Hello, Trainers from all over the world! And welcome to Pokémon GO HUB’s guide to Madrid GO Fest 2024. The aim of this guide is to make sure you know a few basic things about the city and the event before you arrive, making your experience in Madrid much more enjoyable.
We’ve tried to cover everything you may need to know, including information about the cultural and artistic heritage of the city, as well as some food recommendations and tips to get around Madrid.
Whether you’re a first timer or not, you’re about to experience one of the best events this game can offer.
As a disclaimer, this article is NOT sponsored. Most of the information you’ll find is based on the personal experience of the writer.
Event times and dates
Pokémon GO Fest 2024 Madrid attendees may purchase a ticket for one day of the three-day event.
- Ticket holders will enjoy exclusive gameplay, spending half their day in Parque Juan Carlos I and half exploring the larger Madrid area.
- Both the Parque Juan Carlos I and Madrid experience are included with the ticket, the only difference being the time of day Trainers are at each of the locations.
Additionally, Trainers may purchase special ticket add-ons to improve the overall experience. Check Niantic’s website or our GO Fest Madrid event guide for more information about ticket prices and add-ons.
Friday, June 14, 9:00am to 7:00pm
Saturday, June 15, 9:00am to 7:00pm
Sunday, June 16, 9:00am to 7:00pm
Parque Juan Carlos I and throughout Madrid
City of Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. Home to more than 3 million inhabitants, Madrid is also one of the most important cities in Europe.
The combination of its modern infrastructures with a large cultural and artistic heritage is what makes it unique and worth visiting.
With over 80 museums and historical sites scattered around the city, Madrid is also home to some of Europe’s greatest art and architecture.
If you’re staying for a couple of days or more, definitely consider checking out some of the museums and historical sites around the city.
Places you shouldn’t miss
There are plenty of must-see attractions and hidden gems throughout Madrid. It doesn’t matter how many days you’re staying in the city, there’s always something new to discover right around the corner.
To begin with, the following museums are well worth a visit:
- Museo del Prado
- Museo de arte contemporáneo Reina Sofia
- Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
- Museo Sorolla
- Museo Arqueológico Nacional
- Full guide to Madrid’s museums
Make sure you book in advance as museums and historical sites can very easily sell out!
And don’t forget about the sheer amount of monuments and historical sites also worth checking out:
- Catedral de la Almudena
- Palacio Real
- Puerta de Alcalá
- Palacio de Cristal (Parque del Retiro)
- Templo de Debod
- Fuente de Cibeles and Fuente de Neptuno
- Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol
- Walk around Malasaña, El Barrio de las Letras, Chueca and other places where you won’t mind getting lost while exploring the city
- Explore some of the local markets such as Mercado de San Miguel, Mercado de San Antón or Mercado de la Paz, though food is a bit overpriced there
- And many, many more!
How to get to the most important locations
Madrid’s public transport is pretty decent, at least if we consider the amount of areas that are well connected to the most important locations around the city. You may experience some delays though, which is something to keep in mind if you’re on a tight schedule. Especially if you’re using the train (RENFE Cercanías).
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport
- From the Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas airport to the city centre:
- Cab: Expect to pay a fare between 30 to 40€ for routes from and to the airport depending on the destination/departure location (luggage transportation included). External companies may also be available as an alternative, so please refer to their websites and apps as this article is not sponsored
- Train (RENFE Cercanías): Lines C-1 and C-10 of Renfe Cercanías connect terminal T4 (the only train stop at the airport) with several stations in Madrid, including Madrid Chamartín and Madrid Atocha Almudena Grandes, which have connections with long-distance and high-speed trains. The price for a one-way ticket depends on the number of zones crossed along the journey (map of the Cercanias network), but as a rough estimate, you can expect to pay between 2-3€ p.p. (Minor additional fees may apply if printing a travel card is needed)
- Madrid Metro: Direct connection to all terminals through Metro line 8. The fare for a one-way ticket may vary between 1.5-2€, with an additional airport fee of 3€ (map of the Madrid Metro network)
- Bus: Many different options: urban and interurban buses as well as the express line 203 (check this link for more details)
- Connection between airport terminals: Free bus service
Parque Juan Carlos I
Parque Juan Carlos I is the main event venue for ticket holders. The park’s address is Parque Juan Carlos I, Barajas, 28042 Madrid, Spain.
There are two entrances to Parque Juan Carlos I: The North Entrance and the South Entrance. Upon arrival, go to your assigned entrance. After entering the park via your assigned entrance, you are free to explore all event areas. You will find your assigned entrance in the confirmation email of your ticket purchase.
The easiest way to get to the park is to take Metro line 8 and get off at Feria de Madrid. The walk to the park should take you about 5 minutes to the closest entrance.
As an alternative, bus lines 104, 112 and 122 should also work. But taking the Metro is probably faster.
Besides the map Niantic may publish as we get close to the event, you can also check the official map of the park here.
Niantic also published a list of event features, as well as the answers to some of the frequently asked questions in their official website. Make sure to give it a read and plan your trip accordingly.
Getting around the city
Most of Madrid’s main attractions are not far from the city centre. However, if you don’t want to walk under the harsh sun or if you want to go from Point A to Point B as fast as possible, you should definitely consider purchasing a public transport card.
There are a few options to consider, and which one you choose should depend on the actual use you think you’ll make it of it:
- Tourist ticket: only a good option if you’re planning to use it a lot (links to the fares and zone map). Can only be used by one person
-
Tarjeta Transporte Público Multi (ten-ticket card): Can be used by more than one person (link to the fares and zones). Probably the best option for most people
- One way/Return tickets
You will probably need to load whatever ticket you may choose to a multi-card (more info here).
Useful apps
Just to name a few of the apps worth checking out:
- Adif (schedules and real time updates of RENFE Cercanias trains as well as high speed trains)
- Renfe Cercanias (RENFE Cercanias trains)
- Metro Madrid (Madrid Metro lines and schedules)
- Visit Madrid (events and places to visit)
Beyond Madrid
Madrid is without a doubt one of the best cities to visit in Spain. But there are a few more worth considering should you have free time in your trip.
Toledo, Segovia and Salamanca are just a few examples of cities well connected with Madrid. There are high speed trains and buses departing from Madrid every day, so make sure to book in advance if you’d like to secure your visit to these cities. If you don’t want to go that far, El Escorial, Alcalá de Henares, Aranjuez or even a day trip to La Sierra are also worth the visit. If train tickets sell out, you can also purchase bus tickets, as there are a couple of bus companies covering these routes.
And if you have the time to explore other places in Spain, I would personally recommend Barcelona (there are plenty of high speed trains at affordable prices every day), San Sebastián, Andalucía (Sevilla, Córdoba, Granada, Cádiz, Málaga), Galicia, Cantabria, Asturias, Valencia and Zaragoza. Up to personal preference. However, if you just have time to visit one, Barcelona would probably be the best choice, given the amount of trains available every single day and the fact that despite being 600 km apart, you can get from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in about 2h30.
What to eat
Madrid is also home to some of the best restaurants in the world. To no surprise, Spanish cuisine is well known around the world, with plenty of dishes you must try if you’re paying a visit. The quality of Spain’s cuisine has earned it international fame and it is now one of the country’s main tourist attractions.
Believe it or not, Spain can be divided into plenty of “culinary regions”. Spanish gastronomy is indeed so diverse that every place you go will have its own local dishes.
For example, cocido and callos are two different typical dishes in Madrid. As it is often said, Madrid’s food always comes with a spoon. If you’re in a rush or if you’d like to try out street food, there are a couple of traditional bars where you can get yourself a bocata de calamares, which is a (very greasy) squid sandwich.
Jamón ibérico, tortilla de patata, cochinillo (especially if you’re visiting Segovia), oreja, chorizo/morcilla, migas, torreznos, cachopo, buñuelos, croquetas, gazpacho, salmorejo, sardinitas, calamares, paella and pulpo a la gallega/braseado/a feira are a few more examples of delicious dishes you can try on your trip to Spain.
Eating tapas is also a great option to consider, as they are small plates of food containing small portions of some of the dishes mentioned above. If you’d like to try a bit of everything, definitely consider looking for good restaurants where they serve tapas.
If you’re down for something sweet, you’re in luck. Just to name a few options you can try (in no particular order):
- churros/porras (con chocolate), crema catalana, tarta de Santiago, polvorones, natillas, mazapanes, alfajores, cuajada, mel i mató, leche frita, torrijas, ensaimada, roscos/rosquillas, xuixo, hojaldres, …
However, here’s some useful tips worth considering:
- Avoid tourist traps (restaurants located in very touristic areas offering frozen and bad quality food)
- Book in advance, you don’t want to miss out on trying the delicious dishes listed above just because you didn’t make a reservation
- A bar/restaurant offering a bit of everything in its menu should definitely be a red flag
- Tipping is not needed but feel free to round up a few euros if you’re happy with the service
Where to play
If you ask a Madrid local where to play Pokémon GO, 99% of the time the answer would be Parque del Retiro (link to the map). However, there are several aspects to keep in mind before you discard all other options.
Parque del Retiro
While Parque del Retiro is undeniably the best location to play Pokémon GO in Madrid, the park will most certainly be totally crowded, with very few spots to protect yourself from the harsh sun.
On top of that, the network connection around the park can sometimes be a bit iffy, especially near the Monumento a Alfonso XII where many people like to rest for a while and farm, considering there are plenty of stops within reach. If your network provider is Movistar or if the network you’re using is theirs, I’d strongly suggest moving to a different location within the park (don’t worry, the park is massive) should you face connection issues as you get close to that location. Some Trainers using Vodafone’s network have faced similar issues, so if you have issues with your network connection try moving to a less congested area to improve your mobile experience.
On top of that, Madrid’s Book Fair also takes place at Parque del Retiro from May 31st to June 16th (10:30 -15:00 / 17:00 – 21:00), which is something worth considering. The exhibition space is spread along Paseo de Fernán Núñez (Paseo de Coches in Parque del Retiro). Unless you want to constantly run into other people while playing, stay away from the exhibition space, at least during the hours the exhibition is open.
Needless to say, there are tons of Pokestops and gyms. There are also a few public bathrooms in the park, and bringing your own toilet paper is highly recommended.
Official routes by Niantic
Several official routes were added to Pokémon GO in partnership with Madrid’s City council. The routes added are:
- Landscape of Light: Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofía museums
- Literary Quarter and the District of Austrias
- From Sol to Gran Via
- Chamberí and Malasaña
- La Latina, Madrid Río and Manzanares
You should be able to see them in-game and in Campfire, so make sure to check them out if you’re interested in combining a bit of farming with exploration and tourism around the city.
Other alternatives to Parque del Retiro
Other than Parque del Retiro, there are several locations with plenty of Pokéstops, gyms and Trainers to help you take down some raids. If you’re taking a more casual approach, rest assured that the city centre will have all the stops and gyms you may need. However, take into account that Madrid’s city centre will probably be insanely crowded too, so if you don’t want to bump into other Trainers and people walking around, playing in a different location may be a way better choice.
Walking along the Paseo del Prado, Recoletos and Goya may not be a bad idea either, especially if you get bored of doing the same loop over and over again or if you’re facing network issues in Parque del Retiro.
Outside of the city centre, there are some other areas where you could play but unless you have your appartment or hotel next to them, it’s probably better to stay near the other Trainers, as that’s the best way to make the most out of the event. Just to name a few examples: Parque de las Cruces, Parque Norte, La Vaguada/Barrio del Pilar, and many others. If you’re a Madrid local, feel free to suggest other alternatives!
Special events during GO Fest Madrid
Get engaged or married at GO Fest 2024
In case you didn’t know, you can get engaged or married during GO Fest Madrid 2024, as Niantic offers Trainers a special Pokémon GO Engagement Experience for the first time. Make sure to check the full details if you’re interested.
GO Fest football experience
You can also win a personalized PokéStop in Pokémon GO at a location of your choice for a limited time. If you’re a football fan, drop by the football experience at Pokémon GO Fest Madrid 2024 to prove your football skills and get the chance to win your own PokéStop.
Football players Gaizka Mendieta (June 14), Fernando Morientes (June 15) and Vicky Losada (June 16) will also be signing autographs and taking part in meet-and-greet sessions between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. each afternoon of the event.
The football stars have also collaborated to prepare a special football-themed Pokémon GO Route for Trainers to enjoy across the three days in the city of Madrid, featuring the LEGENDS Madrid football museum, the Fountain of Neptune, and other special locations. Full details in our guide.
Useful tips
You will 100% have no issues finding Trainers to raid or trade with, especially if you play near the city centre or El Retiro park.
However, if you want to arrange some trades in advance, you should probably know that most Pokémon GO Trainers use Telegram to communicate with each other. There are plenty of Telegram groups: some of them are general while others are neighbourhood-specific. You should have no issues finding them if you use the search bar as they are public. And just as a heads up, there is also a big group just for El Retiro park.
There’s also a Discord server you may want to check and a couple of Campfire groups. Feel free to drop by and check them out by yourself!
Parting words
And that’s it! If you made it here, thank you for taking the time to read through this guide.
We hope you found this information useful and if you have any suggestions, please feel free to reach out to us or comment down below.
See you in Madrid, Trainers!
