Routes Around Madrid

puerta del sol

Madrid is the beautiful capital of Spain, a city whose buildings and streets tell the story of the whole country. Madrid is also a metropolis where many people come together, as it’s the centre of major economic hubs, museums, theatres and more. It’s also home to the seat of the Spanish government, the UN, the UNWTO, the Royal Spanish Academy, the Motor Show, Cibeles Madrid Fashion Week and many others, all of which give this great city a unique energy.

That’s why it’s very important to know all the information you need about the different routes around Madrid, so you can get around comfortably.

What are the routes in Madrid?

In Madrid, like in any great metropolis, there are different routes depending on your interest. Among them are:

Route to visit churches in Madrid

Madrid has a wide variety of churches, and the most iconic and most visited by everyone are:

  • Church of San Antonio de los Alemanes.
  • Basilica of San Francisco el Grande.
  • Church of San Jerónimo.
  • Parish of San Manuel and San Benito.
  • Chapel of San Antonio de la Florida.
  • German Church of Peace.
  • Church of Santa María Magdalena.
  • Church of San Ginés.
  • Crypt of the Almudena Cathedral.

Tourist routes around Madrid by car

The best tourist routes around Madrid are:

  • Sierra Norte. This area is made up of 42 municipalities running through the Sierra del Lobosillo, Somosierra, Guadarrama and Cabrera, where you can watch the Lozoya and Jarama rivers flow.
  • Sierra de la Cabrera. Also located to the north, with beautiful rural, rocky landscapes.
  • Sierra de Gredos. If you take this route around Madrid, you’ll be able to enjoy the Tormes River valley all the way to Barco de Ávila.
Royal Palace of Madrid

Routes to discover museums in Madrid

In Madrid you’ll find great museums and can create your own route to tour them. We can mention the most important ones:

  • Prado Museum.
  • Reina Sofía National Art Centre Museum.
  • Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.
  • National Archaeological Museum.
  • Museum of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.
  • National Museum of Natural Sciences.
  • Museum of Decorative Arts.
  • History Museum of Madrid.
  • Railway Museum.

Food route in Madrid

Madrid has an unrivalled food scene that makes it appealing to locals and visitors alike. If you like traditional Madrid cuisine, you can visit the Parador de Alcalá de Henares, Hostería del Estudiante, La Máquina de la Moraleja, El Cenador de Salvador, Hostería de las Monjas, El Vagón de Beni, El Palacio de Negralejo, among others.

If, on the other hand, you prefer more upscale restaurants, we can mention Michelin-starred ones such as DiverXO, Club Allard, Kabuki Wellington, Santceloni, Kabuki, La Terraza del Casino, Sergio Arola Gastro, Álbora, Lúa, Punto MX, DSTAgE, La Cabra, among others.

Madrid route to visit parks

The city of Madrid has beautiful parks offering natural scenery and moments of relaxation to all visitors and locals. You can discover Parque Europa, the Campo del Moro, El Retiro Park, the Parque del Oeste, El Capricho de la Alameda de Osuna, the Juan Carlos I park, the Juan Pablo II park and many more.

Shopping route in Madrid

In Madrid you can shop in different areas and stores. Here’s a list of different areas to shop in Madrid:

  • Salamanca neighbourhood.
  • Barrio de las Letras (Literary Quarter).
  • Gran Vía. You can do three shopping routes: from Alcalá to Red de San Luis, from there to Callao and then to Plaza de España.
  • Shopping centres in Madrid. ABC Serrano, Príncipe Pío, Moda Shopping, La Vaguada, Plaza Río 2, La Ermita, La Gavia, Arturo Soria Plaza, Plenilunio, among many others.

How do you get around the different routes in Madrid? To get around the routes of Madrid comfortably, you can do so by your own car, taxi, rental cars, buses and the metro.

Travelling Madrid’s routes by your own or a rental car

If you have your own car, you’ll be able to get around the different routes of Madrid comfortably. And if not, you can rent cars from various agencies and get around easily.

It’s important to keep the following precautions in mind before using your own or a rental car to travel the routes of Madrid, such as checking the following parts of your car: the oil, the injectors, filters, suspension, the car battery, the tyres, the windscreen, the fuel, among others.

Taxis to get around the routes of Madrid

Taxis are another great option for travelling Madrid’s routes. We know that many companies, organisations, tourism agencies and private individuals use taxi services to move their staff, guests, businesspeople and tourists around safely and comfortably.

Gran Vía, Madrid

Buses in Madrid

The city of Madrid has a wide range of buses for the urban area as public transport, with approximately 207 lines. You can find this bus service in areas such as Avenida de América, Méndez Álvaro and Plaza de Castilla, as well as Moncloa, Príncipe Pío and Plaza Elíptica.

The Madrid Metro

The Madrid Metro dates back to 1919 and is made up of 302 stations. It’s indeed one of the ways to get around Madrid, as it’s fast and affordable, allowing its users to travel the routes of Madrid.

Below we leave you all the information about the different Madrid Metro lines:

  • Line 1: Pinar de Chamartín – Valdecarros
  • Line 2: Las Rosas – Cuatro Caminos
  • Line 3: Villaverde Alto – Moncloa
  • Line 4: Argüelles – Pinar de Chamartín
  • Line 5: Alameda de Osuna – Casa de Campo
  • Line 6: Circular
  • Line 7: Hospital de Henares – Pitis
  • Line 8: Nuevos Ministerios – Airport T4
  • Line 9: Paco de Lucía – Arganda del Rey
  • Line 10: Hospital Infanta Sofía – Puerta del Sur
  • Line 11: Plaza Elíptica – La Fortuna
  • Line 12: MetroSur
  • Branch line (R): Ópera – Príncipe Pío

Madrid Light Rail (Metro Ligero) lines

  • Line 1: Pinar de Chamartín – Las Tablas
  • Line 2: Colonia Jardín – Estación de Aravaca
  • Line 3: Colonia Jardín – Puerta de Boadilla

Don’t forget that to get around the routes of Madrid you’ll need to check the different public transport services such as the metro and buses, as well as car rental services and taxis.