Castles · Tour
Madrid Old Town Pay-What-You-Want, and the Tunnel to the Royal Palace
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
MadridThe commercial arrangement here is different from every other tour on this list, and it should be read first. The booking fee holds your place. The guide is paid at the end of the walk, by you, in whatever amount you thought the two hours were worth. That model changes the incentives, and the operator has spent more than ten years refining a route around it. It runs through the old centre of Madrid, from Puerta del Sol to the Royal Palace, and it deliberately mixes the obvious with the things people walk past: sections of the Arab and Christian wall, the first square the city ever had, the narrowest street, the oldest restaurant in the world and the oldest barbershop in the European Union. The stop that justifies the whole thing is the Real Botica de la Reina Madre, the oldest surviving business in Madrid, which has a tunnel running from it to the Royal Palace. Guides work from a large illustrated map of the city, which makes the medieval street plan legible in a way that pointing does not. The walk finishes at the Royal Palace, five minutes from Puerta del Sol, on the hill with the best view over Madrid.
What's included
- Local guide
- Personalized attention from your guide after the Tour (forever)
- Printed material and teaching tools throughout the route
- Link for personalized recommendations What to do in Madrid?
Itinerary
The map could not be loaded. Please try again in a moment.
Madrid
In the middle of the Puerta del Sol, next to the only equestrian statue. Look for the yellow and orange umbrella. The Puerta del Sol is the square with the giant TIO PEPE sign on it.
Puerta del Sol
The walk starts at the centre of Madrid, in the square where the New Year is seen in and the twelve grapes are eaten on the chimes. Then the Km 0 plaque, the point every radial road in Spain is measured from. The symbol of the city, the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, and the statue of King Carlos III.
Plaza Mayor
The old centre of the city, and the stage for bullfights, the Spanish Inquisition, carnivals and much else. The history of Spain and of Madrid is told here with visual material rather than dates. There is the local food too, including the squid sandwich the square is known for, and the hotel owned by the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Arco de Cuchilleros
The oldest restaurant in the world and the oldest barbershop in the European Union, both within a few steps of each other.
Arab Wall
The great gates where the Arab and Christian walls of Madrid once stood.
Tablao Flamenco Arco de Cuchilleros
A flamenco tablao in the old centre, pointed out on the route.
La Real Botica de la Reina Madre
The oldest surviving business in Madrid, with the tunnel that connects it to the Royal Palace.
Plaza de la Villa
The first square Madrid had, with the old town hall and the city jail, and the narrowest street in the city.
Catedral de Sta Maria la Real de la Almudena
The Cathedral of Madrid, consecrated by Pope John Paul II and used for royal weddings.
Royal Palace of Madrid
The Royal Palace, and the climb up to the mirador with the best views over Madrid.
Costo extra
C. de Requena, 3, Madrid
The Royal Palace of Madrid, five minutes from Puerta del Sol.
Not included
- The tip to the guide is not included, it is given at the end of the tour.
- Any food or drink
- Entries to the sites (not required as we do not enter)
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
Show 6 moreShow less
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Up to 15 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: pt, en, it, fr, es.
Reviews
Loading reviews…
