10 Most Iconic Places in Madrid

The popular Museo Nacional del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum and houses collections dating back to the 12th century. Inside, you'll mostly find Spanish art hailing from the former Spanish Royal Collection, but there's quite a bit of variety as well.

Among the artwork in this museum, you'll find numerous pieces by such renowned artists as Francisco Goya, Hieronymus Bosch, El Greco and Diego Velazquez. Located about a 12-minute drive from the Madrid city centre, the museum is found in Jeronimos, just north of the Real Jardin Botanico by Parque de El Retiro.

The Royal Palace is a massive baroque and classical building with more than 3,400 rooms that give visitors an up-close look at history. Given the sheer size of the palace, tours only show the best of the seemingly endless rooms here.

When you visit, you'll find a wealth of art displayed inside from artists like Caravaggio, Francisco de Goya and Anton Raphael Mengs. This palace is also home to the Royal Armory of Madrid. You'll find it about 1 mile northwest of the heart of Madrid.

Plaza Mayor, a major public square in the middle of town, is the center of Old Madrid and home to shops, food and plenty of scenic views. It's designated as a Spanish Property of Cultural Interest, so you can count on it being well preserved.

When you visit, you'll find plenty of seating and places to relax as well as room to walk and explore, so you can decide how you want to spend your time in this centuries-old place. You can reach this main square in the Centro neighbourhood in between the Opera and Tirso de Molina metro stations.

The Temple of Debod is an ancient Egyptian temple built thousands of years ago in Egypt and later dismantled and rebuilt in Spain. When the construction of a dam in Egypt threatened the old temple in Egypt, it was moved to Spain to preserve its historical significance.

When you visit this temple, you'll find yourself at a one-of-a-kind spot in Spain, as it's the only example of real ancient Egyptian architecture in the country. You can visit it within Parque de la Montana, a short distance west from the Plaza de Espana metro station.

Catedral de la Almudena is a massive Catholic church that was built in neoclassical, neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style at the end of the 20th century. Groundbreaking first occurred in 1883, but the cathedral wasn't completed until 1993.

When you visit, you'll find yourself met with massive granite and marble structures with materials sourced from Novelda and Colmenar Viejo. See it for yourself with just a 6-minute drive from the city centre.

The remarkable Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is the home of Real Madrid with a seating capacity of 81,044 people. You can catch a soccer game here, of course, but you may also be interested in taking a tour that offers insight into the team and the stadium itself.

When you visit this stadium, you'll find it quite easy to get to. Several different bus lines can get you there, as can the underground, and you'll find plenty of parking available if you're driving yourself. You'll find it all in northern El Viso just west of the hospital.

Mercado de San Miguel is a centrally located market where you can find gourmet tapas along with bakery items, beer, wine and champagne. The market is popular with travelers, thanks to the variety of items it has on offer from all sorts of local vendors.

The market is covered, so you can enjoy everything it has to offer regardless of the weather. You can find plenty of seating inside if you want to grab a bite to eat and enjoy while you're there. The market is located in the Centro area in the heart of Madrid.

Puerta de Alcalá is a 19.5-metre-high neoclassical granite and limestone gate completed in 1778. When you visit this gate, you'll find yourself surrounded by a lot of history. You can still see where a bit of cannon shrapnel hit the gate years ago.

If you look closely at the gate, you'll notice that each side has a unique design, including one sporting war trophies and one with an ornate royal coat of arms. You'll find the gate in the middle of Pl. de la Independencia, about a 10-minute drive from the city centre.

Puerta del Sol is a popular public square where you'll find numerous shops and cafes alongside historical monuments to explore. One of the most iconic monuments is the famous clock that marks the beginning of the new year. New Year's celebrations here are particularly impressive.

When you visit, you'll find plenty to see no matter what time of year it is. The office of the President of Madrid can be found here in the old Mail Office building, while a statue of Charles II of Spain is on the south side. You can see it just under a mile north of the city centre.

Cybele Palace is a 2-building complex that houses both the Madrid City Council and the CentroCentro cultural center, and it's a perfect stop for travelers. You'll find a variety of offerings within this impressively crafted building, including art exhibitions and workshops.

Be sure to check out the local calendar before you visit to see what kind of events are being held here, as concerts and presentations are quite common. You can explore it all after a 10-minute drive from the heart of Madrid.