Plaza Mayor
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & Landmarks
About
Huge plaza packed with cafes, bars and tourists.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Plaza Mayor
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Sol
How to get there
  • Ópera • 5 min walk
  • Vodafone Sol • 5 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Margie D
    York, Pennsylvania1,801 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful plaza!
    Beautiful plaza, it's residential buildings are above cafes, restaurants and shops. The Casa de Panadería was once a main bakery and now Tourism office, with frescoes added in the 1900's. There are 9 entrances to the plaza. Early visit was a great time for pictures - by Noon it was filled with people.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 October 2023
  • RjessMMM
    Vancouver, Washington560 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    People watching plaza
    Wonderful place to simply walk around and people watch. As with many central plazas in Europe it is rimmed with restaurants which tend to be more expensive and food that is not as great. You are really paying for the atmosphere. Would recommend walking the plaza, taking your picture and then find a place to eat that is away from the plaza. Lot of people selling misc items to the tourists so just be careful of your belongings. Enjoy.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 1 November 2023
  • gliowst
    Singapore, Singapore55 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Plaza Mayor (Madrid)
    The whole area not very huge but nice to walk about. The square itself was pretty to take photos but there were several restaurants where you could seat alfresco and admiring the square. The shops were mostly for tourists and selling repeated items, all at various range of prices for the same item.
    Visited December 2022
    Travelled with family
    Written 6 November 2023
  • TorontoMusicman
    1,089 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tacky
    An architecturally nice looking plaza. Unfortunately it mainly caters to the tourists with tacky shops and overpriced restaurants. Many characters dressed in costumes and asking you to take a picture with them.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 November 2023
  • Razorfish
    Little Rock, Arkansas5,283 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Expansive esplanade in the center of Madrid
    My wife and I walked through Plaza Mayor a few times during our trip to Madrid this past spring. It is a large square completely surrounded by buildings. It is popular with the tourists because of the cafes, bars and shops. You need to stop by Plaza Mayor at least once when you are in Madrid.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 November 2023
  • Tommo
    Melbourne, Australia56,725 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Major town square in Madrid
    The Plaza Mayor is a major town square in Madrid. It was first built in 1580–1619. It was remodelled in 1617. The Plaza has suffered 3 major fires in its history. There are ten entrances to choose. Its a lively square containing cafes, bars and restaurants.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 January 2024
  • Stefanie H
    Lincoln, Nebraska1,745 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    So touristy
    You should see the Plaza because it is the main square in Madrid; however, it is very touristy, and the restaurants around the perimeter should be avoided except for coffee. You can also find many characters there who will take a picture with you for tips. It's like Times Square without the lights!
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 24 January 2024
  • Kayla T.
    Nashville, Tennessee5 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Madrid’s historic heartbeat.
    Plaza Mayor, at the core of Madrid, is a charming square pulsating with history and energy. The uniform architecture and grandeur take you back to Spain’s Golden age. The lively atmosphere hosts diverse events and cultural celebrations, making it a dynamic hub. However be prepared for crowds and potential tourists traps in the surrounding eateries. Despite the occasional hustle, Plaza Mayor remains an essential visit for its historical allure and vibrant spirit.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 February 2024
  • GemsNI
    Armagh, United Kingdom662 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning square with lots happening
    Beautiful square with lovely architecture and lots going on. Great place to sit and people watch. Restaurants and bars around and down the streets just off the plaza. Just round the corner from the food market and lots of great places to eat.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 12 February 2024
  • TheLeongOhana
    United States7,556 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sunday Collectibles
    We crisscrossed Plaza Mayor a few times as we wandered around Madrid. The plaza itself was huge and completely enclosed on all sides by apartments, which was an unusual feature. A large Christmas tree was still on display in January, a carryover from the annual Christmas Market. No matter the day of the week there always seemed to be a good number of people out and about or seated outside one of the many cafes and restaurants. Quite a different from the plaza’s history during the Spanish Inquisition. Sunday morning brought out a different crowd with sellers of coin, stamps and other types of collectible items. It was a nice change of scenery as we stopped to peruse at tables with unique items for sale.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles27,228 reviews
Excellent
12,049
Very good
10,088
Average
4,174
Poor
704
Terrible
213

Bruce G
Amherst, NH206 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
Plaza Mayor is a lively and picturesque square that was once home to bull fights. Today it is surrounded by one large rectangular building. It has several ports at which to enter the plaza. The first floor is lined with restaurants and shops. The upper floors are either businesses or residents, but are not accessible, at least not that I could find. There is a huge statue in the middle. The plaza is used for things such as Christmas Markets and performances. While we were there in early November they were preparing for the Christmas Markets that would open later that month. It's beautiful and certainly a must see in Madrid. FYI, things open late in Spain. Some restaurants don't open until 1 pm for lunch. Most of the shops don't open until 11 am or later. Not to worry because nearby is Mercado San Miguel which opens early and maybe he best food hall I have ever visited.
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Francisco Duarte
Porto, Portugal1,492 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
The Plaza Mayor of Madrid has been playing a social role that dates back to the Middle Ages, that is, an extraordinary space for social interaction. The "plaza mayor" comes from urban planning that combines living in society with beauty and magnificence. They are very similar and have themselves and in the various cities in which they were built. In essence, they are large open spaces in part and protected from sun and rain in another, with the construction of colonnades and balconies. The Plaza Mayor in Madrid is really big and it is the biggest of all. It was built by Philippe III in 1620 and in addition to fulfilling the role of increasing self-esteem and civic splendour, it is now a symbol of Madrid. Because it is essentially a large quadrilateral enclosed in its perimeter, it is a great stage over time for popular festivals, religious festivities, real events and military triumphs. People come together to talk, eat and drink in bars and cafes, as well as to enjoy open-air theatre, concerts and art exhibitions and book fairs. Most events in this square take place on weekends or festive seasons. In the centre of the square you can admire the statue of Philip III, a monarch far ahead of his time.
Written 27 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stefania P
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
My stay was simply amazing.
The hotel is in a great location and you can reach everything on foot.
The staff took great care of us and was super prepared regarding the healthy and safety procedures. Everybody was wearing the mask and hand sanitizer was always available.
The SPA is super new and we enjoyed a treatment there (highly recommended)
The style of the hotel is very edgy and for us the best part was the rooftop pool with a breathtaking view over the city.
We will certainly return there next time in town.
Written 31 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Borton World Traveler
New York City, New York1,064 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Solo
Come here to be part of this open square. People gathering around this plaza to sun bathe, people watch or to eat at nice expensive cafe restaurants. There is a tourist information center here for your questions. Lots of panhandling for your euros from “free gifts” to take a photo with costume performers. Come here and enjoy the scene
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Molly M
Bainbridge Island, WA242 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
This plaza is enclosed by buildings on all four sides, most of which have interesting architecture as well as a bronze statue in the center. What is not pleasing about this plaza is the number of people dressed in character costumes trying to have a photo taken with you in exchange for a gratuity. I understand people need to make a living, just wish it was a culturally aligned means of doing so.
Written 22 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Russ Lacuata
Long Beach, CA9,831 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Solo
Early December 2019.

One of the prettiest open spaces in Spain. A gorgeous combination of imposing architecture, historical tales and vibrant street life. Grand arcaded building’s surrounding it on all four sides. Hundreds of locals and visitors milking about. There’s always something going on , whether it’s an impromptu street performance or the holiday Christmas market.

Written 1 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DAMIAN McG
Southport, UK5 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Lots of restaurant in the square al provided standard fare. For the centre of a capital city centre prices were good.
Too many street hawkers..beggars
Some great calamari rolls at 6€..from many seller
Written 19 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

zabeth-fl
Orlando, FL112 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Family
My teenage son was very impressed in general with Madrid architecture and this building was one of his favorites. We had lunch and dinner there several times during our stay , prices are higher than other more authentic places and the menu it’s kind of repetitive across all restaurants but overall we have a great experience. The only downside is the beggars and the people trying to sell you random stuff inside the restaurant premises, it’s just weird and ruin the overall experience of the restaurant but you just have to ignore them and say a hard NO .
Written 10 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

angelmusicmaven
New York City, NY254 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Couples
Generally best viewed if you sign up for one of the free walking tours so you can hear about the surrounding structures. Otherwise, it is basically the place you'll see the street performers and the city's homeless. The Christmas market is not any good compared to other european and even American cities. Go through on your way to somewhere else.
Written 9 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Carlom13
Melbourne, Australia82 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
Plaza Mayor is a location you have to see when you visit Madrid. The sights and shops around there have some good souveniers, but I suggest you avoid eating here if you are after authentic Spanish tapas (as these dont have that)..

Grab a drink at one of the places in Plaza Mayor (be prepared to pay 2x or 3x times higher) and sit back and enjoy the experience.
Written 22 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 8,491
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

PLAZA MAYOR (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

All Madrid HotelsMadrid Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Madrid
All things to do in Madrid
Day Trips in Madrid
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesCar Hire