Things to Do in Madrid: Sights, Seasons and Getting There

Madrid is a capital built for walking and looking. Its points of interest are packed into a compact centre: the Museo del Prado, Spain's national art museum, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum form a cluster of world-class galleries, while the Royal Palace, official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, faces Almudena Cathedral a short stroll away.

Beyond the headline names, the list of things to see and do in Madrid runs deep. The Temple of Debod is a genuine Egyptian temple about a mile from the centre, the Royal Botanic Garden sits beside the Prado, and smaller places such as the Sorolla Museum, the Convent of Las Descalzas Reales and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando reward a slower pace. Las Ventas bullring, around 2.5 miles out, is one of the city's best-known landmarks.

Being inland, Madrid suits a city break or a cultural stay rather than a beach holiday, and it pairs well with time elsewhere in Spain.

Central Madrid is the obvious base, with nearly 200 recorded points of interest and almost every major sight within a mile or two. Staying in the centre means you can walk between the museums, the palace and the cathedral and save transport for the outer sights such as the Palace of Moncloa and Las Ventas.

A ring of towns around the capital offers a quieter alternative. Leganés lies about 7 miles out, Las Rozas de Madrid and San Sebastián de los Reyes about 11 miles, and Pinto around 12 miles. San Sebastián de los Reyes is the closest of these to the airport, roughly 7 minutes' drive, which can suit a short stay or an early flight home. Each has tours and activities you can browse on this page.

May, June and September are the best months for a Madrid trip. Average highs run from 25°C in May to 30°C in June, with September close behind at 27°C, and rain is light for most of that stretch, which makes long days of walking between sights comfortable.

High summer is hot: the temp in Madrid peaks at around 34°C in July and 33°C in August, with barely any rain, so plan museum time for the afternoons. March, April, October and November are shoulder months, with highs between 15°C and 22°C but more frequent rain, around eight or nine wet days a month. Winter is cool and crisp, with January highs near 10°C and nights close to freezing, a good time for galleries and fewer crowds.

Madrid airport (MAD) has direct flights from the United Kingdom and sits very close to the city. Drive times are short: about 7 minutes to San Sebastián de los Reyes, around 12 minutes to central Madrid, and roughly 22 minutes to Las Rozas de Madrid or Leganés.

With a transfer that brief, a package including flights, hotel and transfers takes most of the hassle out of arrival, and you can be dropping bags in the centre not long after landing. If you plan to explore the outer towns or further afield, car hire is easy to arrange from the airport.

This page brings the main options together so you can compare them in one place. Package deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach combine flights from the UK, a hotel and transfers, and the usual choice of board basis, from room only to breakfast included, suits a city where you will eat out often. Prices tend to rise during UK school holidays, so it is worth checking dates early.

You can also check hotel prices, browse tours and tickets for the museums and sights, and compare car hire if you want to reach the towns around the capital.