A Fresh Take on Your Madrid Bucket List

Looking for things to do and see while visiting Madrid? You could make a bucket list, sure, but where's the fun in that? What better way to discover a city than a classic game of bingo?  

I originally made this bingo card for one of my friends who was visiting Madrid for the first time and didn't want to miss a single thing. Since then, other people have asked to use it for their own visitors, so I thought I’d share it here with you!

Madrid Bingo Card

This blog will guide you to put the “go” in “bingo” as you explore this incredible city. Each square contains a place, activity, food, or beverage that's iconic to Madrid or Spanish culture in general. Curious why they're so famous? The rest of this blog will give a quick description of each of the items found on the card, but further information can be found on the Turismo Madrid website. 

Also! If you want to customize the card, you can download my design in Canva—search “Madrid Bingo Card” or click here—and add in your own must-see spots.  

I recommend taking pictures of each bingo square’s item, then putting the picture over the square. By the end, you’ll have a photo collage of all the things you've seen and done in this breathtaking city. If you get a bingo, use the hashtag #madridbingo on social media—I’d love to see your adventures! 

Iconic Places in Madrid

Chocolatería San Ginés - oldest chocolatería in Madrid

Templo de Debod - Egyptian temple given to Spain as a gift

Plaza Mayor - oldest part of the city

Palacio Real - biggest functioning royal palace in Europe by floor area

Plaza de España - has a monument of Don Quijote and Sancho Panza to honor Miguel de Cervantes

Gran Vía - Madrid’s most famous street, major shopping area

Puerta de Atocha - main railway station, there’s a tropical garden inside

Plaza del Sol - the original city center, has the Oso y El Madroño statue

Estadio Bernebéu - the home stadium of the Real Madrid fútbol team

Parque de El Retiro - recognized as a UNESCO site, covers over 300 square acres

Plaza de Cibeles - contains the Fuente and the Palacio de Cibeles

El Rastro - open-air flea market, only on Sundays

Puerta de Alacalá - one of the five ancient gateways into the city

Mercado de San Miguel - offers a wide variety of tapas, meals, and desserts

El Museo Nacional del Prado - boasts internationally renown art by mostly Spanish artists

Traditional Spanish Foods

Tortilla Española - eggs, potatoes, and olive oil; whether you prefer to add onions is a hot-topic debate

Jamón Ibérico - thinly sliced ham

Tapas - shareable appetizers, but if you order enough they’re a whole meal

Tinto de Verano - red wine mixed with a carbonated beverage

Gazpacho - cold Spanish soup

Café con Leche - translates literally: coffee with milk

Croquetas - thick béchamel filling with fried outer layer

Churros con chocolate - dip your churros in melted chocolate, sweet treat

Sangria - red wine with chopped fruits

Savvy Suggestions

These aren't on the Bingo card, but I would recommend them!

Coffee - Naji Specialty Coffee, James Tweed, Sood Coffee, Faraday, Café del Art, Obrar (for more, check out my coffee specific blog: Savvy Seven: Madrid Coffee Edition)

Restaurants - Swiss Butter, Pasta Beata, El Botín, Yatai Market, Tiki Taco

In El Retiro - the peacock pavilion, El Palacio de Cristal, the pond with the rowboats

In El Prado - Las Meninas, Jardín de las Delicias, The Descent from the Cross

The Magic of Exploring Madrid

Madrid is a city overflying with culture, flavors, history, and adventure—far more than can fit on a single bingo card. I hope that this guide helps you explore its most corners while leaving room for your own discoveries along the way. Who knows? By the end you might just leave Madrid with more than a bingo, but a new favorite city.

Looking for more savvy recs? Find me on Mapstr (travel_with_savvysav) or check out the hashtag #makingamadrileña on TikTok!