Madrid is one of the best cities in Europe for free sightseeing. Its three great art museums all have free hours, the royal sites open their doors free to EU and Latin American visitors at set times, and many of its best experiences, from rowing past the Retiro’s monument to watching the sun set behind an Egyptian temple, cost nothing or next to nothing. Free times below were checked on official websites in November 2026 and can change, so confirm before you go.

Free museum hours

  • Prado Museum. Free for everyone in the last two hours of every day: Monday to Saturday 6pm to 8pm, Sundays and holidays 5pm to 7pm. Covers the permanent collection; temporary exhibitions are half price.
  • Reina Sofía. Free Monday and Wednesday to Saturday 7pm to 9pm, and Sunday 12.30pm to 2.30pm. You still need a free ticket, which you can book online. Closed Tuesdays. Also free on 18 April, 18 May, 12 October and 6 December.
  • Thyssen-Bornemisza. Free on Mondays from 12pm to 4pm for the permanent collection, with no ticket needed, and on Saturday nights from 9pm to 11pm for the temporary exhibitions on the lower floors.
  • Royal Botanical Garden. Free for everyone on Tuesday mornings, and always free for under 18s. Collect a ticket at the box office.
  • Palacio de Velázquez. The Reina Sofía’s exhibition hall in the Retiro is always free. The neighbouring Palacio de Cristal is closed for works until early 2027.
  • CentroCentro. The exhibitions in the Palacio de Cibeles are free, Tuesday to Sunday; only the Mirador viewpoint is paid.

Free royal sites for EU and Latin American visitors

Patrimonio Nacional offers free entry to citizens and residents of the EU and Latin America at set times, with tickets from the box office only. At the Royal Palace this is Monday to Thursday from 4pm to 6pm between October and March and from 5pm to 7pm between April and September. At El Escorial it is Wednesday and Sunday afternoons from 3pm. Both are also free for everyone on 18 May, International Museum Day.

Free sights and landmarks

  • Temple of Debod. A real Egyptian temple, free inside (book a free slot) and famous for sunsets from the surrounding park.
  • Almudena Cathedral. Free to enter, with a €1 donation requested and a free audio guide on your phone.
  • Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol. The historic squares, Kilometre Zero and the Bear and the Strawberry Tree.
  • Gran Vía. Walk the avenue from the Metrópolis building to Plaza de España.
  • Changing of the Guard. A ceremony at the Royal Palace on the first Wednesday of most months; check Patrimonio Nacional’s calendar.

Parks and outdoor Madrid

  • Retiro Park. Free and open every day from 6am. Use the free 38-stop audio tour by scanning QR codes around the park. Rowing boats are paid.
  • Madrid Río. A long riverside park along the Manzanares, good for walking and cycling, with views back to the Royal Palace.
  • Parque del Oeste. The park around the Temple of Debod, with a rose garden and views west.

Markets and neighbourhoods

Browsing is free. The Mercado de San Miguel is free to enter, though you will want to buy a vermouth. On Sunday mornings the Rastro flea market fills the streets of La Latina and Embajadores. Malasaña, Chueca, Lavapiés and the Barrio de las Letras, with quotations from Spanish writers set into the pavements, are all rewarding to wander.

Cheap, if not free

  • Mirador Madrid. €4 for one of the best views of the city, from the tower of the Palacio de Cibeles.
  • Royal Botanical Garden. €4 outside the free Tuesday mornings.
  • Almudena dome. €8 for the cathedral museum and dome climb.
  • The Metro. A single ticket costs €1.50 to €2 under the 2026 tariff.

Tips

Free slots are popular. Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before a free period starts, especially at the Prado, and decide in advance what you want to see. Book free tickets online where you can, at the Reina Sofía and the Temple of Debod. And remember the closing days: Reina Sofía on Tuesdays, Debod and El Escorial on Mondays.