IMMERSE YOURSELF IN MADRID'S CREATIVITY AND CULTURE

In Madrid, every traveler can move to their own beat. There’s no fee for experiencing the city’s energy and many inspiring moments. From catching a film or wandering through art exhibitions, to losing yourself in beautiful parks and gardens, Madrid’s culture and creativity are always within reach.
Seven days a week, the city offers endless ways to feel its pulse without losing a beat.

 

Spanish Film Library

 

 

In the heart of Lavapiés, Spain’s cinematic memory is alive and well–thanks to Filmoteca Española. Since 1953, this is where the nation’s film heritage has been preserved, shared and showcased at the iconic Cine Doré. One-of-a-kind screenings, talks, and cultural events happen in the baroque Palacio del Marqués de Perales. Dating back to 1732, the Filmoteca is more than an archive; it’s a living tribute to the art of storytelling on screen.

 

Cine Doré

Just steps from Calle Santa Isabel, the Cine Doré is where the Filmoteca brings cinema to life. Since 1912, this modernist landmark has welcomed audiences with screenings from every corner of the world, at prices that keep culture accessible.  With its restored Salon Doré, a contemporary second screen, and a lively café, the Cine Doré remains a timeless meeting place for film lovers in Madrid.

Royal Botanic Garden

Home to over 5,500 plant species, the Royal Botanical Garden has been cultivating wonder since the 18th century. This living treasure in the heart of Madrid invites visitors to wander through greenhouses and shaded paths where science and history intertwine. Guided tours and themed routes, like the Andalusí journey through Islamic Spain, reveal the stories, scents, and secrets behind its extraordinary collection. A great place to keep your spirit of discovery alive.

Círculo de Bellas Artes

Founded in 1880, Círculo de Bellas Artes has long been a meeting point for creativity in Madrid. Its historic building, designed by Antonio Palacios, has hosted everyone from young Picasso to leading writers and thinkers of the 20th century. Today, it’s still one of the city’s cultural landmarks, with exhibitions, performances, and a rooftop terrace that offers some of the best views over Gran Vía.

 

Faro de Moncloa

One visit to Faro de Moncloa and you’ll see where the saying ‘from madrid to heaven’ comes from. What was originally built as a transmission tower in 1992 is now a observation deck lifting visitors 92 meters above the city for sweeping views of Madrid. On clear days the skyline feels endless as destinations like the Royal Palace to the Cuatro Torres and even the Sieraa de Guadarrama are in sight. Take a ride on the glass lift to the top and appreciate the city from a truly elevated point of view.

Cineteca Madrid

Matadero Madrid has turned part of its old industrial grounds into a space fully dedicated to film. Since 2011, it has hosted a program that highlights independent cinema, documentary work, and creative collaborations across the city. At its heart is the Azcona Hall, often called one of the most impressive cinema spaces in Europe, with state-of-the-art sound and projection for an audience of 224. Alongside it, the Plató Hall, workshops, and an open courtyard make this a vibrant hub where filmmakers and audiences meet.

Conde Duque

Conde Duque is one of Madrid’s great cultural landmarks. Once an 18th-century barracks for the Royal Corps guards, its baroque architecture was nearly lost until the city restored it and reopened the space in 2011. Today, behind its pink-hued façade, you’ll find exhibition halls, a theater, and an auditorium that host events all year round. It’s also home to archives, libraries, and the city’s Museum of Contemporary Art, making Conde Duque a place where Madrid’s past and present come together through culture.

 

La Almudena Cathedral

Madrid’s Almudena Cathedral has a history as complex as its architecture. What began in 1879 as a pantheon for Queen María de las Mercedes eventually became the city’s cathedral, though decades of delays and changing plans slowed its completion. Construction stretched through wars, funding shortages, and redesigns until 1993, when Pope John Paul II consecrated the building. Today, its blend of styles reflects that long journey, and visitors can also explore its museum, which honors the city’s patron saints and the life of the Church.

Off Latina

In the heart of La Latina, this cultural hub brings theatre to life for every generation. Its program spans beloved children’s shows, contemporary plays, and FIET, a platform dedicated to training, research, and experimentation. Inside, you’ll find a bar on the main floor, a 68-seat theatre in the upper cellar, and a vaulted 17th-century space that blends historic charm with modern tech, seating up to 81.

Mictroteatro por dinero

 

In Malasaña, Microtheatre keeps the city’s creative pulse alive. It started in 2009 in a former brothel, where artists staged short plays for small groups several times a day. That same format continues today, letting you decide how many shows to see and how much to spend. The space has since expanded into a cultural hub with concerts, film screenings, art, and more. There is also a bar serving homemade food, cocktails, and long drinks.

Native 10 Matadero

At Matadero Madrid, Nave 10 is a city-run home for contemporary theatre. It supports new writing and directing, presents a regular public program, and gives artists space to test ideas and build work. The project lives across the Max Aub, Hormigón and Madera halls, and stays connected to the neighborhood through open mediation and workshops. Its focus is contemporary authorship in Spanish and fresh directorial approaches, with a strong commitment to training and experimentation.

Artistic Metropol

Artistic Metropol is an independent cinema in Arganzuela with a reputation for championing auteur films and new releases since 2012. Its 67-seat theatre screens everything from timeless classics to fresh premieres, while also hosting special events and collaborating with major festivals to highlight emerging talent. Beyond programming, it supports film professionals with services that range from exhibition and production to marketing, design and sound. The space is also available for private screenings and celebrations, making it a versatile hub for cinema lovers and creators alike.

La Casa Encendida

La Casa Encendida is a social and cultural hub in Madrid run by the Montemadrid Foundation. It brings together avant-garde art, educational programs, and spaces for reflection and debate across culture, solidarity, environment, and education. Inside, you’ll find a library, children’s library, mediateca, computer room, and a café. On the rooftop, La Terraza grows its own vegetables and offers some of the city’s best sunsets, along with year-round breakfasts, brunches, wines, cocktails, and beers. Housed in a Neo-Mudéjar building designed by Fernando Arbós, it has been welcoming visitors since 1913.

Quinta de los Molinos Espacio Abierto

Quinta de Los Molinos is a cultural space in Madrid designed for children and teens, with programs that spark creativity from an early age. Housed in a historic mansion owned by the city since 1982, it offers workshops, shows, and events where young people can learn, play, and connect. The space includes the Urbanoteca for younger kids, #PlayQuinta for teens, a theatre for performances and films, and classrooms for hands-on workshops and art projects. Families can also enjoy the Café-Jardín, where dishes are prepared by students from the on-site culinary school, blending creativity, learning, and fun for all ages.

Turrón Museum

Since 2023, Casa 1880 on Calle Arenal has been home to Madrid’s first turrón museum. Visitors can take a self-guided tour with hourly entry to explore more than 500 years of history behind this sweet tradition. The experience begins in a tunnel of almond blossoms and unfolds through sights, sounds, and aromas that trace the ingredients, tools, and customs tied to turrón making. The visit ends with a tasting of classic and new creations from the Sirvent family of Jijona, who have been crafting nougat, chocolates, and sweets for twelve generations.

The Naval Museum

The Naval Museum, located on Madrid’s Art Walk, explores Spain’s maritime history from the Middle Ages to today. Founded in 1792 and opened in its current home in 1932, the museum was most recently renovated in 2020 with modern, accessible galleries. Its collection spans more than 12,000 pieces, from ship models and maps to navigation instruments, uniforms, and personal objects of sailors. One highlight is the 1500 world map by Juan de la Cosa, the first to include the Americas, created after his voyages with Columbus. Together, the collection offers a vivid look at centuries of exploration, science, and seafaring life.

Mapfre Foundation. Recoletos Exhibition Hall

This exhibition space presents works from the late 19th century through the years that followed the Second World War, offering a look at the evolution of the plastic arts during that time. The hall opened in 2008 inside a building designed by Agustín Ortiz de Villajos between 1881 and 1884 for the Duchess of Medina de las Torres. Originally built with four floors and a semi-basement, two towers were added to the corners in 1910. Today, after a series of renovations, the building houses nearly 1,000 square meters of exhibition space across three galleries. The Fundación Mapfre once maintained another nearby venue dedicated to photography, the Bárbara de Braganza Exhibition Hall, which has since closed permanently.

EMT Museum

The EMT Museum preserves the legacy of Madrid’s public transport with a collection of more than forty historic vehicles alongside an array of artifacts that trace the company’s history. Housed in the former General Repair Shop at the Fuencarral Depot, the space itself is a striking example of industrial architecture from the 1950s and 1960s. Visitors can discover everything from engines, models, uniforms and maps to original bus shelters, tram seats and even a replica of the Belgian tram number 477. The museum also holds an extensive archive of documents and photographs that capture the evolution of Madrid’s transport system. As it is located within an active EMT work center, visits are available by prior reservation only.

La Neomudéjar

La Neomudéjar is an avant-garde arts center and international artist residency set in the old railway offices beside Atocha Station, where freight wagons once unloaded directly at its doors. Today the neo-mudéjar building has become a canvas for experimental creation, hosting video art festivals, installations, talks and exhibitions, while resident artists leave their imprint on the space itself. Its architecture ties it closely to Madrid’s artistic heritage, as the neo-mudéjar style found one of its strongest expressions in the city. Until 2024 its permanent collection was housed in the Zapadores Museum in Fuencarral, a former army barracks that closed as part of the Madrid Nuevo Norte development, with plans for the works to be relocated to a new home.