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24 hours to a full week — day by day, barrio by barrio, hotel by hotel
These are the six trip shapes that cover almost everyone, from a layover to a full week with sierra nights. Each names its ideal base — the barrio that minimises your walking overhead for that plan — and links to the full day-by-day guides.
The one structural tip that improves every itinerary: museums at opening or in the free evening hours, long lunch, plaza life at dusk. Madrid rewards the local rhythm and punishes the 9-to-5 march.
Prado at opening → Retiro → lunch off Plaza Mayor → Palacio Real exterior and Debod sunset → tapas on Cava Baja. Sleep dead centre.
Day one: museum mile and Huertas. Day two: Austrias morning, La Latina lunch, Malasaña–Chueca evening. The classic first visit.
The 48-hour plan plus a third day out: Toledo if you must, but Alcalá or Aranjuez by Cercanías are cheaper, closer and calmer.
Three city days, then two nights in the sierra — El Escorial's monastery, a Fuenfría walk, roast lunch in Navacerrada. The trip most people wish they'd booked.
Four city nights (split centre + Chamberí), one vega night (Aranjuez or Chinchón), two sierra nights (Cercedilla or Rascafría). Every route section on this site becomes available.
For returning visitors: markets and Ponzano, La Pedriza walk, Patones dinner, Chinchón plaza lunch — Madrid without a single queue.