Madrid: Best City & Overtourism Fixes
Madrid was named “Best City in the World” at the first Forbes Travel Awards on March 19 — a nod to its booming cultural and culinary appeal. The city’s Prado Museum is responding to record crowds (3.5 million visitors in 2025) by capping tour group sizes and shifting group visits to off‑peak hours to fight overtourism. (idealista.com) (townandcountrymag.com)
Finalists for the Forbes Travel Awards’ Best City category included Hong Kong and Miami. (epe.es) The Museo del Prado recorded 3,513,402 visitors in 2025, its highest annual total, representing roughly a 56,000 increase on 2024 and marking a third consecutive record year. (rtve.es) The museum’s official statement says it will reduce maximum tour‑group sizes from 30 to 20 people, keep temporary‑exhibition group caps at 15, and respect group reservations already scheduled until June 1, 2026. (museodelprado.es) Group visits made up 16.62% of the Prado’s 2025 entries with an average of 1,609 group visitors per day, and the institution will steer collective tours to quieter hours while offering individual tickets in 15‑minute time slots online to spread demand. (museodelprado.es) Director Miguel Falomir warned the museum risks becoming “over‑saturated,” saying “the Prado does not need a single visitor more” and that the institution may seek a different visitor profile rather than chasing further footfall growth. (elpais.com) The Forbes recognition adds to a run of recent accolades for Madrid: it was named Europe’s Leading Destination by European Best Destinations, ranked second most attractive urban destination by Euromonitor, and won World’s Leading Destination for Congresses and Meetings at the World Travel Awards. (idealista.com)
