Your first Madrid weekend: museums, streets and breathing room
Before visiting the Prado: tickets, bags and a better museum day
Planning a Retiro and Paseo del Prado walking dayAn example packing list for Madrid in March
Use this as a starting point and choose what suits your plans. Packtricia tailors your list and quantities to your trip length, weather and preferences.
Clothing
- Underwear
- Bras (if worn)
- Socks
- Sleepwear
- Long-sleeved tops
- Trousers
- Skirt or dress (if worn)
- Light sweater or cardigan
- Warm insulated coat
- Hooded waterproof jacket
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Scarf
Toiletries
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body wash or soap
- Deodorant
- Skincare products
- Sunscreen
- Hairbrush or comb
- Shaving supplies (if used)
- Menstrual products (if needed)
- Contact lens solution (if used)
Essentials
- Passport or accepted travel ID
- Travel tickets and booking confirmations
- Wallet and payment cards
- Phone
- Charging cable and charger
- Travel adapter (if needed)
- Medication (if needed)
- Glasses or contact lenses (if used)
- Refillable water bottle
- Day bag
- Power bank
- Sunglasses
Monthly weather and packing notes
March brings more comfortable walking afternoons, but Madrid's mornings remain cool. Take a sweater beneath a light jacket rather than dressing only for the warmest hour.
- Daytime
- 14–18°C
- Evenings
- 4–8°C
- Rain
- Showers or wet spells are possible; check the forecast before long outdoor routes
- Daylight
- Lengthening days through spring
- Packing style
- Warm layers + weather-resistant outerwear
Broad planning ranges, rounded to about 2 degrees Celsius either side of the historical mean daily maximum and minimum for March. AEMET Madrid Retiro normals for 1981–2010 list a mean maximum of 16.3°C and minimum of 6.2°C. These are averages, not forecast limits; city neighbourhoods and individual days vary. This older baseline may differ from current conditions. Check the forecast for your dates.
Outfit ideas for your outings
March: a Gran Vía and neighbourhood walk
- Long-sleeved top with a removable sweater
- Comfortable long trousers or a longer skirt
- Broken-in walking shoes comfortable on pavements
- Warm jacket or coat
March: a Retiro park stop
- Long-sleeved top with a removable sweater
- Comfortable long trousers or a longer skirt
- Broken-in walking shoes comfortable on pavements
- A warm scarf for an early start
March: an evening around the historic centre
- Comfortable top
- Comfortable long trousers or a longer skirt
- Broken-in walking shoes comfortable on pavements
- Warm jacket or coat
What to leave behind
- Several heavy coats: choose one suitable outer layer and adjust the clothes underneath for your forecast.
- Unworn stiff footwear: try your shoes on a longer walk before using them for a full sightseeing day.
Reviewed 2026-10-07