Sunset at the Temple of Debod: times and how to see it by tuk tuk

Sunset time at the Temple of Debod, month by month

Official Madrid time, including daylight saving (summer time runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October). Calculated for 2026 using the NOAA method; it shifts by a minute or two from year to year. The earliest sunset is around 8 December (5:48 pm) and the latest around 27 June (9:49 pm).

Where to watch the sunset

The temple stands in the Cuartel de la Montaña park, next to Plaza de España, on high ground facing west: the Casa de Campo is straight ahead and, to the south, the skyline of the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral. The temple is surrounded by a pool, and at sunset it is reflected in the water: that’s the photo everyone wants. You watch it outdoors and for free, from the park itself.

When it was rebuilt in Madrid, it kept the east-west orientation it had in Egypt.

The temple in a minute

It’s a genuine Egyptian temple. King Adikhalamani of Meroë began it in the early 2nd century BC and dedicated a chapel to Amun and Isis; Ptolemaic kings and Roman emperors such as Augustus and Tiberius later extended it. When Egypt built the Aswan High Dam the temple was going to end up under water, so the Egyptian government gave it to Madrid. It was moved and rebuilt stone by stone, and opened to the public in 1972.

The park stands where the Cuartel de la Montaña barracks once stood, on the old Príncipe Pío hill: this is where Napoleon’s troops executed the Madrid rebels of 2 May 1808, the scene Goya painted.

Visiting inside: opening hours and tickets

• Free entry. Booking in advance on the City Council website (madrid.es/debodreservas) is recommended.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays, 10 am to 8 pm (last entry 7:30 pm). From 15 June to 15 September, 10 am to 7 pm (last entry 6:30 pm).
• Closed: Mondays, 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 24, 25 and 31 December.
• Sunset with the temple open: from October to late March the sun sets before the temple closes at 8 pm. The rest of the year you watch the sunset from the park, which is the best spot anyway.

Opening hours can change: check the official website before you go.

Getting there for sunset by tuk tuk

The 90-minute tour covers the whole 1-hour route and adds the Temple of Debod. These tours include the Temple of Debod: 90 min, 2 h, 3 h, 5 h, 8 h.

When you book, or on WhatsApp, tell us you’d like to see the sunset at Debod and we’ll suggest a start time so you get there in time. The tuk tuk drops you by the park and you hop off to watch. Hotel pickup costs €20 extra.

Tips

• Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early: at weekends and in summer the park fills up.
• After the sun goes down, the sky keeps good light for photos for another 20 to 30 minutes.
• From November to March it gets chilly as soon as the sun sets: bring a jacket.
• In December you can catch the sunset at around 5:50 pm and then the city-centre Christmas lights.

Official sources

• esMadrid: Temple of Debod (history, opening hours and price)
• Madrid City Council: Temple of Debod and ticket booking (in Spanish)
• NOAA Solar Calculator (sunset calculation method)

Frequently asked questions