Madrid in 24 hours: how to make the most of your layover

A 24-hour layover in Madrid gives you time to see the essentials of the city: the Prado Museum and the Paseo del Arte, the Retiro, the Plaza Mayor and the Mercado de San Miguel, the Royal Palace and a sunset at the Temple of Debod, with an evening of tapas in the centre. Barajas Airport is close to the city, and by taxi you go straight to the centre at a fixed fare of €33. The key is to plan your departure well and, above all, your return, so that you are at the terminal 2 hours ahead if your next flight is European and 3 if it is international.

• Documents: if you are arriving from outside the Schengen area, you will go through passport control and will need to meet the requirements for entering Spain.
• Luggage: if both flights are on the same booking, your checked suitcase will usually go through to your final destination. Head out with just the essentials in a rucksack.
• Accommodation: with 24 hours, it is a good idea to sleep for a few hours. A central hotel lets you drop off your rucksack and get around on foot.
• Transfer: at the official taxi rank at your terminal, or booked in advance so that someone is waiting for you when you come out.

This route is designed for a layover that starts in the morning. If you land in the afternoon, reverse it: an evening in the centre, a rest and museums the next day.

Morning: art and the Retiro

Start at the Prado Museum, one of the world's great art galleries, with masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya and Bosch. With little time, choose beforehand which rooms to see; do not try to cover it all. A few steps away are the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía, which together with the Prado make up the so-called Paseo del Arte (Art Walk), which we talk about in a visit to the Paseo del Arte. Afterwards, cross over to the Retiro: the Great Pond and the Crystal Palace make a perfect break. If you are staying in the area, we will pick you up with the taxi from Retiro to the airport when it is time to go back.

Midday: tapas in Habsburg Madrid

Head down to the Plaza Mayor, with the bars around it, and the Mercado de San Miguel, in an early 20th-century iron building, where you can graze on everything: croquettes, ham, cheeses, oysters or vermouth. It is an informal lunch that leaves you time to carry on.

Afternoon: the Royal Palace and the Almudena

The Royal Palace is the official residence of the Crown, although the royal family does not live there and it is used for state occasions, and one of the largest palaces in Europe, with more than 3,000 rooms. A visit can be combined with Almudena Cathedral, just opposite, and the Sabatini Gardens. We give you more details in the Royal Palace, a must-see in Madrid.

Sunset and evening

Walk to the Temple of Debod, a genuine Egyptian temple given to Spain, to watch the sun set over the Casa de Campo. In the evening, walk along the illuminated Gran Vía and have dinner in the Barrio de las Letras, with its writers' streets, or in the more bohemian Malasaña. If you like football and have a gap, the Santiago Bernabéu stadium offers tours.

For layovers of just a few hours we have a more compact route in see Madrid in three hours; if you have time to spare, consider a trip to Segovia, Toledo or Ávila during your layover.

A taxi is the most direct way to get from Barajas to the centre with hand luggage and no changes. We work with a fixed fare: from any terminal to anywhere inside the M-30, such as Sol, Gran Vía or the Paseo del Prado, it is €33, at any time and regardless of traffic. You can see how it works in our taxi in central Madrid service.

The return, the most important part

Work out your pickup time from your next flight: the recommended time ahead, the journey and an extra margin. The safest thing is to fix it the day before when you book your airport taxi, with your hotel address and your departure terminal. And if you want someone waiting for you when you land, book a pickup at the airport with your flight number.