Madrid 1-Day Tour with Exclusive Itinerary and Tips to Avoid Pitfalls

Take a tour of 6 classic landmarks! Visit all the best sights in Madrid in one day! I have personally tried it and it doesn’t disappoint. There are many attractions and delicious food, and you can even fill up your memory card! The strategy is directly copied from homework 👇 ⏰【Super smooth timeline】 09:00 Puerta del Sol → 10:00 Royal Palace of Madrid → 11:30 Almudena Cathedral → 13:00 San Miguel Market → 15:00 Prado Museum → 17:30 Temple of Debod Puerta del Sol 🔸3 things you must do ✅ Step on the "Zero Kilometer Landmark" (the starting point of all Spanish highways) ✅ Shoot the bear and strawberry tree statue (the prototype of the city emblem) ✅ Check in at the "Madrid Eye" clock tower (the hourly time announcement is super shocking) 🍴Breakfast Easter egg: La Mallorquina, a century-old shop next to the square, Napoleon pastry + hot chocolate will take you back to the golden age! 🏰Madrid Royal Palace Palacio Real 🎫 Tickets: €12 (Book in advance on the official website to skip the queue!) 🔥 Hidden gameplay: ➊ The Sabatini Gardens on the east side are less crowded and beautiful, perfect for taking photos of the silhouette of the palace ➋ Changing of the Guard ceremony every Wednesday at 11am (free to watch!) ⚠️ Note: Photography is prohibited inside the palace, but you can take photos in the atrium and garden! ⛪Almudena Cathedral ✨ Contrasting attractions: ▫️ The exterior is gray and white Gothic style, but the interior is full of colorful modern murals ▫️ Climb to the top for €5, 360° view of the Royal Palace + panoramic view of Madrid (the stairs are narrow but worth it!) 📌 Little-known fact: Construction here was suspended for 110 years and it almost became an "unfinished building"! 🦐 Mercado de San Miguel 🍽Eat with your eyes closed list: ❶ €1 oysters (Ostras Sanlúcar stall) ❷ €4 Fried Squid Sandwich (La Casa del Bacalao) ❸ €3 Sangria (bar at the market entrance) 📸 Amazing camera position: aerial view of the wrought iron dome and the crowd on the second floor, giving it a cinematic feel! 🎨Prado Museum 🖼Three treasures of the museum: 1️⃣ Velázquez’s “Las Meninas” (the mysterious person in the mirror is the painter himself!) 2️⃣ Goya's "The Naked Maja" (a bold work that was once banned by the church) 3️⃣ Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights” (so many details that it’s dizzying) 💡Money-saving trick: Free admission 2 hours before closing (but queue up 1 hour in advance) 🌅Mirador del Templo de Debod 📸 Sunset Trilogy: 1. Arrive at 18:00 and take photos of the temple reflection by the pond 2. 18:30 Backlit portrait silhouette 3. Take a panoramic photo at 19:00 when the palace lights up ✨ Unpopular Easter egg: Don’t miss the Egyptian hieroglyphic slabs under the temple! ⚠️【Blood and tears lesson】 1️⃣ Choose the earliest show for the Palace tickets! After 10 o'clock, there are too many tour groups 2️⃣ Prado backpack storage €1, don't carry too much weight until your legs break 3️⃣ The wind at the Temple of Debod is super strong! Wear a long skirt with a jacket 4️⃣ €20 in cash is enough in the market, many stalls refuse to accept large banknotes