Madrid itinerary: art, tapas and a day trip, planned for you
Madrid runs late. Museums in the morning, long lunches, a walk in El Retiro and tapas that start after nine. Your todo.is agent turns this prompt into a Madrid itinerary that follows the city's rhythm, puts the Golden Triangle museums on sensible days and adds a day trip to Toledo or Segovia by train.
The prompt
- I'm going to Madrid for [NUMBER OF DAYS] days from [ARRIVAL DATE] with [WHO IS TRAVELLING]. Build an itinerary that follows Madrid hours: museums in the morning, lunch around 14:00, dinner after 21:00. Pick from the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen based on our taste: [ART TASTE]. Group each day by area (Centro, Austrias, La Latina, Salamanca, Malasaña, Retiro). Include a day trip to [DAY TRIP] with train times and station. Add the free-entry hours of the main museums and say they may change. 2 tapas or lunch spots per day. Send a PDF to my email. Don't book anything.
What to change
- [NUMBER OF DAYS]: E.g. "3" or "4". Four lets you add a day trip.
- [ARRIVAL DATE]: Day you arrive, e.g. "Friday 10 October".
- [WHO IS TRAVELLING]: E.g. "2 adults", "me and my dad, football fans".
- [ART TASTE]: E.g. "classic masters like Velázquez and Goya", "modern, Picasso's Guernica", or "not into museums".
- [DAY TRIP]: E.g. "Toledo", "Segovia", "El Escorial", or "none".
Example result
- Madrid in 4 days, 2 adults
- Classic art, food and one day trip · Friday to Monday
- Where to stay
- • Sol / Huertas (Barrio de las Letras): central, walkable to the museums, lively bars.
- • Salamanca: elegant and calmer, near El Retiro, good Metro links.
- Day 1, Friday: Madrid de los Austrias
- • Afternoon: Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, then the Royal Palace (timed ticket) and Almudena Cathedral.
- • Sunset at the Templo de Debod.
- • Evening: tapas on Cava Baja in La Latina.
- Day 2, Saturday: Prado and El Retiro
- • Morning: Museo del Prado at opening. Focus on Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's black paintings and Bosch.
- • Lunch: menú del día in Huertas.
- • Afternoon: El Retiro park: the Crystal Palace, a rowing boat on the lake.
- • Evening: Malasaña or Chueca for dinner and drinks.
- Day 3, Sunday: Toledo day trip
- • Morning: high-speed train from Atocha (about 35 min). Bus or taxi up to the old town.
- • Cathedral, the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, the Mirador del Valle viewpoint.
- • Afternoon: marzipan from a convent shop, then back to Madrid.
- • Evening: Sunday-morning tip if you skip Toledo: El Rastro flea market in La Latina.
- Day 4, Monday: Reina Sofía and Salamanca
- • Morning: Reina Sofía for Picasso's Guernica (check its closing day; it differs from the Prado).
- • Afternoon: shopping on Calle de Serrano, lunch at Mercado de San Antón or San Miguel.
- • Evening: churros con chocolate before you leave.
- Good to know
- • The Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen have free-entry periods; check each official site for current times, and expect queues.
- • The Metro is fast and simple; a multi-trip card works for short stays.
- • Summer afternoons are very hot. Plan indoor visits or a siesta from 14:00 to 17:00.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your days, arrival, group, art taste and day trip.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Your agent sends a Madrid PDF with museum timing, train links and tapas spots.
- Ask for changes ("swap Toledo for Segovia", "add a Real Madrid stadium tour") and book yourself.
Tips for a better result
- Don't try all three big museums in one day. Two hours in each is plenty, and art fatigue is real.
- Ask your agent to plan around Madrid hours. A 19:00 dinner reservation leaves you in an empty room.
- Toledo is hilly. Ask for the escalators from the riverside car park up to the old town.
- If you love football, ask for the Bernabéu tour or a match-day plan with metro links.
Madrid itinerary: FAQ
- How many days do you need in Madrid? Two or three days covers the main museums, the Royal Palace and El Retiro. Four lets you add Toledo or Segovia.
- Is Toledo or Segovia the better day trip from Madrid? Toledo has the medieval old town and cathedral; Segovia has the Roman aqueduct and the Alcázar. Both are about 30 minutes by fast train.
- When is the best time to visit Madrid? Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November) are pleasant. July and August are hot, and many locals leave the city in August.
- Can my agent add the plan to my Google Calendar? Yes. Connect Google and ask it to add each day's stops as calendar events with addresses.
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