I always say this when people ask about Madrid: you don’t “do” the city, you sort of just let it happen to you. That is exactly what happened to me on my first three days here. I did not attempt to be the ideal tourist and check all the boxes.
If you’re planning 3 days in Madrid, this guide will feel like a real experience, not a checklist.
I just walked out of Sol station with my backpack still half open, the straps uneven, my water bottle almost falling out, and the sunlight hitting me in a way that made me stop breathing for a second.
Noises and the smell of bread somewhere, the braking of a bus, the small conversations that are taking place around me. Everything is clashing together. And strangely, it put me down to earth.
I didn’t know the plan yet. The streets were still unfamiliar to me, and every turn felt like guessing. Walking through a city with so many plazas and corners honestly felt like a challenge at first.
But somehow Madrid felt easy from the first minute. It is this kind of coziness of disorder that you are in, yet it is also friendly, as though you are meant to be there.
This 3-day guide isn’t perfect. It’s not timed or precise. It is the very path I took, the food I ate standing on my feet, the errors I made, which turned out to improve the trip, and the situations when I did not move, because of the fact that this corner of the street produced a certain effect on me.
I didn’t know it then, but those first hours became the start of my own little Madrid itinerary, the kind that just forms on its own. If you’re planning 3 days in Madrid, you’ll probably feel the same way, as the city shapes the plan for you.
How to Get Around Madrid
I’m starting with this because, honestly, once you know how to get around Madrid, everything becomes ten times easier. Madrid looks big on the map, but when you’re inside it, the city shrinks not physically, but in the “okay, this isn’t scary” way.
The number one thing I realized pretty fast is that Madrid’s metro is ridiculously good. You are able to reach virtually anywhere in a few stops, and the signs are easy to read, such that even with a sleepy brain, you will be sure of locating your platform.
I bought the tourist pass because I’m lazy and I hate reloading cards, and it basically made my life easy for all three days.
My first morning, I grabbed a warm coffee (I spilled some on my sleeve because I rushed), and I jumped onto Line 1 like I lived there. The transport was within one minute. Before I even had time to take three good sips, I was already at Atocha.
That’s when I realized how fast the metro actually is. And the trains are good and sunny, and there are always people there, but not in a frightening manner, just ordinary city life. I was not lost or stressed out once.
Outside of the metro, walking is honestly the best thing you can do here. Around Sol, Gran Via, and Plaza Mayor, the streets are close and compact, and every corner has something happening.
You pass musicians, random shops with cute windows, people talking loudly into phones, and cafes that smell like warm pastries. It is the type of city that you can walk around in, and not necessarily the means to an end.
At night, especially after long days (and trust me, your feet will beg you for mercy), I sometimes took a rideshare. The metro runs late, but sometimes I just didn’t want to think about maps.
I sat in the back seat, with snacks left over in my little paper bag, and watched the yellow streetlights go past the windows. Madrid at night is warm, not literally, but emotionally. It glows.
Once you figure out transportation, everything else, the food, the neighborhoods, the museums, all fall into place without much effort. How to get around Madrid sounds like such a basic topic, but it’s the thing that makes your whole experience smoother than you expect.
Where to Stay in Madrid
Choosing where to stay in Madrid feels stressful the first time, but once you understand the vibe of each neighborhood, it’s strangely easy. It is not one of those cities where half the map is to be avoided. Most of the central districts are safe, warm, and walkable.
Everything feels close. Even when I stayed near Plaza Mayor, I walked to neighborhoods like Malasana, La Latina, and Chueca without thinking too much about distance. Sol and Gran Via were where I stayed on my first visit.
Honestly, it was as though I had been plunged into the heart of the city. Super bright, super bustly, yet heart-beatingly. The stores are open late, the streets are loud till midnight, and till 2 a.m., there are people walking around.
This area is the ideal one in case you like to see all the great sights in a reasonable distance. I liked waking up and being steps away from cafes and bakeries that were already buzzing. La Latina is different. Calmer.
If Sol is like a loud concert, La Latina is like a comfortable living room. Narrow streets, warm lights in the evenings, tapas bars that smell like garlic and wine, and locals sitting outside talking for hours.
The mornings there are lethargic people taking walks with their dogs, the elderly men reading newspapers, and the sort of atmosphere that makes you wish you had ordered coffee once more to stay a little longer.
Chueca and Malasana are for people who love color and creativity. These neighborhoods feel youthful and energetic, with cafes, vintage shops, and small bars tucked into every narrow road. On my second visit, I lingered there, and I liked the carefree atmosphere.
You can get out of your room, take a croissant, go shopping in several shops, and waste an hour without even noticing. One of the things that I rapidly learned was this: You do not have to have the perfect place. You simply have to find a neighborhood that fits you.
To visit for the first time, anywhere central. And honestly, where to stay in Madrid is less about the hotel and more about the streets you’ll step into each morning
Plaza Mayor Madrid
My first real “wow” moment in the city happened at Plaza Mayor in Madrid. I didn’t plan it. I just followed a street without thinking and suddenly walked into this huge open square that felt like stepping into a different time.
The buildings surrounding it are this deep reddish color, with rows of pretty balconies stacked neatly like someone arranged them just for photos.
I was standing for a minute, and sort of standing a good kind of dizzy. There were only a few people around because it was still early, and the light hadn’t fully settled into the square yet.
There was a fight between some pigeons over crumbs in the entry of one of the arches, and someone was carrying chairs out, the metal rubbing across the tiles. It was an easy moment, and yet it seemed that the city had taken me in.
As the day moved on, the square transformed completely. By noon, it was buzzing with kids chasing each other, people stopping to take pictures, and someone sketching the buildings quietly in the corner.
The energy varies in this case according to the hour. That’s something I really liked about Plaza Mayor Madrid. It does not attempt very much; it is just there, and you have a different experience each time you go through it.
I wandered around the edges and looked at the small shops, the menus outside restaurants, and the arches that connect the square to all the other tiny streets. The archways seem to be gateways into another tale.
One path leads toward San Miguel Market, another toward Sol, another toward all these narrow alleys that look like movie sets.
In the evenings, Plaza Mayor has this warm glow from the lights on the walls. The restaurants get fuller, the air feels cooler, and there’s this mix of chatter, clinking glasses, and footsteps echoing softly across the square.
I sat on one of the stone benches for a while, just taking it in. Something about it made me feel like I wasn’t in a rush anymore. That’s the magic of Plaza Mayor Madrid, it slows you down without asking.
And honestly, if you’re doing 3 days in Madrid, this square will somehow become your little checkpoint you keep coming back to without even trying.
Mercado de San Miguel
If you follow the small path from Plaza Mayor, you’ll hit Mercado de San Miguel, and honestly, this market feels like stepping into a warm hug made of food smells.
It is crowded, noisy, and packed to the brim with people – but in the most desirable manner. I was not particularly hungry when I walked in, but after five seconds of merely breathing the air, I found myself desperately hungry.
The color is the first thing that I noticed. Everywhere you look, there are displays of bright orange shrimp, glossy olives, slices of jamon shimmering like they were polished, pastries dusted in sugar, little glasses of wine lined up under warm lights.
You can smell the entire place of memories waiting to occur, even though you may not purchase anything.
My favorite thing about Mercado de San Miguel is that you don’t have to commit to one meal. You may take one little bite, walk ten steps, take another, and so on till your stomach says you must stop.
I tried a tiny seafood cone, a piece of tortilla, and some olives stuffed with anchovies, all eaten standing by the window. Standing to eat feels like part of the market’s personality — you’re not here for a slow lunch, you’re here to experience flavors in quick bursts.
I watched people walking by outside while I ate — tourists holding maps, locals on their lunch break, a kid licking gelato, an old man tapping his cane.
It is so bright, but one does not feel overwhelmed. There is always a place to lean on, a stall to window shop, or even a quiet moment to take a drink.
Later in the afternoon, the market gets louder, filled with clashing glasses, busy conversations, and the occasional laughter that seems to travel across the whole hall.
And the lighting becomes warm and homey, and all the food is all the better. It is one of such places that seem to be different at different times of the day, yet good.
They will say that it is touristy. Maybe it is. But honestly, who cares? Mercado de San Miguel is fun. It tastes good. It makes you smile. That’s all that matters.
And if you’re spending 3 days in Madrid, you’ll probably end up here more than once; it just pulls you back in.
Puerta del Sol
Every city has that one place where everything meets; for Madrid, that place is Puerta del Sol. This square is loud, chaotic, bright, busy, and somehow comforting at the same time.
When I first stepped out of the metro, I had to pause because the amount of movement around me was insane. People rushing in every direction, kids running around, musicians playing random songs, vendors talking fast, tourists taking pictures from every angle.
I was struck with it like a wave, but not a fearful wave, more of those soft sea waves that are paddling in your direction.
I walked slowly across the square, and the first thing I looked for was the bear statue. You can not pass without noticing it; everyone is having photos with it.
Then I saw the “Kilometer Zero” plaque on the ground and watched a few people jump back when they realized they stepped on it without noticing. I did the same thing. Incidentally, returned, took a photo, and grinned that it was some great achievement.
The buildings around Puerta del Sol all have this iconic, slightly old-fashioned look, with signs and balconies and big windows.
The air smelled like roasted nuts and perfume and something sweet I couldn’t identify. Someone nearby was selling lottery tickets, calling out numbers in a rhythm that sounded almost musical.
One thing I loved: no matter what time of day you come, Sol feels alive. It does not matter whether it is morning, midday, or late at night. It is never still; there is never anything to look at.
I used Sol as my starting point almost every day. It felt like the city’s “home base,” where I could reset my sense of direction before walking into another neighborhood.
At night, the square lights up with this warm golden glow. The crowds thin out a bit, the air cools down, and it becomes this mix of soft music, quiet footsteps, and people sitting around talking softly.
Standing there at night, looking around at the lights and the buildings and the energy, I felt weirdly connected to the city like I had been here before, even though it was my first time.
Sol is loud, yes. Sol is chaotic, yes. But Puerta del Sol is also warm and familiar in a way that surprised me.
Royal Palace Madrid
The walk from Sol to the Royal Palace in Madrid is one of my favorites. You have left the narrow streets and congested places behind, and now, you are an instant in this wide, noble sensation, as though the city is setting you up to something big. And then, there it is. The palace. Massive. Elegant. Almost unreal.
I recall how I was standing in front of it and somehow felt small, but not bad. Better said, it was wow, people built this.
The white facade is extended through the square, big windows, and columns, and all these antique archetypes that only become better when the sun is shining.
The courtyard in front is wide and open, which means the whole area feels breathable even when there are crowds. I walked slowly through it and heard my own steps falling upon the rock.
One of the kids in the neighborhood was trying to run after a pigeon, and it was evident that the pigeon was flying above the kid. A tour group was taking photos in perfect formation.
And somewhere behind me, a violinist was playing something soft. It was all so quiet and harmonious.
Inside the palace, the rooms feel like stepping into a different era, with gold accents, velvet chairs, huge chandeliers, and walls that look like they took a lifetime to design.
I continued to make stopovers and look at the ceilings on random corners. I promise you there is not a single room in this place that does not put you on your heels.
Across from the palace is the Almudena Cathedral. Although you do not enter it, the surroundings of an area are dark and quiet, which is ideal for resting.
I sat on a low wall for a few minutes and watched people coming in and out, and it was a feeling of a little breeze piercing the heat.
Royal Palace Madrid is the kind of place where you don’t need to “do” much. Just being there is enough. Being surrounded by so much history, beauty, and open space made me fall for Madrid even more.
And if you’re spending 3 days in Madrid, the Royal Palace Madrid area ends up feeling like one of those places you just have to come back to, even if you don’t plan it.
Toledo Day Trip from Madrid
On my third day, I had two choices: stay in the city and dive deeper into its neighborhoods, or take a quick Toledo day trip from Madrid. I chose Toledo because everyone kept saying it felt like stepping into a medieval postcard. They were right.
The train ride was only about 30 minutes, but it felt like being transported into another time. As I got out of the train, the air was different, less bustling, more aged, and slightly stony and historical.
The city sits on a hill, so the first view you get is this sweeping landscape of rooftops, church towers, and old walls that look like they’ve been guarding stories for centuries.
As one walks up to the town, the streets narrow and become more twisting. Every turn shows you something else: a bakery with warm smells spilling into the street, a tiny shop selling metal souvenirs, a hidden courtyard with orange trees, a cat sunbathing on a stone step.
I wandered without a plan. That’s the best way. I lost my way now and then, but there were never dead ends on the streets.
I visited the cathedral, stood on a viewpoint where the entire town spread out below me like a painting, and bought a small marzipan pastry because everyone said I should. They were right. It was delicious.
Toledo feels slower than Madrid. Softer. If Madrid is a heartbeat, Toledo is a deep breath. Taking a Toledo day trip from Madrid gave me a nice balance of the energy of the capital and the quiet beauty of a nearby gem.
Madrid FAQ (Short + Human + Keyword-Friendly)
Is Madrid safe?
Yes, it feels steady and friendly, even when walking alone. Just watch your bag in busy areas like the Gran Vía Madrid.
Where can I try the best tapas in Madrid?
La Latina and Malasaña have tiny bars packed with locals. Go where people are standing, that’s where the good tapas in Madrid always are.
Where do I find the best churros in Madrid?
San Ginés is the classic and honestly worth the hype. Late nights make churros in Madrid taste even better.
What are the things to do in Madrid at night?
Walk the Gran Vía, grab a chocolate, or sit in Plaza Mayor listening to street music. Things to do in Madrid at night always feel warm and lively.
Is this a Madrid itinerary for beginners?
Yes, it’s simple, real, and made for first-timers. It works perfectly if you’re planning 3 days in Madrid and want a relaxed start.
Conclusion
Madrid has this funny way of getting under your skin without you noticing. One moment you’re just walking around with a map half-folded in your hand, and the next you’re standing in the middle of some random plaza thinking, “Wait… why does this place feel familiar already?”
It’s a city that doesn’t ask much from you, just a little curiosity, a bit of wandering, and the willingness to let things unfold on their own.
After 3 days in Madrid, I realized the magic isn’t in checking every sight off a list. It’s in the warm pastries you eat standing up, the late-night glow of the streets, the way strangers talk like they’ve known each other forever, and the feeling of wandering without a plan yet somehow feeling like you belong there. If you let the city happen to you, even a little, Madrid will stay with you long after you leave.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you book a tour or buy through them, I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. This helps keep SoloTravelPath running and full of free travel guides. Read more here.