Perfect Sunday in Madrid

It is said that a Sunday well spent brings a week of content. The last day of the week happens to be one of the best days to enjoy all that Madrid has to offer. So, how do you spend the perfect Sunday in Madrid? Apart from the obvious and world popular Sunday brunch, here are a few ideas you may find useful when planning your stay. Bonus: most of them are free!

These photos were taken in Retiro and around. I was with a group of girlfriends enjoying a beautiful fall Sunday afternoon in the park and then we took a walk to find a place for tea and chat. Once you leave the park, there are plenty of beautiful buildings nearby. It's one of the most beautiful areas in Madrid. So that's my first plan for you.

El Retiro
Retiro park is hands down the best place to see fall foliage in Madrid. The variety of trees all in different shades of red or gold are a feast for the eyes. One of its landmarks is Palacio de Cristal, a glass and wrought-iron construction, which dates from the 19th century. Entrance is free.

Visit Mercado de Motores
The entrance to this railway museum is free and only opens on weekends: Saturdays from 11am to 10pm and Sundays from 11am to 9pm. Apart from seeing trains from different times in history there's a great vintage market and food trucks.
The Flea Market takes place the second weekend of every month. Find the next dates here.

El Rastro
If you are a fan of flea markets you can't miss El Rastro, the largest in Madrid. You can access it from Embajadores station or Puerta de Toledo. It is located in the neighborhood of La Latina and opens every Sunday and every bank holiday. The most popular flea market in Madrid is 400 years old with stands that sell not only everyday objects but also unique items. The origin of the name is nonetheless curious: el rastro means “the trail” and is derived from the tanneries that used to exist there. When the animals were taken from the slaughterhouses to the tanneries, they would leave a trail of blood and that's where the name comes from.
More info here

Templo de Debod
This Egyptian structure looks its best during sunset which right now, after daylight savings time, happens at 6pm. Apart from walking around Parque del Oeste, where the temple is located, you can visit the inside of the temple. On Sundays it's open from 9:30am to 8pm. Entrance is free.
Website

GET THE LOOK

Prado Museum
The most famous museum in Spain and one of the most important in Europe. It's free from Monday to Saturday between 6pm to 8pm, on Sundays and public holidays from 5pm to 7pm.
Visit the official website here

Museo Reina Sofia
This modern art museum is home to Picasso’s iconic Guernica and is free from 1:30pm to 7pm every Sunday.
Website

Casa de Campo
This is Spain's largest green space and dates back to the 16th century. Casa de Campo is where many madrileños spend their Sunday. The park has a large lake, where you can hire a boat or a kayak. There are also plenty of restaurants around the lake. Casa de Campo includes sports facilities, numerous paths for running and cycling, the famous aerial cable car, an amusement park, the zoo Aquarium and the Madrid Arena venue.
Official site

Madrid Río
Walk along the banks of river Manzanares. Ten kilometres of green zone with a few leisure areas which include swings and zip-lines among other things.
Website

Monastery “Las Descalzas Reales”
You can find this monastery close to Callao. This convent occupies the old palace where Carlos I and Isabel of Portugal used to live. You can visit the monastery or just buy delicious pastries from the enclosed nuns who still live there. On Sundays it's open from 10am to 3pm.
More info here

Matadero
A former slaughterhouse turned cultural center. A complex of pavilions built in 1911 which in 1996 was turned into the "laboratory" for contemporary artistic creation that we know today.
Check out their schedule to see what's going on.

How do you like to spend your Sundays?

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