Looking for the best places to take photos in Madrid ? Whether you live in the Spanish capital or go for tourism or work, do not hesitate to go out with your camera and take photos of all these beautiful and cool places that the city offers.
They say that from Madrid to heaven , I don't know how true it may be, but I can assure you that there is no shortage of places to take photos, of whatever type. Go for it.
THE BEST PLACES TO TAKE PHOTOS IN MADRID
Although throughout the article you will find many different locations to take photos in the Spanish capital, here I leave you the top ten , the best places to take photos in Madrid .
1. DEBOD TEMPLE
If you have never been to Madrid, you do not know of its existence and you find it out of the blue, you will believe that you have traveled in time or space, because the last thing you expect is to find a place like this in the middle of the city.
I warn you, the sunsets are a spectacle from there.
2. GRAN VÍA AND PLAZA CALLAO
This area is one of the best places in Madrid to take urban photos and enjoy street photography.
From the famous Metropolis Buildingto the Carrión Building with the well-known Schweppes sign, passing by a lot of impressive emblematic places and buildings and streets full of life and hustle and bustle.
Undoubtedly, one of the most characteristic and recognizable areas of the city. You'll find buzz and photo opportunities at any time of day.
3. ROYAL PALACE AND ALMUDENA CATHEDRAL
Although it is forbidden to take photos inside the Palace, the outside, together with the Almudena and the Sabatini Gardens, make up a set of idyllic settings to get spectacular photos.
If you drop in late in the afternoon, the light will fascinate you.
4. THE RETREAT
The Retiro is a must in Madrid. It has so many areas that you can take a lot of different photos. Both the area of the boats and the Palacio de Cristal are essential.
This Crystal Palace, of iron architecture, is surrounded by vegetation and accompanied by a lake. You can take more fun, risky and daring photos or launch into something more classic or nostalgic.
The possibilities are endless, it depends on you how you take advantage of them ?
6. BOTANICAL GARDEN
If photography of plants and flowers is your thing , you cannot miss visiting the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, which offers more than 5,500 species.
The entrance costs very little for what you can find and there is a day that in the afternoon is free access.
7. SAN MIGUEL MARKET AND PLAZA MAYOR
If you are looking to take photos in Madrid for Instagram , the central area of Playa Mayor and the Mercado de San Miguel will offer you some excellent options.
The Plaza Mayor is ideal for architecture and street photography, as well as being a super recognizable place. It may not be the most original site, but it is a classic. The creative point depends on you ?
The Mercado de San Miguel, for its part, in addition to the people, offers you options for gastronomic photography or street photography. And on top of that you can take the opportunity to make a stop and gain strength ?.
8. PLAZA CIBELES
Regarding the fact that Cibeles is one of the most emblematic places in the city, there is no doubt. But if you wonder what it's like to take good photos in this icon of Madrid, I wouldn't doubt it.
In Plaza Cibeles you will not only find the goddess most adored by Madrid soccer fans, but also a very touristy and beautiful historical complex. Spectacular buildings are erected around the goddess waiting to be admired and, why not, photographed.
From the Palacio de Cibeles, which I'll tell you more about right away, to the Bank of Spain passing through the Palacio de Linares. An environment in which to get very cool photos, of architecture or urban, for example, or at night to capture the lighting or the light trails of the cars.
The Cibeles Palace that you see above deserves a special mention because in addition to being spectacular on the outside, it is not far behind on the inside.
Its architecture is spectacular, and it also houses, among others, an exhibition center, the Galería de Cristal or the Mirador from which to take panoramic photos of Madrid. More info here.
9. CAIXAFORUM MADRID
The vertical garden of this building is impressive and a must for those of us who love to take photos, want beautiful backgrounds, love plants and/or look for places of contrasts.
But that's just the beginning, because both its exterior and interior offer plenty of possibilities for architectural photography that will take your breath away.
10. MALASAÑA NEIGHBORHOOD
Calle de la Palma is becoming famous on Instagram and it will have something that attracts so much.
Within Malasaña, not only will you be able to access this picturesque street with a great contrast between the most traditional and the most modern shops, but the entire neighborhood is one of the best places in Madrid to take urban and street photos.
In addition to all these places to take photos in Madrid , there are other photographic options that will surely interest you, especially if you live in the city or nearby.
PLACES TO TAKE PHOTOS IN THE COMMUNITY OF MADRID
Madrid is not only a big city, but within the Community you can find both very beautiful towns and fascinating natural environments. Let's meet them.
PLACES TO TAKE PHOTOS IN THE SIERRA DE MADRID
If you are looking for cool places to take photos in the Sierra de Madrid, as the northern part of the Community is known by all Madrid residents, you cannot miss these corners, especially if nature photography is your thing :
- Peñalara Natural Park ( Natural Park of the Summit, Circus and Lagoons of Peñalara), in the Sierra de Guadarrama, offers you not only an excellent day of walking and hiking, but also the opportunity to photograph mountains, lakes and flora and fauna, as well as the snow in winter.
- Purgatory waterfalls. Although the name may give a bit of yuyu , the place is spectacular to photograph the silky water. You have two jumps, two opportunities, one more accessible and the other for somewhat more advanced hikers, since access is somewhat more complicated.
- Chorrera of the Litueros. If you want more, this is the biggest jump in the Community of Madrid, with a height of 30-40m. It is close to the Dehesa Bonita .
- Montejo beech forest. Don't forget to book; although it is free, access is limited. Take into account what kind of photos you want to take to visit it in one season or another, although autumn is perhaps the most photogenic time for a beech forest.
MOST BEAUTIFUL TOWNS IN MADRID TO TAKE PHOTOS
If you are more of a town than nature, you will like these places:
- Manzanares El Real. In the Cuenca Alta del Manzanares Park, we find a charming town, with a castle that impresses and a privileged environment to photograph nature.
- Patones de Arriba, in Patones, awaits you to photograph the black architecture.
- Buitrago de Lozoya in the Sierra de Guadarrama, declared a Historic-Artistic Site and an Asset of Cultural Interest, has walls, a castle, palaces, bridges, a river... An unforgettable photographic offer.
- Chinchon. To the southeast of the Community of Madrid, ChinchónIt gives us a Plaza Mayor that would make even the most demanding Instagrammers fall in love with its green wooden balconies. One of the locations to take photos in Madrid that can surprise you the most.
- San Lorenzo del Escorial. The Monastery, declared a World Heritage Site, may not need an introduction, but there are many more places declared an Asset of Cultural Interest scattered throughout its urban area.
CLOSED PLACES TO TAKE PHOTOS IN MADRID
It is not always possible to take photos outdoors due to the weather, for example, or maybe you just want to practice photography indoors.
Let's see what closed places there are in Madrid where it is worth taking photos.
- The Tabacalera.The old Tobacco Factory is a building that has been recovered and turned into a social and cultural center with plenty of photographic possibilities inside (and also outside).
- Madrid slaughterhouse.For those looking for a recovered industrial scene, there is this center of contemporary creation with a great cultural and artistic offer.
- San Miguel Market.Do you like the bustle and gastronomy? This hot spot will give you plenty of photo opportunities as well as give you a little rest.
- The Set Lab. A creative photography space with more than 20 completely different and fun scenarios that you can access from 9.50 euros per person, depending on how long you want to be.
- The Museum of Illusions.A space to achieve the funniest and craziest photos. Admission is not free, but in addition to the cool photos you will get a unique experience.
- Greenhouse of the Crystal Palace of Arganzuela.With free access, this greenhouse and botanical garden will enchant you to take photos due to its light, architecture and the more than 9,000 species it houses.
PLACES TO TAKE WEDDING PHOTOS IN MADRID
In Madrid there are many places for photo sessions , whether it is for the wedding day or for the pre-wedding or post-wedding.
The same day of the wedding, the location can be determined by the distance to the places of celebration-invitation, but with the pre-wedding and post-wedding there is a free menu to choose from.
I leave you a varied list and as a couple and professional you choose the best option. In this list you will find places of nature, to surround yourself with vegetation and get more classic and romantic photos (or as daring as your body asks and the locations allow you); others more urban, for the most urban and daring couples; and other locations where you can find a bit of everything.
These are some of the best places to take wedding photos in Madrid:
- El Retiro, both the pond and the Palacio de Cristal and the vegetation throughout the park make it one of the best places to do photo sessions in Madrid. Whatever type they are.
- Jardines de Sabatini, are classicist gardens with the Royal Palace in the background, ideal for couples who want fairytale photos.
- Royal Botanical Garden. To take wedding photos, you must make prior arrangements with the External Relations Service (protocolo@rjb.csic.es).
- Parque del Capricho , less known than El Retiro to outsiders, but there is no doubt that it is one of those beautiful places to take photos in Madrid.
- La Pedriza, for the most daring in terms of nature and mountains, although you are also close to Manzanares de El Real, which I told you about before.
- Valdebebas Park, a quieter place ideal for those who panic when they see them during the session.
- The Potario. A little further away, in Rascafría, is what is known as the Finnish Forest. Snow in winter, a lake and vegetation that makes you travel thousands of km in just one hour.
- Country house , if you are looking for a place that offers you different scenarios in the same space, this is your perfect place.
- Quinta de los Molinos, especially if it coincides with the almond blossom season, becomes a magical place for your photos.
- Navacerrada, to take wedding photos with snow, almost fairytale, right?
- Temple of Debod, we already mentioned it at the beginning of the article, a very different place in the middle of the city ? .
- Gran Vía and Plaza Callao. If you want people and dynamism, in a crowded environment, here is your place.
- Royal Palace. You can't take pictures inside, but outside you can take advantage of its architecture in the background. For the most romantic or those who are looking for fairytale photos in a less green environment.
- Malasaña neighborhood, if you are not interested in monuments or spectacular architecture, your thing is more to capture the atmosphere and energy of a neighborhood with soul, Malasaña is the ideal setting.
- Neighborhood of the letters. It is one of the neighborhoods with the most history in Madrid and in which a literary spirit is concentrated that will delight the most readers or theater lovers.
- Main Square. An urban but classic decoration with a lot of life.
- La Neomudéjar, to take more alternative photos and with an industrial vibe.
- Passage of the Plaza de los Cubos. For lovers of urban art, a space recovered by the hand of more than ten artists who made it one of the best places in Madrid to take urban photos.
- Amusement park, a place to get different, daring and a little crazy photos.
- Madrid Río, with a lot of options to choose from: water, greenery, parks, metallic structures... A change of scenery within the same area.
And if you need a closed site, go to the previous section .
PLACES TO TAKE PHOTOS IN MADRID AT NIGHT
Now let's see some locations to take photos in Madrid at night .
- Four Towers Business Area. We will start with the well-known Cuatro Torres, which is a business park next to La Castellana that can be seen from the outskirts and which forms a beautiful skyline of the city, excellent for the urban landscape . In addition to the typical photos that you will find of the sunset on the net, at night it also becomes a photogenic place, both to photograph the moon framed between the towers, and to create an excellent composition in a photo of light trails , to put it Some examples. Then creativity is up to you ? .
- Puerta de Alcala. One of the most emblematic monuments of Madrid (and most photographed) is the famous Puerta de Alcalá. Excellent setting for long exposure photographs at night.
- Gran Vía. Photographing the architecture at blue hour, the nightlife, the trails of cars... are just a few examples of what Madrid's Gran Vía can offer you.
- Plaza de Cibeles. With the Cibeles Fountain in the center surrounded by spectacular buildings of great architectural value, both day and night it is one of the most beautiful places to take photos in Madrid at night.
This guide with tips and tricks for night photography will surely help you achieve spectacular photos.
10 ABANDONED PLACES TO TAKE PHOTOS IN MADRID
Urbex photography lovers who are around the capital, you are in luck. There are a lot of cool places to take photos in Madrid of abandoned places . If this is your first time launching, be sure to read the article from the previous link, there are very important basic things you should know.
Now yes, the abandoned places in Madrid to take photos:
- La Marina Sanatorium and Hospital De La Barranca (Sanatorio del Santo Ángel). Not suitable for the most fearful.
- Aranjuez sugar factory. Extensive constructions and very worn. Much visited and photographed.
- The Alamin. It is not about one building, but about an entire ghost town. Much looted, by the way, and surrounded by legends.
- Fresno de Torote, another abandoned town with many possibilities for urbex exploration.
- Trappist Convent of La Aldehuela. It is easily accessible because a part of the wall has been demolished, it is very deteriorated and full of graffiti, but it has many passageways and jars that make it interesting.
- Pavilion of the hexagons, in the Casa de Campo. A very emblematic place for urban photography and urbex.
- Palacio de Los Franco, an impressive place with incredible views and a lot of history behind it.
- Monastery of Santa María la Real de Valdeiglesias. A place with less morbidity and more beauty, both architectural and landscape.
- Aquasur de Aranjuez, which was the first water park in Madrid, closed in 2005, offers a most curious setting for urban photography.
- House of Vicente Aleixandre. Knowing that so much cultural talent was gathered inside that house is more than enough reason to attract the attention of this building that has been abandoned for more than 25 years on the street that bears the same name as the author.
?? IMPORTANT ?? Remember that abandoned is not synonymous with ownerless , most of these places have an owner, be careful not to cross certain borders .
You already have a lot of cool places to take photos in Madrid, whether it's for Instagram, for your wedding, for tourism, to practice or for whatever reason. What you cannot miss after reading this are excuses to take your camera around the city or its surroundings.
