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When To Go

Landlocked Madrid has a climate with four distinct seasons. High season is spring (mid-March to mid-June) and fall (September-October), when temperatures are at their most pleasant and street life bustles. If you can deal with soaring temperatures, summer will get you the best bang for your buck in terms of hotel costs, with one caveat: most locals leave the city and many restaurants and bars shut down, especially in August. On the plus side, you won't have to queue at attractions and fight to grab a table on a terraza. Winter holidays are a popular time to visit, especially during the famous New Year's grape-eating-at-midnight and fireworks ceremony at Puerta del Sol. After the holidays, low season gets underway between January and mid-March, when Madrid is cold, gloomy and without street action.

If you visit between March and October, you can catch one of the corridas (bullfights) during the official bullfighting season at La Plaza de Toros (Calle Alcalá 237; www.las-ventas.com), typically taking place on Sundays. The season peaks in the spring, particularly during the annual Fiesta de San Isidro, a weeklong celebration of Madrid's patron saint on May 15, when bullfights can be seen every day.

When To Go

High-season
mid-March through mid-June & September through October

Low-season
January through mid-March

Best bang for your buck
July & August