely park offers thousands of mature, green trees, shaded walking paths, fountains and ponds, and several outdoor cafes in which to enjoy it all. You can either get your exercise in for the day or do nothing but sit and relax–the choice is yours. 

A highlight within the park is the Palacio de Cristal or Crystal Palace. Constructed of glass and iron in the shape of a Greek cross, the palace sits on the edge of a pond that is often host to swans. Currently the palace is being refurbished, but should open again in 2027.

Explore an art museum

There are three excellent art museums in Madrid, all within walking distance of Retiro Park. I’ve been to all of them, but I’d recommend choosing just one for your visit.

Most famous is The Prado, an incredibly large institution housing artworks from around the world and throughout history. As you’d expect it’s best known for its collection of Spanish art. It’s comparable to the Louvre in Paris or The Met in New York. I love these types of museums, but they’re not everyone’s cup of tea.

Next is Reina Sofia, a museum of contemporary art. It’s still large, but more approachable than The Prado. One of its best known works is Picasso’s Guernica. Measuring 11.5 feet by 25.6 feet, this black and white painting depicts the horrors of war. It’s one of the most impactful pieces of art I’ve ever seen.

Finally you have the Thyssen, an impressive collection of mostly European paintings. This will be the least crowded of the three museums, which is much appreciated if you’re visiting during the peak summer season like I was on my recent visit. It also has a great gift shop.

Take a food tour

I love Spanish food and I’ve learned a great deal about the cuisine from taking food tours during each of my three trips to Spain. In fact I rarely visit another country without taking a food tour (see my other posts about food tours in Italy, New York, and Puerto Rico). This time we chose to take our food tour in the evening and allow it to be our dinner.

Using Get Your Guide (my favorite tour booking site) I selected the Ultimate Food Tour with tapas and drinks. This tour is promoted as having no more than ten people, but on ours there were just four which allowed us to have extended conversations with the guide and the other guests. 

We began with a generous slice of Spanish tortilla–a dish similar to a frittata–and a large glass of tinto de verano, red wine and lemon soda. Next we moved on to a restaurant famous for garlic shrimp which was accompanied by a slightly sweet wine. Then we sampled the famous jamon iberico, dry-cured ham from black Iberian pigs. We made a quick stop to sample bocadillo de calamares, a fried squid sandwich, and ended the evening with churros con chocolat. We returned to our hotels completely full and happy. Not only does a good food tour introduce you to the city’s favorite dishes, but also the best known spots to try them. I can’t recommend food tours enough.

Day Two

Tour the Royal Palace

I visited the Royal Palace on my first trip to Madrid, but did not book a guided tour and that was a mistake. So this time I reserved a guided tour which made the experience so much more enjoyable. Our lovely guide was funny, informative, and slightly sarcastic–a trait I admire. 

With over 3,000 rooms, the palace is the largest in Western Europe. Fortunately you don’t have to walk through thousands of rooms since only a small fraction of them are open to the public. Each ornately decorated room comes with a story of the royal family or Spanish history. The second time through was so much more interesting with a guide to point out significant artwork while also regaling us with stories of kings, queens, and historical figures.

Check out Almudena Cathedral

Directly across the plaza from the palace is Almudena Cathedral which should not be skipped (something I did during my first trip). And if you are walking through the cathedral thinking it looks rather modern, you are right. While construction began in 1883 it was not completed until 1993. It’s quite different from other European cathedrals I’ve seen.

Be sure to go to the roof of the cathedral to appreciate a birds eye view of the Royal Palace and lovely vistas of Madrid.

Enjoy dinner and a flamenco show

Once again, a flamenco show was something I skipped during my first trip to Madrid, but I am so happy I saw one this time. And it’s something I would happily do again. If you’ve not seen flamenco before, it’s a dance of passion and percussion. Performed by both men and women, sometimes solo, sometimes together, this show was non-stop action. I’m sure it’s mostly choreographed, but at times it felt like improvisation. If there was time, I would have seen the show twice.

We opted to purchase the show tickets  for Torres Bermejas that included dinner, but you don’t have to do that. You can simply buy tickets for the show. The benefit to reserving a table for dinner is that you get better seating. It will just depend on your budget. Whatever you choose, you will enjoy not only the show, but also the gorgoeous decor of this place.