Madrid · 2026
Madrid 2026: The Complete Guide
Everything we’ve written about Madrid, in one place — organised the way you actually plan a trip rather than by publish date. Start with where to stay, work through how to get around, then read up on where to go once you’re there. Every guide below is opinionated, anchored to 2026, and written from time spent in the city.
Plan the trip
Day-by-day itineraries, where to base yourself, how to get around — the groundwork before you book anything.
- 3 Days in Madrid 2026: The Perfect ItineraryItinerariesA day-by-day Madrid itinerary balancing the Prado and the Royal Palace with the barrios, the tapas crawls, and the late nights. Where to go, in what order, built for a 2026 city break.
- Getting Around Madrid 2026: Airport, Metro, Taxis, Cercanías, and the AVE Train NetworkPractical guidesMadrid airport to your hotel, the excellent metro, taxis vs apps, when to hire a car, and the AVE high-speed rail to the rest of Spain. The practical 2026 guide to moving around the city.
- Do You Need Travel Insurance for a 2026 European Holiday? An Honest GuidePractical guidesWhen travel insurance is actually worth the cost, what most policies cover (and don't), the exclusions nobody reads, and how to pick a policy for festivals, boat parties, ski trips, and family holidays in 2026.
- Where to Stay in Madrid 2026: A Neighbourhood-by-Neighbourhood GuideWhere to stayMadrid's life happens in the barrios, not the postcards. Sol, Las Letras, Malasaña, Chueca, Salamanca, La Latina, Chamberí — each one is a different city in the same map. An honest guide to where to base yourself in 2026.
Where to eat & drink
The food scene without the tourist traps — what to seek out, where, and at what price.
Where to go out
The going-out scene, honestly ranked — clubs, beach clubs, rooftops, and the venues worth your night.
- Madrid Nightlife Guide 2026: Where Locals Actually Go OutSuperclubsMadrid goes out later and harder than almost any city in Europe. The clubs locals use, the barrios for bar-hopping, the rhythm of a proper Madrid night, and the tourist traps to skip. Updated for 2026.
- The Best Rooftop Bars in Madrid 2026Rooftop barsMadrid's rooftop scene is one of Europe's best — and most of it is hiding on top of hotels and a famous arts centre. The terraces worth the climb in 2026, what they cost, and when to go.