Madrid switches its Christmas lights on from mid to late November, and by early December the centre is busy from the moment the shops open. With a pushchair the trick is to go early, walk in one direction and leave the Gran Vía lights for after dark. This is a route that works, from the Plaza Mayor to the Plaza de España, with the things a Spanish family would take for granted explained as we go.
Check the dates of each market and rink on the official Madrid tourism site before you go. They change every year, and some are only announced a few weeks ahead.
Start in the Plaza Mayor, early and on a weekday
The Christmas market in the Plaza Mayor is free to enter and runs from late November to 31 December. It sells nativity figures (belenes), decorations, sweets and joke items, much of it mass-produced rather than handmade. Last year's opening hours were roughly 10am to 9pm from Sunday to Thursday and until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, but check this year's.
Go on a weekday before lunch. By late afternoon the square is shoulder to shoulder and the pushchair becomes a problem. It is also the part of the route most targeted by pickpockets, so keep bags in front of you and put your phone away when you stop.
The market is mostly stalls, not rides, so a toddler will be done in 20 minutes. [TU EXPERIENCIA: what your children enjoyed most at the Plaza Mayor stalls]
Hot chocolate near Sol
From the square it is a short walk towards the Puerta del Sol. A few minutes before you reach it, the Chocolatería San Ginés, in a passage off Calle Arenal, serves thick hot chocolate with churros and stays open through the night. It is very busy in December, so expect a queue or go at an odd hour, such as 11am.
Thick means thick: Spanish hot chocolate is closer to a pudding than to a mug of cocoa. Ask for one to share if your children are small.
Cortylandia on Calle Preciados
From Sol, walk along Calle Preciados, which is pedestrianised and fine for pushchairs. On the back of the El Corte Inglés building there, Cortylandia has been running since 1979. The façade becomes a giant screen with moving figures, lights and music, and the theme changes every year. It is free because you watch from the street.
It is aimed at young children and is the thing most Madrid parents with under-sevens take them to. Check the show times, arrive a little early to stand at the front, and be ready for a crowd of other pushchairs.
Lunch, Spanish style
Spaniards eat lunch at around 2pm and dinner at 9pm or later, but most bars will serve children earlier if you ask nicely, especially the ones near Sol and in La Latina. For a family with small children the easiest option is to order a few raciones (plates to share) at a bar and eat standing or at a high table.
The Mercado de San Miguel, near the Plaza Mayor, stays open through December and is good for tasting, but it is cramped with a pushchair. It works better at an off-peak time.
Gran Vía at dusk, then La Navideña
It gets dark by about 6pm in December, so aim to be on the Gran Vía around then. The overhead lights run along several blocks and are best seen on foot. At the end of the Gran Vía you reach the Plaza de España, where La Navideña usually has handmade products, food stalls and children's activities, and an ice rink in some years. A second rink and a nativity scene are normally in the Plaza de Colón, although the exact programme changes from year to year.
For a quiet moment during the day, the Almudena Cathedral has a nativity display and is much less crowded in December than in summer.
A note on timing
The season runs from late November to 6 January, and the biggest crowds fall between 22 December and 1 January. If your dates are flexible, the first two weeks of December are noticeably calmer, the lights are already on and the markets are open. On 25 December and 1 January many things are closed, so plan a slow day rather than a sightseeing one.
If you only have half a day
Skip the markets and do three things: Cortylandia, a chocolate and churros stop, and the Gran Vía lights at dusk. They are all within a short walk of each other and a toddler can manage them without a nap going wrong. Fit lunch around 1pm so you are not queuing at 2pm with everyone else.
If the weather turns
Rain is not common in a Madrid December, but a cold, grey day can happen. Pick one indoor stop: the Almudena Cathedral nativity, a long lunch at the Mercado de San Miguel, or a museum. Bear in mind that the Prado and the Reina Sofía have reduced hours on 24, 25 and 31 December and are closed on 1 January, so check before you promise children a gallery visit.
When the children are older
Older children usually want more than lights. About 30 minutes outside the city, El Escorial has a large nativity scene each year with hundreds of life-sized figures. Closer to home, Navidalia in Getafe has more than 90 attractions for children, including a Ferris wheel and an ice rink, and Mágicas Navidades in Torrejón de Ardoz is under 30 minutes from Madrid with rides and light shows. Both are outside the centre, so check the dates and the transport before planning around them.
Getting around with a pushchair
The Metro is extensive but not every station has a lift, so check the accessibility map before planning a route. In the centre the distances are short and walking is often quicker. Pavements around Sol and the Gran Vía are crowded after 4pm, and a lightweight, narrow pushchair is easier than a big travel system.
Daytime temperatures are around 8 to 12°C and nights drop to 2 to 5°C, with a cold wind, so dress children in layers and take a blanket for the pushchair.
Dates that matter if you are travelling over the holidays:
- 22 December is the Christmas lottery draw (the Lotería de Navidad), broadcast live, and many bars have it on.
- 24 December: many restaurants close early or are fully booked, and Spanish families eat at home.
- 5 January is the Three Kings parade (the Cabalgata de Reyes), with floats throwing sweets to the crowd.
Book lunch and dinner ahead around Christmas Eve, and get your spot early for the parade. If you are staying near Sol over Christmas and New Year, book your accommodation six to eight weeks ahead, because prices rise in the final week.
Meeting local families
If you would rather hear what to do from a family who lives in Madrid than from a guidebook, Woltica's travelling families circle helps you get in touch with local families. You can find out more at Woltica for travelling families.