Why go

The Palacio de Cibeles, the gleaming white building that towers over the Plaza de Cibeles, is one of the most photographed sights in Madrid. Built in the early 20th century as the Palace of Communications, the city’s central post office, it is now Madrid City Hall and home to CentroCentro, a cultural centre with free exhibitions. High in its central tower, the Mirador Madrid viewpoint gives a 360-degree panorama of the city.

The square below is just as famous. The Cibeles Fountain, showing the goddess Cybele in a chariot pulled by lions, is where Real Madrid fans gather to celebrate titles, and it marks the meeting of Calle de Alcalá, Gran Vía and the Paseo del Prado.

What to see

  • Mirador Madrid. The viewpoint in the main tower, with views along Gran Vía and Calle de Alcalá, north up the Paseo de la Castellana and east over the Retiro.
  • CentroCentro exhibitions. Free shows of art, photography and design, plus a permanent exhibition on the history of the palace.
  • The Cibeles Fountain. The 18th-century fountain in the middle of the square.
  • The Banco de España. The grand bank building on another corner of the square.
  • The Metrópolis building. Its dome, at the start of Gran Vía, is framed perfectly from the Mirador.

Plan your visit

The building is free to enter, and the CentroCentro exhibitions open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 8pm. Everything is closed on Mondays.

The Mirador Madrid opens from Tuesday to Sunday in two sessions, 10.30am to 2pm and 4pm to 7.30pm, with last entry at 1.30pm and 7pm. Visitors go up in groups about every 30 minutes. It closes on Mondays, on 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 12 October and 24, 25 and 31 December, and hours can change for safety reasons or bad weather. In 2026 it closed in July and August because of the heat and reopened on 1 September.

Tickets cost €4, or €2 reduced for ages 7 to 14, over 65s, unemployed visitors and disabled visitors with a companion; young children pay €1. Buying online adds a €0.50 fee and gets you a timed slot. The box office, on the second floor, sells tickets for the same day only, from 10am to 1.40pm and 3pm to 7.10pm. Arrive 20 minutes before a booked slot. CentroCentro also runs free guided visits of the viewpoint on some weekdays if you book by email.

Allow 45 minutes to an hour for the viewpoint and a quick look at an exhibition. Late afternoon, in the last session, gives the best light over the rooftops.

Getting there

Banco de España Metro station (line 2) is two minutes away, and Recoletos Cercanías station about seven. Many hop-on hop-off bus routes stop at Cibeles, which makes it an easy first stop on a sightseeing day.

Nearby

The Puerta de Alcalá and the Retiro are five minutes east along Calle de Alcalá, the Thyssen and the Prado are five to ten minutes south down the Paseo del Prado, and Gran Vía starts right beside the square.