Places

Most tourists walk straight through Argüelles on the way to somewhere else. This guide explains why you should stop. The neighbourhood northwest of Plaza de España combines Madrid's most underrated viewpoint (Faro de Moncloa, €4, 360° views from 92 metres), 100 hectares of free park with a 600-variety rose garden, the Templo de Debod at sunset, Paseo del Pintor Rosales terrace bars, the Museo de América and the best-value menú del día in central Madrid. A complete local guide to the student district that most visitors never find.

Madrid summer is extraordinary — if you know how it works. This local guide covers everything worth doing from June to September: Mad Cool Festival's 10th anniversary (July 8–11), Noches del Botánico (54 outdoor concerts in the botanical garden, June–July), Madrid Pride with 2 million+ participants, the traditional San Cayetano and Virgen de la Paloma neighbourhood fiestas, rooftop pools, outdoor cinema, Veranos de la Villa's free cultural programme and the summer day trips that let you escape the heat. With honest tips on surviving 38°C and a month-by-month breakdown of what's actually worth doing.

Ask a Madrileño where they would actually choose to live in this city and a disproportionate number will say Alonso Martínez. This guide covers the neighbourhood that gets the balance right: beautiful 19th-century architecture, the Baroque Iglesia de Santa Bárbara, the extraordinary Art Nouveau Palacio de Longoria, cocktail bars on Calle Santa Teresa, Madrid's best gallery strip on Calle Almirante, the Museo del Romanticismo and its secret garden, and the monthly Salesas Village design market.

Not all Madrid tourist cards are worth the money — and some are actively a waste. This honest guide from a Madrid local runs the real 2026 numbers for four passes: the Paseo del Arte card (€32.80 for three world-class museums), the Metro Tourist Travel Pass (from €10/day), the official Madrid City Card, and the City Tour hop-on hop-off bus. For each: exact price, what's included, the break-even point, and a straight verdict on whether to buy it.

An honest local guide to the best tours in Madrid for 2026. Compare food tours, Prado Museum visits, and day trips. Learn which experiences are worth your money and which tourist traps to avoid.