"Madrid Walk" is a route through the center of the city taking in the Madrid sights and the historically important monuments. This walking guide takes you to the places where the tour buses can not go!
"Madrid Guide Spain" thoroughly recomends that you do this walk on the first day of your visit in order to familiarize yourself with the city.
The route is designed so that you can walk at your own pace, stop off and explore the attractions as you go, or walk the route in one go whilst choosing those attractions you wish to visit fully later!
Nov - FebAlthough there will be some days that are warm the majority will be cool. Occasional rain showers are possible but that is not the norm, approximately 5 days a month, with this being snow in late December or January. Recomended clothing is long trousers, shirt/T-shirt, Jumper/sweater and a stout coat. For Dec Jan a scarf and gloves may also be appropriate.
Please allow 1 hour for the walk without stops.
Your Madrid walk has to start somewhere so where better than the center of the city! Obviously your Hotel will not be in Sol itself, unless you are very lucky, but with a Bus terminus & Metro it is the logical point to begin. Being a famous Madrid landmark your Hotel will be able to provide you with directions/a map.
In front of the Madrid city council offices, Communidad de Madrid, you will find a bronze plaque representing the point form which all Spanish roads are measured. "Kilometro 0".
Staying on the same side of the road walk along Calle Mayor to and past the McDonalds restaurant until you reach the road "Felippe III". Turn left into this narrow road and walk into Plaza Mayor.
Madrids original town square (read more about it in Madrid landmarks ) is the first stop on your walk through Madrid. If you haven´t had breakfast this is an ideal place to do so whilst soaking up the architecture, artwork and sculpture.
Leave Plaza Mayor through the road/alley diagonally opposite where you entered. The knife sharpers arch. Turn to your right and walk towards the Plaza San Miguel. Cross the Plaza. This is home to Madrids Market.
Fronting one side of Plaza San Miguel is Madrids original market. Nowadays it retains the structure erected in the early 1900´s but contains more tourist shops than anything else!
Leaving the Plaza San Miguel by the opposite corner to where you entered, enter Conde Miranda and walk the short distance to Calle Mayor. Turn left upon reaching Calle Mayor and continue downhill to almost the end of the street. Almost as the road ends and you can see the cathedral in front of you, cross the road and walk through the small alleyway named Almudena.
In this narrow alleyway there is a preserved excavation of the original Madrid walls dating back to Roman times.
Come out the other side of the calle Almudena and cross over the road to the Cathedral Almudena & Royal Palace.
These two Madrid monuments are next to each other and offer views of the south of the city. You can read further on each here. Be sure to take a break from Madrid by walking around the gardens of the palace.
To the left of the main Palace builing are the ornamental gardens of the Plaza de Oriente. Walk through the centre of these gardens until you are standing in front of the large Royal Opera theatre.
One of Madrids oldest buildings the theatre house gave its name to the Maetro station Opera. No more than 300m from the Palace it was a favourite of many Spanish Kings.
Walk down the right hand side of the theatre (Calle Carlos III) and turn left onto the main road, Calle Arenal. Continue gently uphill along this road and you will greated by the famous "Tio Pepe" sign signifying you are back in Sol!
It has been selected for its gentle slopes and a distance of no more than 2.5km / 1.4 miles.
If you don´t want a pre planned Madrid walk check out the attractions and prepare your own!