Spain · 40°25′N 3°42′W
Madrid
Big museums, bigger nights and a tapas crawl on every street.
- Good for
- Big city, Food, Nightlife, Nature
- Rough daily spend
- around $115 per person mid-range, not counting getting there (our estimate; it varies a lot)
- Mildest months
- May, September and October
Best time to visit Madrid
Warmest in July (around 34° by day), coolest in January (10° by day, 1° at night). July has the fewest wet days (1). For walking around in comfortable weather, aim for May, September and October.
| Month | High | Low | Wet days | Rain | Sun / day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10° | 1° | 7 | 40 mm | 6.7 h |
| Feb | 14° | 3° | 5 | 25 mm | 8.4 h |
| Mar | 16° | 5° | 11 | 77 mm | 8.8 h |
| Apr | 19° | 7° | 10 | 67 mm | 10.7 h |
| May | 24° | 11° | 7 | 42 mm | 12.6 h |
| Jun | 30° | 17° | 5 | 21 mm | 13.2 h |
| Jul | 34° | 20° | 1 | 6 mm | 13.9 h |
| Aug | 34° | 20° | 2 | 12 mm | 12.7 h |
| Sep | 27° | 15° | 5 | 52 mm | 11 h |
| Oct | 22° | 11° | 8 | 64 mm | 8.6 h |
| Nov | 14° | 6° | 8 | 52 mm | 7.1 h |
| Dec | 11° | 3° | 7 | 46 mm | 6.3 h |
Averages for 2016–2025 from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive (CC BY 4.0), for the point at 40°25′N 3°42′W. Wet day = 1 mm or more. Highlighted months are mild (18–27° highs) and fairly dry.
A free walking loop
9 stops · about 6 km · 1 h 20 minFree-to-see sights from OpenStreetMap, linked into a walk that ends where it starts. Times are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for hills and stops.
- Monumento a los Caídos por España Monument
- Monument in memory of the victims of the Covid 19 pandemic Memorial
- Rana de la fortuna Public art
- Monument to Christopher Columbus Public art
- National Archaeological Museum of Spain Museum
- Fuente del Ángel Caído Fountain
- Real Observatorio de Madrid Park
- Bosque del Recuerdo Memorial
- Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid Garden
Well-known sights
from OpenStreetMap- Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía Museum
- Royal Palace of Madrid Museum
- National Archaeological Museum of Spain Museum · free to see
- Templo de Debod Museum · free to see
- Plaza de España Park · free to see
- Bosque del Recuerdo Memorial · free to see
- Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid Garden · free to see
- Museo Sorolla Museum
- Monumento en honor a los abogados de Atocha Memorial · free to see
- Placa en honor a los abogados de Atocha Memorial · free to see
- Puerta de Toledo Landmark
- Museo de Historia de Madrid Museum · free to see
- Real Basílica de San Francisco el Grande Church · free to see
- Placa en honor a Carrero Blanco Memorial · free to see
Ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover them. “Free to see” means a public place or an outside view; check opening times and tickets before you go.
What to pack for Madrid
For four nights, based on the weather above. Every trip also needs the basics: documents, chargers, toiletries and any medication.
July
- 4 × T-shirts or vests
- 2 × shorts or skirts
- Sunglasses
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen
January
- 4 × tops
- 2 × trousers or jeans
- Warm jumper or fleece
- Insulated coat
- Hat, gloves and scarf
- Thermal base layer
Either way
- 5 × underwear
- 5 × socks
- Something to sleep in
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Small cross-body bag
- Transit card or app set up
Going with a group? The planner builds a shared list where each person ticks their own things and claims the shared ones.
Going with friends?
One link for the group: find the days you’re all free, vote on what to do, get a day-by-day route and a shared packing list. No sign-up.