About 200 metres — a 3-minute walk through the Royal Botanical Garden entrance, which sits right alongside the park.
Discover Authentic Madrid: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Madrid, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as the Temple of Debod, Casa Labra and the Mercado de la Cebada.
Top 5 Things to Do in Madrid
Museo del Prado
Velázquez, Goya, Bosch — the Prado is 200 metres from the hotel, about a 3-minute walk. Go right at opening (10am) or after 6pm when the free evening hours start, and you'll dodge most of the tour groups that pack the Las Meninas room midday.
Casa-Museo Lope de Vega
The house on Calle Cervantes 11 where the playwright lived from 1610 until his death in 1635, preserved with his original furniture and the small walled garden he wrote about. It's free, it's a 6-minute walk from the hotel, and it explains why this whole neighbourhood is called Barrio de las Letras.
Plaza de Santa Ana
Ringed by open-air terraces and tapas bars, this is where Barrio de las Letras actually comes alive in the evening. Grab a table, order a caña and a plate of croquetas, and watch the square fill up as the sun goes down — it gets busy after 9pm, especially Thursday to Saturday.
Mercado de San Miguel
A wrought-iron market hall near Plaza Mayor, about a 15-minute walk or a few stops on Line 1 from Antón Martín. Go for the jamón ibérico and the vermouth on tap rather than a full meal — it's built for grazing between stalls, not sitting down.
Parque del Retiro
Madrid's answer to a proper city park, right down to the rowing boats on the pond in front of the Monument to Alfonso XII. The entrance nearest the hotel is 200 metres away — about a 3-minute walk — through the Royal Botanical Garden gate.
Explore Madrid's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Madrid
We've mapped local spots in Madrid, from an Egyptian temple to classic tapas bars. Hungry yet?
Food & markets
La Casa de las Torrijas
Steps from Plaza Mayor and open since 1907, this tavern serves torrijas soaked in milk, wine or dulce de leche, with sweet wine or homemade vermouth. Opening hours are short, so plan ahead.
Calle de la Paz, near Plaza Mayor · Tavern · Perfect for a sweet treat
Casa Labra
A Madrid institution since 1860, where the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party was founded in 1879. Today, you come for the cod croquettes and soldaditos de Pavía – eaten standing at the bar.
Calle Tetuán, Sol · Tapas bar · Great for classic tapas
Mercado de la Cebada
One of Madrid's largest food markets, in La Latina. Come on Saturday at lunchtime, when locals share seafood over a glass of Valdepeñas – and join in.
La Latina · Market · Ideal for Saturday lunch
El Rastro
Madrid's Sunday flea market. Browse the stalls, then do as locals do and finish with a vermouth.
La Latina · Flea market · Perfect for a Sunday
Mercado de Motores
A monthly market of artisans, food and collectibles in the old hall of the Railway Museum, among vintage trains.
Delicias · Market · Made for weekends
Lost & Found Market
A purely vintage market of clothes, vinyl and homeware. Come with an empty bag.
Vintage market · Great for retro lovers
Rave Market
One Sunday a month, the La Riviera concert hall turns into a market of second-hand clothing, art and design, with DJs and live music.
La Riviera · Monthly market · Perfect for vintage finds
Adelita Market
A small community flea market where anyone can sell what they no longer use, built around reuse and local consumption. Held on the third Saturday of the month.
City centre · Flea market · Ideal for bargain hunting
Culture
Temple of Debod
A real ancient Egyptian temple, given to Spain in 1968 and rebuilt stone by stone in Parque del Oeste. Come at sunset and watch the sky turn gold behind it.
Parque del Oeste · Ancient temple · Made for sunsets
Naval Museum staircase
Paseo del Prado · Museum · Perfect for architecture
La Neomudéjar
In an old railway warehouse near Atocha, an alternative art centre with more than 1,500 works and a focus on video art. Open Wednesday to Sunday; €6.
Atocha · Contemporary art centre · Great for avant-garde art
Museo Lázaro Galdiano
A little-known palace museum holding 12,646 works, from prehistory to the 19th century. You'll likely have whole rooms to yourself.
Salamanca · Museum · Ideal for art lovers
Casa Museo Lope de Vega
The preserved 17th-century home of the Golden Age playwright – step into his study, kitchen and garden.
Barrio de las Letras · House museum · Perfect for literature
Matadero Madrid
The city's former 1911 slaughterhouse, now a contemporary arts centre of exhibitions, theatre and design.
Arganzuela · Cultural centre · Made for culture
Barrio de las Letras
The literary quarter where Cervantes and Lope de Vega lived. Look for their quotes in the pavement, then settle into one of its bars.
Centro · Neighbourhood · Great for an evening out
Parks & views
El Capricho park
An 18th-century landscaped garden created for the Duchess of Osuna – one of Madrid's most beautiful parks, and one of its least known.
Alameda de Osuna · Park · Perfect for a quiet walk
Quinta de los Molinos
A park famous for its almond trees, blossoming pink and white in late February and March.
San Blas · Park · Ideal in early spring
Teleférico de Madrid
A 2.5 km cable car ride from Pintor Rosales, over the Manzanares, to Casa de Campo. Grab a window.
Moncloa · Cable car · Made for views
Cerro del Tío Pío
A park of seven hills in Vallecas, where locals gather for panoramic views as the sun goes down.
Vallecas · Park · Perfect for sunset
FAQ
Yes, it's roughly 800 metres, about a 15-minute walk, or 2 minutes on Line 1 from Antón Martín station near the hotel.
It's 200 metres from the hotel — about 3 minutes on foot. The Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza, forming Madrid's 'Art Triangle' with the Prado, are both under 500 metres away too.
In Parque del Oeste in central Madrid; it was a gift from Egypt in 1968 and is best at sunset.
At La Casa de las Torrijas near Plaza Mayor, open since 1907.
One of Madrid's largest food markets, in La Latina, known for seafood on Saturday lunchtimes.
Where to Sleep in Madrid
See Mercure hotels in Madrid, all within reach of these picks.