Events in Madrid
This October, Madrid fills its official calendar with festivals and its stages with big names. Madrid Otra Mirada opens heritage buildings from 12 to 18 October, Suma Flamenca runs from 13 October to 1 November and MadHorror arrives on 30 October. God Save the Queen takes over the Movistar Arena on 12 October, SYNTHONY plays Palacio Vistalegre on 22 October and Joe Bonamassa follows there on 8 November. Candlelight concerts light up the Basílica Pontificia de San Miguel and the Círculo de Bellas Artes, while Dalí's Freudian Universe opens at the Thyssen on 20 October.
What's on in Madrid according to the official calendar
The festivals below are the ones on Madrid's official events calendar for the coming weeks, and each card links straight to the organiser's own listing with the dates and venues. For the sights that are open all year round, start with tourist attractions in Madrid.
Suma Flamenca
When: 13 October to 1 November
Where: Teatros del Canal and other stages
The 21st edition of the flamenco festival, with 43 galas and 23 world premieres across the Madrid region.
MadHorror
When: 30 October to 2 November
Where: IFEMA Madrid
A first-edition horror festival with films, video games, comics and a themed Halloween area spread over 25,000 square metres.
Open House Madrid
When: 6 to 8 November
Where: Buildings across the city
Over a hundred buildings and architecture studios that are normally closed open for free guided visits, routes and workshops.
Autumn Festival
When: 6 to 26 November
Where: Teatros del Canal, Conde Duque and other venues
The 44th edition of the region's international performing arts festival, with theatre, dance and performance across the city.
Live music and festivals in Madrid
Candlelight, Mozart's Requiem
Candlelight, Mozart's Requiem comes to the Basílica Pontificia de San Miguel on 31 October at 19:00.
No Te Va Gustar
No Te Va Gustar plays Live Las Ventas on 1 November.
Joe Bonamassa
Joe Bonamassa plays Palacio Vistalegre on 8 November at 20:00.
Jack & Jack
Jack & Jack plays Independance Club on 15 November at 20:30.
What's on in Madrid this month
Berto Romero, Lo Nunca Visto
Berto Romero, Lo Nunca Visto comes to the Gran Teatro CaixaBank Príncipe Pío on 5 November at 20:00.
Caribe Mix Festival Madrid
Caribe Mix Festival Madrid comes to Live Las Ventas on 7 November at 19:30.
Aguilera y Meni
Aguilera y Meni plays Palacio Vistalegre on 13 November at 21:00.
Temporary exhibitions in Madrid
Robert Frank and The Americans
Until: 1 November
Where: Espacio Fundación Telefónica
The first time the complete series of The Americans, 83 iconic images of Frank's road trip across the United States, is shown in Spain.
Mauritshuis and Thyssen-Bornemisza
Dates: 9 October to 10 January 2027
Where: Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
The Thyssen and the Mauritshuis swap twenty-five works, bringing 17th-century Dutch masterpieces including Vermeer's View of Delft to Madrid.
Women Artists, Pathways through Pre-Raphaelitism (1850-1914)
Until: 10 January 2027
Where: Fundación MAPFRE, Sala Recoletos
The Pre-Raphaelite movement seen through the women artists who contributed to its development, from paintings and photographs to embroideries and stained glass.
Dalí's Freudian Universe
Dates: 20 October to 24 January 2027
Where: Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
A fresh look at Salvador Dalí's career through his obsession with the writings of Sigmund Freud and their famous meeting in 1938.
Cayetana, Grandee of Spain
Until: 31 January 2027
Where: Palacio de Liria
An exhibition on the 18th Duchess of Alba, from her childhood as little Tanuca to her role as one of the country's best known figures.
Manolo Millares, Fallen Figure
Until: 16 February 2027
Where: Museo Reina Sofía
A focused display around Fallen Figure, tracing the raw burlap and dark matter of the Spanish artist's post-war informalist work.
Eli Cortiñas, The Machine Dreams of Smoke
Until: 8 March 2027
Where: Museo Reina Sofía
An exhibition built around the artist's three-channel video work, exploring the links between cinema, museums and digital culture.
Madrid tickets and tours
Keep the city and national holiday calendar in mind
Public holidays change the rhythm of a visit more than most travellers expect. Shops and museums move to holiday timetables, public transport can run a reduced service and a day built around a market or a municipal museum can fall flat. Madrid keeps 14 paid public holidays in 2026: the 8 that apply across the whole of Spain, 4 more set by the Comunidad de Madrid and 2 that the city council fixes for itself, San Isidro on 15 May and the Almudena on 9 November. Two of the regional days exist only because All Saints' Day and Constitution Day fall on a Sunday in 2026 and the region moved them to the following Monday.
National holidays in Spain 2026
- 1 January New Year's Day (Año Nuevo)
- 6 January Epiphany (Epifanía del Señor)
- 3 April Good Friday (Viernes Santo)
- 1 May Labour Day (Fiesta del Trabajo)
- 15 August Assumption of Mary (Asunción de la Virgen)
- 12 October National Day of Spain (Fiesta Nacional de España)
- 8 December Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Inmaculada Concepción)
- 25 December Christmas Day (Natividad del Señor)
Local holidays in Madrid 2026
- 2 April Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo), regional
- 2 May Day of the Community of Madrid (Fiesta de la Comunidad de Madrid), regional
- 15 May Saint Isidore (San Isidro Labrador), local
- 2 November All Saints' Day moved from the Sunday (traslado de Todos los Santos), regional
- 9 November Feast of the Almudena (Nuestra Señora de la Almudena), local
- 7 December Constitution Day moved from the Sunday (traslado del Día de la Constitución), regional
Most of the city information points close early at 17:00 on 24 and 31 December and open late at 11:00 on 25 December and 1 January, and the Plaza Mayor centre shortens its hours from 13 to 17 May for San Isidro. The CentroCentro point is the exception listed as closed on 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 24, 25 and 31 December, and the regional centre on Puerta del Sol closes on 1 May, 25 December and 1 January.
Keep exploring Madrid
The Madrid guide
The Madrid guide on Tourist Office gathers a first day itinerary, the landmarks worth booking ahead and what the city offers for free.
Tourist office in Madrid
Where Madrid's official tourist information points are, when they open and which public holidays change their opening hours.
Spain highlights
The Spain guide looks beyond the city to the country's great cities, landmarks and coast, with the sights worth planning a longer trip around.