Cultural spring in Madrid: what to do at the best time of year

Madrid in spring brings together the best of the city: pleasant temperatures for walking, parks and gardens in bloom and a very busy cultural calendar. Between March and June you can tour the great museums of the Paseo del Arte, stroll through the Retiro and its Book Fair, visit the rose gardens, see a musical on the Gran Vía or check out what is on at Matadero, as well as experiencing San Isidro, the big festival of the city's patron saint. For many, it is the best time to visit the capital.

The triangle formed by the Museo del Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía can be covered on foot along the Paseo del Prado, and in spring the walk from one to the next is a pleasure. Each museum puts on temporary exhibitions that change throughout the year; check their websites before you go and book tickets for the most popular shows. In our guide to visiting the Paseo del Arte we tell you how to plan it.

A date to bear in mind: around 18 May, International Museum Day, many museums organise special activities. And at the end of spring PHotoEspaña begins, the photography festival that spreads exhibitions across the whole city.

The Retiro and the Book Fair

The Retiro is Madrid's great living room in spring: boats on the lake, the Palacio de Cristal, its rose garden and, at the end of May and the beginning of June, the Feria del Libro (Book Fair), with stalls run by bookshops and publishers and authors signing copies. You will find more ideas in what to see in the Retiro, and if you are staying in the area, the taxi in Retiro page will help you with your airport transfer.

Rose gardens, almond trees and the Botánico

• Rosaleda del Parque del Oeste: in full bloom, at the end of spring, it is one of the most beautiful spots in the city. It is in the Moncloa district, near the Templo de Debod.
• Real Jardín Botánico: next to the Prado, ideal to combine with your museum visit.
• Quinta de los Molinos: famous for its almond trees in blossom at the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

If you like green spaces, in green Madrid we go through the most beautiful parks and gardens in the city.

The former municipal slaughterhouse, now Matadero Madrid, is a centre for contemporary creation with exhibitions, theatre, cinema and activities, next to the linear park of Madrid Río, which runs alongside the Manzanares and is perfect for a stroll or a bike ride when the weather is good. Both are in the Arganzuela district.

Spring is also the season when terraces and rooftop bars open up, and when the squares in the centre are full of people until late.

The Gran Vía's musicals and theatre listings run all year round, but in spring it is especially tempting to combine a show with a stroll and dinner on a terrace. May brings the San Isidro festivities, with street parties, chotis dancing and concerts, and the bullfighting season at Las Ventas. For the complete festival calendar, see our guide to Madrid's fiestas and festivals.

• Dress in layers: the weather is changeable, with cool mornings, mild middays and the odd shower.
• Book in advance for Easter and the long weekends in May, when demand for flights and accommodation rises sharply.
• Get to museums and gardens early: on weekends with good weather they fill up from mid-morning.
• Secure your transfer from the airport: at peak times the taxi queues at the terminals grow. You can book in advance and check the price for your area in our fares; to the centre, inside the M-30, it is a fixed €33.