The best places in Madrid to take a photo

We’ve maped out some of the city's most Instagrammable places for you to explore.

Updated 21 October 2024

The Gran Vía / Carrión Building

To start with, let’s go to the best known street in Madrid, the Gran Vía, and we will stop at Callao, so that the emblematic Carrión Building and its  Schweppes advert, can appear in the background of the photo and, with a bit of luck, we will also get the spectacular Callao Cine in the picture.

Retiro Lake

Now it's time to head to the Embarcadero in El Retiro Park and take some beautiful snapshots. There you can hire a little rowing boat to take out on the lake beside the spectacular Monument to Alfonso XII.

Railway Museum

This museum is located in the former Delicias station, enabling you to discover a whole collection of historic railway material, ranging from vehicles (locomotives to passenger carriages) to all types of pieces, elements, photographs or re-creations that illustrate the different professions related to the railway throughout its history.  If you are a fan of the Harry Potter saga, you will feel as if you are on Platform 9 3/4 and will be able to take a photo with these historic trains.

Madrid’s European Cups

Are you a football fan and a Real Madrid supporter? Do you want to have your photo taken with the team’s 15 European Cups? To do so, we suggest a visit to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium to immortalise these trophies.

Enjoying flamenco

If you are interested in flamenco, El Corral de la Morería is the ultimate temple to this art form, where some of the biggest names in flamenco have performed. It opens every day of the year, and you can always take a photo with the artists performing that evening, with the flamenco tablao as the backdrop. Other great flamenco venues include Torres Bermejas, decorated to look like the Alhambra in Granada, Cardamomo, right by the Puerta del Sol, and Las Tablas, the largest flamenco venue in Madrid.

With a squid roll

You can’t visit Madrid without tasting its traditional squid roll.... Where is the best place to try one? The city’s most famous square, Plaza Mayor, where you must visit La ideal, La Campana, Casa Rua or El Brillante.

With the peacocks

Do you want to take a photo with a peacock in the centre of Madrid? Visit the gardens of Campo del Moro, adjacent to the Royal Palace, and meet these spectacular animals. There are also pheasants, turtledoves, parrots and ducks on the park’s 20 hectares.

The most emblematic statues

If you are visiting Plaza de Santa Ana, next to the Teatro Español, you will find the statue that Julio López Hernández dedicated to the writer from Granada, Federico García Lorca, one of the great Spanish poets of the 20th century.  In Plaza de Colón, there is a large sculpture that is more than two metres high by Jaume Plensa, known as Julia.

Immersive Museums

Madrid boasts many cultural spaces where you can touch, smell, take photos or let yourself be seduced by their surprising immersive experiences.  This is the case of museums like Museum of Illusions Madrid, IKONO, Sweet Space Museum, Nomad Immersive Museum or the Happiness Museum.

Mirador de la Cornisa observation deck

Located in the Plaza de la Armería, between the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral, this viewpoint offers stunning views over the Campo del Moro Gardens and Casa de Campo. An ideal place, which is free to access, where you can take great photos.

Temple of Debod

One of the best views over the city can be seen from Temple of Debod.  It is one of the most photographed places in Madrid that will make you feel as if you were in Egypt.

With views from the rooftops

The terraces and rooftop swimming pools are all the rage, and what better place to immortalise your visit than to take a photo in one of the trendiest places with excellent views over the Madrid skyline?  We suggest a visit to the 360° Terrace and Sky Bar on the rooftop of the Hotel Riu Plaza de España; the Cibeles Rooftop; El Jardín de Diana on the tenth floor of the Hotel Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid; and Dani Brasserie on the rooftop of the luxury Four Seasons hotel. In summer, don’t miss the rooftop of The Madrid Edition  hotel, with Madrid’s largest luxury infinity pool; or the infinity pool at the Thompson Madrid hotel.

Quinta de los Molinos

The almond trees in blossom at Quinta de los Molinos is a sight worthy of photographing.  It is a public garden close to IFEMA MADRID and the Atlético de Madrid stadium. 

Puerta de Alcalá

This monumental entrance, opened in 1778, which is located next to the Retiro Park, is one of the tourist icons in Madrid. It is undoubtedly one of the places most photographed by visitors.

Bloom

Do you want to feel as if you were in a fairy tale? Salvador Bachiller has a beautiful and bright culinary space with a romantic feel, decorated with flowers in every corner of the establishment.  

San Miguel Market

Opened in 1916 as a food market, this century-old market has become a must place to visit in Madrid.  Its culinary offer includes creations by well-known chefs on the national and international scene. Take a photo eating some of its best tapas!

The most creative cocktail bars

Cocktail bars never stop reinventing themselves and they serve customers the most original creations created in a unique way.  This is the case of establishments like  Inclán Brutal Bar, Lovo Bar, Camerino Cocktail Bar, Santamaría Cocktail Bar, Rosi La Loca or La Santoría where you can have a photo taken of you savouring one of the bartenders’ original creations.