Madrid with DS 14. Ran out of ideas and now regretting booking holiday!

[sunshinechaser]

We (me, DH and DS age 14) usually go on holiday to London every Easter and we absolutely love it. Love the shopping, Thames boats, going to see shows and eating out. However after going to the same place every year for the last 3 or 4 years I suggested we broaden our horizons and go somewhere different for a city break. After a little research I decided on Madrid.
However I’m now slightly regretting this as I can’t really find a lot of activities that DS might enjoy. He isn’t into museums/art galleries or football so most of the big tourist attractions in Madrid are out!
I’ve got the following loosely planned but would love any more ideas if anyone has been to Madrid with teens and enjoyed it-

Day 1
Retiro Park. Get rowing boats and maybe rent a bike.
Crystal Palace
Visit Mercado San Anton in Chueca
Walk around Chueca

Day 2
Visit the Royal Palace and possibly cathedral next door.
Visit La Latina and Plaza Paja
See Plaza Mayor and Sol. See kilometer zero.
Chocolateria San Gines
Mercado de San Miguel
Rooftop drinks at Palacio de Cibales

Day 3
nothing!

Any ideas welcomed. Thanks

Do things he isnt interested in. Dont just go to a different city snd do all the same things. Go to the galleries.

Look up how old you need to be to do a Segway. We did a guided one through the park and city, fun way to see it. Absolutely love Madrid.

Self guided tour of street art?
https://streetartcities.com/cities/madrid

get ds to choose a restaurant and then walk there, exploring the route?

Brilliant ideas. Thanks all

@ParsnipPureewe’ve never done guided tours before. Can you remember what company you used? No worries if not-I’ll find one!

My teen loved doing a sandemans ‘free’ walking tour when we went to a different European city - he said it was the best part of the holiday and he’s not usually into sightseeing at all. The tour guide was fantastic.

ChatGPT is quite handy for stuff like this - I asked for ideas that didn’t include galleries, museums or football and here are some suggestions it threw up for you to check out.

El Rastro Flea Market – If they're in Madrid on a Sunday, this massive street market is a must-visit. It’s packed with vintage clothes, quirky souvenirs, and street performers, making it a fun and vibrant place to explore.

Casa de Campo Cable Car (Teleférico de Madrid) – A ride on the Teleférico offers amazing views over Madrid and takes you to Casa de Campo, a huge park where they can rent bikes, row on the lake, or just chill in the green space.

Mercado de San Miguel & Street Food Tasting – Even if they’re not a foodie, trying local treats like churros con chocolate or bocadillos de calamares (fried squid sandwiches) is a fun way to experience Madrid’s culture.

Flamenco Show at a Tablao – A live flamenco performance is an exciting way to experience Spanish culture. Some venues, like Corral de la Morería, offer non-touristy, high-energy shows that even teens would find impressive.

Gran Vía & Callao Neon Lights – Wandering along Gran Vía at night, checking out the buzzing atmosphere, flashy billboards, and cool shops is like a mini Times Square moment in Madrid. Plus, there are awesome dessert spots nearby!

X-Madrid – This is not your typical shopping mall—it’s an urban adventure space with an indoor surf wave, a massive climbing wall, VR gaming, and even an underground skate park. Perfect for teens who want something different from sightseeing.

Street Art Tour in Lavapiés & Malasaña – These neighborhoods are packed with colorful murals, graffiti, and indie shops. It's like walking through an open-air gallery but with a super cool, urban vibe. There are also lots of trendy cafés and vintage stores.

Walking tours are a great idea, they’re very casual and you get to see loads of stuff you might otherwise miss!
I recall there are some lovely botanical gardens so definitely try those.
i know he isn’t into football but a trip to the Bernabeu is too good an opportunity to miss, stadium tours themselves are really interesting and often about more than just the game!

Really @Griffyn? We’ve never done guided tours before but maybe we should think about them. I had a look a few days ago thinking about a guided tapas tour but it was a fortune! I’ll check this company out-thanks

Can you do a trip to Toledo? My teen loved the torture museum.

Open top bus
Stadium tour if into footie
Illusion museum is fun for an hour

We always do those hop on hop off city tour buses. They are brilliant for getting to know a city and what areas you want to explore further.

If you don't want to pay for a guided tapas tour, Chat gpt can create a customised one for you to do yourself but always double check the listings are still open / suitable. The cable car mentioned above is currently closed, for example.

Thanks everyone. I had previously asked Chat GPt and got lots of ideas that I’ve thought about. Great ideas for dinner venues too.
I really fancied the cable car but I’m told it’s closed at the moment unfortunately.
I’ll maybe look again at the stadium tour. Again it’s super expensive and I think I had read that about half the areas are closed for refurbishment just now.
Toledo-My DH and DS weren’t up for a day trip as we are only there for 3 full
days (will arrive Monday evening and leave Friday lunchtime) so they thought it would be best to stay in Madrid. If we were there longer I would definitely like to go to Toledo or Segovia.
Thanks everyone. I’m feeling slightly better!

Day trip to Toledo or Segovia?

I think the Crystal Palace is closed just now too, I'm afraid.

@OneLilacEagleah! Good to know thanks. I actually didn’t know you could go into it-I thought we would just be admiring it from outside anyway.

Honestly you should do at least one big museum or gallery when in Madrid. I'm not a big museum/gallery person either, but the Reina Sofia was fantastic. We saw Picasso's Guernica and a load of Dali paintings that I could have looked at for hours.

I’ve got to be honest I did four days in Madrid earlier this month and we were struggling by midday of day 3 (and we did the football stuff). Definitely add in a day trip to outside the city.

A food tour via trip advisor would be good. You could get a tapas tour!

How far is it to warner bros theme park? That's a full day right there.

It’s nice to wander round the shopping areas and people watch in the cafes.
the hop on hop off bus is great.
retiro park is lovely but my bag was stolen in there so be careful!

The Tours are free but you ‘tip’ your guide at the end. I think most people gave €20 each? It was well worth it. I’d recommend doing it early in your stay as the guide pointed out lots of things they recommended you do like restaurants and museums- so you might find something your son wants to do after the tour.

There’s a zoo and a theme park both accessible on the metro - would they be an option? The Warner bros park can be reached by the local trains (cercanías). Theres also a place called Faunia if he’s into nature/zoo type stuff.

@MikeWozniaksMohawkI don’t think so unfortunately. I don’t like the thought of animals being kept in captivity and my DS isn’t that into theme parks I don’t think.
We sound really fussy don’t we? 😂

He really fancies going to the Carlos Sainz carting place as he’s massively into F1. It looks far away but maybe that would kill
some time.