FREE WALKING TOUR MADRID MODERN CITY

Discover how Madrid became a modern European city. Explore Madrid's journey from the Enlightenment to the 21st century. A free tour of its modern growth, challenges, and urban transformation. Including Gran Vía, Malasaña, Chueca, Cibeles, Puerta de Alcalá, and Retiro Park

 ⏳ 2.5 hours of tour

🕙 3:30 PM

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 suitable for all ages

👥 Small groups

Discover how Madrid became the modern city it is today on this free walking tour. We’ll explore the three great waves of modernization that reshaped the city—from the Enlightenment reforms of Charles III in the 18th century, to the delayed but intense transformation of early 20th-century Madrid.

Along the way, we’ll visit some of Madrid’s most iconic landmarks, including Malasaña, Chueca, Cibeles, Gran Vía, the Paseo del Prado, and Retiro Park—key sites in the city's modern growth and urban identity.

We’ll also explore neighborhoods shaped by political conflict and cultural shifts, like Malasaña and Chueca, where you can still see the legacy of Franco’s dictatorship and the push for democracy and progress that followed.

The tour ends at the Paisaje de la Luz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that brings together art, science, and nature in the heart of the city. If you're looking for the best free walking tour in Madrid to understand its modern history, this is the one.

* If you take both of our free tours, you'll get a truly comprehensive look at Madrid's history and identity.

 ITINERARY

• Gran Vía Avenue

• Spanish Civil War

• Malasaña

• Chueca

• La Movida Madrileña

• Antonio Palacios

• San José Church

• Bank of Spain

• Cibeles (Real Madrid)

• City Hall

• Paseo del Prado

• Alcalá Gate

• Retiro Park