History of Madrid - City Center Guided Walking Tour - Semi-Private (Max 12 Guests)
About this activity
Discover Madrid’s historic center on a 2.5-hour semi-private guided walk capped at 12 guests. See Plaza Mayor, La Latina, Puerta del Sol and the exteriors of the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral.
Highlights
- Marvel at the Royal Palace exterior
- Admire Almudena Cathedral’s stunning façade
- Wander lively Plaza Mayor
- Explore the buzzing Mercado de San Miguel
- Experience iconic Puerta del Sol
Full description
Discover Madrid’s historic city center on a 2.5-hour semi-private walking tour with an expert local guide and a maximum of 12 guests. Trace the city’s story through grand plazas, medieval streets and lively neighborhoods. Highlights generally include the Royal Palace exterior, Almudena Cathedral exterior, the Arab Wall, La Latina, Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel and Puerta del Sol, where Madrid’s Kilometer Zero and the Bear and Strawberry Tree mark the city’s heart. Hear how Madrid grew from a medieval settlement into Spain’s capital while seeing its architecture and everyday life up close. This is a walking tour; entry to monument interiors, food and drinks, hotel pickup and drop-off, gratuities, and luggage or coat storage are not included. The tour runs rain or shine. Route stops may vary with local conditions.
Included / Excluded
- Expert local guide
- Semi-private group (max 12 guests)
- 2.5-hour guided city walk
- Admission to interiors of monuments
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Luggage storage
Itinerary
Petrus statue — Plaza de la Armería, Royal Palace
Meet at the Petrus statue in Plaza de la Armería opposite the Royal Palace, ten minutes early.
Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
See the Royal Palace exterior and hear how Madrid became the seat of Spain’s monarchy. No palace admission.
Meeting point
Start Location
Petrus statue — Plaza de la Armería, Royal Palace
Plaza de la Armería
Meet by the Petrus (Saint Peter) statue, directly across from the Royal Palace main entrance.
Get directions →Important information
Know before you book
- Tour is not wheelchair accessible
- Maximum 12 guests per group
- No admission inside monuments (exteriors only)
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes
- Dress for the weather—tour runs rain or shine
- Bring water and a camera
- Tours start promptly—arrive 10 minutes early
- Food and drinks are not included; luggage storage is unavailable
Cancellation policy
Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Reviews
We booked this tour to get as much as possible out of our time at The Met. What we didn’t know we were getting was a personalized experience full of captivating stories about the artists' lives and the people who brought the art to the museum. Robin was a wealth of knowledge and a highlight of our trip to New York!
Spent a great day with Charlie he was very engaging and shared lots of information and entertaining stories with us. He took great care of us and we would recommend him for any future tours.
Mark, tour guide for the Metropolitan Museum is an outstanding teacher: engaging; entertaining; professional; personable; experienced and deeply knowledgeable as a result of a lifelong passion and relationship with the Met. He loves what he does and cares deeply about sharing his knowledge and insight to spark curiosity and inspire his clients--his students--to understand context and meaning of each piece or work of art reviewed. My wife, a retired professor emeritas and myself both left thoroughly impressed and grateful to have been taught by best and most captivating guides we have had the privilege of meeting on one of our many travels and adventures. Hire the best. Hire Mark. Worth every penny and every minute of your time you can afford at the Met. Like us, you will look forward to coming back for another teaching session from Mark. In my case, hopefully we will be back on my birthday next year! (Thanks again Mark!)
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Additional information
Meet at the Petrus (Saint Peter) statue in Plaza de la Armería, directly opposite the Royal Palace main entrance, ten minutes before departure. Bring an ID or a clear photo of your ID and wear comfortable walking shoes. This is an exterior city walk; no monument admission or food is included. Guest support: +1 917 999 0380.