Tours

Tour One: The Golden Triangle

This walk links up the city's three most important art galleries: the Prado, Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, and Thyssen Bornemizsa, in the shape of a triangle.

Start at the Atocha railway station. If you're coming by metro, be sure to get off at the Atocha metro station and not the Atocha-Renfe station. You'll see the railway station the moment you emerge from the metro. It was built in the early 1900s and has been enlarged and improved to meet the demands of the modern high-speed (AVE) trains. There's now an elegant first-floor restaurant overlooking the carefully tended indoor garden of tropical rainforest plants in the foyer.

From the metro station, cross to the other side of the Paseo del Prado and turn left. Aristocrats during the 17th and 18th Centuries liked this paseo (promenade) so much that many built their palaces along it. The Botanical Gardens are the first stop. Like many of Madrid's other great public building projects, the gardens were planted during the reign of Carlos III. They opened to the public in 1781. Visitors can see examples of over 30,000 different plants and trees from around the world. Sabatini, the architect who also designed the Palacio Real, designed the central building in the gardens.

Back on the Paseo del Prado, turn right. Continue along the tree-lined sidewalk the length of a block and you'll come to the most famous museum in Spain, the Prado. This neo-classical building was started during the reign of Carlos III in 1785, but was not completed until 1819, during the reign of Fernando VII. The museum houses more than 18,000 works of art (paintings, sculptures, etc), with an additional 12,000 in storage and 4,000 more distributed among other museums. There's a statue of Diego Velázquez, one of Spain's most famous painters, outside the front door.

Take the first street on the right (Calle Felipe IV), walk past the Jerónimos Church and you'll come to Calle Alfonso XII. The Parque del Buen Retiro lies behind the wrought-iron fence. This park is a green and peaceful oasis in the middle of the busy city and it's a great place to take a break from sightseeing. The only other major park in Madrid is the Casa de Campo. Retiro was originally the garden attached to the Claustro de San Jerónimo el Real (Los Jerónimo) (Jerónimos Monastery). It later became the gardens belonging to the Buen Retiro Palace, where Felipe II lived while the magnificent Escorial Monastery and Palace were being built. Most of the palace was destroyed during the French occupation of the city in 1808, leaving just a few structures standing including the former ballroom,Casón del Buen Retiro, which is now an exhibition hall. In 1868 the park, which had been used exclusively by the aristocracy, was opened to the public. Some other interesting features of the park include the Palacio de Cristal (Glass Palace), the artificial lake, the monument to Alfonso XII, and the statue that represents the devil.

If you leave the park through the main gate on to the Avenida de Mejico, you'll find one of the most famous landmarks in Madrid, the Puerta de Alcalá in the Plaza de la Independencia. This was also built during the reign of Carlos III in an attempt to beautify one of the main entrances to the city. The famous gate has been a witness to many important changes in Spanish society and was made even more famous throughout the country as a result of Ana Belen's chart-topping song, La Puerta de Alcalá.

Head along the Calle de Alcalá and you'll come to the Palacio de Comunicaciones / Museo Postal y Telegráfico or Correos (Central Post Office). If you didn't know it was a post office you might mistake it for a cathedral or a palace. It's probably the most impressive post office in the world, inside and out.

You'll find another famous landmark, La Cibeles Fountain, in the middle of the Paseo del Prado. It's an 18th-century tribute to the Roman goddess of fertility and can only be reached for a closer look on special occasions when the roads are closed.

Take the underground walkway from here back onto the Calle de Alcalá to see two more monumental buildings, the Banco de España (Central Bank) and the Círculo de Bellas Artes (important cultural center).

Turn back along the Paseo del Prado towards Atocha station and you'll soon reach the second corner of the Golden Triangle, the Thyssen Bornemizsa Museum. This former palace houses the Thyssen-Bornemisza family's art collection. It was considered one of the finest private collections in the world before being bought by the Spanish government in 1993. The 800 masterpieces are now on public display, arranged in chronological order over the different floors. Interesting temporary exhibitions are also held here.

You'll find another important city landmark that was built during the reign of Carlos III a little further down the Paseo, in the middle of Plaza Cánovas del Castillo, Neptune's Fountain.

Continuing along the Paseo del Prado towards the Atocha station, turn right over Calle Atocha to the metro stop and turn right down an alleyway called Santa Isabel. You'll see the modern glass elevators moving up and down the façade of what was an 18th-century hospital and is now the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, the final corner of the Golden Triangle. This is Madrid's modern art museum. Its most famous painting is Picasso's Guernica. It also shows the works of Dalí, Joan Miró, and other modern Spanish painters and sculptors. Regular temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and photography take place in the center and the art bookstore is probably the best in the city (not to be confused with the souvenir shop by the entrance).

Some other interesting buildings and sights along this route include the Congreso de los Diputados (Parliament), the Stock Exchange, the Ritz and Palace hotels, the Real Academia de la Lengua, and the Casa de America (Palacio de Linares).

Tour Two: Old Madrid

Many of Madrid's older districts were completely demolished between the 18th and 20th Centuries to make room for new apartment buildings and office blocks. However, the district known as Los Austrias (referring to when Spain was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) dates from the 16th and 17th Centuries and is a spectacular sight at night when the street lamps give the narrow winding alleyways an eerie, old-world feel. Day or night, it's one of the most attractive parts of Madrid.

Start at the Ópera metro station. You'll emerge on to a remodelled square behind the Teatro Real (Opera House). The Plaza de Oriente stands opposite the Opera House and beyond it you can see the Palacio Real (Royal Palace). The Royal Family no longer lives in the 18th-century building as it is now used for official functions and as a museum. The Plaza de Oriente is lined with elegant cafes like the Cafe de Oriente, an ideal spot to sit and relax.

On your way down to the Palacio Real (Royal Palace), turn left and you'll pass the Almudena Cathedral. This controversial church is still considered unfinished by many. Take the first right downhill and you'll see some remains of the old Moorish defensive wall that was only rediscovered during renovation work and now serves as a backdrop to outdoor theater productions in spring and summer.

Returning up Calle Bailen, cross over to Calle Mayor. One block further up, you'll find the Plaza de la Villa, home to Madrid's Town Hall building, which dates from the 17th Century. The square is surrounded by palaces that are now used by the city administration. The best time to visit the square is at night.

Take the narrow, winding Calle Cordón and cross over Calle Sacramento to Calle Segovia. The Papal Nuncio once had his official residence in this area and some of the former ecclesiastical buildings have been turned into cafes and restaurants, such as the Cafe del Nuncio and the Taberna de los 100 Vinos (a good restaurant in what used to be stables). This area has been gentrified but still maintains some of its old charm. The Plaza de la Paja, where straw (paja) used to be sold, is a pleasant spot to take a break.

From here, you can pass through a series of pretty squares on your way to the Plaza de la Cebada (Barley Square). This area has been taken over by bars, restaurants, and outdoor cafes. Street performers and musicians entertain the crowds that visit on sunny afternoons and weekend nights.

Take Calle Cava Baja (not Cava Alta) and you'll end up at Madrid's most attractive square, the Plaza Mayor. This street was once full of small hotels and restaurants. The restaurants are now a little more upmarket than they used to be, but it's still a great place to try new tapas. One of the most famous bars is the Posada de la Villa, an inn dating from the 17th Century. On the other side of Calle Segovia from here, you'll see a cement cross in the middle of a little square. The square is called Puerta Cerrada (Closed Gate) because the gate that stood here was closed to keep beggars from entering the city.

Take Calle Cuchilleros, on your left, until you see the impressive entrance (el Arco de Cuchilleros) to the Plaza Mayor. The restaurant, Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas, named after the famous Madrid folk hero/outlaw, stands on the corner. This street is full of popular taverns and restaurants, in what were once stables and warehouses. The restaurant that claims to be the oldest in the world is here, Botín. Take a stroll through the arcaded square and look in some of the interesting little shops (especially the hat shops) here and in the adjacent streets. There's a statue of Felipe III in the middle of the square.

The Plaza Mayor was once the city's main market place. When Madrid became the capital of Spain and its empire in the 16th Century, the square held important events like religious processions and festivals, the Inquisition's trials and executions, bullfights, and cultural events. Concerts and plays are still performed in spring and summer. There's a stamp and coin collector's fair every Sunday morning. Christmas decorations are sold here during the run-up to the festive season and fancy-dress outfits are on sale in preparation for the Carnival. This square, the heart of old Madrid, is perhaps the heart of new Madrid as well.

Other interesting buildings and parks worth visiting in old Madrid include the Descalzas Reales Convent by the Puerta del Sol, the Iglesia de San Isidro, which used to be a cathedral, and the Monasterio de la Encarnación, near Plaza de Oriente. There's also the Palacio de Santa Cruz, just outside the Plaza Mayor. Or head for Vistillas Park, just off Calle Bailen before reaching Calle Segovia, which has fantastic views of the old city, Palacio Real (Royal Palace), and the Casa de Campo.

Tour Three: Plaza de España and Argüelles

Start this tour in the busy Plaza de España, which has become the new gateway to the city. From here, you can easily get to the Royal Palace and old Madrid, the shops and cinemas on Gran Vía, Puerta del Sol, and the area known as Argüelles.

Take the metro to Plaza de España where you'll find a monument to Cervantes along with statues of Don Quijote and Sancho Panza, his most famous characters. You'll also see lots of people relaxing on the grass and the park benches. Craft fairs are held here from just before Christmas until January 6, when Spanish people traditionally exchange gifts.

Take the Calle Princesa away from the square towards a high brick wall and head up the steps there to a small plaza. Carry straight along Calle Conde Duque for a couple of blocks, past all the cafes, bars, and restaurants, and you'll come to the Cuartel de Conde Duque. It was built during the reign of Felipe V to house the Royal Guard. Today it's a cultural center that organizes excellent exhibitions of contemporary art, open-air concerts, theater performances, and educational workshops. This area is full of peaceful squares to take a break in.

Go back to Calle Princesa and turn right. When you reach the Corte Ingles department store, you're in the Argüelles district, famous for its shops and large student community. You can take advantage of the shopping facilities or just wander around the tree-lined boulevards. To escape the city streets for a while, turn left on Calle Marques de Urquijo and walk along to the Parque del Oeste. There's a cable car ride (Teleferico) at this entrance to the park that offers great views over Madrid and into Casa de Campo.

From here, turn left on to the Paseo del Pintor Rosales, one of the most exclusive residential streets in the city. You'll soon come to the oldest building in Madrid, the Templo de Debod. The Egyptian government saved this temple from destruction during the building of the Aswan Dam, and presented it to Spain in 1960. The temple, dedicated to the goddess, Isis, is open to the public and worth visiting.

Cross over Paseo del Pintor Rosales again and turn left into Calle Ventura Rodríguez where you'll find the Museo Cerralbo at no.17. The Marquis de Cerralbo once lived here. It's now a museum that houses a valuable collection of art, including paintings by Goya, Zurbarán, El Greco, and Van Dyck, as well as coins, furniture, and porcelain.

You can either continue along this street to the Ventura Rodríguez metro station or take a right on Princesa back towards Plaza de España. Two blocks down on Calle Princesa, you'll come to Plaza de los Cubos (Cube Plaza), a popular square with bars, restaurants, and cinemas (some showing films in their original language with Spanish subtitles).

Tour Four: Intellectual Madrid

What did Ernest Hemingway, Pío Baroja, and Cervantes have in common? They were all regulars of an area of Madrid called the Muses, Parnassus, or "Enlightened Madrid," today better known for the countless number of bars, taverns, and restaurants around Plaza Santa Ana and Calle Huertas.

If you take the metro to Sol and leave by the Calle Carretas exit, you'll come out at the Puerta del Sol. Here, you'll see the famous clock tower, whose chimes officially announce the New Year on Spanish TV and radio. The statue of Carlos III is across from the clock tower, and the emblem of Madrid, the bear and arbutus tree (el oso y el madroño) is behind the statue.

Take the first right onto Calle Carretas, continue on until the large Jacinto Benavente square, and then turn left on to Calle del Prado (also called Plaza del Angel), walk a couple of blocks and you'll come to Plaza de Santa Ana, the start of the literary tour.

The square is full of bars and restaurants and the area in general is crowded and lively at night. Many writers, painters, and intellectuals have lived and worked here and have been inspired by their surroundings.

The ME Madrid Hotel (Reina Victoria) on your left-hand side is popular with bullfighters who like to stay here when fighting in the Madrid ring. To your right is a small street called San Sebastián where you'll find a church by the same name, The Church of San Sebastián. It has been mentioned in many literary works, including Perez Galdos' Misericordia. Gustavo Adolfo Becquer, a Romantic poet, was married here, and the church archives hold the death certificates of Cervantes, Lope de Vega, and Ruiz de Alarcón, among others.

The most famous bar in the square is the Cervecería Alemana, which you'll find next to the Teatro Español. It's a quaint old-fashioned cafe where people sit, relax, read the newspaper, and have a bite to eat.

Continue along Calle del Prado to Calle Echegaray and there, on your left-hand side, is Los Gabrieles. Each room of the bar is wonderfully decorated in colorful ceramic tiles depicting a different scene. The most famous room has a recreation of Velázquez's painting Los borrachos (The Drunkards). This is a cafe by day and a lively bar by night.

Two blocks further on you'll see Calle Huertas on your right-hand side. During the day it looks like any other street in this part of Madrid. At night, however, it's transformed into a row of lively music bars. It's very noisy and congested with cars and people. When the bars start to close at about 3a, and people start heading home, local residents often resort to throwing buckets full of water on the rowdiest passers-by. You have been warned.

On your way to Calle Huertas, you'll cross Calle Infante. Turn down this narrow street, walk to the end and you'll come out where Calle Cervantes and Calle León meet. This is where Cervantes lived during the last few years of his life. Unfortunately, his house was demolished in the 19th Century. He was buried in the grounds of the Trinitarias Convent on Calle Lope de Vega. The grounds are only open to the public on special occasions. Cervantes wasn't the only famous writer to live in this neighborhood. Góngora, Quevedo, and Lope de Vega lived here too. Lope de Vega lived at number 11 Calle Cervantes and his house has been turned into the Lope de Vega House & Museum, where you can even visit the vegetable garden that he loved.

A little further down Calle Cervantes is Calle Quevedo, where Góngora lived in a small rented house for more than six years. Eventually, Quevedo bought the house and evicted Góngora. The two writers really hated each other.

Head back to Calle del Prado, and look for number 21 where you'll find the Ateneo de Madrid, built by a group of liberal intellectuals in 1835 as a center for cultural activities. Pío Baroja and other writers were frequent visitors. It still houses one of the best periodical collections and libraries in Madrid, and holds exhibitions and other events.

Finally, you should stop in at Filmoteca (Cine Dore), a cinema that shows foreign films, often focusing on the careers of famous directors like Kurosawa, Bergman, and Wilder. The bookshop is one of the best in the city, and there's a pleasant cafeteria in the inner patio. The cinema is located near Anton Martín metro station at number 3, Calle de Santa Isabel.