About Madrid
Discover the secrets of Madrid through an enthusiastic guide!
Madrid is famous for its historic center, its unbeatable climate, its cosmopolitanism, its gastronomy, its restaurants and much more. The buildings seem to be taken from a fairy tale and the smells that are perceived are a mixture of churros, squid and beer.
Imagine strolling through its historic squares and discovering that famous people such as Francisco Quevedo, Manuela Malasaña, Ortega y Gasset, Pedro de Ribera lived in this city, as well as Carlos III, the best mayor of Madrid, who said “rain does not break bones “.
All this, along with many anecdotes and curiosities through some of the best local guides in Madrid through our free tours or private tours in which time freezes for 2 hours and it is time to rejoice and enjoy. Ready for adventure?
How to find our guides?
Our guides carry green umbrellas and jackets with the flag of the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy and the Madrid Free Tour logos. They wait for you every day right next to the statue of the bear and the strawberry tree in Puerta del Sol.
Reviews of our clients
Madrid FREE TOUR
One of the best free tours I’ve done so far. Jorge not only teaches you witches, he tells you anecdotes, history and makes you have a fun time. If you want to learn, get to know the city and the best jokes, this is your tour.
100% recommendable. Thanks Jorge.
Pautraveler
We did the tour with Jorge and I found him to be an incredible guide; It tells you many curiosities in a dynamic and interesting way. His way of explaining captivates the public and makes this fairytale city even more magical. I recommend it 100%.
Sara Martins
Jorge knows perfectly the history of the city and knows perfectly how to tell it. If you are looking for a free walking tour in Spanish, do not think twice. We have been to many in different cities and Jorge is one of the best guides we have found. Such a fun way to hang out, you learn a lot of history, you laugh non-stop. We definitely recommend Jorge as an exceptional guide who makes you want to learn about Madrid no matter how cold he is or how cloudy the day is!
John W.
I thought it was going to be the typical boring tour and not at all! Jorge is a charm, he was in charge of telling us everything there was to know about Madrid in a fun and funny way. I definitely recommend it 100%
Violet Adams
What a pleasant surprise to have met Jorge on our first day in the city. Capable of telling us the history of this majestic city while making you have a good time with his anecdotes and information. It shows when someone enjoys doing their job and can spread it to the rest of the group. Thank you for your dedication and advice at the end of the Tour. Tour of 10!
Splinter4
We did the tour in Madrid and Jorge surprised us, with his excellent historical and tourist data, but also with his skills as a showman, he made it super interesting and entertaining, a crack, he broke it, as we say in Argentina. Congratulations, the tour went quickly. Excellent professional George.
Daniel J.
My partner and I did the free tour with Jorge, we really liked the way he showed us the city, very entertaining and interesting. We have done free Tours in Berlin, Prague, Edinburgh, Amsterdam… and this is the first time that we decided to put a comment on one of them. 100% recommended
James Higgins
We met Jorge in the square and the truth is that we could not have had a better guide. He has explained the history of the city perfectly and has been very pleasant and fun. he without a doubt he has made our stay in the city better. Thank you!
Justin Barbin
Contact us
WHERE WE ARE
Puerta del Sol Square
All Free Tours start in the main square of Madrid, right next to the statue of the Bear and the Madroño.
CALL US
+34 618 175 758
We are at your disposal at any time to help you resolve any doubts or questions that may arise.
SEND US AN EMAIL
info@madridfreetour.es
If you have any questions, you can write to us and send us a message at the email address indicated above.
Madrid Free Tour
Frequent questions
THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FROM OUR CLIENTS AND TRAVELERS
Our Free Tours last approximately 2 hours.
However, if interest and enthusiasm are shown, it can be lengthened, just as if it is very cold or for any reason or group decision, it can be shortened.
But always, however long it lasts, enjoy it!
The free tours give the traveler the option to discover and experience the city in a magical way, which requires effort and passion from the guide.
That is why, once the tour is over, it is the client who values and puts a price on the tour that he has just lived and enjoyed.
What better way to get to know Madrid!
The guided tour begins in the Plaza Pueta del Sol, right next to the Bear and the Strawberry Tree and ends in another, more romantic place, the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Once the visit is over, do not hesitate to ask the guide how to get to any point that is of interest to you.
The tour is designed to enjoy the most beautiful and essential of Madrid.
If you had thought or want to visit other points that have not been seen during the tour, do not hesitate to ask the guide for advice and directions.
Depending on the interests and tastes of each person or group, the guide will indicate where to go, eat, enter, etc., depending on schedules, prices and places that are of interest to visitors.
Itinerary of our tour
The points and places that will be seen and explained during the tour
1. SUN GATE
The tour begins at Puerta del Sol, where a guide with an umbrella and a green t-shirt/jacket will wait for you to begin the magical adventure through Madrid.
In this square, the stories and anecdotes of all the surrounding buildings will be explained: the Royal Post Office (formerly known as the Ministry of the Interior), the history of the Puerta del Sol Clock, the Kilometer O, or the tradition of eating grapes.
In addition, you will know the history of why Madrid is called this way; how the people of Madrid are known; the journey that the Tío Pepe advertising poster has had; or the curious anecdote of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree and its meaning for Madrid.
2. POST STREET
Postas Street, due to its presence and influence in the Contemporary Spanish Novels, the work of Galdós, has deserved the attention of renowned Galdosists such as Pedro Ortiz Armengol, who defines it as ‘the main nerve in the economic life of the city and of Spain for many years‘.
At numbers 7 and 9 since 1948, it was here that the Cine Postas was located, considered by chroniclers to be one of the most raunchy in Madrid, which after degenerating into “Sala X” for a few decades, ended up being converted into a souvenir shop for tourists.
Do you know what the origin of the name is and what happened here in ancient times?
3. MAIN SQUARE
In this square you will enjoy one of the first square squares in Spain and you will know the reason why it was the model exported to the Americas.
Another jewel to enjoy in this square is the Casa de la Panadería, which with its two towers and the mysterious barometer, in addition to its facade painted with figures from mythology, suffered several fires (two in the 17th century and another terrible one in the 18th). that put an end to the bakery.
Also, you will contemplate the equestrian statue of Felipe III, the four giant lampposts of the square and their representations, the infinite balconies and the anecdote of Felipe IV and María Calderón.
4. KNIFE STREET
The best known access to enter the Plaza Mayor in Madrid is one of the most picturesque corners of the center. It was here that the town’s knife-makers’ guild was based.
On the stairs you can see a small pulpit with its iron railing, related to an episode of the War of Independence and the famous May 2 of 1808.
Likewise, in this corner the anecdotes of what is the oldest restaurant in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records will be explained. Get ready, because it is just down the stairs or Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas.
5. SAN MIGUEL MARKET
In May 1916, the San Miguel market was inaugurated as a food market. It is the best example of iron architecture in the city and became the first gastronomic market in Madrid in 2009.
It is here that you can smell the Madrid de los Austrias, where more than 10 million visitors a year come. It is the gastronomic temple of the city.
Today you can taste top quality products from different parts of the country such as fish and seafood tapas from Galicia, gourmet cheeses, meats, fruits, pastries, etc., in the 34 total stalls.
6. VILLA SQUARE
Discover the main nucleus of medieval Madrid. The scar of this is the birth of the 3 streets corresponding to the original layout of the city. Do you know their names?
In addition, you can take photos next to three buildings of great historical value because each one is from a different century. The oldest of them is the Casa y Torre de los Lujanes (XV century) and Gothic-Mudejar style, which today is the headquarters of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences.
The Casa Cisneros and the Casa de la Villa complete the square, which was named after King Enrique IV of Castile.
7. SACRAMENT CHURCH
Located next to the Palace of the Dukes of Uceda, in front of Casa Ciriaco, this church was declared a National Artistic Monument in 1982.
It was the temple of the old monastery of the Bernardine nuns of Madrid, founded in 1615 by Cristóbal de Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Uceda, son of the 1st Duke of Lerma and favorite of King Felipe III.
During the Civil War the convent and the church suffered damage that forced a first reconstruction. In the 70s of the 20th century, the convent was demolished to build houses. The Church of the Sacramento remained standing and became the Cathedral Church of the Armed Forces.
Despite its great interest, it is not open to the public at any time. It is usually open in the afternoon from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., but it can also be accessed in the morning, coinciding with the 9:30 a.m. mass.
8. ROYAL PALACE
If your question is going to be, which Kings have lived in the Royal Palace of Madrid?, you should know that since December 1, 1764, when Carlos III and his Court settled in the Royal Palace of Madrid (a journey started by his father, Felipe V,) all the kings of Spain until Alfonso XIII have lived inside.
Did you not know that the Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest in Western Europe and one of the largest in the world? It has more than 135,000 square meters and 3,418 rooms (almost four times the Buckingham Palace or twice the Palace of Versailles) that have witnessed centuries of Spanish history.
We are talking about one of the few official residences of Heads of State that is open to the public (more than 2 million visitors discover its corners, works of art and treasures that are unique in the world every year).
9. GARDENS OF THE EAST
Ordered to be built by Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother, José I Bonaparte, as he was fond of demolishing old buildings and building Parisian-style squares in their place. But why are the Gardens of the East called that way?
Look at the center where the equestrian statue of Philip IV is located. How many legs does the horse stand on? How was this idea possible? Who made this seemingly impossible masterpiece?
Now look around you and think who are these kings on the statues. Goths, Austrians and Bourbons? If you see a building in front of you, know that it is the Opera House, built by Ferdinand VII.
Smile, because Giuseppe Verdi passed through here in 1863, when he directed his opera ‘La forza del Destino’ at the Teatro Real. Also the Chilean poet Vicente Huidobro, innovator of poetry in Spanish.
