Halloween and Día de Muertos Events Madrid 2026: 9 Best Picks

If you are in Madrid this week, here is the short answer: the best Halloween and Day of the Dead events in Madrid for 2026 are the free Día de Muertos altars (Casa de México, Teatro Fernán Gómez and three city council altars), the ÁNIMA parade on Sunday 1 November, MADHORROR at IFEMA from 30 October to 2 November, the free Halloween visit to the Chamberí ghost metro station, and the final Scary Night at Parque Warner on 31 October. Most of the cultural plans are completely free, which makes this one of the best weeks of the year for students and new arrivals on a budget.

Halloween is now big in Madrid, but the city also celebrates the Mexican Día de Muertos in a serious, beautiful way, with huge altars full of marigolds, candles and papel picado. On top of that, 1 November (Todos los Santos) is a traditional Spanish day to remember the dead, so the whole week has a special mood. Below is everything in one table, followed by details, booking tips and official links for each event. If you want more ideas for the month, see our list of other October events in Madrid.

Name	Dates	Price	Location	Source
Casa de México Altar de Muertos	2 Oct – 8 Nov 2026	Free	Calle de Alberto Aguilera, 20	Fundación Casa de México en España
Teatro Fernán Gómez Altar	20 Oct – 8 Nov 2026	Free	Plaza de Colón, 4	Teatro Fernán Gómez
City Council Altars (CentroCentro, Arganzuela, Retiro)	Until 2 Nov 2026	Free	CentroCentro, Palacio de Cristal de Arganzuela, El Retiro	Ayuntamiento de Madrid
ÁNIMA Día de Muertos Festival and Parade	29 Oct – 3 Nov 2026 (parade 1 Nov)	Free	Carrera de San Jerónimo to Plaza Mayor	ÁNIMA festival
Chamberí Horror Experience (Andén 0)	29 Oct – 1 Nov 2026	Free (booking required)	Plaza de Chamberí	Metro de Madrid
MADHORROR	30 Oct – 2 Nov 2026	From €26 (approx. ₹2,850)	IFEMA Madrid, Pavilion 14	IFEMA Madrid
Halloween Scary Nights	Night of 31 Oct 2026 (last session)	From €44.90 (approx. ₹4,950)	Parque Warner, San Martín de la Vega	Parque Warner Madrid
Pumpkin Patch	Autumn weekends (check 2026 dates)	0-€33 (approx. 0-₹3494.27).	La Huerta de Aranjuez	La Huerta de Aranjuez
Water Lantern Festival	31 October, 1 November and 2 November 2026	Entry is free. To take part in the lantern ceremony from €20.90 (approx. ₹2,300)	Parque Juan Carlos I	Water Lantern Festival

Casa de México Altar de Muertos 2026: Agustín Lara Tribute

This is the big one. Every year the Fundación Casa de México en España builds what is often called the largest Día de Muertos altar in Europe, and 2026 is its ninth edition. This year’s altar, titled “¡Viva la vida!”, is a tribute to the Mexican composer Agustín Lara and is inspired by a mountain cemetery in Michoacán, with monarch butterflies, marigold flowers, candles and his piano. For the first time, the route through the altar has a musical soundtrack. There is also a small altar dedicated to pets, which many visitors love.

• Dates and times: 2 October to 8 November 2026, open every day including the 2 November holiday. Published weekday hours are Monday 10:00 to 18:45 and Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 13:45, so check the website for weekend slots before you go.
• Price: Free. A visit without a guide does not need a reservation. Guided visits use a registration system that the foundation sends out through its newsletter.
• Location: Calle de Alberto Aguilera, 20, a short walk from San Bernardo and Argüelles Metro stations.
• Booking tips: The queue can get long on weekends and around 1 and 2 November. Go on a weekday morning if you can, and pair it with a walk to Conde Duque or Malasaña afterwards.

📌 Official Resource: Opening hours, guided visit registration and workshops at Fundación Casa de México en España. Visit Official Website

Teatro Fernán Gómez Altar: Generation of 27 and Las Sinsombrero

The Teatro Fernán Gómez. Centro Cultural de la Villa, right under Plaza de Colón, builds its own altar every year. The 2026 altar connects the Mexican tradition with the memory of the Generation of 27 (Lorca’s generation of poets and artists) and Las Sinsombrero, the women artists and thinkers of that era who were long ignored by history. The idea is simple and moving: death is not absence, because the work of these artists stays with us. It is a good choice if you like Spanish literature and want something more reflective than a party.

• Dates and times: 20 October to 8 November 2026, Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 21:00. Closed on Mondays.
• Price: Free. The family workshops linked to the altar (such as catrina make-up and puppet making) are also free, but places are limited and need prior registration.
• Location: Plaza de Colón, 4. Colón Metro station (Line 4) is right there, and Serrano is a short walk away.
• Booking tips: Because it is open until 21:00, this is the easiest altar to visit after work. Register early for the workshops if you have children, since they fill up fast.

📌 Official Resource: Altar details and workshop registration at Teatro Fernán Gómez. Visit Official Website

Madrid City Council Altars: CentroCentro, Arganzuela and El Retiro

The Ayuntamiento de Madrid sets up its own altars together with Casa de México, and the venues change every year. In 2026 there are three free city altars (plus the Fernán Gómez one above):

• CentroCentro (Palacio de Cibeles): An altar in white and silver in the grand Patio de Operaciones, Plaza de Cibeles, 1. Nearest Metro: Banco de España (Line 2).
• Palacio de Cristal de Arganzuela greenhouse: An altar dedicated to famous Spanish botanists, with four paths through the tropical greenhouse meeting at a tower of flowers and papel picado. It is in the Arganzuela area beside Matadero; Legazpi Metro (Lines 3 and 6) is the closest.
• Montaña de los Gatos, El Retiro: A “mountain” made of flowers, earth, clay, bread and light inside the artificial hill in Retiro park, with a tunnel that symbolically leads you to Mictlán, the Aztec world of the dead.

• Dates: These three altars are open until 2 November 2026.
  Price: Free, no ticket needed.
• Important: If you saw older guides mentioning altars at Matadero Madrid Nave 12 or the Centro Cultural Daoíz y Velarde, those were the 2025 venues and they are not on the 2026 city list. Casa de América (Plaza de Cibeles, right next to CentroCentro) has also hosted its own altar in recent years, so check its agenda if you are already at Cibeles.
• Booking tips: CentroCentro and Casa de México are a 15 minute bus or Metro ride apart, so you can easily see both in one afternoon.

📌 Official Resource: Madrid City Council announcement of the 2026 Día de Muertos altars. Visit Official Website

ÁNIMA Day of the Dead Parade: When Does It Pass Through Sol?

ÁNIMA is Madrid’s Día de Muertos festival, running from 29 October to 3 November 2026, with the Mexican state of Querétaro as guest of honour. The highlight is the parade on Sunday 1 November, which starts near the Mexican Embassy on Carrera de San Jerónimo, passes through Puerta del Sol and ends at Plaza Mayor, where a Mexican fiesta follows. During the festival days, Plaza de Chamberí also hosts activities and workshops, along with food collaborations and cultural events.

• Price: Free. You can also sign up to walk in the parade yourself through the organisers’ registration.

• Location: Central Madrid. Sevilla (Line 2) and Sol (Lines 1, 2 and 3) are the handiest Metro stations.
• Booking tips: The exact parade time is published on the festival programme, so check it the day before. Sol and Plaza Mayor get very crowded on a holiday weekend, so keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket and agree on a meeting point if you are with a group.

📌 Official Resource: Full ÁNIMA programme, parade route and registration. Visit Official Website

Chamberí Horror Experience: Halloween at the Andén 0 Ghost Station

The old Chamberí Metro station opened in 1919, closed in 1966, and is now the Andén 0 museum, still with its original tiles, ticket windows and ceramic adverts. Locals call it the “estación fantasma” (ghost station), and Line 1 trains still pass through without stopping. For Halloween, Metro de Madrid turns it into the Chamberí Horror Experience: a guided visit that becomes a short theatre piece, with characters such as the 1919 station master, an old ticket seller, a musician who sheltered there during the Civil War and the inspector who stamped the last tickets in 1966.

• Dates: 29 October to 1 November 2026. Each visit lasts about 20 minutes, in small groups of 15 to 20 people.
• Price: Free, but booking is required. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
• Location: Plaza de Chamberí, s/n. Iglesia (Line 1) and Bilbao (Lines 1 and 4) are the nearest working stations.
• Booking tips: Reservations opened on 26 October through the Metro de Madrid museums website, and free slots disappear quickly. If it is full, the normal Andén 0 visit is free all year and still well worth it. Since ÁNIMA has activities in Plaza de Chamberí on the same days, you can combine both.

📌 Official Resource: Andén 0 visits and reservations on Metro de Madrid. Visit Official Website

MADHORROR 2026 at IFEMA: Horror Film Festival and Convention

MADHORROR is new this year: the first edition of a big international horror festival, convention and immersive fair, spread over more than 25,000 square metres in IFEMA’s Pavilion 14, the Auditorio Sur and an outdoor “MADHORROR Village” with food and shows. Expect horror tunnels, exhibitions, gaming, cosplay, special-effects make-up, a zombie party and a film festival. The guest list is serious for genre fans: Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Linda Blair (The Exorcist), Alejandro Amenábar, Juan Antonio Bayona and Álex de la Iglesia, who is the festival’s “godfather”.

• Dates and times: 30 October to 2 November 2026, 10:00 to 21:30.
• Price: Tickets from €26 (approx. ₹2,850) in presale, a Cursed Pass from €46 (approx. ₹5,050) and a Hell Day Pass from €115 (approx. ₹12,650). Recommended for ages 16 and up.
• Location: IFEMA Madrid, Avenida del Partenón, 5. Take Metro Line 8 to Feria de Madrid. Line 8 also connects to the airport, which is handy if you are flying in for the long weekend.
• Booking tips: Meet-and-greets with guests have their own reservations, so check the programme before buying a basic ticket. Friday 30 October will be calmer than the holiday weekend.

📌 Official Resource: MADHORROR 2026 dates, guests and information from IFEMA Madrid. Visit Official Website

Halloween Scary Nights at Parque Warner Madrid: Is the 31 October Night Worth It?

Parque Warner’s Halloween season runs from 26 September to 2 November 2026, with decorations, family shows and horror mazes during normal opening days. The Halloween Scary Nights are the adult, late-night version, now in their fifth edition. In 2026 there were five: 2, 9, 16 and 23 October, and the big one on Halloween night, 31 October, which is the only session still to come. A Scary Nights ticket includes parking, all 8 horror mazes, the scare zones, exclusive shows and the most intense rides.

• Dates and times: The 31 October session runs from midnight to 05:00 (into 1 November), with early access from 22:00. Daytime Halloween continues with a normal park ticket until 2 November.
• Price: From €44.90 (approx. ₹4,950). This is a separate ticket, not included in a normal day pass. Recommended for ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult.
• Location: Parque Warner Madrid, San Martín de la Vega, about 25 km south of the city. Since parking is included and the session ends at 05:00, driving or sharing a car with friends is the most practical option. Check the park website for current public transport options.
• Booking tips: Capacity is limited and 31 October is the busiest night of the season, so buy online in advance. Wear comfortable shoes and a warm layer, because Madrid nights in late October get cold.

📌 Official Resource: Halloween Scary Nights tickets and details at Parque Warner Madrid. Visit Official Website

Pumpkin Patch at La Huerta de Aranjuez: Family Farm Day

If you have small children, this is the most wholesome plan on the list. La Huerta de Aranjuez runs an American-style Pumpkin Patch on autumn weekends: you walk through the fields and pick your own pumpkin, paint it, ride a tractor, try a sack race and get lost in a corn maze. There are photo spots and a small snack bar too. It is a lovely change from city life, and Aranjuez itself (with its Royal Palace and gardens) makes it a full day trip.

• Dates: September 3rd 2026 – November 8th 2026
• Price: Tickets are 0-€33 (approx. ₹3494.27) including corn and drinks. Check the pricing when booking.
• Location: La Huerta de Aranjuez, Carretera de Cádiz, 69, Aranjuez, about 50 km south of Madrid. A car is easiest; Aranjuez is also reachable by Cercanías C-3 train from Atocha, but you will need a taxi to the farm.
• Booking tips: Book a morning slot, as the fields are muddy after rain and kids tire quickly later in the day. Pack wet wipes and a spare set of clothes.

📌 Official Resource: Pumpkin Patch dates, slots and tickets at La Huerta de Aranjuez. Visit Official Website

Water Lantern Festival Madrid: Floating Lanterns at Parque Juan Carlos I

If all the skeletons and horror mazes feel like too much, the Water Lantern Festival is the gentle side of this long weekend. You decorate your own lantern with a message, a wish or the name of someone you miss, and then release it onto the water together with hundreds of other people. Coming right on Halloween and the days of remembrance, it fits the mood of Día de Muertos beautifully. It is calm, very photogenic and suitable for all ages.

• Dates and times: 31 October, 1 November and 2 November 2026, from 16:00 to 20:00. The full experience takes around 4 hours.
• Price: Entry to the venue is free for everyone. To take part in the lantern ceremony yourself, you need a ticket on Fever, from €20.72 (approx. ₹2,300).
• Location: Parque Rey Juan Carlos I, Glorieta S.A.R. Don Juan de Borbón y Battemberg, 5, Barajas, Madrid. The venue is wheelchair accessible.
• Booking tips: If you only want to watch, you can simply walk in for free. If you want your own lantern, buy the ticket in advance, because 1 and 2 November fall on the holiday weekend and will be busy. Arrive early so you have time to decorate your lantern calmly. Carry a jacket too, since it gets chilly near the water in the evening.

📌 Official Resource: Water Lantern Festival Madrid dates, tickets and venue details. Visit Official Website

Which to Choose

You do not need to do everything. Here is how we would pick depending on who you are:

• Students and budget travellers: Do the free altar circuit (Casa de México, CentroCentro, Fernán Gómez) plus the ÁNIMA parade on 1 November. You get a full cultural weekend for €0 (approx. ₹0) beyond your Metro fare.
• Families with young kids: The Water Lantern Festival (free to enter, all ages), the Pumpkin Patch in Aranjuez (if running), the Retiro altar and the Fernán Gómez workshops. Skip Scary Nights and MADHORROR.
• Horror fans and friend groups: MADHORROR at IFEMA during the day, then Parque Warner’s Scary Night on 31 October if you can handle a 05:00 finish.
• First-time visitors to Madrid: The Chamberí ghost station (if you get a booking) and the ÁNIMA parade through Sol and Plaza Mayor show you historic Madrid at its most atmospheric. Add a few classic things to do in Madrid around them.
• Families with teenagers: The Chamberí Horror Experience (12+) and daytime Halloween at Parque Warner are scary enough without being extreme.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 2 November 2026 a holiday in Madrid?

Yes. In 2026, All Saints’ Day (1 November) falls on a Sunday, and Monday 2 November is a holiday in Madrid, which is why venues like Casa de México list it as a holiday opening. Expect bigger crowds at the altars and in the city centre over this long weekend, and check that shops or offices you need are open.

Is Día de Muertos the same as Halloween?

No. Halloween (31 October) is about costumes and scares, while Día de Muertos (1 and 2 November) is a Mexican tradition, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, that joyfully welcomes back the souls of loved ones with altars, flowers, food and photos. In Madrid you can enjoy both in the same week, but treat the altars respectfully, as they are about remembrance.

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