We propose that you learn more about the origins of the city from the urban, historical and architectural point of view since the arabs founded it at the end of the 9th century, following with the conquest of the city by Alfonso VI of Castilla in the 11th century or the moment when Felipe II decided to fix the capital in Madrid, in 1561. We will begin in front of the Royal Palace, reviewing its history since the Arabs built the Alcázar, the defensive castle when Madrid was founded till the moment Felipe V ordered to built the Royal Palace as we know today. From there, we will learn more about the history of the Cathedral and the the new Royal Collections Museum designed by Tuñón and Mansilla. We will enjoy the only rests we have of the Arab Wall. Crossing the Viaduct of Segovia, we will enjoy the views of the forest called Casa de Campo, the green lung, three times bigger than Central Park, the King’s private hunting site until 1931 and a Civil War front, stopping at a viewpoint from which we will enjoy the views of part of the cornice of Madrid. We will continue the walk trough, walking throught these old small streets and squares we will arrive to the Square of Puerta Cerrada, one of the old gates of the old city. San Miguel Market will be other of one stops where you could have a drink and tapas after visiting Plaza de la Villa where the old City Hall of the city is located. From there you will learn the history of Plaza Mayor, the best example of castillians squares, built 400 years ago.
Posted By : Julia_K
If you love an interesting walk through a historic part of Madrid with a knowledgeable guide, then this tour is for you. The guide, who is an architect, gave us snippets of history that put the buildings we viewed into context. He was solicitous and kind - and we enjoyed pausing to have coffee and converse midway through the 3 hour + tour.
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Posted On : 2024-03-11 12:49:06 
Posted By : ChristopherMahady
Emilio’s architecture was the perfect way to get an understanding of Madrid’s history and what makes it special today. Highly recommend!
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Posted On : 2024-02-17 15:28:53
Posted By : angelcalleja
There is no tour of Madrid that can compare with the experience and knowledge that Emilio offers at Architours. History, urban planning, architecture, sociology, customs... Very complete and enjoyable. Without a doubt, the best option for our company, where members from all over Spain were present who fell in love with Madrid.
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Posted On : 2024-01-31 07:19:43 
Posted By : maiteoteiza
Excellent guide. Very complete explanations. You learn about the history of Madrid and the history of Spain. Highly recommended
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Posted On : 2023-11-08 11:53:36
Posted By : 243marcelinel
Our guide was attentive, knowledgeable and professional. Despite the heatwave and the small number in the group (4 of us) he was great in his delivery and took some great pictures of us. Thank you for giving us such great memories. I would recommend this tour.
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Posted On : 2023-09-02 03:36:02
Posted By : Xavier_M
Very nice in-depth walk trough the historical centre. Learned more in 4 hours that I would have learned in one week. The guide is a passionate former architect who knows it stuff very well. And he didn't care about time. Excellent job.
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Posted On : 2023-07-30 15:34:34
Posted By : Camper51419
Excellent tour and overview of the history of old Madrid! The tour brought the origins of the city to life. As a first time visitor to Madrid, it was a great start to understanding the city.
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Posted On : 2023-01-04 12:10:11
Posted By : Rigoberto_V
Despite the rainy weather, our tour guide, Emiliano provided an outstanding tour. He was professional and provided interesting information on the architectural trends Madrid has gone through.
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Posted On : 2022-11-23 17:11:38
Posted By : Jjb362
Great tour, Emilio was friendly and knowledgeable and the tour was a good length of time taking in a range of sites around Madrid.
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Posted On : 2022-10-05 18:36:56
Posted By : Alison_P
Emilio was a great guide! So knowledgeable and funny. We learned a lot and highly recommend the tour. It’s not often you get a personal architecture tour from a professional architect and lifelong resident.
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Posted On : 2022-09-03 03:12:06
