Madrid, a City Made for the Movies: A Route Through Its Most Cinematic Locations

Madrid has become the setting for some of the most recognisable films and series of recent years. Its streets, squares, buildings and neighbourhoods have become part of stories that have brought the image of the city to audiences around the world.

This September, there is also a good reason to discover its most cinematic side. From 15 to 20 September 2026,Madrid will host the 35th edition of the Madrid Film Festival, one of the city’s longest-running film events.

But Madrid’s relationship with cinema goes far beyond those dates. If you are planning to spend a few days or a longer stay in the capital, we suggest discovering the city in a different way: by exploring some of its most iconic filming locations, places linked to the world of cinema and historic theatres with a story of their own.

Gran Vía and Callao: the Madrid we have seen on screen

Few places in Madrid feel as cinematic as Gran VíaIts buildings, theatres, illuminated signs and constant movement have made this area one of the city’s most recognisable urban settings.

Plaza de Callao and its surroundings have also appeared in numerous productions. Internationally successful Spanish series such as Money Heist have used different locations in central Madrid, helping to turn many of the city’s streets and squares into familiar sights for viewers around the world. Plaza de Callao y su entorno han aparecido también en numerosas producciones. Series españolas de proyección internacional como “La casa de papel” han utilizado diferentes localizaciones del centro de Madrid, contribuyendo a que muchos de sus rincones sean hoy reconocibles para espectadores de todo el mundo.

Walking along Gran Vía towards Callao is a way to experience the dynamic, urban Madrid we have seen so many times on screen, while also discovering one of the city’s most important areas for cinema, theatre and entertainment.

Madrid through its film and TV routes

Discovering cinematic Madrid does not have to mean simply recognising filming locations by chance. The city offers several routes designed to follow the traces that films and television series have left across its streets.

Madrid Film Office and Madrid City Council Tourism offer different screen tourism routes that allow visitors to explore the city through its audiovisual heritage. These itineraries include filming locations, places associated with major figures in cinema and stories behind some of the most iconic productions filmed in Madrid.

Among the different routes, you can find itineraries dedicated to Pedro Almodóvar’s Madrid, Luis García Berlanga’s Madrid, Ava Gardner, or Madrid as the capital of television series, as well as routes through landmark locations such as Paseo del Prado and El Retiro.

A different way to walk through Madrid, discover the stories hidden behind familiar places and create your own film-inspired route through the city.

Cine Doré: an essential stop for film lovers

A cinematic route through Madrid also deserves a stop at one of the city’s most emblematic cinemas.

On Calle Santa Isabel, very close to Antón Martín, you will find Cine Doré, the current screening venue of Filmoteca Española. The present building was constructed in 1923 and, after being restored, became the permanent screening venue of the Spanish Film Archive in 1989.

Its programme includes film seasons, retrospectives and activities aimed at promoting cinematic and audiovisual heritage.

More than simply going to watch a film, stepping inside Cine Doré is a way to discover part of Madrid’s cinema history and enjoy an experience that feels very different from a conventional commercial cinema.

Madrid, capital of television series

Madrid’s connection with the screen is not limited to cinema. In recent years, the city has also established itself as the setting for television series that have reached international audiences.

La casa de papel, Elite, Las chicas del cable or El Ministerio del Tiempo are some of the productions included in the official Madrid Film Office routes and have helped bring different images of Madrid to viewers around the world.

There is also a second route that explores locations and stories linked to productions such as Valeria o Antidisturbios.

Walking through Madrid can therefore become a kind of game: recognising a square, a street or a building and remembering where you have seen it before.

September, a particularly cinematic month

If you are in Madrid this September, the calendar offers even more reasons to experience the city through cinema.

From 15 to 20 September, the 35th edition of the Madrid Film Festival once again puts the spotlight on the audiovisual sector and offers an opportunity to discover new productions and cinematic perspectives.

The Festival can also be the starting point for exploring Madrid’s wider relationship with film: visiting filming locations, following one of the city’s screen tourism routes or discovering one of its historic cinemas.

Because Madrid is not only something to enjoy on screen. It can also be explored as if you were stepping into a film.

And after exploring Madrid, the movie continues at Truliving

After discovering filming locations, walking through the city’s neighbourhoods or enjoying a cinema screening, the experience can continue at Truliving Vallecas.

Among its shared spaces, Truliving features a sala de cine where guests can enjoy a film without leaving the building, as well as access to Netflix.

Because living in Madrid for a few days or a few months also means having time to discover everything the city has to offer and choosing how you want to enjoy each moment.

From exploring locations you recognise from films and series to ending the day with a movie, Madrid offers plenty of ways to experience cinema both on and off the screen.

Ready to discover your own cinematic Madrid?