Tours to photograph the best of your visit to Madrid

Madrid, one of the most modern and cosmopolitan cities in Europe, and one of the most photographed as well. Without a doubt, everyone who visits Madrid loves strolling through its famous Puerta del Sol and trying its diverse cuisine, but they also like to immortalize their visit by taking photos of the places they pass by. But have you ever felt like your photos didn’t capture the moment? Or that you only photographed what you saw on the street?

In this article, you’ll learn how to locate the most iconic spots in Madrid so you don’t leave without photographing the capital’s most beautiful sights. But before we begin, we suggest an activity you’ll enjoy if you’re a photography enthusiast, an expert, or simply want your Instagram photos to capture the best of your visit. Don’t hesitate to contact us to book a guided tour of the best spots for photographers. We’ll lead you on a guided tour so you don’t get lost, and you’ll end up visiting the most iconic places you can’t miss.

Places in Madrid where you can take the best photos.

There are several tours available depending on your photographic highlights in Madrid. You can choose one tour or another depending on the type of photography you want to do, although you can always combine two locations if you don’t have a lot of time at each location.

Where to take photos in Retiro Park?

The Retiro Park is an ideal place for taking photos and strolling, with a large lake where you can rent a boat to sail on. It’s a magnificent place to take photos of the Alfonso XII monument and also a great way to enjoy a day outdoors. The Tour Time guides are well-versed in the Retiro Park, so they’ll guide you directly to the most iconic spots so you don’t waste time on less valuable photographic sites in the park.

Important points to include in your photography tour are: Felipe V’s Parterre, El Estanque Grande, Casa de Fieras, Palacio de Cristal, Palacio de Velázquez, Monumento a Alfonso XII, Jardines de Cecilio Rodríguez, Ángel Caído, and El Bosque de los Recuerdos.

To take photos of the Palacio de Cristal, we recommend going in the morning and not on weekends (there are so many people that it’s impossible to get a photo without anyone else). The light is also incredible, especially on a slightly overcast day. Even if you don’t take photos, it’s one of the most beautiful interiors/exteriors in the city.

If you want to make the most of the day, we recommend taking these photos in the morning, and then heading to the Royal Palace in the afternoon, where you can spend the rest of your time until dinner.

Where to take photos at the Royal Palace?

When visiting the Royal Palace, you can take your best photos at the main entrance in Plaza de Oriente. From one end, you can take incredible photos in front of its impressive Baroque architecture. On the other side, you’ll find the Almudena Cathedral, decorated with gold and Gothic-style statues. Both buildings are masterpieces and incredibly attractive for photographing, both up close and from a distance. You have a good view of the Almudena Cathedral and the Royal Palace from the Mirador de la Catedral on Calle del Factor, which rises slightly above the ground.

Any perspective is good for photographing these two monuments, but we suggest some interesting ones. The east façade of the Palace, where you’ll see the building up close, makes for a breathtaking view due to its size. The balcony of the Almudena Cathedral is a privileged place to watch the Solemn Changing of the Guard. The west façade, seen from Campo del Moro, is a vantage point from which we can see the Palace from below. To photograph the Palace from the west, we can go to the viewpoint on Príncipe Pío Mountain, where we’ll find the Temple of Debod, another interesting spot for photography. The best time to take this photo is at dusk, as the sun is setting, and its light reflects weaker on the Palace’s façade.

This photography tour is best done in the afternoon, when the sun begins to set until sunset.

Photographing the Temple of Debod.

The best time to photograph the Temple of Debod is at sunset, when the golden light highlights its shapes and reflects off the water of the surrounding fountains. In addition to shots of the temple itself, it’s worth visiting the nearby viewpoint, from which you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the Casa de Campo, the Almudena Cathedral, and the Royal Palace. It is, without a doubt, one of the most recommended spots for taking an unforgettable photographic memory of Madrid.

The temple is located just a few steps from Gran Vía, making it easy to continue the tour and discover another of the city’s must-see spots.

Photo tour of Madrid’s Gran Vía.

Stroll from Plaza Cibeles to Plaza de España, passing through Plaza Callao, taking photographs of its most emblematic buildings: Metropolis, Capitol, the Casino, and the Callao cinema.

If you want to take a panoramic photo, you can do so from the terrace on the Gourmet Floor of the El Corte Inglés department store, overlooking Plaza Callao. At this point, you could take a break and eat something, and take some nighttime photos of the city. Other interesting spots you can photograph, either as part of the tour suggested above (if you have time) or at another time, are the following:

Take lots of photos in Capricho Park.

One of Madrid’s secret spots where you can take photos without anyone crossing your path at the most inopportune moment. Capricho Park was built for the Duke and Duchess of Osuna, and you’ll find thousands of details to photograph. For example: the Casa de la Vieja (Old Lady’s House), the Paseo de los Duelos (Promenade of the Duels), the greenhouse (where plants from overseas were acclimatized to Spain), the Plaza de los Emperadores (Emperors’ Square), the labyrinth, the neoclassical Palace, the gaming fort, the chapel, the dance hall, the funeral island and its waterfall with black swans, etc. The vegetation is impressive. The lilacs and the jujube trees are spectacular when they bloom.

Photograph of the Plaza de Cibeles.

One of Madrid’s monuments that is part of the tourist community that identifies the city. One of the favorite places for taking panoramic photos is the upper terrace of the Cibeles Palace, from where you have a privileged view of the streets that converge on the square.

Royal Botanical Garden.

A tour of the Botanical Garden, full of curiosities and history, offers a delightful opportunity to photograph its more than five thousand plants. The botanical garden, declared an Artistic Garden, features a large garden and greenhouses that the public can enjoy in the heart of Madrid. As the garden is close to the Prado Museum, we suggest spending a morning on these two visits. However, a visit to the Prado Museum can be combined with many other activities, as it is very close to other museums and the Retiro Park itself.

Photograph the Christmas Lights.

Every year, the Christmas lights in Madrid are different, so we can’t give you a specific suggestion in this article. However, you can always photograph the lights on Gran Vía and its surrounding areas. If you’d like to organize a Christmas lights photography tour, Tour Time customizes this tour for groups of people, whether families, friends, or companies. A great idea is to organize a Christmas lunch and then follow it with a lights tour of Madrid. Original, right?

We’ve given you some ideas so you can immortalize your visit to Madrid, whether for your personal collection or to share your moments on Instagram. You can experience this adventure on your own, enjoying yourself and taking your time, or you can be guided by a guide who will take you directly to these spots or other places of great photographic interest. You can take this photography tour privately or in a group, and meet other photographers with whom you can share ideas and creativity. If this is your case, check out the Guided Photography Tour in Madrid; we’d even be happy to customize a tour according to your needs.