Madrid possesses different locations from which you can obtain privileged views of the city as a whole. This section contains a list of the city’s most important and most accessible viewpoints. By clicking on the links, you can access the files of each site in the catalogue, with details of their location, a photo gallery and practical information on filming in them.
1 Las Vistillas Gardens
Located on a ridge in the vicinity of the La Latina neighbourhood, beside the Plaza de Gabriel Miró, the Las Vistillas Gardens provide a panoramic view over the La Almudena Cathedral and the banks of the Manzanares River, with the Casa de Campo Park in the background.
2 Cerro del Tío Pío Park
Located in Vallecas and popularly known as the Park of the Seven Boobs on account of the seven artificial hills that it contains, the Cerro del Tío Pío Park offers a general view over the rooftops of Madrid, including the Communications Tower known as the “Pirulí” or “Lollipop”; the Torres KIO and the Cuatro Torres Business Area. One can even appreciate the outline of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains in the distance. Even though it is somewhat far from the centre, it does offer a splendid image of the urban skyline of Madrid, especially at sunset.
3 Temple of Debod Gardens
The viewpoint in the gardens that surround the Temple of Debod, located in the vicinity of Plaza España, provides a wide panoramic view of the Casa de Campo Park, the Royal Palace and the La Almudena Cathedral. An essential location for watching the Madrid sunset.
4 Segovia Bridge
Considered the oldest bridge in Madrid, the Segovia Bridge also provides magnificent views both north and south of the river, including great ones over the new monumental fountains located in their lower gardens, not to mention the La Almudena Cathedral, the Royal Palace and Plaza de España’s two iconic buildings: Torre de Madrid and Edificio España.
5 Mirador Madrid at Cibeles Palace
At 70 metres in height, on the eighth floor of the Cibeles Palace, the headquarters of Madrid City Council, the CentroCentro viewpoint offers a 360-degree view of the entire city, including such representative icons as the El Retiro Park, Calle Alcalá and its buildings, the Telefónica Building, the Paseo de Recoletos, Torrespaña or Torre de Madrid.
6 Faro de Moncloa
Located in the Avenue of the Arch of Victory, the Faro de Moncloa observation deck was built in 1992 to celebrate Madrid’s designation as European Capital of Culture. Standing 92 meters in height, it provides us with what is perhaps the most complete view of the city from west to east, although we can also see the University City, the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains and the Casa de Campo Park. It is possible to make out points of interest all over the city: The Royal Palace, the Telefónica Building, the Círculo de Bellas Artes, the El Retiro Park, Torrespaña, Torre Picasso or the Cuatro Torres Business Area.
7 Roof Terrace at Círculo de Bellas Artes
From the roof terrace of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, located on Calle de Alcalá, visitors can enjoy a unique perspective of the urban landscape of the city, including outstanding views of the initial stretch of Gran Vía Avenue (with the Metropolis Building to the fore), the Instituto Cervantes and the Cibeles Palace.
8 Terrace of the El Corte Inglés in Callao
Located on the 9th floor of the Plaza de Callao commercial centre, in a space dedicated to gastronomy, the terrace of the El Corte Inglés Department Store in Callao offers a perfect view of the third stretch of Gran Vía Avenue, the one that runs from Callao to Plaza de España and includes the Capitol Building with its Schweppes sign to the fore, and in the background, Edificio España and the Torre de Madrid. It also offers a good perspective of the Teatro Real Opera House. This commercial centre is open without charge to the general public, every day from 10am to midnight. Check about terms and conditions for each specific production.
9 Madrid Cable Car
The Madrid Cable Car, which can be accessed from Paseo del Pintor Rosales, acts as a moving viewpoint from which we obtain a magnificent view of the west side of Madrid and particularly so of Torre de Madrid, Edificio España, the Royal Palace and the La Almudena Cathedral, with the green mass of trees of the Casa de Campo Park in the foreground. The journey between the Oeste Park and the Casa de Campo Park takes 11 minutes, at a maximum height of 40 meters.
10 Almudena Cathedral
From its dome, which is accessed through the Almudena Cathedral Museum, we can enjoy an excellent panoramic view of the city. It offers a 360-degree view that takes in the Royal Palace, the rooftops of the centre of Madrid, the Casa de Campo Park and even the mountains in the background.
