These summer plans in Madrid make the energy-sapping heat more bearable. If at this point there is no version of Summertime that relieves you and you are already short of ideas, what you need is to reconcile with the city. Parks, indoor beaches, outdoor nights, terraces and pools are here to bring out the refreshing side of the city.
Terraces with a view
1. Emperador Hotel
In the middle of Gran Via is the largest rooftop pool in Madrid, with 14 meters long by six meters wide. It is in the Hotel Emperador, located at number 53 of the legendary avenue, which has a beach club of 1,000 square meters. A terrace of record for which celebrities such as Ava Gardner, Hemingway or Sophia Loren have passed. Its views are equally privileged.
📍Location: Gran Vía, 53 (downtown)
2. Le Tavernier
Le Tavernier is in the heart of Madrid, on the 8th floor of the Hotel INNSIDE by Meliá Madrid Gran Vía. And the views of the skyline are unbeatable. Its more than 500 meters of terrace with a seafaring soul and Galician flavor are an oasis in which to have the best cocktails and share a portion with friends. On Saturdays the opening hours are extended until 2 pm, so it is the perfect place to extend the summer evenings.
📍Location: Gran Víastreet , 34 (downtown)
Summer cinemas
3. Fescinal
Fescinal, the oldest summer cinema in Madrid, celebrates its 41st edition from June 26 to September 6, 2025 in the Parque de la Bombilla (Príncipe Pío). This open-air festival offers two simultaneous screenings every night in different theaters, with a program that combines the most recent premieres, Spanish cinema with colloquiums with directors and actors, classics and animation for all audiences. The sessions begin at 10:15 pm and the atmosphere is unique: watching movies under the stars, in a wooded setting and with a capacity for 900 people in the main hall. Tickets start at 5.50 euros and all information and advance sales are available on the official website of Fescinal.
📍Location: avenida de Valladolid, SN (Moncloa – Aravaca)
Price: 5,5 €.
4. La Estival
The summer cinema returns to the Plaza de España from July 12 until September 14. La Estival will have a large screen of 120 m² for screenings and a gastronomic anteroom with 15 stalls, 5 more than last year. As usual, the audio will be broadcast through wireless stereo headphones that will allow to listen to the film in original or dubbed version. The doors will be open from Monday to Friday at 5:00 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00 noon.
As in previous years, there will be a wide range of premiere films, special screenings, monologues and live podcasts, among other activities that have not yet been specified.
Location: Plaza de España (Downtown)
Price: 11€.
Don’t let the party stop
5. Teatro Kapital and its restaurant Quintoelemento, open for the vacations.
From Wednesday to Sunday throughout July and August, Teatro Kapital opens and gives shelter to the night owls who stay in Madrid during the summer season. Five floors and so many dance floors to immerse yourself in the best sessions until dawn.
And for those who want a somewhat quieter plan, on the top two floors is the restaurant Quintoelemento with a striking retractable roof that lets in light but not heat, and with some surprising dishes. During the summer months, they offer a succulent menu curated and designed by chef Juan Suárez de Lezo. If you set your mind to it, you may not leave Kapital for days.
Something surprising
6. Babylon Park
A roller coaster inside a big building? An indoor amusement park with all the coolness of air conditioning? Yes and Yes. Babylon Park is located in Leganés and inside you will find attractions as well as arcade games and spaces to enjoy the latest Virtual Reality technology.
📍 Location: Westfield Parquesur Shopping Center, Av. de Gran Bretaña s/n, Leganés, Madrid.
💸 Price: Unlimited admission for 1.5h: 15€.
7. The concert Something Unexpected at Conde Duque
Veranos de la Villa has achieved that the concert Algo inesperado has become a tradition of the summer nights in Madrid. This year there is still no date announced but it is usually in mid-August in the central courtyard of the Centro Cultural Conde Duque. The name of the artist will only be revealed once he/she is on stage. In the five previous editions have played alternative pop-rock groups such as Vetusta Morla, Morgan and Carolina Durante, as well as singers María José Llergo and Kiko Veneno.
📍Location: Calle de Conde Duque, 11 (Conde Duque)
8. Candlelight Concerts
In the most unexpected scenarios and by candlelight Candlelight presents a new summer program ranging from tributes to Vivaldi, Hans Zimmer, Coldplay or The Beatles to tributes to artists closer to home such as La Oreja de Van Gogh, Laura Pausini or Bad Bunny.
These concerts will take place in venues that are always worth revisiting -or visiting for the first time, if you have not yet done so-. We are talking about the Ateneo de Madrid, the Círculo de Bellas Artes or the Palacio de los Duques de Santoña. In addition, because it is summer, on some specific dates and in places close to Madrid, the magic of Candlelight will go outdoors in new locations to bring its light and music outdoors.
📍Location: several locations in Madrid and surroundings
💸Price: From 15€.
Swimming pools in Madrid
9. The beach of Parla
THE pinnacle of Madrid’s municipal pools is the Parla beach: a saltwater pool. You can even choose to lie on the grass or on the fine sand and enjoy the sun. With 3,000 cubic meters of crystal clear water and three independent pools, this enclosure is one of the best kept secrets of the summer on the outskirts of the capital. It is usually open from mid-June to mid-September.
Location: Avenida de América, s/n (Parla)
10. The Casa de Campo swimming pool
The Casa de Campo Sports Center was renovated in 2021, including the comprehensive remodeling of three of the five pools and the creation of a new initiation pool. It is one of the most attractive municipal swimming pools in Madrid thanks to the privileged environment in which it is located, surrounded by oak trees and very close to the Casa de Campo lake.
All kinds of water sports classes are organized in its facilities, for all ages, including swimming lessons for people with disabilities. The center also has a weight training gym.
Location: Paseo Puerta del Ángel, 7 (Casa de Campo)
Popular festivities
11. San Cayetano in Lavapiés
Editorial credit: Shutterstock
In August Lavapiés and La Latina dress up in chulapa because the festivities take up half a month and save the summer night plans of the Madrilenians. They begin the weekend of August 7-8 with San Cayetano, which this year will be held at the fairgrounds that will be located in the Plaza de Cascorro.
12. San Lorenzo in Lavapiés
From August 9 to 12 the festivities of San Lorenzo are celebrated. As in previous years, the stalls and booths will be located in the squares of Lavapiés, Nelson Mandela and Cabestreros. The musical performances, still to be confirmed, will be in the Plaza de Arturo Barea.
13. The Virgen de la Paloma
The biggest festival of the summer is that of the Virgen de la Paloma and its fervor is only comparable to that of San Isidro. These are the festivities that inspired the film by Jonás Trueba, La virgen de agosto and also a comedy classic, La verbena de la Paloma, from 1963, starring Concha Velasco and directed by José Luis Sáenz de Heredia.
The Virgen de la Paloma culminates the almost 9 days of celebrations that will take place during the first two weeks of the month, from the 13th to the 15th of August. The nerve center of these festivities is the San Francisco race and the Plaza de los Carros. The musical performances will be in the Vistillas, as in previous years.
Water parks
14. Warner Beach Park
Amusement park lovers are in luck. Parque Warner Beach brings together the best of the original version of the well-known theme park in an aquatic experience that includes slides, pools and other outdoor activities. In addition, the enclosure includes rest areas and stores with merchandising of the characters that have starred in our childhood: the Looney Tunes.
Location: A-4, Exit 22 (San Martín de la Vega)
Price: 35,90 €
15. Aquopolis in Villanueva de la Cañada
Whether with family, friends or as a couple, Aquopolis is the ideal proposal to take a dip in a fun way. The water park has facilities that offer alternatives suitable for all ages, such as slides, pools, ponds…. And many more attractions in which water is the main element.
Location: Avenida Dehesa, s/n (Villanueva de la Cañada)
Price:from 19,90€.
Beaches and natural pools
16. San Juan Swamp
Located just an hour from Madrid capital, the Pantano de San Juan is one of the most visited areas by locals during the summer. The swamp is considered one of the natural beaches suitable for bathing and has numerous leisure options beyond swimming, such as beach bars, the practice of water sports and other areas ideal for organizing a picnic with incredible views.
This year, the reservoir also maintains the recognition of the blue flag in the Virgen de la Nueva beach, so there are no excuses for not taking a dip in what is considered ‘the beach of Madrid’.
Location: San Martín de Valdeiglesias. It is accessed through the M-501, popularly known as the “road of the marshes”.
17. Las Presillas
The spectacular natural pools of Las Presillas are located about 80 km from the capital, specifically in the area of Rascafría. The enclosure has all kinds of equipment, among which you can find trails, parking area for vehicles, toilets, kiosks and landscaped areas in which to rest. Also, accessibility to the site is really easy, since it has a bus route that allows you to go from Plaza de Castilla.
On the other hand, a trip to Las Presillas also allows you to immerse yourself in the environment beyond the pools themselves. A short distance from them, there are the Recreational Area La Isla and the Monastery of El Paular, places worth discovering to enrich the day in the mountains of Madrid.
Location: Rascafría, Community of Madrid. To get there from Madrid you have to go from the A-1, turning off towards Lozoyuela, and then take the M-604.
Taste a good ice cream
18. Töto Ice Cream
In Töto Ice Cream they have two star ice creams: the baked apple with cinnamon is almost a classic, which combines great with pecan nuts and toffee, and another essential is the white chocolate with lime.
This ice cream parlor started in Malasaña by the hand of the master ice cream maker Hernán Rodríguez and since 2022 has two other stores. They have their own bakery, because in addition to ice cream they have pastries, cakes, sandwiches and specialty coffee.
Location: Gravina, 10 (Chueca); Plaza de España, 9 (downtown) and corredera Alta de San Pablo, 12 (Malasaña).
19. Mistura
Mistura’s menu contains ice creams of delicious flavors and other desserts that delight the palates of those who come to one of its establishments. With its handmade ice creams made with local products, Mistura offers a unique texture that changes in front of the diner.
Once you choose the flavor and toppings with which you want to add a magical touch, the ice cream is mixed on a granite slab at low temperature to achieve the optimal fusion between the ingredients just moments before being tasted. In addition, with the location of its premises in the most popular and fashionable places in the capital, you will always be in time to enjoy a good ice cream.
Location: Several locations
Exhibitions: cool between art and immersive experiences.
Jurassic World: The Experience
We arrive at Espacio Ibercaja Delicias, we take a ferry, we cross the gates of Jurassic World and, suddenly… a brachiosauria moves its very long neck towards us. It’s happening: we are inside the Jurassic Park movie. This immersive exhibition is a cinematic tribute to the mythical scenes of the saga and, of course, to the dinosaurs we grew up with. With life-size animatronic replicas, there is time for nostalgia, time for knowledge and learning… and, without wanting to make spoilers, time for tension.
Location: Paseo de las Delicias, 61 (Delicias, Arganzuela).
Tickets: from 22€.
21. CaixaForum Madrid
This space greets us every time we pass through the Paseo del Prado with its huge vertical garden. Inside, summer evenings become a refuge from the heat in its Summer Nights, with different evening activities, visits to exhibitions, musical moments… from June 26 to July 17.
Location: Paseo del Prado, 36 (neighborhood of the Letters)
Price: according to the activity.
22. Flamboyant
If you are looking for a surprising exhibition, the Palacio de Liria hosts from this month Flamboyant, which brings together a hundred striking works of the Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos. Pieces that are out of the molds of the expected and the usual to give rise, for example, to two large lions made of crochet, or imposing sculptures of large dimensions. The exhibition will be in Madrid until July 31.
📍Location:Calle de la Princesa, 20
Small escapades, verbenas and lots of water, even if not a drop falls from the sky. In July and August the city continues, but at a different pace, and the summer plans in Madrid allow us to forget about the high temperature alerts, even if only for a few hours.
This article has been written by María F. Carballo, Miguel Sánchez and Elena Francés.