Location: Centro
Top Things to do in Centro
10 Museums in Centro That You Shouldn't Miss
So many of Madrid’s buildings look like castles, you’ll think you’ve stumbled into a fairytale. Even City Hall is astounding, with its white pinnacles and neo-Gothic features. A self-guided architecture tour can begin by the great bear statue in the central Puerta del Sol. Wander by the fanciful Royal Palace before absorbing the natural beauty of Retiro Park, then visit one of the city’s many museums. You could happily cap off each day by nibbling on forkfuls of paella while sipping Spanish rioja.
Restaurants in Madrid
1. La ley de Snell
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
The gallery is a dynamic space and cultural meeting located in the central Madrid neighborhood of Malasaña, where temporary exhibitions, film projections, painting workshops and other activities related to culture and art are held.
2. Galerias Piquer
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
3. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16,159 reviews
World famous modern art museum featuring a diverse collection of 20th century Spanish art, from Picasso to Solana.
Reviewed By psdunner - Bethesda, United States
Wonderful collection of modern art the video, long, of the history from the Civil War on is fascinating and a unique way of learning history. The works of modern Spanish artists is incomparable.
4. Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16,537 reviews
The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum offers visitors an overview of art from the 13th century to the late 20th century. In the nearly one thousand works on display, visitors can contemplate the major periods and pictorial schools of western art such as the Renaissance, Mannerism, the Baroque, Rococo, Romanticism and the art of the 19th and 20th centuries up to Pop Art. The museum also features works from some movements not represented in state-owned collections, such as Impressionism, Fauvism, German Expressionism and the experimental avant-garde movements of the early 20th century. In addition, it boasts an important collection of 19th-century American painting not found in any other European museum institutions. Permanent collection hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00 to 19.00 Monday: 12.00 - 16.00* *Free entry with the sponsorship of Mastercard.
Reviewed By barryb487
On a prior visit to Madrid, I'd toured the Prado and Reina Sofia, both of which are excellent and well reputed museums. However, the "Thyssen" proved to be my favorite art museum in Madrid for two reasons: 1) The quality of the private collection housed here is superb; and 2) The galleries within the museum are ideal for displaying the collection, light, bright, fresh...a truly pleasant experience. As an inveterate international traveler who also loves art, this was a welcome respite from many larger and somewhat overwhelming museums.
5. Casa Museo Lope de Vega
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 741 reviews
"My little house, my peace, my garden and my study" Such was the way Lope described his house in a letter to a friend. A visit to this house es a testimony, a literary and emotional journey, an invitation to travel through art, literature and history to a bygone Madrid. Access to the museum is via guided group tours (maximum 10 people accompanied by a guide)Tours must be booked in advance by telephone or email.
Reviewed By breezy1435 - Saratoga Springs, United States
Constant Companion and I booked an English Tour several months in advance and hoped for the best! We had tried to visit last year but on the day of our reservation the guide fell ill. Our guide, only two months in his job this year was terrific! I cannot say enough good about him--passionate, humorous, and accommodating! We were the only two on the tour so he showed us all the rooms, told wonderful stories, and provided us interesting insights. Lope de Vega was a contemporary of Cervantes. He wrote many plays, had 17 children, became a priest, had several loves including the "love of his life" in his 40's, an actress! It is this home which he purchased to settle down, to devote time to his gardens, and to outsmart the tax man by "having a military guest in his home"! We completely enjoyed our visit, particularly the living room, the bookcases, and the objects donated by a daughter who became a nun! Very highly recommended Madrid treasure!
6. Museo de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 457 reviews
7. Cava Baja Gallery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,441 reviews
Cava Baja Gallery, Art Gallery in Madrid City. Contemporary Spanish artists. Underground La Latina. Cava Baja Gallery is near the Plaza Mayor, Almudena's Cathedral, The Royal Palace in a fun street with restaurants and oldest hotels in Madrid. Cava Baja Gallery, galeria de arte en la ciudad de Madrid, en La latina, barrio de Palacio, Madrid de los Austrias, en una de las calles mas antiguas de Madrid, de tabernas y posadas centenarias, Cerca de Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real y la Catedral de La Almudena. Trabajamos con artistas contemporáneos consagrados en exposición individual o colectiva. Entre fondas y tabernas, Cava Baja Gallery. Cava Baja, 27 - Horario: Martes - Sabado: De 11 a 21.30 h. Domingos: De 11 a 18 h. Lunes, cerrado por descanso. cavabajagallery.com
Reviewed By Mairwen1
This street was one of the highlights of our trip to Madrid. It might only be a relatively short street but it’s one of the best. It’s a warren of tapas bars, with around 50 or so in the one small area. We started at one end and made our way along them, picking and choosing in a random sort of way. The street follows the curves of the original 12th-century city wall and in some of the bars like Posada del Dragon, you can still see remains of some of the wall. Our top three places were: 1. La Concha 2. Pousada del Dragon 3. Casa Luca La Concha was our absolute favourite. A tiny place full of character that served an amazing vermouth cocktail and complimentary tapas. They make their own vermouth which they sell at €12 a bottle. We left with our backpack clinking because we'd bought two. GETTING THERE: 5 min walk from Plaza Mayor
8. Museo de San Isidro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 135 reviews
Reviewed By TrueTexasTraveler - Amarillo, United States
This museum of a bit off the beaten tourist path and well worth your time if you love history. It focuses on history in the Madrid area from prehistoric times until about when the Royal Court began calling Madrid home. You'll learn about a mammoth miracle, see the well where San Isidro performed his miracle, see relics from the time the Romans controlled Madrid, and much more. It is free to enter and the information is in Spanish and English. This is definitely somewhat of a hidden gem.
9. Caixa Forum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,995 reviews
A postmodern art gallery, it also exhibits retrospectives of artists from earlier time periods.
Reviewed By terryo493
Whenever we're in Madrid, we always make a stop at CaixaForum. There's always something worth seeing there, and some of the exhibits are truly world class. The building is fantastic, outside there's a terrific vertical garden, a nice plaza, easy walk to Prado and Botanical Garden. So it's easy to work into your day. And the exhibits are curated in a stimulating way. Highly Recommended as a stop during your travels in Madrid.
10. Museo Del Romanticismo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,052 reviews
Reviewed By sheepygold
This museum is set in a house built in 1776 and is decorated and contains a huge collection of paintings and furniture from the Romantic period which occurred in the middle of the 19th century. You can walk around quite freely an be immersed in the period. There are lots of security personnel watching you however. There is a lot to take in so allow 2 hours. There is an English guide which is very worthwhile and many of the artefacts have an English translation if you can read the tiny font. The temporary exhibition covers the changing fashion in hairstyles. There is a very pleasant cafe too. Entrance is a bargain 3 Euros but it is free on Saturday afternoon and all day on Sunday.
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