Looking for something to do in Madrid on a Sunday? Though its the last day of the week, there is still plenty to do in Madrid, the city is always alive. In most cities everywhere is closed on a Sunday, but no here in Madrid.
If you are here visiting, all of the main attractions, sights, restaurants, bars, shops are all open as usual. If you live here in Madrid, this is also really good becuase you work all week but also want to enjoy the city.
I want to give you a few thigs that I like to do on a Sunday in Madrid. So lets get to it!
So what to do in Madrid on a Sunday
1- Sunday is Brunch day
In the last few years, brunch in Madrid has become really popular. You can find American style brunches, French, English, on a rooftop, in a charming cafe down one of the many sides streets.
If you want luxury, I suggest trying the Hard Rock Cafe Brunch in Madrid that comes in a full sized Guitar Case.
If you want the best brunch for a date in Madrid, then you have to go to Salvador Bachiller. Though from the outside it looks like a Artisan department store, each one of their stores has a hidden restaurant decorated in a different form. One of them is a Japanese bloom garden, another a tropical and each has its own theme.
I have really taken to Brunch, and have visited well over 40 different Brunch spots in Madrid. Check out my complete list of the Best brunch in Madrid.
2- Take a walk through the Rastro Market
I’m a huga fan of the Rastro Market in Madrid. In my spare time, I like to make things from leather, and there are shops in the market that sell leather for Artisans, so I am here almost every week.
You can walk along the main strip where you will find a lot of the same stuff, but the adventure starts when you go down all the little side streets and find vendors selling the most random things.
If you are a toy fan, there are loads of stalls with old toys and comics. If you like art theres art, African art shops, fine art, Spanish art, theres something for everyone.
3- Grab a drink in colorful La Latina
When I’m done with the Market, to get back to the top of the Rastro market you have to walk back up the hill (the Rastro market is steepish road). I always take a seat at one of the many bars in the La Latina neighborhood and get myself a drink.
Depending on the weather, it can be a nice cold beer, or a warm cup of thick Spanish chocolate. La Latina is full of life and color, and reminds me the most of where I come from in London.
You can find Indian restaurants here, African restaurants, it’s where Madrid becomes a melting pot of all ethnicities. Side note, if you need to get hold of some good skin and hair products, this is where you go. I only use Cocoa Butter, and this is pretty much the only place you can buy cocoa butter in Madrid.
4- Shop in Peace on a Sunday
If you get the timing right, you can do a little shopping without having so much of a crowd. If you are in Madrid in the summer, say August, it’s going to be very hot out there so you can skip this if you don’t like the heat much.
For the rest of the year, if you get your Brunch in, have a walk around the Rastro, by the time you are paying for your drink it should be around 2-3 o’clock. This is lunch time in Madrid and locals will go home or to a restaurant.
For tourists, the bars as restaurants really start pushing the menu with the waiters on the street, getting visitors to sit down and have lunch. This is the is the perfect time to do some shopping starting in Gran Via.
Trying to walk along Gran via, then up towards Malasaña is not fun when everyone is on the street. You end up losing patience and don’t want to bother, but between 2-5 it’s a lot more quiet. From here you can walk down to Serrano to do a little luxury shopping in Madrid.
5- Free Museums on a Sunday
Ok so you you have walked quite a lot at this point, and if you took a walk down to Serrano, you are probably close to Plaza de Colon, take a seat and rest a little. It’s probably around 5-6 pm at this point, perfect timing !
A short walk down the road you have the Prado Museum thats free on Sundays between 17.00 – 19.00. The Prado Museum is one of the most important things to see in Madrid, and it’s worth every penny for the entry.
Getting to see the Prado for free is something you cannot pass on. You do need to book the free tickets though becuase the demand is high.
Oher free Museums in Madrid on a Sunday are the Reina Sofia from 13.30 – 19.00, The Archeological Museum from 9.30 – 15.00. These are the ones I frequent the most.
6- Take a Tapas Tour in Madrid
You have probably worked up an appetite by now, and it’s getting on into the evening, so you might want to socialize a little. When I first moved here, I didn’t really know anyone, so I used to go on a lot of walking tours in Madrid to get to know the city and meet people.
I also did a lot of food tours in Madrid as I really liked the food, and wanted to get an idea of the best bars in Madrid from a local guide. In the process, I met a lot of people, a few of who I am still friends with.
A tapas tour in Madrid is a really cool way to spend your evening, learn a little history about some of the lesser known parts of the city. You get to experience some of the best Tapas Madrid has and you can trust the local guides to take you to the places they know and love themselves.
7- Catch a Movie in Madrid
Of the bat, if you are in Madrid in the Summer you have to go to the outdoor cinema at the Matadero, I have a full post on this here. For the rest of the year, I always like to end my Sunday with a movie, especially if I am with the kids.
There are many cinemas around Madrid that show English moved. The Yelmo cinema in Ideal shows exclusively English movies. The you have all of the Cinesa cinemas that show most movies in English. Sunday evenings the Cinema’s are not so busy.
This is more or less the sequence I follow when I go out in Madrid on a Sunday, and if you do the same its pretty much an Itinerary for a day in Madrid. But there can be variations of course, so the following are a few more ideas to throw in to your Sunday Madrid Itinerary.
8- Take a walk through Retiro Park
Taking a walk through Retiro is amazing on any day of the week. The lake in the middle is spectacular and you can hop on a little row boat and spend an hour. Have a drink at one of the many bars surrounding the lake.
There are more natural parts of the park you can go sit and take load off, maybe even a quick powernap. They have shows on for kids in the summer, you can take some rollerblading classes, rent a bike, and there are a number of really famous sculptures and fountains to see around the park.
If you are with kids in Madrid, there is plenty to do in the park. They have monkey bars everywhere, kids play parks, outdoor gyms, you can even rent a go kart! So yeah, take a walk through Retiro, you won’t ever be disappointed.
9- Go to a theme Park
Madrid has a theme park just 10 mins from the center. I have been to the Madrid theme park so many times with my kids, and with a few friends after some day drinking! I wouldn’t advise going there in the height of the summer, you do not want to wait in queues under the hot Spanish sun believe me.
Other than this main theme park, there are a few others you can visit, but they require a little more travel. Check out these other theme parks in Madrid if you want to add this to your Sunday in Madrid.
So these are some of my favorite things to do on a Sunday in Madrid. I would love to hear your experiences, maybe something I am yet to see in this beautiful city. I will keep adding to the list over time once I can give you my genuine opinion on the place. Hope to hear from you all.
FAQ´s
What market is held every Sunday in Madrid?
The most famous and popular market in Madrid on a Sunday is the El Rastro market in La Latina. You may find a few smaller artisan markets, but the Rastro is the one.
What is the shopping area in Madrid that is open on Sunday?
All of the shops in the center are open in Madrid on a Sunday
What time to eat dinner in Madrid on Sunday?
In general, people in Madrid eat dinner really late, at like 9.30-10pm onwards. But, restaurants will server you your dinner at any time, there are no set times.