Madrid & Surroundings
Spain´s Beating Heart

Make Madrid your new home and discover Spain´s essence!

Without a doubt, Madrid is one of the most misunderstood cities in Europe. Those who go there and immediately compare it to another European city did not understand it. Those who think they did Madrid because they went to Sol, Gran Via and a couple of museums have no clue what this place is really about. Madrid is sometimes one of Europe´s capital cities and sometimes Europe´s largest village. In Madrid, you can find anything and everything Spanish but you always know you are in Madrid. This city is art, food, madness, history, football, markets, small hidden squares, friends meeting for a "caña" and long nights. Madrid is also its own region, where you can even go skiing! On top of that, Madrid is surrounded by the 2 Castillas, meaning the magic of cities like Toledo or Segovia is just a few kilometres away.

Madrid is proud, vain, bipolar and Spain´s beating heart - Bienvenidos a Madrid!

Join us and discover this city and region with a local and experience the life of a place that captivated the likes of Hemingway.

Sample Itinerary

Meals

All breakfasts, 2 dinners and 2 lunches + snacks

Activities

City walks, Madrid wine region, Segovia and Toledo visits, tapas crawl and more

Transportation

Included public transportation card throughout the tour

Accommodation

7 nights accommodation in Madrid

Day 1

Welcome to Madrid

Today our adventure begins. In the afternoon, we will meet at your accommodation in one of Madrid's central neighbourhoods. A vibrant & authentic atmosphere yet in a relaxed area so you can rest and enjoy the local life. After freshening up, we will meet again around 7 pm to do what locals do: Go for tapas! Very few places have such a night culture as Madrid. Meeting friends and hopping from place to place is the way to discover this city (or one of many). Be ready for a centenary tavern, wine bars, modern and what we call, ¨el bar de toda la vida¨. Going from place to place trying different flavours and talking to locals is just amazing. In Madrid, life happens at night!

Day 2

First encounter with your new home

Buenos días! Did you sleep well? Today we will have a beautiful morning discovering your new home. Last night you saw how vibrant Madrid is; today we will discover how beautiful and splendorous it is! Madrid is the only capital in Europe with Moorish origins but there is a lot more than that. A walk through Madrid´s history can be done in different ways, we chose to do it the fun way, learning about its history but also about the gossip and stories hidden in the backstreets of the city. There will also be a lot of stories and some stops with food as the protagonist; you cannot understand this city/region/country without knowing its food culture. We promise you that after this walk Madrid will start feeling like home. After the walk, you can have lunch in one of the tons of recommendations that your guide will provide you with and spend the afternoon getting lost in the diverse districts of the city centre.

Day 3

Segovia

It is time to leave Madrid! We will get on a fast train to get to Segovia, a world heritage site by UNESCO. Segovia, like Toledo, is one of those cities you cannot miss when you visit this region. Why? Well, as soon as you enter the city, you see why: A 15 km long and 30-metre tall aqueduct that was built by the Romans in the 2nd century A.D. This incredible masterpiece of engineering was built based on Vitruvius principles and right we will only tell you there is no mortar; yes, you read well! During our visit to Segovia, we will wander the streets and alleyways of the city and learn a bit more about what makes this place unique. Yes, its Roman heritage makes it special enough but also its cuisine (be ready for some tasty crispy piglet) and places like its “Alcazar” - Curious, eh?

Day 5

Toledo

On this trip, we cannot miss the city of the three cultures, a nickname given to Toledo because of its Muslim, Christian and Jewish heritage. Once the capital of the Visigothic kingdom, home of artists such as “el Greco” and a place with a long history in the production of bladed weapons, Toledo is the perfect place to travel back to medieval times. Its little alleyways, unique architecture, imposing structures, stories & legends and mere location are some other reasons why we should not miss this place! How are we going to this magical place? Easy, a 30 min train ride is all we need. Once back from Toledo, you still have time to further explore Madrid...remember, this city never sleeps!

Day 4

El Escorial and Quesería “La Cabezuela”

Do you know how Madrid became the capital of Spain? Do not worry about the names of the kings of Spain, you could go crazy! There is one though, Philip II, who looked after an empire that never saw a sunset, and he built the majestic monument that we are going to discover today: The monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial. A place where all the kings of Spain have been buried since the 16th century. A magnificent building, palace, cathedral, pantheon and monastery. We will get there by local transport and the journey itself is an experience, as this area amidst mountains is stunning. After visiting El Escorial, we will go for a traditional Madrileño meal that you can´t miss: Cocido Madrileño (be ready for this). The day does not finish here; in the afternoon we will go to a local ¨quesería¨ (artisanal cheese factory), a place where they have been making cheese for decades. We´ll learn about the process of making the cheese and, of course, we´ll have a tasting to make sure they are still doing a good job. After this full day, we´ll get back to Madrid and call it a day. As you know though, Madrid becomes alive at night. So, we suggest you go out and explore a bit more.

Day 6

Wine Day

We know, Rioja and Ribera del Duero are the most famous wine regions in Spain, but in Madrid, we also make good wine and we even have our own D.O (designation of origin)! Today we will be driving to Colmenar de Oreja, a very small and unknown town in the south of Madrid that produces the best wines in the region. During this premium experience, we will visit cellars & a wine museum, learn about wine production and we will enjoy a tasting of 4 wines. Since we are here, we will walk around town and enjoy a delicious local lunch (with more wine), a perfect opportunity to meet and talk to some locals. What else you can ask for?

Day 8

Until we meet again

We hope you loved your time with us. Do not hesitate to ask us for suggestions on how to get back to the airport or make arrangements for your next adventure. Hasta la próxima!

Day 7

Museo del Prado, cycling in el Retiro Park and farewell dinner

Today we are staying in the city to discover one of the most important and impressive art museums around the whole world: El Prado. Art and museums are not your cup of tea? Do not worry, we promise this experience will open your mind and you will see art from a different perspective. Our tour will not start in the museum, we will go walking to get the context of what we will see inside and after a 2-hour tour in el Prado, we will enjoy a special picnic in El Retiro Park. How will we find the perfect spot for our picnic? We will rent bikes in a small local shop and we will go seeking a nice shady space to sit down and enjoy our picnic. This is the local way a lot of Madrileños enjoy their free day: a little culture, a little sun, a walk or bike ride in the park and a good Picnic. Save some energy for tonight´s farewell dinner; it´s time for one last meal with your tour leader...and what a meal!

Accommodation Options

Casón del Tormes

Conveniently located, clean & comfy rooms and great service is what you can expect from Casón del Tormes.

Agora Juan de Austria

Stylish accommodation with comfortable rooms in a quiet area close to all Madrid has to offer. If you want comfort, this is your place.

More options available

Your Local Tour Leader

Andrea is an authentic "madrileña". Born and raised in the city, she is a certified guide, food lover and theatre actress.

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