As the newest member of the BestCities Global Alliance, Madrid has plenty to celebrate. Already ranked by the International Congress and Convention Association as the world’s fifth-best city for international event organizing, Madrid has further strengthened its MICE profile by joining the alliance. BestCities board chair Jonas Wilstrup describes Spain’s capital as one of the most well-equipped international conference destinations.
“The combination of the exceptional work by the Madrid Convention Bureau, supported by the city’s premier meeting venues, modern infrastructure and rich cultural offering, make it the ideal candidate to join the BestCities family,” Wilstrup said.
Long recognized as Spain’s business center, Madrid is home to more than 40 percent of the country’s foreign companies, including around 2,000 multinationals. Its central location and strong transport links mean visitors can reach almost any part of Spain with ease — high-speed AVE trains connect Madrid with Barcelona and Seville in under three hours. The city’s appeal extends beyond logistics: with roughly 20,000 bars, multiple Michelin-starred restaurants and nearly 3,000 hours of annual sunshine, Madrid offers a high quality of life that both delegates and incentive travelers appreciate.
Amid several years of record tourism—last year Spain ranked among the world’s top destinations with more than 75 million visitors—Madrid has seen a parallel surge in business travel to its modern facilities. One notable venue is the Centro de Congresos Príncipe Felipe, part of the Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel complex. The center combines extensive meeting space with leisure amenities such as paddle courts, a swimming pool, gym, sauna and music lounge. The venue features 166,840 square feet of meeting area, 56 meeting rooms and an auditorium that seats 2,000.
InterContinental Madrid entrance © INTERCONTINENTAL MADRID
For luxury meetings, the InterContinental Madrid remains a top choice. Opened in 1953 as one of Europe’s first international hotels, it occupies a renovated 19th-century palace and retains original features such as marble, mirrors and period furnishings that evoke its Golden Age. The hotel was recognized as Spain’s Best MICE Hotel in 2016 and today offers 15 meeting rooms—many recently updated—with advanced event tools like e-proposals and interactive 3D floor plans. Popular with residents and visitors alike, the hotel’s famed Sunday brunch and Art Deco ballroom accommodate up to 600 guests.
“InterContinental Madrid and its more than 60 years of history have maintained a strict commitment to this sector since its beginnings,” said Manrique Rodríguez, manager, InterContinental Madrid. “It is vital for us to continue to connect with the business traveler and customer, as day by day they evolve and expect different types of services.”
The Westin Palace Madrid also provides significant meeting capacity with 20 event spaces, the largest measuring 6,297 square feet and holding up to 800 guests. Built in 1912 under King Alfonso XIII, the hotel’s Belle Époque architecture is highlighted by a spectacular glass dome. Located near Madrid’s trio of major art museums—the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza—the Westin is an excellent choice for culturally focused conferences and receptions.
Unique Venues
The Madrid Convention Bureau maintains an English-language website offering practical guidance for MICE planners, including event-focused maps, detailed venue information and support services for organizing your meeting.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza offers tailored event experiences, allowing organizers to arrange private tours of its galleries after hours followed by cocktails in elegant reception rooms—an attractive option for hosts seeking a memorable cultural backdrop.
IFEMA Convenciones y Congresos, located on centrally accessible fairgrounds, attracted millions of visitors last year and continues to expand its offerings. Its new space, The Catwalk, is designed for dynamic, high-impact events: it seats about 720 people while providing extra area for cocktails, product launches or immersive brand presentations.
Kinépolis Madrid is ideal for audiovisual-heavy presentations, with 25 screening rooms and amphitheaters that accommodate between 200 and 964 attendees, plus three reception spaces that hold between 170 and 1,500 standing guests. For truly large-scale events, Madrid’s iconic stadium, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu—home of Real Madrid C.F.—can host events for audiences ranging from intimate groups up to tens of thousands, offering a dramatic setting for product reveals, award ceremonies or corporate gatherings.