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Best Panoramic Views and Rooftops in Madrid

There is a popular saying in Spain that goes “De Madrid al Cielo” which literally means “From Madrid to heaven”.Ā Honoring this popular saying, we want to show you the best places in Madrid to enjoy the greatest views of the city.

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Best Panoramic Views and Rooftops in Madrid

Panoramic Views in Madrid: Faro de Moncloa

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Faro de Moncloa is one of the tallest buildings in Spain | Image credits: OgoTours

Undoubtedly, the Faro de Moncloa offers the best views of the city. This huge tower was built in 1992 in the northern part of the city and measures 112 meters (367,5 ft). A panoramic elevator covers the 92 meters (301 ft) from the ground floor to the viewpoint.

Arch of Victory from Faro de Moncloa. This triumphal arch was built during the Franco dictatorship in memory of a battle that took place here during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) | Image credeits: OgoTours

This tower is one of the tallest buildings in Madrid, so it is the perfect place toĀ get a great view over the whole of Madrid andā€“ on a clear day ā€“ beyond.Ā From up here you can admireĀ the entire Old Town, the Royal Palace, the financial center and evenĀ the peaks of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range.

-Address: Avenida Arco de la Victoria, 2

-Price: 3ā‚¬

-Opening hours: Tue-Sun: 09:30am to 8pm (last access at 7:30pm). MONDAY, CLOSED (except bank holidays)

Temple of Debod

The Almudena Catheral and the Royal Palace from the Temple of Debod

In 1968 the Egyptian government donated to Spain this ancient Egyptian temple. Since then, it has become one of the most visited places in Madrid.Ā 

The temple was located on a small hill from which we can contemplate the southern part of the city: the RoyalĀ Palace, the Almudena Cathedral, the Manzanares River, Vicente Calderon Stadium and the huge Casa de Campo (one of the largest public parks in the world) where kings hunted in the past. The temple is 100 meters away from Plaza EspaƱa (Square of Spain).

-Address: Calle Ferraz, 1 (Metro: Plaza EspaƱa)

-Price: FREE

-Opening hours: 24 hours

Cybele Palace (360Āŗ degree panoramic viewpoint in Madrid)

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This colossal building, former headquarters of the Spanish Post Office, is one of the cityĀ“s landmarks | Image credits: OgoTours

This building is undoubtedly one of the icons of the city. It was designed entirely by Spanish architects to house the headquarters of the Post and Telegraph Service in 1919. In the early 21st century the building was restored and became the City Hall. Although many people do not know, the Madrid City Hall is open to tourists who can climb to the eighth floor and enjoy the best views of the city centre. From up here you can admire the Cybele Square, Gran Via Street, the Retiro Park and the Paseo del Prado Boulevard, one of the busiest parts in Madrid. To the North you can also see the financial center of the city.

-Address: Plaza de Cibeles, 1

-Price:Ā 3ā‚¬ /Ā 1,50ā‚¬ for children aged 7 – 14 and 65+ (the maximum duration of the visit is 30 minutes).

-Opening hours:Ā Tue-Sun from 10am to 1:45pm and from 3pm to 7:30pm. MONDAY, CLOSED

Circulo de Bellas Artes Rooftop

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The CĆ­rculo de Bellas Artes is a private, non-profit, cultural organization that was founded in the late 19th century to promote all kinds of cultural activities: literature, cinema, philosophy | Image credits: OgoTours

This rooftop, located in the heart of Madrid, offers wonderful views of the city centre. Although Circulo de Bellas Artes is located quite near the Cybele Palace, the views are different and worthwhile. In addition there is a nice bar where you can chill out, have a drink and enjoy the breathtaking views of the entire city. In summer this rooftop terrace is one of the trendiest places in Madrid.

Do not worry for the summer heat, there are water mist sprays that cool down the atmosphere during the scorching days.

-Address: Calle de Alcala, 42 (Metro: Banco de EspaƱa / Sol)

-Price:Ā from 5ā‚¬

-Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 9am to 9pm and Weekends from 11am to 9pm

Panoramic views in Madrid
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Cable Car in Madrid

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The cable car crosses from one end of the popular Casa de Campo Park to the other | Image credits: OgoTours

Cable car is not exactly the ideal place for those who has an inherent fear of heights. For anyone else, the cable car will be an fascinating experience! The journey takes 11 minutes and at its highest point reaches 40 meters (131ft).

Panoramic views are spectacular: the Royal Palace, the Cathedral, the old train station Principe Pio, the Manzanares River and the Casa de Campo Park. The cable car leaves you on the other side of the Casa de Campo where there is a cafe with panoramic views. Children will have a great time!

Where to take the cable car?

-Address: Paseo del Pintor Rosales s/n (Metro: Plaza EspaƱa / Ventura Rodriguez)

-Price: 6ā‚¬ / 5ā‚¬ for children aged 4 ā€“ 12

-Opening hours:Ā it changes depending on the season. Please, check the website https://teleferico.emtmadrid.es/Horarios-y-tarifas

Hotel RIU Plaza EspaƱa rooftop barĀ 

In my opinion, this is the best 360Ā° viewpoint in Madrid. A very fast elevator, which takes 26 seconds to climb the 107-meter-high (352 feet) building, takes us to the Hotel RIU Plaza EspaƱa rooftop bar.

Once on the top, you can see practically the entire city: from the skyscrapers of the financial center or the Royal Palace to the beautiful roofs of the Old City (of course, if it is not cloudy). It is also beautiful to visit this place at night when Madrid becomes a sea of lights in all sizes and colors. The lights of Madrid at night is one of the things that have captivated me since I was a child.

In one of the parts of the bar, there is a glass floor for stomach-dropping views

As you can imagine, prices are not exactly cheap, although reasonable: soft drinks and beer approximately 5ā‚¬ or a glass of wine 10ā‚¬. However, there is no obligation to consume since you have already paid the entrance price. They also offer a small selection of dishes and tapas.

-Address: Calle Gran VĆ­a 84

-Price:Ā 5ā‚¬ from 10am to 6pm / 10ā‚¬ from 6pm to 2am

-Opening hours: from 1am to 2am

El Corte InglƩs Department Store

This department store is located at Callao Square, very close to the iconic Puerta del Sol. If you go up to the 9th floor (Gourmet Experience area), there is a glass wall that allows you to enjoy the best views of the Gran VĆ­a Street. There is also a small terrace with views of the Royal Palace and the Opera Hall.

Gran VĆ­a street is full of shops, restaurants, theaters, musicals and advertising LED screens. This is the reason why Gran VĆ­a is often known as ā€œthe Spanish Broadwayā€.Ā 

Panoramic Views in Madrid
Views of Gran Via Street from the 9th floor of El Corte InglƩs Department Store | Image credits: OgoTours

If you are one of those who are always thinking of eating, the Gourmet Area of El Corte InglƩs has a spectacular gastronomic offer; from delicious hamburgers, Asian food, Spanish tapas, pizzas and much more. In fact, some of these stalls belong to renowned Madrid restaurants. At the same time, there is an interesting little store, where you will find all kind of gourmet products: wines, spices, cheeses, olive oils, chocolate bonbons, etc.

-Address: Plaza de Callao, 2

-Price: FREE

-Hours: The department store opens from 10am to 10pm, however the Gourmet Experience Area is open from 10am to midnight

Panoramic views from the dome of Almudena Cathedral

The dome of Almudena Cathedral is one of the largest cathedral domes in Spain (more than 72 meters / 237 feet high). Unfortunately, many tourists visit our cathedral in Madrid, but they do not know that they can also visit the dome, which offers impressive views of the Old City.

During the ascent to the dome, you can visit an interesting museum of religious art (included in the price). Halfway through the climb to the dome you can look over the balcony of Almudena Cathedral to enjoy fascinating views of the Royal Palace. If you have mobility problems, there is also an elevator.

Panoramic views in Madrid Almudena
Views of Madrid from the dome of Amudena Cathedral | Image credits: Cristiano Maia (Flickr)

Once you have reached the top of the cathedral, it is time to admire the incredible views of Madrid: from the Casa de Campo Park to the Church of San Francisco el Grande or the Madridā€™s Royal Theatre. Around the dome, you will find bronze sculptures of each one of the 12 apostles, including Santiago who is very much appreciated in Madrid for being Patron Saint of Spain.

-Address: Calle de Bailen, 10

-Price:Ā 6ā‚¬ / 4ā‚¬ for children between 10 and 16 years old

-Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 10am to 2:30pm

Volvoreta, the highest restaurant in Madrid

If you are looking for a restaurant with panoramic views in Madrid, there is no better place than the restaurant Volvoreta. From this restaurant, located on the 30th floor of the Eurostars Madrid Tower Hotel (130 meters high / 427 feet), the panoramic views of Madrid are absolutely incredible.

Aside from the stunning views, the restaurant offers a truly delicious dining experience designed by the chef Gorka Alonso. Any restaurant recommendation is a little subjective, as it is all down to personal taste, but I would suggest trying: ā€œturbot with puffed potatoes and teriyaki sauceā€ and ā€œRussian Cake with passion fruit and strawberry ice creamā€. Delicious!

panoramic views and rooftops in Madrid
Volvoreta Restaurant is located in the 30th floor of this amazing skyscraper | Image credits: Wikipedia (C.C.)

However, there is a small drawback. The hotel Eurostars Madrid Tower is located in the financial center so you will have to use public transport (metro or taxi) to get to this place. The closest metro stop is BegoƱa (line 10). A taxi from the Old City should cost approximately ā‚¬15-20.

-Address: Paseo de la Castellana, 259

-Price:Ā (restaurant)

-Opening hours: from 1:30pm to 4pm and from 8:30pm to 11pm

Madrid Panoramic views from the TĆ­o Pio Hill

This public park (Cerro del TĆ­o Pio in Spanish) is located in the popular Vallecas neighborhood, 5,5 kilometers (3,5 miles) from the Old City. It is precisely its distance from the historic center the reason why many tourists do not know this park.

IMPORTANT! During the day, this park is completely safe, but we do not recommend visiting this park at night (the park is open 24 hours). It is not a particularly dangerous place, but you may have some unpleasant experiences.

Panoramic views in Madrid Cerro del Tio Pio
Panoramic views of Madrid from Tio Pio Hill | Image credits: Jose A. (Flickr / C.C.)

During the summer, one of our favorite plans is to prepare a picnic and come to watch the sunset at this park. Absolutely recommendable.

The panoramic views from Cerro del TĆ­o Pio are absolutely incredible and allow you to see the entire Madrid skyline; the mountains surrounding Madrid, the skyscrapers of the financial center, the Atocha train station, the Piruli (TV tower) or the Madrid Tower.

You can get this place from the historic center by metro. The closest metro station is Portazgo (line 1). Journey time of approximately 15 minutes.

This park is also known as the ā€œ7 Tits Parkā€. This funny name is due to the form of the 7 small hills, which to tell the truth do resemble breasts.

-Price: FREE

-Opening hours: Open 24 hours

We hope this post helps you enjoy the best panoramic views of Madrid.Ā Our city has a lot to offer to visitors (museums, theatres, palaces, churches, food markets, etc.). It would be impossible to put everything in to this post. ThatĀ“s why we would like to invite you to read our blog about Madrid where you will find abundant information: recommendations, tips, hidden spots and much more.

About Javier

Hola! My name is Javier Redondo, tour guide in Madrid for more than 8 years.
As a good "MadrileƱo", I love football (I support AtlĆ©tico de Madrid), eating tapas and walk the cobblestone streets of old Madrid šŸ™‚

This Madrid blog is where I share tips on popular attractions, local food and off-beat spots.

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