13 Things to Do in Madrid in the summer

I'm not going to deceive you: summer in Madrid can be very hard because of the high temperatures. But don't let that stop you from enjoying yourself, because luckily the city offers its visitors a wide variety of options to combat the heat without giving up its virtues.

The summer season is a time for terraces with spectacular views, for spending a nice day in parks and green spaces, for enjoying some of the festivals exclusive to these months and for seeking refuge in its museums and theatres. Here are the best plans to spend the summer in the Spanish capital.

The central Retiro Park is the lungs of Madrid and one of the best places to visit in summer. In this vast park we have many options of activities that are ideal for the summer. Starting with sports facilities, the possibility of cycling through the park under the shade of the trees or simply strolling through the tree-lined areas and stopping to drink from the fountains.

Other more relaxed possibilities are a refreshing boat ride on the Retiro Lake or having an ice cream or a good meal on the many terraces in the park. Here are some options that you can book before your trip so that you have everything well organised:

• Tour of the Retiro and the viewpoint of the Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid, from AED 112: A tour of approximately two and a half hours in which you will discover all the nooks and crannies of the park and enter the terrace of the Cibeles Palace.
• Segway tour of the Retiro Park in Madrid, from ** AED 112**: In just one hour and by segway, you will get to know this wonderful park and its history in detail.
• Tour of mysteries and legends in the Retiro de Madrid, from ** AED 56**: A two-hour tour in which you will visit the famous Crystal Palace, the statue of King Alfonso XII, the Royal Astronomical Observatory and the Great Pond.

As you can see, the possibilities offered by this park to beat the heat are very appetising and varied. What's more, its location makes it a perfect plan for when you've finished enjoying your tickets to the Prado Museum.

There arefew better places to beat the heat than water parks, especially if you're travelling with your family. On the outskirts of the city there are two of them perfect for a fun and refreshing day out, especially if you are travelling with children to Madrid.

• The Warner Park in Madrid, which has more than 30 themed attractions, including roller coasters and the fifth highest drop tower in the world. It also has an aquapark area.
• The Parque de Atracciones de Madrid, with water rapids, elevated trains and roller coasters, among many other attractions.
• The Madrid Zoo Aquarium, where you can admire more than 300 species of animals and 100 species of plants in their natural habitats.
• The Atlantis Aquarium, where you can explore many marine species and learn about more than 10,000 different sea creatures.
• The Aquopolis, located in Villanueva de la Cañada, which has extensive facilities and all kinds of aquatic services and attractions.

When all else fails and the heat becomes unbearable, there is always a safe option: visit Madrid's museums. In the Spanish capital there are more than 50 museums with a wide variety of themes and for all tastes. Here is a very varied list:

• Prado Museum in Madrid.
• Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid.
• Museum of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando.
• Las Ventas Museum in Madrid.
• Sweet Space Museum in Madrid.
• Museum of Illusions in Madrid.
• Wax Museum in Madrid.

You can also book a season ticket for the Paseo del Arte, which includes tickets for the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen, known as the art triangle.

The list of options is very extensive and to save you the trouble of making a selection, I leave you this link where you can find out which are the best museums in Madrid and what you can see in each of them. What better way to escape the heat than to do it in the cool of a museum admiring works of art!

The Madrid Rio area was built around the Manzanares River and is a large expanse of pedestrianised green areas perfect for viewing Madrid from the banks of the Manzanares, strolling, playing sports or booking a Segway tour of Madrid Rio.

In this area there are several fountains with jets in which you are allowed to bathe surrounded by green lawns with shady areas. This area is known as the "beach" of Madrid, as in summer many locals and tourists go there to relieve the heat. A perfect activity to do with the whole family.

A must on your summer trip to Madrid is to book a day trip to the Sierra de Guadarrama, where you will discover the spectacular landscapes of La Pedriza and the mountain passes of Navacerrada and Morcuera.

The tour, which lasts approximately 10 hours, includes return transport and the accompaniment of a professional guide to this marvellous place just 40 minutes from Madrid, where you will learn about its archaeological richness, as well as the local flora and fauna.

And before returning to Madrid, you will visit the Castillo Manzanares El Real or Castillo de los Mendoza, a medieval construction from the 15th century that will not leave you indifferent.

And if your stay in Madrid is longer than a week, don't hesitate to book a trip to Toledo and Andalusia, where you will have the opportunity to discover in depth some emblematic places such as the Church of Santo Tomé, the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, the Plaza de España, the María Luisa Park, the Bullring, the Alhambra in Granada or the Mosque of Cordoba.

This trip from Madrid, which lasts a minimum of four days, includes return transport and accommodation, as well as the accompaniment of a professional guide who will be with you during this adventure through the cities of Toledo, Cordoba, Seville and Granada, and will dazzle you with numerous interesting facts about the culture and history of these cities and their rich heritage.

Another suggestion for your summer holidays in Madrid is to book a trip to the Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen, two symbolic places that stand out for their large size and the history they hide.

• The Valley of the Fallen was built by Republican political prisoners during Franco's regime to commemorate the fallen of the national side during the Spanish Civil War. On your visit you can see the abbey, the underground Catholic basilica and its famous 150-metre high cross.
• The Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Built by order of King Philip II to commemorate the victory over the French at the Battle of San Quentin, it is currently run by the Order of St. Augustine. It covers an area of 33,327 square metres and houses an important collection of paintings, sculptures and artistic works.

The excursion, which lasts five hours, includes return bus transfer, entrance tickets to both the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen and, of course, the accompaniment of an expert guide who will bring you up to date with all the history, architecture, anecdotes and controversies of these two monuments.

August is a month of festivals and three of the capital's neighbourhoods celebrate theirs in August. These neighbourhoods are San Cayetano in the Rastro and Embajadores area, San Lorenzo in Lavapiés and La Paloma in the Latina area.

All three are adjacent to each other and celebrate their verbenas at the same time. These festivals are usually held in the second week or in mid-August and the streets are lined with concerts, food stalls and various activities typical of a verbena, ideal for getting to know the essence of Madrid. I recommend that you book a guided bike tour of Madrid beforehand to get an overview of these neighbourhoods.

If museums aren't your thing, perhaps you'd prefer to escape the heat by seeing a play or a musical. In that case, Madrid's Gran Vía is the ideal place. It is known as Spain's Broadway thanks to its numerous theatres that host all kinds of plays and musicals.

Perhaps the best known of them all is the musical of The Lion King, which is performed in the Lope de Vega Theatre. All along the Gran Vía and in the surrounding streets you'll find many more theatres with something for everyone, including flamenco shows, which are very popular in Spain - not a bad plan if you're looking to escape the summer heat!

Madrid is a city full of bars and restaurants with their respective terraces. Of the thousands of terraces throughout the city, some stand out for their privileged location, which makes them a popular destination, especially to beat the heat with a snack.

The best in Madrid for their views are the one at the Círculo de Bellas Arteson Calle Alcalá, the one at the Palacio de Cibeles, very close to the latter, and the Terraza del Hotel Riu in Plaza España. There are many more in hotels and bars, but perhaps these three are the most famous in the capital.

I recommend you also visit them when the sun goes down, with a milder temperature, perfect for them to become one of the best things to do in Madrid at night.

Going to the cinema is, in general, one of people's favourite activities to beat the summer heat. That's why summer cinemas are such a tradition and in Madrid during the months of July, August and September they open special summer screenings in various places in the capital, including some museums.

A different alternative is the Madrid drive-in cinema. An open-air screening that you can enjoy from your car while listening to the film on the car radio, eating popcorn and, if it gets too hot, just turn on the air conditioning.

In Madrid there is one of the largest drive-in cinemas in Europe located at the end of Paseo de la Castellana. An ideal plan for a summer at the cinema.

At the end of June and beginning of July, with the first signs of summer, the LGBT Pride festivities are held in Madrid. Madrid is known for its tolerant atmosphere and in neighbourhoods such as Chueca, its central hub, the festive atmosphere is unique.

For two weeks the city holds events, talks, parades and endless activities with tolerance as the common thread. The Pride festivities are one of the main festive attractions in Madrid at the beginning of the summer.

The Casa de Campo is a large urban park with more than 1500 hectares in which there is a great biodiversity. The park grows around a large lake which, together with the shade provided by the trees, offers a much milder climate in summer than in the city centre.

The park is also home to Madrid's amusement park, the zoo, the cable car and several lakeside restaurants. There is also a large public swimming pool which is a favourite with locals in the summer. There is no shortage of options for a great day out in Casa de Campo.

The summer in Madrid and the southern part of Spain is quite harsh. The days are very sunny and warm and the temperatures reach high maximums.

At the beginning of the summer in June the highs are already close to 30º and in July and August they rise up to 35º and on some days they even exceed these temperatures. Night-time lows are around 20 degrees Celsius, although they are not usually exceeded.

Don't expect too many cloudy days or rain, although you may be surprised by a summer thunderstorm, although this is unusual. August is the hottest month of the year and the temperature can reach over 40 degrees Celsius. If you still want to visit Madrid in summer, don't forget to stay well hydrated and protect yourself in the shade.

The summer months belong to the peak tourist season in Madrid but that can't stop you from enjoying the things to see and do in Madrid. At this time of year, although the locals tend to go away and domestic tourism drops a lot, foreign visitors still flock to visit the city. Hotel occupancy is close to full and demand is high.

Despite the high temperatures it is common to find queues at the main tourist attractions such as the Prado Museum and the Royal Palace. As Madrid is also a gastronomic destination, restaurants and terraces are usually full.

As in all tourist capitals, the high tourist season and its high demand causes a rise in prices, especially in accommodation. However, in Madrid this rise is moderate as the high temperatures do not encourage long stays in the city.

The advantage is that many of the museums and monuments have special rates at this time of year.

The heat is going to be the main conditioning factor when it comes to preparing our luggage to visit Madrid in summer. The essentials you should pack in your suitcase are:

• Cool clothes, mainly in light colours.
• Cool but comfortable shoes for long walks.
• Sun cream, hats, sunglasses and all the necessary accessories to combat the heat.
• It is essential to always carry a bottle of water to hydrate ourselves during our travels.
• Swimming costume and towel in case we decide to visit a water park, a municipal swimming pool or areas such as Madrid Río.