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Secrets of Madrid Small Group Tour
Madrid, Spain, Europe
$31.95
This is an experience gift voucher. The recipient will book the experience after
they redeem the gift voucher.
Overview
We will visit some well known sites and also hidden gems.
As a driving force and mirror and of the history, culture and art of Spain but also of Europe, along the tour the past will come to life. From the Muslim influence to the austere North European of the Habsburg and the glamour of the Bourbons, the city is an enthralling mix of cultures.
You will discover how a fort of the IX century became the capital of an Empire. In Madrid great stories arise in every corner. This is the city that governed half of America and large areas of the world, produced some of the best artists and writers of all time but also struggled with crime, a Napoleon invasion and a Civil War.
My goal is that at the end of the tour you will see some of the most beautiful and meaningful sites and understand their deep meaning. Madrid is the result of a series of unexpected events, conquests, successes and contradictions that create a unique urbanism, heritage and culture with great impact in Western culture.
As a driving force and mirror and of the history, culture and art of Spain but also of Europe, along the tour the past will come to life. From the Muslim influence to the austere North European of the Habsburg and the glamour of the Bourbons, the city is an enthralling mix of cultures.
You will discover how a fort of the IX century became the capital of an Empire. In Madrid great stories arise in every corner. This is the city that governed half of America and large areas of the world, produced some of the best artists and writers of all time but also struggled with crime, a Napoleon invasion and a Civil War.
My goal is that at the end of the tour you will see some of the most beautiful and meaningful sites and understand their deep meaning. Madrid is the result of a series of unexpected events, conquests, successes and contradictions that create a unique urbanism, heritage and culture with great impact in Western culture.
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Secrets of Madrid Small Group Tour
Tour guide
Language: English
Human tour guide
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
- All Fees and Taxes
- Admission ticket to Royal Palace
Meeting point
At the end of Calle Cuchilleros, corner with Latoneros and Tintoreros. A small sqaire in front of Cafestic. We will meet in the big cross at the center.
Return details
At the end of Calle Cuchilleros, corner with Latoneros and Tintoreros. A small sqaire in front of Cafestic. We will meet in the big cross at the center.
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Plaza de la VillaBegin in one of Madrid’s oldest squares, where centuries of power and beauty converge. The façades show the coexistence of Mudéjar, Plateresque and Habsburg architecture, a visual chronicle of the city’s evolution. Look closely at the coat of arms of King Charles II, the last Habsburg monarch, carved into the stone — a symbol full of secrets and the end of an era.
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Calle De CodoJust a few steps from the Plaza de la Villa lies one of Madrid’s narrowest streets, a silent curve that still follows the line of the medieval city. Its name, the Elbow Street, comes from its sharp bend. The irregular stones, the shadows and the stillness make it one of the places where you can feel the atmosphere of a vanished Madrid
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Monasterio Del Corpus ChristiHidden behind an unmarked door, this 17th-century convent of Corpus Christi preserves a way of life that has barely changed in four hundred years. The cloistered nuns, who rarely see the outside world, bake traditional biscuits known as galletas de las Carboneras. They sell them through a small revolving window — a quiet ritual that connects today’s Madrid with its most secret past.
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Basilica de San MiguelRising unexpectedly among narrow streets, this 18th-century church brings the theatrical energy of the Baroque to old Madrid. Its curved façade and dramatic proportions were revolutionary in their time, a declaration that faith could also be spectacle. Built under the Bourbons, it reflects a new vision of beauty and power — lighter, more European — in contrast with the austere spirit of the Habsburg city that surrounds it.
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El Huerto de Las MonjasTucked away behind high walls, this secluded convent garden is one of Madrid’s most intimate corners. Once cultivated by nuns in the 17th century, it remains a rare oasis of silence in the heart of the city. From Monday to Friday, visitors can step inside and breathe the calm of another century — on weekends, the gate stays closed, protecting its timeless peace.
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Calle De Rollo FountainDiscover the Casa a la Malicia. In the 16th century, King Philip II ordered a census to tax every new house built in Madrid. The locals, unwilling to pay more, found a clever solution: they built homes that looked unfinished from the outside. These “malicious houses” fooled the inspectors and became a small act of civic rebellion — the kind of quiet irony that still defines Madrid’s spirit.
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Plaza de la Cruz VerdeIn medieval Madrid, this square was the place where the Inquisition held public executions before moving them later to the Plaza Mayor. The green cross that gives the square its name was the emblem of the Inquisition itself — a symbol carried at the head of its solemn processions. Today, peace and silence have replaced those scenes of fear. It’s also a good moment for a short pause: nearby cafés offer coffee and restrooms before we continue our walk through old Madrid.
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Jardin del Principe de AnglonaHidden behind high brick walls, this 18th-century garden once belonged to the palace of the Prince of Anglona. Its symmetry, shaded benches and scent of jasmine inspired poets and lovers during the Romantic era, when Madrid began to look at its own ruins with nostalgia. Few places capture that mood so well — the sense of beauty touched by time, where silence itself seems to remember.
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Iglesia de San Pedro El ViejoDating from the 14th century, this modest church is the second-oldest building in Madrid. Its brick tower, with delicate arches and simple geometry, is one of the few remaining examples of mudéjar architecture in the city — Christian in purpose, Islamic in influence. It stands as a silent witness to the centuries.
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Plaza De La PajaWe will see the VArgas Palace. Built in the 16th century, this palace belonged to the powerful Vargas family, the feudal lords of Madrid before it became a royal capital. The Vargas played a prominent role in the conquest and administration of the Americas, extending their influence far beyond the city walls. According to tradition, San Isidro, now Madrid’s patron saint, worked here as a humble servant. The contrast between the saint’s simplicity and the family’s power reflects Madrid’s dual soul — spiritual and worldly, humble and ambitious.
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Calle De MadridLa calle de los mancebos narrow street, lined with ancient stones, still preserves the atmosphere of medieval Madrid. Its name, Mancebos — “young men” — recalls the tragic story of two youths accused of killing a prince who died in 1217. Whether they were guilty or innocent remains uncertain, a mystery that has never been fully solved. Nearby, a 15th-century house and remnants of the Christian wall remind us how legend and history have always intertwined in the city’s oldest heart.
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Jardines de Las VistillasFrom this open terrace, Madrid finally breathes. The Vistillas have always been a place of celebration — where locals gather for festivals, music and sunsets. From here, the city unfolds toward the Manzanares River and the distant mountains, offering one of its most iconic views. After so many narrow streets and centuries of stone, this is a moment of air and light — the Madrid of joy, of sky, of freedom.
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Calle MayorThe Palacio de Consejos was built in the early 17th century, this palace reflects the austere style of the Counter-Reformation, where architecture served faith and discipline. Its brick walls and slate spires, typical of Habsburg Madrid, project sobriety rather than opulence — the image of a monarchy that sought moral authority as much as political power. From here, under the Catholic kings’ legacy, the Royal Councils administered the empire, blending religion, governance and ideology in the very heart of the city.
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Museo de la Catedral de la AlmudenaAlthough it looks ancient, the Cathedral of the Almudena was completed only in the late 20th century. Its neo-Habsburg façade, designed during the Franco era, deliberately imitates the sober architecture of the 17th century to create a sense of historical continuity.
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Royal Palace of MadridFrom this small hill, the Royal Palace reveals its full grandeur — a vast rectangle of white stone rising above the valley of the Manzanares. It was built in the 18th century by the Bourbons to replace the old Alcázar of the Habsburgs, which burned down in 1734. Seen from here, the palace dominates the landscape like an emblem of absolute power, conceived to rival Versailles and proclaim Madrid as the heart of a modern empire. The view is magnificent — one of those moments when history and beauty coincide perfectly.
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Monumento a Filippo IVAt the centre of the Plaza de Oriente stands the statue of King Philip IV, one of Madrid’s masterpieces. Cast in bronze in the 17th century, it was the first equestrian statue in the world balanced on its rear legs — a technical miracle achieved with Galileo’s calculations. The king appears calm, almost divine, mastering both horse and destiny. It is the perfect image of Baroque power: art used to express absolute authority, grace and control.
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Plaza de Isabel IIWe finish our journey here, between the Royal Theatre and the busy streets of modern Madrid. From the medieval lanes of Plaza de la Villa to the grandeur of the Royal Palace, we’ve walked through nearly a thousand years of history — faith, art, power and daily life woven together. This final square marks the meeting point between the old city and the present one, where music replaces prayer and the past still shapes the rhythm of the streets. Thank you for walking through Madrid’s secrets — for seeing not just its monuments, but its soul.
If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met,
you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
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You choose from 10,000+ experience gifts
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We deliver the eVoucher or the Physical box to the recipient
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Recipient books the experience and creates unforgettable memories!
Secrets of Madrid Small Group Tour
Madrid, Spain, Europe
$31.95
This is an experience gift voucher. The recipient will book the experience after
they redeem the gift voucher.
How it works?
01
—
You choose from 10,000+ experience gifts
02
—
We deliver the eVoucher or the Physical box to the recipient
03
—
Recipient books the experience and creates unforgettable memories!