Three days in Madrid work best like this: the Royal Palace and old Madrid, then the three great art museums, then Toledo. At official adult prices, the five main tickets on this route cost €71. With the Paseo del Arte card for the three museums, the total drops to €62.80. If you use the museums’ free hours, it can be lower still.
Prices were checked on 18–19 October 2026. Each stop shows the official price first, then the cheapest tour or ticket option we found.
Day 1: the Royal Palace and old Madrid
Morning
Royal Palace of Madrid
A self-guided visit costs €18, and the audio guide is extra. A guided visit costs €26. From October to March, the palace opens Monday to Saturday 10:00–18:00 and on Sunday until 16:00, with the box office closing an hour earlier. It can also close for state events. Citizens and residents of the EU, and citizens of Latin American countries, get free entry Monday to Thursday in the last two hours, at the box office only.
Late morning
Templo de Debod
This Egyptian temple stands in a park west of the palace and is free to visit. Booking on the city website is recommended. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–20:00, and is closed on Mondays. Come back at sunset for the view over the Casa de Campo.
Afternoon
Plaza Mayor and the Madrid of the Austrias
Walk east through the old streets around the Plaza de la Villa to the Plaza Mayor. The Mercado de San Miguel next door is the easy place for a first round of tapas.
Evening
Madrid tapas and food walking tour
A guided tapas tour of La Latina and the old centre takes you to bars you would not find alone. The cheapest small-group tour with drinks we found started at €97.99. For flamenco, Corral de la Morería has one of the city’s best-known shows. The show alone costs €95.90 with dinner extra, and on our check date the official site showed only a few seats left.
Day 2: the Paseo del Arte and the Retiro
The three museums are a short walk apart on the Paseo del Prado. Don’t plan this day for a Tuesday, when the Reina Sofía is closed.
Morning
Prado Museum
The general ticket costs €15, or €20 with the audio guide. It opens Monday to Saturday 10:00–20:00 and on Sundays until 19:00. The collection is free for the last two hours before closing, but that is usually the busiest time. See our Prado tickets guide.
Midday
Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza
The general ticket costs €14. Over-65s and students pay €10, and under-18s go in free. From September to June, it opens Tuesday to Friday 10:00–19:00, Saturday until 23:00 and Monday only from 12:00 to 16:00, when entry is free.
Afternoon
Retiro Park
Take a break in the Retiro, Madrid’s big park behind the Prado. Entry is free, and from October to March it is open from 6:00 to 22:00. The Palacio de Cristal is closed for works at the moment.
Evening
Museo Reina Sofía
The general ticket costs €12 and includes Picasso’s Guernica. The museum opens Monday and Wednesday to Saturday until 21:00, and entry is free from 19:00 to 21:00, though you still need a ticket, which you can book online. It is closed on Tuesdays.
Card or free hours? If you pay full price everywhere, the Paseo del Arte card saves you €8.20. If you visit the Reina Sofía in its free evening hours, the Prado (€15) and Thyssen (€14) cost €29 as single tickets, which is less than the card.
Day 3: Toledo
Full day
Toledo day trip from Madrid
Toledo is about 30 minutes from Madrid by AVE train, or an hour by bus. The cultural visit to the cathedral costs €12. Guided day trips from Madrid include transport and a walk through the old town. Our Toledo day trip guide compares going alone with a tour.
Prefer Segovia? The Roman aqueduct is free to see. The basic visit to the Alcázar (palace and museum) costs €7.
Football fans: the Bernabéu stadium tour costs €37 online or €40 at the ticket office. On match days the tour is shorter, and the dressing rooms are closed on match day and the day before.
What this itinerary costs
What this trip costs
| Royal Palace of MadridSelf-guided visit | €18.00 |
| Prado MuseumGeneral admission | €15.00 · Paseo del Arte card (Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen) |
| Museo Nacional Thyssen-BornemiszaGeneral | €14.00 · Paseo del Arte card (Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen) |
| Museo Reina SofíaGeneral admission (Collection + temporary exhibitions) | €12.00 · Paseo del Arte card (Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen) |
| Toledo day trip from MadridToledo Cathedral cultural visit | €12.00 |
| Total at official prices | €71.00 |
|---|---|
| With Paseo del Arte card (Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen) | €62.80 |
Entry tickets at official adult prices, checked 18 October 2026. Transport, food and tours are extra.
The total covers official adult entry tickets only. Trains to Toledo, tours, the flamenco show and food are extra.
Tips for the 3 days
- Day order: keep the museum day off Tuesdays (Reina Sofía) and Templo de Debod off Mondays.
- Free hours: the Prado in its last two hours, the Reina Sofía in the evening and the Thyssen on Monday. They are busy, so arrive early.
- Metro: the metro reaches every stop in this guide. The Paseo del Prado and the old centre are easy on foot.
- Late dinners: Madrid eats late, and flamenco shows and tapas tours mostly start in the evening.
See all Madrid guides.
Frequently asked questions
Is 3 days enough for Madrid?
Three days covers the essentials. Spend one day on the Royal Palace and old Madrid, one on the art museums of the Paseo del Prado and the Retiro, and one on a day trip to Toledo or Segovia.
How much do Madrid's main museums cost?
At official adult prices checked in October 2026, the Prado costs €15, the Thyssen-Bornemisza €14 and the Reina Sofía €12. The Paseo del Arte card covers one visit to each for €32.80, compared with €41 for three separate tickets.
When are Madrid's museums free?
The Prado is free for the last two hours before closing (Monday to Saturday 18:00–20:00, Sundays and holidays 17:00–19:00). The Reina Sofía is free on Monday and Wednesday to Saturday from 19:00 to 21:00, and on Sunday from 12:30 to 14:30, but you still need a ticket. The Thyssen is free on Mondays from 12:00 to 16:00.
Which museum is closed on Tuesdays in Madrid?
The Reina Sofía is closed on Tuesdays. The Templo de Debod is closed on Mondays.
Is the Paseo del Arte card worth it?
It is if you pay full price at all three museums, saving €8.20. If you use the free evening hours at the Prado and Reina Sofía, single tickets cost less.
Sources
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