Madrid Travel Guide: Royal Palace, Prado Museum, Retiro Park and Hidden History

The second stop on my journey through Spain was Madrid, the country's elegant and often overlooked capital. Before arriving, I expected grand boulevards, world-class museums, and impressive royal architecture. Madrid certainly delivered all of those things.

What surprised me most, however, was how much history seemed hidden in plain sight. Beneath the modern city lies a story that stretches back more than two thousand years and includes Roman settlers, Muslim rulers, Habsburg kings, and modern Spanish royalty. Even the name Madrid tells part of that story.

Parque Emir Mohamed I

Many visitors assume the city's name is Spanish in origin. It is not. Its roots are Arabic.

The story begins in the 9th century when Emir Muhammad I established a fortress settlement along the Manzanares River. Over time, the area's name evolved from Mayrit to Magerit, then Matrit, and eventually Madrid.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/312219_66f7d10b55a64024808e7b42dac75fdd/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Parque Emir Mohamed I

The wall in this video dates back to the 9th century, when Madrid was Mayrit, a Muslim city. That layered history became one of my favorite aspects of the city. Around nearly every corner, I found another reminder that Madrid is far older and more complex than many first-time visitors realize.

Puerto Del Sol: The Center of Spain

One of the first surprises I encountered in Madrid was discovering that every road in Spain effectively begins here. No, that is not a figure of speech. Embedded in the pavement of Puerta del Sol is a modest plaque known as Kilometre Zero. It marks the geographic center of Spain's national road network, the point from which the country's six major highways are measured. If you are not looking carefully, you might walk directly over it. Thousands of people do every day. Yet this small marker represents one of the most important locations in Spain.

Oso y Madroño

A short walk away stands another symbol deeply associated with Madrid: the Oso y el Madroño. Depicting a bear reaching toward a strawberry tree, the statue serves as the official emblem of the city and is one of Madrid's most photographed landmarks.

Teatro Real

Nearby, along Calle del Arenal, stands the Teatro Real. Opened in 1850, the opera house remains one of Spain's most prestigious performing arts venues and adds another layer of grandeur to this already historic district.

Habsburg Madrid: The Historic Heart of the City

If Puerta del Sol is the geographic center of Madrid, then Habsburg Madrid is its historical heart.

Known locally as El Madrid de los Austrias, this district preserves much of the city that emerged during the reign of the Habsburg dynasty between the 16th and 18th centuries. Wandering through its streets felt like stepping into a different era. Grand plazas, royal buildings, churches, and government offices stand where they have for centuries, creating one of the most atmospheric parts of the city.

King Philip III Statue in Plaza Mayor

At the center of Habsburg Madrid sits Plaza Mayor, one of Spain's most recognizable public squares. Completed during the reign of King Philip III in 1620, the plaza has witnessed nearly every chapter of Madrid's history. Over the centuries it has hosted royal ceremonies, festivals, markets, bullfights, and even public executions.

Today, the atmosphere is considerably more relaxed. The bronze statue of Philip III still stands watch over the square, while visitors and locals gather beneath the arcades that surround it. Despite the crowds, there remains a sense that this plaza has seen far more than any guidebook can adequately describe.

Catedral de Almudena

Directly across from the Royal Palace stands Almudena Cathedral, Madrid's most important church. What struck me most was not simply its beauty, but how long it took to build. Plans for the cathedral began in 1879, yet the building would not be fully completed and consecrated until more than a century later when Pope John Paul II dedicated it in 1993.

Inside, the cathedral feels bright and unexpectedly modern compared to many of Europe's great Gothic churches.

Beneath the cathedral lies a crypt containing the tombs of numerous noble Spanish families. Unfortunately, it was closed during my visit. From everything I have read, however, the crypt's forest of more than 400 columns crowned with different biblical figures makes it one of the most beautiful hidden spaces in Madrid.

Royal Palace and Sabatini Gardens

Palacio Real Madrid

Few buildings capture Madrid's royal legacy more completely than the Royal Palace. Constructed during the 18th century atop the site of a former Moorish fortress, the palace dominates the skyline with an almost overwhelming sense of scale. With more than 3,400 rooms, it is one of the largest royal residences in Europe.

Curiously, no one actually lives there. Today, the palace serves primarily as the venue for official state ceremonies and royal events. Standing outside its immense façade, I found myself trying to imagine what daily life might have looked like when the building functioned as a true royal residence. The scale alone is difficult to comprehend.

Jardines de Sabatini

Just beyond the palace lies one of my favorite discoveries in Madrid: the Sabatini Gardens. Unlike many of the city's more famous attractions, the gardens felt calm and unhurried.

Their perfectly symmetrical hedges, reflecting pools, and manicured pathways offered a welcome contrast to the crowds elsewhere in the city.

I spent far longer here than I expected. Sometimes the most memorable moments while traveling come not from a city's grandest landmarks, but from the quiet places in between them.

Statue of Felipe IV

The Plaza de Oriente leads you into the Sabatini Gardens. In the Plaza de Oriente you will find a massive statue of Felipe IV, the king of Spain from 1621-1625. The statue is a marvel of both art and mathematics. As such, it required the collaboration of artist, Diego Velázquez, the Spanish artist whose painting the sculpture is based on, and Galileo, the father of modern science.

The construction issue that arose when recreating Velázquez' image, was that the horse was rearing up, so the entire 9 ton weight of the statue would have to rest on only two legs. (This should feel like déjà vu if you read my post on New Orleans.) Following the calculations and hand-drawn designs of Galileo, sculptor, Pietro Tacca, created the back portion of the statue out of solid bronze, while the front is hollow to balance the weight.

Casa de la Villa

Elsewhere in the city, I found the former City Hall. Work began on the Casa de la Villa in 1645 and was not completed until 1696. During a time between the 17th and the 21st century, this building served the City of Madrid as both prison and Town Hall. In fact, it was the home of local government as recently as 2008.

Madrid's Famous Fountains

Madrid is filled with impressive monuments and buildings, but few are more beloved than its fountains.

Cibeles Fountain, Plaza de Cibeles

The Cibeles Fountain has occupied its place in Plaza de Cibeles since the late 18th century and has become one of the defining symbols of the city. Designed by architect Ventura Rodríguez, the monument depicts Cybele, the Roman goddess of nature, riding a chariot pulled by lions.

Adjacent to the square stands the Bank of Spain, home to one of the country's most secure vaults. According to local lore, the security systems include a mechanism capable of redirecting water from the Cibeles Fountain to flood portions of the underground vault complex in the event of a breach. After hearing that story, I immediately understood why fans of Money Heist find Madrid such an intriguing city.

Fuento de Neptuno, Paseo del Prado

A short distance away along Paseo del Prado sits the Neptune Fountain.

Also designed by Ventura Rodríguez, the monument portrays Neptune standing atop a shell-shaped chariot drawn by sea horses and accompanied by marine creatures.

While Cibeles may attract more attention, I found Neptune equally impressive. Together, the two fountains form a beautiful link between Madrid's grand avenues and its rich artistic heritage.

Retiro Park: Madrid's Green Oasis

Parque del Buen Retiro

After several days spent exploring churches, palaces, museums, and plazas, Retiro Park provided a welcome change of pace.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/312219_5703f349861c4d2fa928430b7590228c/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Although not Madrid's largest park, it is undoubtedly its most famous. Originally created as a royal retreat, the park opened to the public in 1868 and has been beloved by Madrileños ever since. Spanning more than 300 acres, Retiro offers far more than a simple green space. Winding pathways lead visitors past gardens, fountains, monuments, sculptures, and quiet corners that invite lingering.

As I explored the park, I found myself slowing down. There was no specific attraction I was trying to reach and no schedule to keep. Then something unexpected happened. Near one of the fountains, a musician began playing Con Te Partirò, the famous song popularized by Andrea Bocelli. The music drifted through the park as visitors strolled beneath the trees and gathered around the water. For a few minutes, the scene felt almost cinematic. It became one of my favorite memories from Madrid.

I only explored a small portion of Retiro's vast grounds.

Along the way I encountered manicured gardens, elegant fountains, historic statues, and beautiful walking paths that seemed to stretch endlessly through the park.

Jacinto Benavente Statue

I could easily have spent an entire day there.

.Unfortunately, dark clouds were beginning to gather overhead, and I had timed-entry tickets to one of the world's great museums waiting for me.

Prado Museum and Madrid's Golden Triangle

Madrid is home to some of the finest museums on earth. The Prado Museum, Museo Reina Sofía, and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum collectively form what is known as Madrid's Golden Triangle of Art.

Given enough time, I would happily have visited all three. Instead, I focused my attention on the Prado. That decision proved to be one of the highlights of my trip.

Monument to Francisco de Goya by Benlilure

Even before entering, art lovers are greeted by a monument to Francisco de Goya, one of Spain's most celebrated painters. The statue stands outside the museum's northern entrance, appropriately known as the Puerta de Goya.

Transfiguration by Raphael (1483-1520)

Inside, the Prado houses one of the most extraordinary collections of European art anywhere in the world. Founded more than two centuries ago and having survived wars, political upheaval, and changing governments, the museum remains one of Spain's greatest cultural treasures.

Among the countless masterpieces I encountered was Raphael's Transfiguration, a breathtaking work depicting both the Transfiguration of Christ and the Miracle of the Possessed Boy. Standing before paintings like this is one of those experiences that reminds you how difficult it is for photographs to capture the true scale and beauty of great art.

Unfortunately, I discovered shortly afterward that photography was prohibited inside the museum, so that image would be my only one.

San Jerónimo el Real

Just outside the Prado stands San Jerónimo el Real, the surviving church of a 16th-century monastery. Today, it serves as an extension of the museum and houses works by masters such as Titian, Rubens, and Veronese. Together, the Prado and San Jerónimo form one of Madrid's most rewarding cultural experiences and are destinations no first-time visitor should miss.

That concludes my tour of the sites of Madrid. My next post will be about the tastes of Madrid. I hope you will join me as I tour the restaurants across this beautiful city, including a visit to the oldest restaurant in the world.