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This tour makes you discover the best of Madrid, from its origins in the banks of Manzanares River
to the XXI century new skyline. A city full of contrasts but where all over you can feel has been the capital
city of Spain since 1561.
Hapsburgs and Bourbons royal families both left a great trace on the urban planning
and architecture of Madrid. This can be seen on the city main Avenue: Paseo de la Castellana, where we find some of the
most iconic monuments and buildings commissioned by the Spanish monarchs. El Prado Museum, Cibeles and Neptuno fountains
or the National Library are just few examples. Some other landmarks of the royal presence in the area include Alcala
Archway or El Retiro Park. We continue our tour exploring the north and east sides, where we can admire the
imposing Bull Ring Las Ventas or the contemporary structures of the northern section of La Castellana
Avenue.
We will continue heading south to spot the Historical district, on our way we will drive through the most
bustling avenue, Gran Via or Madrid's Broadway, with its 'Belle époque' architecture and the first skyscrapers built in Spain.
On the way to the so called Hapsburg District we drive by Plaza de España where we admire the monument to Miguel de
Cervantes, most prominent writer of the Spanish Golden Age. This famous writer is not alone, but represented together
with the four main characters of his most celebrated novel Don Quixote or The Man of La Mancha.
In the Hapsbourg
quarters we find, though, the grandest building of the Bourbon era, the magnificent Royal Palace. In its surrounding
area we will meet 'madrileños' in the most alluring 'plazas' in central Madrid: Plaza de Oriente, Plaza de la Villa,
Plaza Mayor or the heart of the city and the 'kilometer zero' of Spain: Puerta del Sol.
