10 Things to Do in Madrid in the winter

Although it has a reputation for being a city where the cold takes over in the winter months, there are usually plenty of events and activities to see and do in Madrid during the winter months. For this reason, you shouldn't hesitate to visit the city during this season.

In fact, there are dozens of reasons to travel to the capital between November and March, from the traditional Three Kings Parade to the Chinese New Year. Read on to find out what to do in winter.

In the winter season, Madrid fills up with stalls and stalls. The most famous Christmas market takes place at the end of November in the Plaza Mayor. This central location has welcomed merchants and customers since the beginning of the 17th century, when the architect Juan Gómez de Mora finished remodelling the esplanade.

If in its origins you could buy meat, vegetables and live animals (especially turkeys), nowadays it is the ideal place to buy Christmas decorations, nativity scenes and jokes. Alternatively, you can opt for the markets that are set up in other parts of the capital. Some of the most outstanding are

• Feria Mercado de Artesanía de la Comunidad de Madrid (Paseo de Recoletos).
• Mercadillo del Gato (an ephemeral event held at the Hotel The Westin Palace, Plaza de las Cortes 7).
• Las lonjas (market stalls) set up in Madrid Río Park (Paseo de la Chopera 10)
• Craft market in Plaza Isabel II

Save money at the outlet at Las Rozas Village

If you like luxury brands but want to save money, there's an outlet just outside Madrid that you'll love. It's in the municipality of Las Rozas and it's so popular with trendy travellers that excursions are organised from the capital to go to the outlet. Las Rozas Village has many fashion and jewellery boutiques such as Carolina Herrera, Karl Lagerfeld and Swaroski, all at great prices. And all at great prices.

If rain or bad weather prevents you from doing outdoor activities, you can always visit the Prado Museum, the country's most important art gallery.

The building that houses the museum was built during the reign of Charles III, although the monarch's intentions were to house the Cabinet of Natural Sciences. However, his grandson Ferdinand VII and Queen Maria Isabel de Braganza decided to turn it into a space in which to exhibit the country's finest paintings and sculptures.

Today, the museum has the most important collection of Spanish paintings in the world. As you can see in this article on the best paintings in the Prado, its rooms house works by classic artists such as Goya ("The 3rd of May in Madrid", "The Naked Maja", "Saturn", etc.), Velázquez ("Las Meninas", "Adoration of the Magi", etc.) and El Greco ("The Gentleman with his Hand on his Chest", "The Trinity", etc.).

Although winter officially ends on 21 March, this month is generally characterised by milder temperatures. At this time of year, the Tren de Felipe II is once again running between Príncipe Pío station and El Escorial. If you want to see all that the monastery of El Escorial has to offer, this is one of the most special ways to get to the monument from Madrid.

It consists of four carriages from the 1940s pulled by a diesel locomotive. After leaving Madrid station behind them, the convoy heads into the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains, a natural setting just a few kilometres from the capital.

In just under an hour you will reach this peaceful mountain town. The train ticket includes a visit to this town's most famous monument: the El Escorial Monastery, a complex of buildings that includes a royal palace, a monastery, a basilica, a pantheon and a library.

Transport enthusiasts have one more reason to come here: just a few metres from the monastery you will find the Cocheras del Rey, a collection of horse-drawn carriages, sleighs and other objects.

If you stay in Madrid for about four days, you can dedicate a day to visit Segovia. With a bit of luck, you will see its famous castle covered by a white cloak. The fortress stands on a rocky spur overlooking the valley and its slate-roofed towers are reminiscent of Cinderella's castle.

The other icon is the spectacular Roman aqueduct that carried water from the Sierra de Guadarrama. Splendidly preserved, it is the first monument you will come across on arrival as it marks the beginning of the old town.

Another unmissable attraction is the Cathedral, which blends three architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this city is perfect for a romantic getaway. From Madrid, you can get here by train from Chamartín station. However, if you are short on time, I recommend booking a day trip to Segovia.

In the capital, the Chinese community resides mainly in Usera, a neighbourhood that borders Madrid Río Park. In the 1990s, Chinese citizens moved here and, little by little, the traditional establishments have been replaced by restaurants, bazaars, hairdressers and other shops aimed at the Oriental public.

Madrid's Chinatown is concentrated around the streets Nicolás Sánchez, Dolores Barranco, Olvido and Marcelo Usera. From the centre, you can get here by metro (from Sol, yellow line to Legazpi + circular line to Usera).

Chinese New Year is celebrated between January and February; the date changes every year but one thing always remains the same: the colourful parties that enliven the streets of Usera.

Between January and February, the neighbourhood is filled with parades, floating lanterns, dragons, fireworks and much more. You can check the full programme on the official website of Madrid City Council. After a stroll, you can take advantage of the occasion to experience something typical:

• The Alley, for bubble tea lovers. If you don't know it, it's tea mixed with fruit, fruit syrup, yoghurt or milk and tapioca pearls (Plaza Julián Marías, Local 4).
• Hong Kong 70 in Chinatown, the restaurant famous for its lacquered duck. As tradition dictates, diners can watch how the chefs choose and prepare each recipe (Calle Nicolás Sánchez 11). Another option (also takeaway) is the Tong-Fu Duck Rotisserie (Calle Nicolás Usera 71).
• Wenzhou Supermarket, where you can buy unique goods: Nori seaweed, crunchy dates, bamboo mushrooms, tofu skewers and much more. For more info, check their website (Calle de Dolores Barranco 70).
• Buddhist Temple, a place of worship dedicated to Tibetan Tantric Buddhism (Calle Luis de la Torre 12).

Between the end of February and the beginning of March, the capital's almond trees fill with pink blossoms. The Japanese call it "hanami" and it is one of the most eagerly awaited events in Japan. The tradition has crossed the borders of the rising sun and this spectacle of nature attracts an increasing number of admirers.

There are possibly no three better parks where you can see it during your stay in Madrid than the following:

• La Quinta de los Molinos, 21 hectares of almond, olive and eucalyptus trees. It is a bit far from the centre - the nearest stop is Suanzes, green line in the direction of Alameda de Osuna - but I assure you it is worth taking the metro. It was owned by the Count of Torre Arias who gave it to the city council in 1920. Even so, it is still unknown to many Madrileños, although its popularity is growing year by year (Calle Alcalá 527).
• Botanical Garden, the trees are located behind the Villanueva Pavilion. If you want to keep up to date, I recommend checking their Instagram profile from time to time (Plaza Murillo 2).
• Huerta de la partida, an area of 38,000 square metres on the banks of the Manzanares. In what was once the orchard of the Vargas family, almond, fig, hazel and other trees were planted. You will recognise the site by the waterless riverbed that recreates the Meaques stream (Madrid Río Park, halfway between the Casa de Campo pond and the Puente del Rey bridge).

Although you may not know it, Madrid and chocolate are closely linked. The first cocoa beans arrived in the capital in 1520 and the first people to consume them were monks. They used to drink a few hot cups during fasting as it was not considered a food.

Subsequently, it became the favourite drink of aristocrats who used it in a feast, a snack offered to their guests. During the ritual, chocolate was served along with sponge cakes, scones, sweetened bread and a glass of ice cream called "búcaro de nieve".

In Madrid, the Chocolatería San Ginés is a real institution. It has been serving churros and hot chocolate since 1894, and its tables have been visited by the likes of Valle-Inclán, Maradona and US President Jimmy Carter. It is located in the Pasadizo de San Ginés, a stone's throw from the more famous Calle Arenal.

Other options are La Antigua Churrería ( Calle Bravo Murillo 190 and Calle Conde de Peñalver 32), Chocolat (Calle Santa María 30) and Churrería Los Artesanos 1902 (Calle de San Martín 2).

If you want to go snowboarding in a shopping centre, you don't have to fly to Dubai. A few kilometres from the capital is Xanadú Snowzone, the only indoor snow slope in our country.

The indoor area is designed for everyone, you don't need to be an expert skier! In fact, it has a practice area (beginners' slope) and an area dedicated to children (Telebaby). For more information, I recommend you visit the official website.

What winter would it be without ice rinks? In the capital, the most similar situation to Rockefeller Center in New York is in Plaza de España.

After its renovation, this space in Madrid has been reborn and the new pedestrian walkway connects it with the Royal Palace and the Temple of Debod. Here you can skate on a large surface at the foot of the Hotel Riu.

However, it is not the only one in the city. Other destinations include Plaza Colón, Matadero (Plaza Legazpi 8), Palacio de Hielo ( a large complex in Arturo Soria, Calle de Silvano 77), Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles (Calle Montalbán 1) or the rink in Plaza Juan Goytisolo, near the Reina Sofía Museum and Atocha station.

The Roscón de Reyes is the symbol of Christmas. There are many establishments in the capital that follow the traditional recipe or make new varieties. Discover the best places!

• Pan.Delirio, an establishment run by Javier Cocheteux father and son. The bakery uses sourdough and stone-ground organic flour. Its desserts hide the traditional elements: a porcelain figure and a broad bean (Calle Juan Bravo 21, Calle Profesor Waksman 8 and Calle Naranjo 7).
• Mallorca, a classic in Madrid. The acolytes come every year to take home a roscón that is soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. It has several shops, for more info I recommend you take a look at their official website.
• Panem, the best roscón de Reyes in Madrid 2022. The jury has awarded it by unanimous decision after a blind tasting. It is located in the neighbourhood of Ibiza, near the Retiro Park (Calle de Fernán González 42).
• Moulin Chocolat, a signature cake. Its creator is Ricardo Vélez, the "cocoa chef". You can choose between four options: without filling, with cream, with toasted yolk or with truffle (Calle Alcalá 77).
• Panod, Pastry chef Andrés Alvite has worked with Oriol Balaguer, a national pastry reference. Since 2017, his roscones have conquered the top positions in the gastronomic rankings. You will find it in the heart of Chueca (Calle Prim 1).

In the capital, winters are not very cold and are characterised by low humidity. Despite its high altitude, snow is not very common and the coldest month is January. As early as mid-February, temperatures start to rise. So a jumper, a heavier jumper and a hoodie should be in your suitcase.

In terms of rainfall, November and December see the highest percentage of rainfall. If you are planning an excursion to the Escorial Monastery or other locations in the mountains, take a scarf and a winter hat.