Madrid, the capital of Spain, is quite famous for its nightlife and museums, but what about the photography options? When doing my research on Madrid before my trip I personally found it extremely difficult to find anywhere specific I had to visit (other than the money heist bank!), making this the first trip of mine that I went into without much of a plan. Although I’ve definitely been in other cities like Budapest and Barcelona with endless photo opportunities, Madrid was not a disappointment, and I was able to bring you all a few of the gems I found along the way.
1. City hall
This was probably one of the most majestic sites in the city; the building itself isn’t even super special but it has really nice architecture for sure. It reminded me a bit of the cathedral in Milan, as it was also really tall and wide. This building for sure makes a great background for any of your pictures as a way to highlight your Madrid trip. I’d recommend you take your photos here around 10am-1pm, so that the sun is high enough to light up the building but not high enough to cast shadows on your face.
2. Pond
Behind the city hall you’ll find yourself at one of the largest parks in the city. This park has so much to offer including the royal palace (which we’ll get to next); it has a massive pond with a large structure at the end which makes for a great photo opportunity. You can also go on a boat ride which can be another great photo opportunity. Because there are so many angles you can shoot from at this pond, any time of day is great for taking pictures because you will always be able to move to get your perfect lighting.
3. Royal palace
The royal palace is one of Madrid’s top attractions. You can see it from outside the courtyard, or you can also pay to go inside and get around the other side of the fence. I would recommend visiting the palace in the late afternoon or early morning as there will be less crowds and best lighting with minimal shadows.
4. Crystal palace
The Crystal Palace is also one of Madrid’s top attractions, and is found right in the park behind city hall. It is very intriguing because of its glass built structure that is very unique compared to other attractions commonly visited. It has a pretty fountain outside as well which can make a nice background. I personally visited this palace around the early afternoon and found the lighting to be great.
5. The Royal Mint of Spain
Typically I wouldn’t recommend you to visit a mint unless it was the most beautiful building in the city, however, if you’re a fan of the show Money Heis I would definitely recommend checking this place out! It is really cool to see in person and will sure give your socials a fun twist, bringing a favorite show to life. It is a really pretty building on it’s own, and you can walk all around it. I would suggest this spot as a location to visit at any time of day as it also has many angles.
