MadridWalkingTour:OldMadrid

ThisMadridwalkincludeshistoricalsitesandthespotwhereallSpanishroadsaremeasured.
Ifyouhaveasweettooth,orderatreatfromanorderofcloisterednuns.
The(1)PuertadelSolhasbeenthebustlingheartofMadridsincethe17thcentury.Onthe
southernside,embeddedintheground,isKilometerZero,theabsolutecenterofSpainall
majorhighwaysaremeasuredfromthispoint.Onthewesternedge,gearupforyourwalk
withacafconlecheandafreshbakedpastryat(2)Mallorquina,aMadridinstitutionsince
1894.ContinueclockwisetotheOsoyMadroo(thebearandthemadrootree)[Calle
CarmenatSol],thesymbolofMadrid.Fromhere,thepedestrianshoppinghavensofCalle
CarmenandCallePreciadosbranchnorth.
ContinueeasttoCalleAlcal,ontheleftofthecenturyoldToPepesherrysign.Onyourleft,
the(3)RealAcademiadeBellasArtesdeSanFernando(http://rabasf.insde.es)was
foundedasafineartsacademyin1744PicassoandDalwerebothstudentsinthe20th
century.IthousesanimpressivecollectionofworkdontmissGoyasEntierrodelaSardina.
UturnbacktoSol,crossitdiagonallytoCalleMayorandtheninto(4)PlazaMayor.Builton
thesiteofaramshackle15thcenturymarket,throughthecenturiestheplazahasservedasa
bullring,royalparadefield,executionersstage,andcentralmeetingplace.Thecolorful
buildingonthenorthsideofthesquareisthe17thcenturyCasadelaPanaderatodayit

housesatouristoffice.Amidthesouvenirshopsandtouristrestaurantsunderthe114stone
arcades,dontmissTorredelOro(PlazaMayor,26),atinyAndalusiantiledbarwith
spectacularlygorybullfightingphotos.
Exittheplazathroughthesouthwestcorner,downamedievalflightofstepsandthroughthe
(5)ArcodeCuchilleros(theknifemakersarch).Ifyoumakearight,youllpassseveral
mesones,centuriesoldtavernsdugintocavesundertheplaza.HeadsouthontoCalle
Cuchilleros.Atnumber17istheworldsoldestrestaurant,(6)Botin(www.botin.es)ithas
servedroastedsucklingpigfromitsstoneovenssince1725.
ContinuedownCalleCuchillerostoPlazaPuertaCerrada,turnrightandthenrightagainonto
CalleGomzdeMora.Takethefirstleftintotheshady(7)PlazaCondedeBarajas.In
Madridtradition,thevicariawaslocatedheresoyouwouldhavetocomethroughherefirst
beforegettingmarried.ExittheplazaonthefarrightpasttheflamencorestaurantLas
Carboneras(www.tablaolascarboneras.com)toenterPlazueladelCondedeMiranda.At
number3standsthe17thcentury(8)ConventodelCorpusChristi,hometoanorderof
cloisterednuns.OnthedoortotherightofthemainentranceisaplaquestatingVentade
Dulces(SweetsforSale).Buzzforentryandplaceyourorderattheelaborateturnstile
designedtoletthenunsmaintaintheirprivacy.Tryyemas,candiedeggyolksthatwerea
favoriteofSaintTeresaofvilabackinthe16thcentury.
TurnleftoutoftheconventandfollowthenarrowCalleCodointotheelegant(9)Plazadela
Villa,acomparativehistorylessonofSpanisharchitecture.Toyourleftisthe15thcentury
TorredelosLujanes,anexcellentexampleofthemudjarstyle.Theelaboratepalacenext
dooristheCasadeCisneros,builtin1537inplateresquestyle.Itisconnectedviaanarchto
theCasadelaVilla,a17thcenturyexampleofclassicHapsburgarchitecturebaroqueand
imposing.
TurnleftontoCalleMayorandgrabasnackat(10)HornoLaSantiaguesa(CalleMayor,
73),anovenwarmedandsweetsmellingOldWorldbakery.Continuewalkingwest,pastthe
monumenttothevictimsofa1906bombattackontheweddingprocessionofKingAlfonso
XIII.
TurnrightonCalleBailntoarriveat(11)CatedraldelaAlmudena,Madridsmain
cathedral.Begunin1879,theconstructionofthebuildingwashaltedfirstbytheCivilWar,
thenbylackoffunding.Itfinallyopenedin1993.Mostrecentlyitwasthesiteofthe2004
royalweddingbetweenPrinceFelipeandLetiziaOrtiz,aformerjournalist.
Commandingseveralcityblocksnextdooristhe(12)PalacioReal
(www.patrimonionacional.es).BuiltonthesiteofaninthcenturyMoorishfortress,thesolid
granitestructurecomprises2,800roomsspreadoutovernearly1,500,000squarefeet
(139,354squaremeters),makingitWesternEuropeslargestpalace.
Infrontofthepalace,the(13)PlazaOrienteisanoasisofelegance,linedbymanicured
gardensandgrandstatuesofSpainsearlyrulers.Duringsummer,itisthesiteofevening
picnicswhenthe(14)TeatroRealbroadcastsliveoperasongiantoutdoorscreens.Endyour
walkwiththespectacularviewfromtheterraceof(15)LaBotillera,aBelleEpoquecafwith
savorytostas(tapasservedonbread)andgoodwinesbytheglass.Theterracesitsinfrontof
thehousewhereVelzquezpaintedhismasterpieceLasMeninasin1656.

MadridWalkingTour:GranViatoBarrio
delasLetras

Startyourwalkat(1)PlazaCallaoandheadeastalongGranVa,buzzingwithactivity24/7.
Shopsfromhighendtogritty,hotelsforallbudgets,cafs,bars,andfastfoodchains
competeforspacewiththegrandcinemasthathostSpainsredcarpetfilmpremieres.Look
closelyandyoullnoticethatseveralofthetheatersstillusehandpaintedmovieposters.
AtthecornerofCalleFuencarralstandsoneofMadridsfirstskyscrapers,the(2)Fundacin
Telefnica.TheclockatthetopwasusedbyFrancostroopsduringtheCivilWartohelp
guidebulletsintothecity.Today,itisacontemporaryartsfoundationwithanexcellent,free
gallery.Continueonthenorth(left)sideofthestreetto(3)MuseoChicote(GranVa,12),an
artdecococktailbarthatwasafavoriteofErnestHemingwayinthe1930s.
WhereGranVaendsatCalleAlcalstandsthe1911(4)MetropolisBuilding,aMadrid
landmark.TheFrenchinspiredblackslatedomeistrimmedingoldandtoppedbyawinged

statueofVictory.Getthebestviewfromacrossthestreetatthe(5)CrculodeBellasArtes
(www.circulobellasartes.com),alovelymultipurposeartscenter.
Continueeastto(6)PlazaCibeles,oneofMadridsgrandestcircles.Atitscenteristhe
18thcenturyCibelesfountain,namedfortheGreekgodoffertility.Directlyonyourrightisthe
imposinggraniteBancodeEspaa,SpainsFortKnox.DiagonallyacrosstheplazaisCasa
deAmrica(www.casamerica.es),aLatinAmericanartscenterlocatedinanopulent,
neobaroque19thcenturypalacebuiltbytheMarqusdeLinares,whoisrumoredtonow
hauntthebuilding.AcrossthestreetstandsthePalaciodeComunicaciones,agiant
weddingcakeofabuildingdatingfrom1917.
Crosstothetreelined(7)PaseodelPrado.ThepopularSpanishpastimeofpaseo(an
eveningwalk)waspopularhereinthe18thcenturywhenacrushofwomeninbustledgowns,
noblemenonAndalusianhorses,courtiers,servantsontheireveningsoff,vendors,hustlers,
royalty,wouldberoyalty,andvisitorswouldcrowdthiswalkwaytoseeandbeseen.
Walksouthto(8)PlazaCnovasdelCastillo,nicknamedNeptunoafterthe18thcentury
fountainofNeptuneatitscenter.Onthesoutheastendoftheplazaisthe(9)Museodel
Prado(www.museodelprado.es).Onthenorthwestendstandsthe(10)Museo
ThyssenBornemisza(www.museothyssen.org),thethirdpointinMadridsGoldenTriangle
ofmuseums(theReinaSofaisthesecond).AlegacyofthelateBaronHansHeinrich
ThyssenBornemisza,itisoneoftheworldsmostimportantprivatelyheldcollections
includingworksspanningthe12thtothe20thcenturies.
Veerrighttowardsthe(11)PalaceHotel,abastionofearly20thcenturyluxury.Thestreets
leadingwestfromherecomprisetheBarriodelasLetras,theneighborhoodwherethegreat
writersofMadrids16thcenturyGoldenAgeoflettersCervantes,LopedeVega,
Quevedooncelived.Noticethegoldenquotesetchedinthepavement.FollowCalle
MedinacelialongsidethePalacetoCalleCervantesandturnright.Atnumber11,the(12)
CasaMuseoLopedeVegaiswheretheprolificplaywrightlived(temporarilyclosed).
Ironically,hisgreatrivalCervanteslivedontheparallelstreet,LopedeVega.
ContinuetoCalleLeon,turnleft,andtakeabreakat(13)CasaGonzalez,(C/Leon,12),a
delicatessenandwinebartuckedwithinacheeseshop.Thendoublebackthewayyoucame
onCalleLeontoCallePrado,turnleftandstraightinto(14)PlazaSantaAna,abroad,
caflinedplazathatisaspopularwithlocalsasitiswiththetouristswhoflockhere.Itis
anchoredontheeastbytheTeatroEspaol,foundedin1746.Thedramaticbuildingonthe
westernendistheReinaVictoriahotel.AMeccaforbullfightersandtheirfansinthe1930s,it
isnowanultramodernluxuryhotel.Afternightfall,PlazaSantaAnaandenvironscomprise
oneofMadridsbusiestnightlifezones,withhundredsofbarsgoingstrongallnightlong.

MadridWalkingTour:PlazaColnto
RetiroPark

Thistourisbestdonebefore2p.m.,whenthemarketandshopsareattheirliveliest.Beginin
(1)PlazaColnthemassiveclaycoloredsculpturespayhomagetoChristopherColumbus
arrivalintheNewWorld.Beneaththeplazaisaculturalcenterandacitytouristoffice.Across
fromthesoutheastcorner,the(2)MuseoArqueolgicoNacional(http://man.mcu.es/)
housesanimpressivecollectionofIberianprehistoricartifacts,includingDamadeElche,a
rarestonebustofafourthcenturyB.C.Iberianwoman.
TurnleftontoCalleSerrano,andintoBarrioSalamanca,Madridsmostupscale
neighborhood.Itstidygridofstreets,populatedbyMadridswealthiestfamiliesinthelate19th
andearly20thcenturies,arelinedwithgracefulapartmentbuildings,poshshops,and
sophisticatedcafs.FollowSerranotwoblockstoCalleAyalaandturnlefttonumber28and

the(3)MercadodelaPaz,abustlingmarketfoundedin1882.Shimmeringfishpluckedfrom
theBasquecoastthatmorning,moundsofjewelcoloredfruit,ropesofgarlic,burlapsacksof
beans,andceramicvatsofolivesarekeptcompanybyseveralcharcuteriestalls,including
thegourmetvendorLaBoulette.JointhelocalsatthealwayscrowdedCasaDanifortoast
withfreshtomato,oliveoil,andasliceofjamn(curedSpanishham).
TurnrightoutofthemarketontoCalleLagasca.AlongwithCalleSerranoandtheparallel
ClaudioCoello,thisisMadridsmostexclusiveshoppingzone.TopSpanishdesigners,
includingngelSchlesser,AmayaArzuaga,andJosepFont,havetheirshowroomshere.
Thosewiththinnerbudgetscantakealeftat(4)CalleGoyaformassmarketretailersZara,
Mango,andH&M.
Aftershopping,continuesouthonCalleSerranoto(5)PuertadeAlcal,oneofMadrids
mostemblematicmonumentsandoneofseveralgatewaysinto18thcenturyMadrid.
CrosstheplazatoentertheRetiroPark,a350acre(141.6hectare)swathoftranquilityinthe
centerofthecity.Goupthestairs,followingAvenidaMjicotothe(6)Estanque,alarge
artificiallakewithcanoerentals.Onweekendstheboulevardfrontingthelaketeemswith
multigenerationalfamilies,musicians,mimes,andfiveminutemasseurs.Onthefarsideof
thelakeisthe1922MonumentodeAlfonsoXII,afavoredspotforbohemiandrumcircleson
weekends.
FollowthePaseoSalondelEstanquetothePlazadeHonduras,veerleft,andfollowthe
diagonalpathaboutfiveminutestothe(7)PalaciodeCristal(thepathisnotwellmarked,so
consultaparkmap).Builtasaroyalgreenhousein1887,thisgorgeouswroughtironand
glasspalaceisnowanextensiongalleryfortheReinaSofa.
Ontheothersideofthepalace,takePaseoJulioRomerodeTorrestoPaseodelUruguay.
Directlyinfrontis(8)LaRosaleda,alovelyrosegarden.Turnrighttocometothe(9)ngel
Cado,TheFallenAngel,reputedtobetheonlypublicstatueofLuciferintheworld.
TurnrightonAvenidadeCubatoPaseodelParaguay,thenlefttothe18thcentury
manicuredgardensof(10)ElParterre.Thetopofthestepsaffordsalovelyviewofsomeof
Madridsmostexclusiveapartments.
ExittheparkthroughtheCalleFelipeIVgateandstraightontoCalleFelipe.Followitto
PaseodelPradoandturnleft.AttheendoftheMuseodelPradoisthe(11)RealJardn
Botnico,alushbotanicalgardencontainingover30,000speciesofplants,flowers,and
trees.
Fromthegarden,crossthePaseodelPradoto(12)Faborit,amoderncoffeeandjuicebar
foramuchdeservedbreak.