Experience the best of Madrid with Withlocals

Explore Madrid with our incredible locals

Learn about their personal stories and find out how you can explore Madrid with locals

Things to do in Madrid

Our locals will give you the best experiences that Madrid has to offer

• Choose your local

  Explore the Prado Museum & Surroundings with a Local Guide

  4.8

  318 reviews

  2.5 hours • Skip the line tours

  from €73.16 per person
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  The 10 Tastings of Madrid

  4.8

  606 reviews

  3 hours • Food tours

  from €120 per person
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  Explore the Reina Sofia Museum with a Local Guide

  4.9

  1091 reviews

  2 hours • Skip the line tours

  from €55.88 per person
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  The History of Madrid: the insights of Spanish history Tour

  4.9

  1480 reviews

  3 hours • City highlight tours

  from €43.16 per person
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  Withlocals Your Way! - Madrid City Tour

  4.9

  203 reviews

  3 hours • Day trips

  from €56.03 per person
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  Wine & Tapas in Madrid Tour

  4.8

  308 reviews

  2.5 hours • Food tours

  from €115 per person
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  City Kickstart Tour: Madrid

  4.9

  465 reviews

  1.5 hours • City highlight tours

  from €25.74 per person
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  Off the Beaten Track in Madrid: Chueca Tour

  4.8

  174 reviews

  2.5 hours • Off the beaten track

  from €35.97 per person

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Discover experiences based on your interest

• City highlights tours 12
• Food tours 5
• Art & Culture tours 4
• Day trips 4
• Skip the line tours 3
• Off the beaten track tours 2
• Home dinners 2
• Workshops 2
• Photo tours 1
• Cooking classes 1

Things to do in Madrid

Heading to Madrid soon? Spain’s capital will offer you a crazy amount of activities of all kinds. We promise you’ll have some serious fun! Here are our top 10 favorite things to do in Madrid to experience the city like a local.

• 

  Explore the most amazing museums

  There’s no doubt that Madrid has the best museums in Spain. The cultural offer of the capital is outstanding, whether it is the Museo del Prado, Reina Sofía or Thyssen-Bornemisza the biggest art museums in the city. This is where you’ll see artworks like the world-famous Las Meninas o Guernica. Make sure to book a private tour that will give you an overview of the movements of the Spanish art that interest you the most.

  Afterward, grabbing a beer with your local host will be the best choice. Sit back, relax and people-watch from one of the many terrazas that you’ll find around the city.

• 

  Try the local flavors at Mercado de San Miguel

  The Mercado de San Miguel is a real pleasure for your senses. Enjoy another cool thing to do in Madrid, only a few meters away from Plaza Mayor, Madrid’s main square. The market’s building itself is very unique, but what captivates the visitors is, of course, the food! You’ll see fresh products everywhere, an array of colors and wonderful smells!

  After a personalized tour around the market, let your host help you choose something to eat. Is there a better snack than some freshly cut, high-quality Spanish ham? What about some tiny-but-oh-so-flavorful Arbequina olives? Give your taste buds a treat and munch on some fantastic local food to keep you going.

• 

  Find bargains at El Rastro second-hand market

  Leave some time on Sunday for El Rastro. This is a very popular second-hand market amongst the locals. Situated in the Embajadores district, you’ll find all sorts of things: from vintage clothes and jewelry to exclusive antiques. You’ll want to take souvenirs home with you, so make sure you have enough room in your suitcase.

  Wander around the stalls with your host and have fun hunting bargains. You’ll soon realize why this is one of our top things to do in Madrid! If you need a pit stop after all that shopping, we have good news for you. The area is filled with cafés where you can refuel and continue exploring this fantastic flea market.

• 

  Eat homemade cocido

  You can’t visit Madrid and not try one of their most renowned and delicious dishes. Your local host will be delighted to share a special evening with you eating cocido. It consists of a chickpea based stew mixed with meat and vegetables cooked in a pot for hours. As a result, you get an intense broth that is served separately and a colossal tray of all the good stuff.

  It’ll be your chance to experience the relaxed Spanish way of eating. During the sobremesa (the time you spend chatting at the table after the meal) you’ll get the chance to talk about other Madrid fun facts with your host. But let us warn you, the cocido is so substantial that you might need to take a little siesta after it!

• 

  See Madrid from above

  All the Madrileños love using the expression “de Madrid al cielo”, which translates to “from Madrid to heaven”, meaning that it’s the best place to be. Indeed, locals know the best places in the city from where you’ll enjoy stunning views. Get closer to Madrid’s heaven and head to the Círculo de Bellas Artes’ rooftop.

  With the city’s skyline in front of you, chilling on the lounges with your host chatting and sipping on some sangría sounds like a plan to us. Be sure to add it to your list of cool things to do while in Madrid, you won’t regret it.

• 

  Bike like a local through El Retiro park

  We’re sure you’ll stay fit in Madrid while discovering the city on foot, but for those of you who want an extra dose of serotonin even during your holidays, nothing beats biking through El Retiro. You’ll meet plenty of sporty locals while exploring one of the main attractions of the city with your local host.

  Home to over 15.000 trees, El Retiro is not only a park but also offers cultural sites such as the Palacio de Velázquez and the Palacio de Cristal, as well as several sculptures, fountains and a big pond where you can rent a boat with your host. You’ll have a blast!

• 

  Watch the sunset from Templo de Debod

  Can you believe there’s an Egyptian temple right in the most famous park in the city? It’s a hidden gem you can’t miss. Your host will recommend watching the sunset. The sky’s pastel colors will give you the perfect background to get fantastic shots of the temple. You can thank them later!

  The Templo de Debod was rebuilt at El Retiro park in 1968 after being sent from Egypt. It was offered to the capital to thank the Spanish archaeologists working in the Unesco who helped save monuments. It soon became one of the top things to visit while in Madrid. You’ll know why when you get there.

• 

  Enjoy chocolate con churros at Plaza Mayor

  Calling all the chocolate lovers! Dipping churros (fried-dough pastries) in the super thick Spanish hot chocolate is a fantastic way to take a break from all the sightseeing.

  Don’t be shy and ask a local to help you pick a good café at Plaza Mayor. You can enjoy this decadent snack while watching the buzz of the square. If you love it, you can even ask them for the recipe and try to make it once you’re back home! If you don’t have a sweet tooth, a café con leche (caffè latte) is a typical alternative.

• 

  Learn everything about tapas

  Tapas time! Learning how to make tapas is a unique experience to have. This is why we’re including it in our top things to do in Madrid. Your host, with a vast knowledge in Spanish cuisine, will tell you about the fundamentals of the local gastronomy. Feel free to ask anything you're curious about. This is your chance to learn about cooking patatas bravas, calamari a la Andaluza, pimientos de padrón and other typical delicacies you have probably seen at the city’s restaurants.

  Let’s not forget the wine, a big part of the Spanish culture. If you are into it, your host can take you to a wine tasting. You’ll learn how to pair premium Rioja red wines and Galician white wines, amongst others, with tapas.

• 

  Get the flamenco rhythm

  Ask your local host to take you to a flamenco show. This is an unforgettable experience that you have to see! It's definitely one of the most fun things to do in Madrid. Corral de la Morería, Café de Chinitas and Casa Patas are three of the best venues to watch authentic flamenco, the southern dance, and music that the whole country is known for.

  If the night is still young, head to Chueca o Malasaña, two of the districts with an even better nightlife. They have a different atmosphere than the city center, where it will be much easier to meet locals and chat over a few cervezas.

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• Guides in Madrid
• Tours in Madrid
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• City Highlight Tours in Madrid
• Skip The Line Tours in Madrid
• Food Tours in Madrid
• Day Trips in Madrid
• Off The Beaten Track Tours in Madrid
• Art & Culture Tours in Madrid
• Home Dinners in Madrid
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• Cooking Classes in Madrid
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