May Madness: Experience the Best of Madrid’s Weather, Culture and Festivals

• Prado Museum: Delve into one of the world's most renowned art collections, featuring masterpieces by Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco. May offers a quieter atmosphere, allowing for a more intimate viewing of the museum's collections. Pro Tip: Taking an organized tour will provide fascinating insights into the history of the art and artists.

• Royal Palace of Madrid: While it is the official residence of the Spanish royal family, they do not live there. Its impressive architecture and beautiful gardens are on par with the royal residences of other countries, but the tour provided fascinating insights into the history of Spain. The Prado Museum and the Royal Palace were quite complementary of each other. I was glad to have done them on back to back days so i could easily make the connection between the art and the history of Spain explained during the Royal Palace tour. Pro tip: Do not skip the armory and be sure to head up the balconies for beautiful, panoramic views of Madrid.

• Retiro Park: Simply take a stroll through this expansive green oasis taking in the trees and the sculptures. By visiting in May, the weather is not too hot to enjoy a nice long walk and maybe a picnic by the lake.

• Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor are two of the city's main squares where you can take in some of the most iconic sites in Madrid before the crushing crowd of tourists that flood the city in June.

• Gran Vía: I have a secret, my favorite thing to do in Madrid is shop. If you’re like me, plan on spending a full afternoon at this iconic shopping street. May is a great time to shop the summer collections from some of Spain’s most exclusive designers.

• Flamenco Show: If you have never been, you simply must take in a Flamenco show. You cannot help but to be swept away by the passion. Try the Centro Cultural Flamenco.

• La Latina Market: Every Sunday the La Latina neighborhood hosts an open air market. It’s filled with locals enjoying their Sundays, along with tourists soaking up the Spanish vibes. Live music, tons of food, and all kinds of trinkets and treasures can be found here.

• Dos de Mayo is a celebration in Madrid to commemorate their defeat of Napoleon on the second day of May in 1808. For the week leading up to May 2 there are cultural and historical installments throughout the city, and on the day of Dos de Mayo, there is a large military parade. Keep in mind that May 1 is Labor Day in Spain, so the residents of Madrid have quite a long weekend and many of the tourist attractions are a bit crowded for those two days.

• The Festival of Saint Isidro is May 15 and is one of the most celebrated holidays in May. St. Isidro is the patron saint of Madrid. There is a parade in the morning and an open air festival at Pradera del Santo the remainder of the day.

Day Trips:

Discover the medieval city of Toledo, located just a short train ride away from Madrid. Explore its ancient streets lined with historic buildings, visit the majestic Alcázar fortress, admire the Cathedral of Toledo, and experience the city's rich cultural heritage firsthand. Don't forget to sample the local marzipan, a sweet delicacy that Toledo is famous for.

• Mision Cafe: Great local bakehouse and workshop.

• Valor Chocolatería: Churros y chocolate.

• San Gines Chocolatería: Churros y chocolate.

• Sacha: One of the 50 best restaurants in the world.

• Ten Con Ten: Unique global menu. So good, I ate here twice in three days. Pro Tip: Try the butterfish.

• Bodegas de los Secretos: Traditional Spanish menu in 17th-century wine caves.

• The Cooking Clubhouse offers classes on tapas, paella, and tortilla paired with a bottomless glass of wine.

• Mercado de San Miguel: It’s always the right time for a culinary adventure. Sign on for a tour and make the most of your time in Mercado San Miguel.