Castles · Tour
Madrid Old Town Dated: 1619 Plaza Mayor to the 1993 Cathedral
Two and a half hours on foot through the old centre of Madrid with a local guide, and a route that can be read as a timeline. The Plaza Mayor was finished in 1619, under Philip III, and it did everything a public square did in that century: bullfights, the autos-da-fé of the Inquisition, royal proclamations. The Mercado de San Miguel went up in 1916, when iron and glass were what a market was supposed to be made of. The Almudena cathedral was consecrated in 1993 and hosted the wedding of Felipe VI and Letizia in 2004, which makes it younger than most of the people standing in front of it. Behind all three lie the fragments of the 9th-century wall, the oldest thing in the city, from when Madrid was Magerit and not yet the capital of anything. The walk also takes in the Puerta del Sol and Km 0, the Plaza de la Villa with Gothic, Plateresque and Baroque facing each other, the Teatro Real, and the Royal Palace, seen from outside with its 3,418 rooms behind the facade. Groups run to 25 people per guide. A personalised guide to Madrid arrives by WhatsApp when you book, and the walk ends with the guide's own recommendations for the rest of your stay.
What's included
- Advice on restaurants and activities at the end of the tour
- Personalized Guide of Madrid via WhatsApp (Reservation)
- Printed material and exclusive illustrated map
- Professional local Guide, expert in the history of Madrid
Itinerary
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Prta del Sol, 1, Madrid
Puerta del Sol, next to the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, on the north side opposite the Apple Store. Look for the plain yellow umbrella, which is visible even when the square is full. If anything goes wrong, message on WhatsApp.
Puerta del Sol
The centre of Madrid and Km 0 of every road in Spain. The history of the square since the 15th century, the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the clock that rings in the New Year, and what the buildings around it are hiding.
Plaza Mayor
The best known square in Madrid, built in 1619 under Philip III. A bullring, a stage for the autos-da-fé of the Inquisition, and a place of royal proclamations. Four hundred years of history, and the darker half of it is the more interesting.
Mercado San Miguel
One of the finest iron markets in Europe, built in 1916. Its history and its architecture, and what to order if you want to go in and eat.
Plaza de la Villa
The political centre of medieval Madrid and the oldest square in the city. Three centuries of architecture in one glance: Gothic, Plateresque and Baroque, each written into a different building.
Arab Wall
The oldest remains in Madrid, from the 9th century: original stretches of the wall the city was founded behind, and why it was called Magerit long before it was the capital of Spain.
The only cathedral in Madrid
The only cathedral in Madrid, consecrated by John Paul II in 1993 and the setting for the wedding of Felipe VI and Letizia in 2004. Its long history, and the details almost nobody knows.
Costo extra
Royal Palace of Madrid
The largest royal palace in western Europe, with 3,418 rooms behind its front. The facade, the gardens and the kings who lived here. The walk ends at the best panorama over Madrid.
Costo extra
Teatro Real
One of the most important opera houses in Europe and the oldest performing arts institution in Spain. The tour closes with its facade and its history.
Costo extra
Pl. de Isabel II, s/n, Madrid
Not included
- Tip for Guide (delivered on completion based on satisfaction)
- Entrance fees to monuments (completely open-air tour)
- Food and drink
Good to know
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
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- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Up to 15 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: it.
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