I love going to movie theaters in Madrid. I have spent countless hours on IMDb and I enjoy watching the Oscars whenever I can.
However, I can’t stand when I walk into a movie theater in Madrid and the actors have a voiceover. Spain has a strong tradition of dubbing movies and the majority of movie theaters do this.
If you are like me, keep reading to find some movie theaters in Madrid that show movies in English.
Movie Theaters in Madrid
Firstly, as a rule of thumb, 95% of movie theaters you see will have dubbed movies, so I would recommend checking before you buy the tickets. Look out for V.O. or V.O.S.E. it stands for original version
I classified the movie theaters in Madrid in 4 different neighborhoods. I also added one more to the list that is on the outskirts. It’s in a mall and there are a lot of fun things to do.
with all the movie theaters included in this post.
City Center
The closer to the city center the more likely you are to find movies in English.
Ideal: this one is right in the city center. It’s only 5 minutes walking from Puerta del Sol. You can get the tickets online or at the theater.
Regular ticket: 8.9€
Cheaper days: Wednesday 5.5€
Sala Equis: in 2017, they refurbished and reopened this old movie theater. It used to be a theater for “adult movies”. Nowadays, it’s a trendy place that swings between a cocktail bar and a movie theater.
You can check the movies online under programación. You’ll find a mixture of old and recent movies.
Regular ticket: 6.5€
Cine Doré: this might be my favorite in Madrid. It’s a beautiful movie theater that shows old, classic movies. Their themes change monthly based on directors, topics, time period, etc.
You can check the movies online. There are some very popular movies that sell out faster. The only way to get a ticket is at the cinema, so make sure you go in advance.
Regular ticket: 3€
10 tickets pass: 20€
Chamberí
These two movie theaters in Madrid have the smallest rooms. However, they might be the most convenient for you if you live in this neighborhood.
You can check the movies here and even get the tickets online.
Cines Verdi.
Regular Ticket: 8.9€
Cheaper days: Wednesdays.
CondeDuque.
Regular Ticket: 8.9€
Cheaper days: Mondays and Wednesdays.
Retiro
There are three Renoir movie theaters in Madrid. Among the three of them, they show all the available movies at the moment. Check beforehand because each one shows different movies. One could be more convenient but it might not show the movie you want.
Renoir Retiro.
Regular ticket: 8€
Cheaper day: Wednesday 4€
Plaza España
The other two Renoir movie theaters are both in Plaza de España—same block, opposite streets.
Watch out! Renoir Plaza de España doesn’t let you eat any snacks inside. Don’t buy something and try to sneak it into the room because they’ll make you throw it away. Believe me, it has happened to me.
Renoir plaza de España. <Metro> Plaza de España
Renoir Princesa.
Regular ticket: 8€
Cheaper day: Wednesday 4€
Palacio de Hielo
This is the farthest away from the city center. You can get there on line 4 <Metro> Canillas (it takes about 30 min from the city center). It’s a good idea if you are planning to spend a rainy day out—it’s a mall with an arcade and some restaurants. There’s even an ice skating rink inside.
When to go to the movies
I like going to the movies on Wednesday, basically because it’s cheaper. If you want to go on Wednesday, keep in mind that it’s the busiest day to go to the movies in Madrid.
Get the tickets a few days in advance, unless you want to sit front row and leave the room with a sore neck.
How to get the tickets
There are two ways to get the tickets: at the place or online.
In my opinion, getting the tickets online is way faster since you won’t have to wait in line. In addition, you can select your seats in advance.
It’s very straight forward. You just have to click on the links that I shared above and click on comprar entrada.
You will need to download the tickets to your phone and show them to the ticket clerk.
P.S. If you don’t feel like going to the movies and prefer to watch something at home, check out this list of Spanish movies on Netflix or this other list of 7 Spanish TV Shows.
Watching movies and shows is a great way to improve your Spanish.
