Short & Sweet – Two Days In Madrid To See All the Highlights

2 Day Madrid Itinerary – What to see and do in Madrid in 2 days

You only have two days in Madrid, what to do? You want to get the most out of your trip and see as much of Madrid as you can, I have you covered. You can do and see quite a lot in Madrid in 48 hours. Most of the places you want to see are located in and around the centre and not spaced too far apart.

I have lived in Madrid for ten years, and I live close to the center of Madrid. I also work in the center, and go there for walks every weekend, so I have seen a lot of what Madrid has to offer. 

I will do my best to give you a complete 2 day Madrid itinerary, planning your route so each place you visit follows on from the next without having to detour around the city. 

You will be walking quite a bit, but it will be worth it and you will get to see most of the historic landmarks and most famous places in Madrid in the 2 days you have. So let us get to the complete 2 day itinerary of Madrid.

How to spend 2 days in Madrid – the best travel itinerary

Day 1 Madrid Itinerary:

1. Puerta Del Sol

The heart of Madrid, right in the centre is going to be the perfect place to start your two days in Madrid. The roads lead off in every direction from here and almost every major site is within a 20 minute walk from the square. When choosing your hotel, if you can find one close to Puerta Del Sol it will make for a great home base.

In Puerta Del Sol, there is the Kilometre Zero plaque, and this indicates the centre of Spain from where all roads begin. Don´t forget to grab a selfie with the bear and tree, the symbol of Madrid.

2. Chocolate and Churros at Chocolateria San Gines

A short walk away that will take less than 5 minutes you will find one of, if not the most famous churro spot in Spain. Everything is made fresh on the spot, and while you sit and dip your churros in a mug of freshly poured chocolate, you can look at the hundreds of photos on the wall with all the famous people that have visited San Gines.

There are quite a lot of other really good places that sell churros in the center of Madrid, any one of these would be a great choice to sample one of the most loved treats in Spain. 

3. Plaza Mayor

Just up the road from San Gines is Plaza Mayor. This is probably one of the most photographed landmarks in Madrid. You will know you are there as soon as you walk through the arches and see the cobbled stone floors and statues placed around the square. Plaza mayor is also famous for the inquisitions that took place.

The main tourist office of Madrid is also located here in the square so feel free to pop in and grab a few free fliers and some information about the square. While you are here, make sure you try the famous Calamar Rolls. There are a number of little cafes around the square that sell them, but the best calamari roll in Madrid has to be from La Campana.

4. The best food market in Madrid – The Mercado San Miguel

I live in Madrid, and I have spent a lot of time here. There are many food markets in Madrid, but this is the best. It is very popular, it will probably be busy, but it is worth it. You can walk in and eat and drink your way around the market. Try some of the local favourites like croquettes, a sampling of mini sandwiches, amazing seafood, and a number of sweet treats and different beers. The vermouth here is also really good. Once you have filled your belly, we can move on to the next.

5. Buy some hand made chocolate

Down a side street across the road from the San Miguel Market is a little known chocolate shop run by a man from Belgium. It is a really small shop with a wooden front, and there is normally a giant statue of a beloved cartoon character made of chocolate standing there in the window.

The guy that owns and runs the shop is really nice and welcoming. We have had many conversations and my kids absolutely love the place. He makes all of the chocolate right there behind a glass wall where you can see the magic happen. There are chocolates with fruit, nuts, spicy, savory, and He also makes some of the best chocolate ice cream you will have ever tasted, so make sure you pay him a visit.

6. The Royal Palace of Madrid

No itinerary to Madrid would be complete if it didn’t include the Palace, it is really something to behold. If you are going to visit the palace, then make sure you get your tickets in advance, as in the high season of summer there can be pretty lengthy queues.

You want to set aside about 3-4 hours to see all of the palace and the surrounding gardens, but I would pass on the guided tour and do the audio tour of the palace instead. You can go at your own pace as the guides tend to go pretty slow.

Be aware though that they do not allow pictures, so if you must, just pretend to be on a call or something to snap a couple cheeky pictures. U have some awful shots of ceilings and door frames, but they make for fun memories.

Seeing the palace really is a must in your 2 day Madrid itinerary, so even if you don’t get the tour, just go and walk around the palace, see the gardens and grab a few pictures for your travel scrapbook.

7. Grab a coffee

Right in front of the palace there are quite a few nice bars. Grab a seat at any one and refresh. Have a coffee on ice, grab a beer, get a little pastry to re-energize. The Opera House of Madrid is also right around the corner from the palace. It is on Plaza de Isabel II, and there is a starbucks on the corner if you miss home and want to grab a frappuccino.

8. The best sunset in Madrid at the Temple Of Debod

The temple of Debod is a real Egyptian temple in the heart of Madrid. It was a gift to the city from Egypt, and you get to see possibly the best sunset location in Madrid. I have so many pictures of the sunset here, and you also have a view over an enormous expanse of green and the city that adds to the beauty of this view. If you only have 48 hours in Madrid, you have to make the Temple of Debod a priority on your itinerary.

9. End the day with dinner at Plaza de España

One of the nicest places to have dinner in Madrid is Plaza de España. There are many different options to choose from around the square and is a really good way to end the first of your 2 days in Madrid. Walk around the square a little too and see the giant monument to Cervantes and depictions of Don Quijote.

Whenever I end the night here, I like to take a walk back up Gran Via and see the beautiful architecture lit up. The buildings along this road are so pretty, and the glowing blue clock on the telefonica building looks amazing at night.

So that is the end of the first part of your 2 day trip to Madrid. Time to hit the sack and recharge for tomorrow.

Day 2 Madrid Itinerary

On the second day of your 48 hours in Madrid, you should start at Plaza de Ciebeles. You will see the Bank of Spain on the corner, and the Ciebels Fountain in the middle of the square. From here, take the Paseo Del Prado and a few minutes walk away is the Museo Del Prado.

1 Visit the Museo del Prado 

Starting the second day of your Madrid 2-day itinerary at the Museo Del Prado will be an unforgettable experience. It is the most popular of the art galleries in Madrid, so be sure to get your tickets in advance and get yourself an audio guide to learn a little more.

At the Prado you will see works from world famous Spanish artists like Diego Velazquez and Goya, Picasso. But there are thousands of paintings from renowned artists from all around the world, it is really worth the visit.

Once you finish your tour of the Museum, they have small gardens with benches around the museum where you can rest a little before you move on to the next part of the Itinerary.

2 Take a walk around Retiro Park

Madrid also has some wonderful parks, and none better than the Retiro park. One of the prettiest and well kept parks I have ever seen, and even after living here for a decade, I find myself here weekly enjoying the 3000 acres of open green.

Retiro park is very popular among tourists and locals, they have many play parks for kids and outdoor gyms if you want to get a workout in.

The most notable things to see in the park will be the Glass Palace, the huge lake in the middle of the park where you can rent a boat and row around for a while, and the Statue of the Fallen Angel (the statue is exactly 666m above sea level, a creepy fact).

If you don’t want to partake in any activities, just a walk around the park is really nice in the sun, the trees give you the perfect amount of shade and you can breathe a breath of fresh air after spending most of the time so far in the city.

If you plan the walk so you come out at the Northwest corner of the park, you will come across the iconic Puerta de Alcala, another must see on your 2-day Madrid itinerary.

3 Tapas for lunch at La Platea

Platea was a theatre that now serves as a gourmet food market. When you first walk in you are struck by the size of the market with the huge ceiling height and stage. Walk around, try a few different things for the number of Michelin starred chefs, you will really enjoy it and there is something for everyone’s taste.

On the top floor that would have been the high tier when Platea was a theatre is now a bar, and they serve really nice cocktails in fancy glasses and copper mugs covered in ice. With a little luck, you might even catch one of the many performances they put on which can be a live flamenco show, music, or a play.

It is one of my favourite places to go for a little extravagance in Madrid, and a must see if you only have 48 hours in Madrid.

4 Do a little shopping in Salamanca

When you have had your fill and come out of La Platea, you are in the Salamanca neighbourhood, and you have hundreds of shops lining the streets in all directions. From Zara and Bershka to Prada and Loewe, whatever you taste. But Salamanca is mostly known for the high end designer stores, so perfect to do a little boutique shopping in Madrid.

5 Walk around Malasaña and Chueca

If you have the time and the legs, you can walk to these neighbourhoods from Salamanca, or you can take the metro and get off at Chueca, but I would advise to get off at Alonso Martinez on line 4.

Chueca and Malasaña are very close to Alonso Martinez and the neighbourhoods run adjacent to each other. They are the most trendy and hip neighbourhoods in Madrid. There are many vintage clothing stores, coffee shops, bakeries, bars and so much more to see and do.

If you want to know a little more about Malasaña, one of my favourites, then you can check out this comprehensive guide of Malasaña to give you some more ideas.

6 See a Flamenco Show In Madrid

You have seen some of the most famous landmarks in Madrid, eat some of the typical tapas, now you want to really immerse yourself in some Spanish culture. There is no better way than seeing a Flamenco show, with only 48 hours in Madrid you cannot let this experience slip you by.

If you have never seen a Flamenco show, then you are in for a treat. The amount of passion and emotion the performers put into the craft, the raspy voice of the singer, the sounds of the Spanish guitar. It really is an experience you will treasure and a must on your 2 – day Madrid itinerary.

Most of the Flamenco venues in Madrid are from a different age, and are in cellars that still have the same brickwork showing, the same feel it would have been all those years ago, so you really get the true Flamenco experience. I prefer the smaller, more intimate venues and I would advise you to visit one like that also.

Still want to see more of Madrid?

As I mentioned, most of the main attractions are around the center of Madrid, so I want to give you a few more bonus locations you can see while in Madrid. If you find you have more time than you planned for and can spare the time to walk around a little more, here are a few more things you can add to your 2 days in Madrid.

-If you are a football fan, or just want to get rid of the other half for a little peace and quiet, you can send them to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.

-Got around the Museo del Prado a little too fast, there are a number of galleries along the same road, notably the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

-In the neighborhood of Barrio de las Letras, you can see the house where Lope de Vega lived in its original form with the very orange tree He used to sit under in the garden.

-If you are here on a weekend, you can visit the Rastro market and find yourself a few bargains.

-Close to the Royal Palace you have the Almudena Cathedral, a beautiful sight no matter the time of the day.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How to I get from Madrid airport to the city center?

There are many ways to get to the city center from Barajas airport. Check out this comprehensive guide of all the ways to get from the the airport to the city center.

What are the must-see attractions in Madrid?

Outlined in this article I have mentioned most of the well known landmarks in Madrid. Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Colon, Salamanca neighborhood, The Royal Palace, Retiro Park, Plaza de España are going to be top of the list of what to see when in Madrid. 

Is 2 days in Madrid enough? 

Two days in Madrid is a long enough time to see quite a lot of the city, as long as you do not mind walking. You can also hire a bike and cycle around town, but the more you walk the more you will see.

What is the currency used in Spain and where can I exchange money?

The currency used in Spain is Euros. There are many places around the center where you can exchange your money A quick search on google will show you them and you can compare the exchange rates to where you are travelling from and make the best choice.  

Summary of 48 hours in Madrid

When planning your 2 – day itinerary for Madrid, it is good to have an outline of the places and areas you are going to visit, and although it is hard to see everything in Madrid in 48 hours, you can see quite a lot.

I have given you a pre planned route with a complete itinerary, but you should stray a little. Go down a few side streets and see what’s down there. Turn into a park or a square when you see one, as they are all beautiful spaces and have at least a fountain or a statue to Marvel at.

You will never go so far as to get lost because you will still be in central Madrid, so you can adjust your itinerary a little and see a lot more on your 2 day trip to Madrid. Just walking between the places I have spoken about you are going to be met with many beautiful sites, so don’t worry, you will see plenty of Madrid and I hope you have as good a time as possible.