Madrid city center is an attraction for tens of millions of tourists every year. Even the covid-19 crisis has had a hard time stopping the steady stream of tourism. From Spain, from neighboring Europe, and from all over the world in distant oceans.
The Palace of Madrid receives many visits. So is the famous Sol Square, as well as the Plaza Mayor. Indeed, these are important points, which we do not miss during our free tour of classic Madrid.
But not far from them, just a few blocks away, are some equally fascinating neighborhoods. The central neighborhoods tell the history of the Spanish monarchy and the empire. The slightly more southerly neighborhoods reveal more and more fascinating faces of Madrid, and perhaps even more so for some people.
Our special neighborhoods tour takes you on a journey into the past, present and future of the city of Madrid
The neighborhoods of Lavapiés, La Latina, and the neighborhood of Embajadores are fascinating neighborhoods. This is because on every street corner they show the complete face of Madrid past, present and future.
The neighborhoods that used to be the outskirts of the city, and are now right in the heart of Madrid, were a preferred residential area by weaker populations. This is how Madrid's first and central black market was established hundreds of years ago. The El Rastro market, of course, is still active every Sunday.
In recent years, the neighborhoods have undergone a process of gentrification, making them a center of pilgrimage for artists from all over Europe and from all over the world. Street art and graffiti are without a doubt the main feature of the neighborhoods, and our special neighborhood tour concerns mainly these aspects of them.
Looking to the future – what do the walls of Madrid's special neighborhoods tell us about the direction the city is going?
To this question and more we try to answer as part of our fascinating tour following the graffiti and street art of Madrid.
The tour addresses the history of the neighborhoods, the personal stories of the artists, and the most hidden secrets behind the important works of graffiti and street art in Madrid.
By the way, size does not matter. Important works are not necessarily larger than others. On the tour we will come across huge works that adorn entire buildings, from the foundations to the roof.
But we also come across works that are barely visible, which hide behind them a lot of history, meaning and emotions.
We invite you to sign up today for one of our free tours following the graffiti and street art of Madrid, and enjoy all the secrets of Madrid's most special neighborhoods.