Madrid travel guide
Madrid Tourism | Madrid Guide
You're Going to Love Madrid
With 3.26 million inhabitants, Madrid is the most populous city in Spain. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Madrid has to offer.
Where to Eat in Madrid
Centro is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Madrid. These include popular favourites such as Cedrón Wine Bar (C. del Almendro 25), La Ancha Zorrilla (Calle de Zorrilla, 7) and Ana la Santa (Plaza Sta. Ana, 14). If you’re looking for affordable options, Poncelet Cheese Bar (Calle Jose Abascal 61) and Sagardi Castellana (Paseo de la Castellana 13) are great picks.
When to visit Madrid
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Madrid in July, when the average temperature is 25 °C, and the highest can go up to 31 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 3 °C, with an average temperature of 5 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in November, when precipitation is around 60 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Madrid, with an average rainfall of 10 mm.
How to Get to Madrid
Plane
When flying to Madrid, you’ll arrive at Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD), which is located 8 miles from the city centre. The shortest flight to Madrid from Malaysia departs from Kuala Lumpur and takes around 17h 25m.
Train
Renfe is the most popular train carrier serving Madrid, followed by iryo. The train journey from Madrid to Valencia takes 2h 06m and costs around RM 38 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Barcelona, expect to pay about RM 38 for a 2h 45m trip. Located 1.9 miles from the city centre, Madrid Méndez Álvaro is the busiest station in Madrid. Another popular train station is Madrid Atocha, located 0.9 miles from the centre.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Madrid, including ALSA, Renfe and BlaBlaBus. From Cuenca, the bus ride to Madrid takes 64 miles and will cost you around RM 76. From Valencia, the ticket costs about RM 95 for a journey of 126 miles. The most popular bus station is Madrid Avenida de America - Bus Station, located 2 miles from the city centre of Madrid. Madrid Moncloa is also a commonly used station, and is 1.6 miles from the city centre.
Airports near Madrid
Airlines serving Madrid
Where to stay in Madrid
From 5-star hotels such as the Hotel Palacio del Retiro, Autograph Collection to great affordable options like the Líbere Madrid Palacio Real, Madrid offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around RM 498 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to RM 1,244 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include easyHotel Madrid Centro Atocha and Far Home Atocha. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Madrid, with prices from RM 187 to RM 1,049 per night. Centro is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Madrid are about 12% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Salamanca - Here you’ll find travellers’ favourites such as AC Hotel Recoletos by Marriott, Hotel Único Madrid, Small Luxury Hotels and VP Jardín de Recoletos. The average nightly price for a double room in Salamanca is RM 261.
Retiro - 8Rooms Madrid, Petit Palace Savoy Alfonso XII and Only You Hotel Atocha have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Retiro will cost you about RM 392 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Madrid
Most booked hotels in Madrid
Hiring a car in Madrid
Hiring a car in Madrid costs RM 105 per day, on average, or RM 314 if you want to hire it for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Avis and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Madrid is the Record Go branch at Madrid Airport, which is 9 miles from the city centre.
Expect to pay RM 8.48 per litre in Madrid (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between RM 101.75 and RM 135.66. The most frequently booked car type in Madrid is Intermediate (Peugeot 3008 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Skoda Fabia or similar) is, on average, 77% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.