Madrid.
Flight from TLV
5h 2m
Best season
אפר–אוק
Avg temp
21°
Currency
€ EUR · 1=₪3.52
Time zone
שעה אחת פחות מת״א בחורף ובדרך כלל גם בקיץ
Language
ספרדית
Plug
C / F · 230V
Visa
אין צורך בוויזה לישראלים לשהייה קצרה של עד 90 יום במרחב שנגן, בכפוף לדרישות הכניסה העדכניות
Safety
יעד בטוח בדרך כלל; יש להיזהר מכייסים במטרו ובאזורים עמוסים כמו גראן ויה ופוארטה דל סול
Overview
🇪🇸Madrid
🇪🇸Spain
Madrid is an energetic city break combining world-class art, excellent shopping, football and nightlife that continues until morning. Israeli travelers come to see the masterpieces at the Prado Museum, tour Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and explore the plazas and tapas bars of La Latina and Malasaña. Shopping runs from Gran Vía and Calle de Fuencarral to the designer boutiques of Salamanca, while families enjoy Retiro Park and Parque Warner. The city also offers Chabad, kosher dining such as Rimon and easy day trips to Toledo or Segovia.
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Where to stay
Where to stay in Madrid
Each area and who it suits best.
Centro: Sol and Gran Vía
This is Madrid's energetic heart, between Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, and Gran Vía's flagship stores, including the huge Primark. Hotels such as Hyatt Centric Gran Vía put you in the middle of everything, but streets stay noisy late, rooms can be compact, and weekend rates rise sharply.
Chueca and Malasaña
Around Plaza de Chueca and Calle de Fuencarral you will find cocktail bars, fashion shops, and a crowd that stays out late, while Malasaña around Plaza del Dos de Mayo feels more alternative. Only YOU Boutique Hotel is a stylish base, but street-facing rooms, nighttime noise, and crowds are part of the deal.
Barrio de las Letras and Huertas
Calle de Huertas and Plaza de Santa Ana combine tapas, cafés, and literary history within walking distance of the Prado Museum and Retiro Park. Room Mate Alba is particularly good for couples; the district feels more elegant and romantic than Sol, but the square can be noisy at night and rates are not budget-level.
Salamanca
The polished district around Calle de Serrano, Calle de Velázquez, and Retiro Park is home to Loewe, Chanel, and refined restaurants. Rosewood Villa Magna and Wellington Hotel & Spa deliver a five-star experience, but you will pay more and need the metro or a taxi for the Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor.
Retiro and Atocha
Staying near Paseo del Prado, Atocha station, and the southern edge of Retiro gives easy access to museums, lawns, and trains to Toledo. Only YOU Hotel Atocha is convenient and stylish, but the station surroundings are less picturesque after dark and Sol is about a 20-minute walk away.
Argüelles and Moncloa
Around Calle de la Princesa and Plaza de España you will find apartments, supermarkets, and more moderate dining prices, alongside the Temple of Debod and Parque del Oeste. Hotel Indigo Madrid Princesa is a convenient base, but the area is less lively than Sol and requires metro rides for some central sights.
Year-round weather
Year-round weather in Madrid
Temperature averages
Real climate dataינו
11°
3°
Cool
פבר
14°
3°
Cool
מרץ
16°
5°
Recommended
אפר
21°
8°
Recommended
מאי
24°
11°
Excellent
יונ
30°
18°
Excellent
יול
35°
20°
Hot
אוג
35°
21°
Hot
ספט
27°
15°
Excellent
אוק
22°
12°
Excellent
נוב
15°
7°
Cool
דצמ
11°
3°
Cool
Most pleasant weather: מאי · יונ · ספט · אוק
Peak season for Israelis (when everyone goes): אפר · מאי · יונ · ספט · אוק. Israeli demand peaks around Passover, Sukkot and the July-August school break for shopping, football and family trips, although midsummer is intensely hot and dry. April-June and September-October are more comfortable, with autumn especially appealing for a Real Madrid match.
Based on a 3-year average · measured in Madrid · Open-Meteo
This week in Madrid
Measured in Madrid
20°
Sunny
Next 7 days
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Things to do
Things to do in Madrid
On the map
Madrid on one map
Every spot travelers love — tap a pin for photos, opening hours, navigation and booking.
Suggested plan
A perfect Madrid itinerary
Day by day, so you can picture the whole trip.
- 1
Day 1
Sol, Plaza Mayor, and the Royal Palace
Start at Puerta del Sol before 09:00, take a photo by the Bear and Strawberry Tree statue, and walk along Calle Mayor to Plaza Mayor. Pass through Mercado de San Miguel for its atmosphere and architecture, though kosher-observant visitors should stick to a sealed drink or eat at Barganzo. Prebook the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral, then stroll through Sabatini Gardens. Head to the Temple of Debod for sunset and continue in the evening to Plaza de España and illuminated Gran Vía.
- 2
Day 2
The Prado, Retiro, and Salamanca
Enter the Prado Museum at opening with a timed reservation and focus on Velázquez, Goya, and The Garden of Earthly Delights rather than trying to see everything. Continue to Cibeles City Hall and Retiro Park, including the Crystal Palace and lake, and rent a rowing boat if the weather is pleasant. Spend the afternoon shopping along Calle de Serrano at stores such as Loewe, Zara, and El Corte Inglés. In the evening, book a flamenco performance at Corral de la Morería or Cardamomo, reserving ahead for weekends.
- 3
Day 3
Bernabéu, shopping, and nightlife
Begin with a Santiago Bernabéu Stadium tour and reserve a time in advance, especially during the football season; on match days, check which sections of the tour are closed. Continue to Nuevos Ministerios and El Corte Inglés on Calle de Raimundo Fernández Villaverde, or return to the center for shopping on Gran Vía and Fuencarral. Have a prebooked kosher dinner at Barganzo. Finish at cocktail bars in Chueca or Malasaña; for a full-scale club night, check the program and entry policy at Teatro Kapital.
- 4
Day 4
Toledo day trip
Take an early Avant train from Atocha to Toledo, a journey of about 30 minutes that should be booked ahead, especially on Sundays. Climb into the old city, visit the cathedral and Mirador del Valle, and allow time for the Jewish Quarter, El Tránsito Synagogue, and Santa María la Blanca. Toledo does not have a dependable range of kosher food, so bring sandwiches and sealed products from Madrid rather than relying on a spontaneous lunch. Return to Madrid in the evening and enjoy a relaxed walk through Barrio de las Letras.
- 5
Day 5
Reina Sofía, La Latina, and sunset
Arrive at the Reina Sofía Museum when it opens and go first to Picasso's Guernica before tour groups fill the room. Walk from there through Lavapiés into La Latina, passing Plaza de la Paja and the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande; on Sunday, add El Rastro before 11:00 and watch your phone and wallet carefully. In the afternoon, take the Casa de Campo cable car if it is operating, or walk along Madrid Río and through Casa de Campo park. Finish at sunset from a viewpoint near the Royal Palace, followed by a show or a Gran Vía rooftop bar.
- 6
Day 6
Segovia or a family day
For a day outside the city, take a high-speed train from Chamartín to Segovia-Guiomar and continue by bus to the Roman aqueduct, cathedral, and storybook-like Alcázar. Bring kosher food from Madrid because Segovia has no permanent kosher infrastructure, and return before evening. Families preferring to stay in Madrid can choose Zoo Aquarium Madrid or Parque de Atracciones in Casa de Campo, with advance tickets during busy periods. On the final evening, return to Sol for last-minute shopping at El Corte Inglés and the stores along Gran Vía.
Quick game
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Question 1 of 5
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Budget
How much does Madrid cost?
Real ILS price ranges, so you know what to expect.
Round-trip flight from TLV
₪650-1,500 (peak: ₪2,200+)
4-5 night package
₪2,200-4,200 (per person)
Mid-range hotel nightly
₪500-850 (per room)
5-star hotel nightly
₪1,150-2,500 (per room)
Restaurant meal
₪65-140 (per person)
Local beer
₪12-25
Coffee
₪7-14
Short taxi ride
₪30-55
Rental car daily
₪130-260 (before parking)
Museum or tour
₪55-130
Daily budget per person
₪350-650 (excluding hotel)
Family trip, 5 nights
₪10,500-17,500 (family of 4)
Good to know
Good to know before Madrid
Getting around
From the airport
From Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, an official taxi to an address inside the M-30 ring road has a fixed fare of about ₪130 and usually takes 20-35 minutes. Metro line 8 runs from T2 and T4 to Nuevos Ministerios in about 20 minutes for roughly ₪20-30 including the airport supplement, with a connection onward to Sol or Gran Vía. Cercanías trains run from T4 to Atocha, Chamartín, and other central stations in about 25-40 minutes for ₪10-15; the 24-hour Airport Express bus reaches Cibeles in roughly 30-45 minutes for about ₪20. Uber, Cabify, and Bolt collect from designated areas and typically cost ₪80-160 depending on demand and destination.
Need a car?
You do not need a car in Madrid: the metro is fast, the center is walkable, and hotel parking can cost ₪90-150 per night. Families with strollers should combine the metro with taxis, while young travelers can use the metro until service ends and switch to an app ride afterward. Rent a car only for villages or the Sierra de Guadarrama; trains are generally faster and easier for Toledo and Segovia.
Tips
Cabify is highly reliable and popular in Madrid, while Uber and Bolt are useful for live fare comparisons; in official taxis, make sure the meter is running outside the fixed-fare airport route. For repeated journeys, buy a reloadable Multi card and compare ten-trip products, remembering that airport metro travel carries a supplement. Madrid Central restricts many vehicles and central garages are expensive, so do not drive into Sol or Gran Vía without a reserved car park.
Kosher & Jewish
Chabad / community
Chabad Madrid operates in the Chamberí area around Calle Balmes and arranges prayers and Shabbat meals with advance registration; for security reasons, the exact address and schedule are provided to confirmed guests. Madrid's Jewish Community and Beth Yaacov Synagogue are at Calle Balmes 3, closer to Chamberí than to Sol. Register in advance, bring a passport, and verify weekday minyan times.
Kosher food
Kosher options are concentrated mainly in Chamberí: Barganzo at Calle Colmenares 13 is a popular kosher Israeli-Mediterranean restaurant, while Rimmon near the community offers kosher food and Shabbat dishes subject to advance ordering and current opening hours. The community's kosher shop and Jewish outlets around Balmes stock wine, challah, and packaged products, though the selection is narrower than in Israel. Many observant travelers book an apartment with a kitchen, reserve Shabbat meals through Chabad or the community, and bring basic sealed products from home.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance for Madrid 🇪🇸
A hospital day in Madrid can cost thousands. Full coverage with Hebrew support.
- Medical + hospital 24/7
- Trip cancellation
- Baggage
- Gadgets & pre-existing conditions
Currency & rates
Live rateCurrency & rates
Quick conversion at today's rate
Convert
You get
351.8
1 EUR
₪3.52
100 EUR
₪351.8
1,000 EUR
₪3,518
Source: exchangerate-api · updated Sep 14 · refreshes daily
Visa & documents
Visa & documents for Madrid 🇪🇸
What you need before you fly
- אין צורך בוויזה לישראלים לשהייה קצרה של עד 90 יום במרחב שנגן, בכפוף לדרישות הכניסה העדכניות
- Passport valid 6 months
- Travel insurance, leave details for a quote
Local tips
Good to know about Madrid
- 💳Cards and Apple Pay are accepted almost everywhere in Madrid, but keep €20 to €40, roughly ₪85 to ₪170, for El Rastro stalls and small businesses, and always choose to be charged in euros rather than shekels.
- 🚇For city travel, buy a Multi card and load ten journeys onto it, but remember that Metro trips to or from Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3 and T4 require a separate airport supplement.
- ✈️A nonstop flight from Tel Aviv to Madrid generally takes about five and a half to six hours, and at Barajas you should confirm the terminal in advance because T4 is not a short walk from T1-T2-T3.
- 🏨Couples who want a central base should choose Chueca or Las Letras, younger groups will enjoy Malasaña, while families generally sleep better near Retiro, Chamberí or Salamanca than on the noisy streets around Puerta del Sol.
- 🎟️Reserve timed entry for the Prado Museum, Royal Palace and Santiago Bernabéu tour in advance, especially on weekends, holidays and during the Israeli summer break.
- 🎰Casino Gran Vía requires an original passport, smart-casual dress and a minimum age of 18, while flip-flops and sportswear are best avoided at venues such as Teatro Kapital from Thursday through Saturday.
- 🍽️Local dinner usually begins around 21:00, a 5% to 10% tip is appropriate at a good restaurant when service was strong, and there is no need to tip automatically at every café or bar.
- ✡️For kosher dining, reserve Barganzo or La Escudilla in advance, and contact Chabad Madrid several days ahead for Shabbat meals and services because places fill when Israeli groups are in town.
- 📱Around Puerta del Sol, Gran Vía and on crowded Metro trains, keep your phone in a closed bag rather than a back pocket, particularly while boarding and on escalators.
- 🌦️Madrid summers are dry and often exceed 35°C, so plan a museum or siesta between 14:00 and 18:00, while winter calls for a proper coat during cold mornings even when the sunshine looks deceptively warm.
- 📶A European eSIM from Airalo, Holafly or a similar provider is easier than finding a shop after landing, but install it in Israel and keep the Israeli SIM active only for verification messages.
מאיה רוזן
Senior agent · Greece for 12 years
"To me, Madrid feels like a city that knows how to enjoy itself effortlessly: art at the Prado in the morning, a boat on the lake in El Retiro in the afternoon, and streets that remain lively well past midnight. Israelis fall for it because everything feels accessible, delicious and alive, from sunset beside the Temple of Debod to warm churros at Chocolatería San Ginés. This is not a one-landmark city, but a succession of moments that makes you want to add another night."
Loves
My local secret is visiting Mercado de la Paz in Salamanca on a weekday around 12:30, before the lunch queue, for Casa Dani’s famously soft-centered tortilla. The kitchen is not kosher-certified, but for travelers comfortable eating without certification, it is one of central Madrid’s most satisfying and less touristy local dishes.
Skip
I would not plan a full meal at Mercado de San Miguel: it is photogenic and fine for a quick taste, but crowded, expensive and aimed largely at tourists. Give it twenty minutes, then head to La Latina or Chueca for dinner.
Boutique pick
I would begin my signature day at 09:30 in the Prado, walk through the Botanical Garden toward El Retiro and the Crystal Palace at 11:45, then settle into a relaxed Salamanca lunch at 14:00. The afternoon brings shopping along Gran Vía and Fuencarral, sunset at 19:30 on the Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop, and a pre-booked kosher dinner at Barganzo at 21:30. Finish with a cocktail in Chueca or Malasaña, just as Madrid begins to wake up.
Client stories
What returning travelers say about Madrid
"We started the morning boating on the lake in Retiro Park and ended at sunset by the Temple of Debod, and Madrid felt made for a couples’ break. That evening we had cocktails at Salmon Guru and walked along illuminated Gran Vía well past midnight."
Noa and Ido, Tel Aviv
Couple · 4 nights · May
"The children could not stop talking about the rides at Parque Warner, and even our daughter who does not like football loved the Santiago Bernabéu tour. Madrid was remarkably easy with kids thanks to the Metro, parks and the chance to stop for warm churros whenever we wanted."
Michal and Alon, Modi'in
Family with children · 5 nights · August
"We came for a Real Madrid match at the Bernabéu and found a city buzzing with energy long after the final whistle. At night we danced at Teatro Kapital, and the next morning we hunted for designer bargains at Las Rozas Village."
Ori, Daniel and Shahar, Rishon LeZion
Friends · 4 nights · October
"We devoted an entire morning to Goya and Velázquez at the Prado Museum, then spent the afternoon exploring the halls and gardens of the Royal Palace. Madrid was elegant, delicious and comfortable, although the weekend crowds around Sol were a little tiring."
Rachel and Yossi, Haifa
Older couple · 5 nights · April
FAQ
Common questions about Madrid
Do Israelis need a visa for Madrid?
Israeli passport holders do not need a visa for a tourist stay in Madrid and the Schengen Area of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Before flying, check whether ETIAS is already in effect and ensure your passport meets Spain’s validity requirements.
Are there direct flights from Tel Aviv to Madrid, and how long is the flight?
Direct flights to Madrid operate according to season and aviation conditions, including services by EL AL, Iberia and occasionally other Israeli carriers, with a flight time of about 5 hours and 15 minutes. A short-connection itinerary may cost less, but check baggage rules carefully.
When is the best time to visit Madrid, and when is peak season?
The best periods for Madrid are April to June and September to October, when the parks are green and temperatures suit walking; peak demand comes in spring, over the year-end holidays and in July-August, although summer temperatures often exceed 35°C. Football fans can time their visit around a Real Madrid match or the derby against Atlético, but should book early.
How many days do you need in Madrid?
Four nights is an excellent amount of time for Madrid, allowing you to cover Gran Vía, the Royal Palace, the Prado Museum, Retiro Park, markets and shopping without rushing. With five or six nights, add a day trip to Toledo, Segovia or Las Rozas Village outlet.
How do you get around Madrid, and do you need a car?
You do not need a car in central Madrid: the Metro is efficient, taxis, Uber and Cabify are available, and many sights around Sol, Gran Vía, Retiro and Malasaña are walkable. From the airport, use the Metro, Cercanías train, Airport Express bus or the official flat-rate taxi to the city centre.
How much does a holiday in Madrid cost?
A typical four-night Madrid break costs about ₪3,500-₪6,500 per person sharing a double room, including flights from Tel Aviv, a good central hotel, food, transport and several attractions; football weekends, Passover and New Year can cost more. Save by staying around Argüelles or Atocha and choosing lunchtime menú del día deals.
Is Madrid safe for Israeli travelers?
Madrid is generally considered safe, but pickpockets are active on the Metro and around Puerta del Sol, Gran Vía and El Rastro, so carry a closed bag in front and do not leave phones on outdoor tables. Israelis should also follow current National Security Council guidance and avoid displaying Israeli symbols near demonstrations.
What are the must-do attractions in Madrid?
On a first visit to Madrid, do not miss the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Gran Vía, the Prado Museum, Retiro Park and sunset at the Temple of Debod. Israeli football fans will also want a Santiago Bernabéu tour, and advance booking is recommended for both the palace and the Prado.
Where should you go out in Madrid, and are there casinos?
Madrid nightlife starts late: Malasaña and Chueca are ideal for bars, Teatro Kapital and Fitz are popular clubs, and Salmon Guru serves inventive cocktails. There is a real central casino, Casino Gran Vía at Gran Vía 24, while the larger Casino Gran Madrid is in Torrelodones outside the city.
Are there kosher food and Chabad in Madrid, who is the city best for, and what can you combine it with?
Madrid has an active Chabad centre and kosher options such as Barganzo; reserve Shabbat meals in advance and verify current certification and opening hours. The city suits couples, friends and families thanks to Retiro, the Museum of Illusions and Parque Warner, and it combines well with Toledo, Segovia or a high-speed train to Barcelona or Seville; pack walking shoes, an evening layer and a warm coat in winter.