8 Best Tours In Madrid To Discover The Spanish Capital - Updated 2024

best tours in madrid
Clare
Clare 
Updated
| 3 min read

There is so much to do in the incredible capital of Spain that it may be daunting to decide where to start! Why not take a look at these tours to help you start to discover this city? From exploring museums to tasting the traditional tapas, here are eight different types of tours you can do, while in Madrid!

1. Tapas tour (from USD 64.0)

Variety of tapas
Source: Viator

Looking to take in the culture of Spain and also fill your stomach? Why not have a tour through Madrid at night for some tapas? The small dishes served throughout the city are the main style of eating in Spain. Visit four tapas bars with your tour guide and learn about tapas culture and Spain’s history, in a small tour size of up to eight people.

Visited this place?

Madrid Evening Walk and Tapas-Tasting Tour

Duration: 4 hours

1808 reviews

2. Skip the line at the Royal Palace (from USD 65.0)

Madrid Royal Palace at Night
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user MarcusObal used under CC BY-SA 3.0

If you want to explore Madrid’s Royal Palace, why not take a tour? You’ll get to see a myriad of Madrid’s historic sights while skipping the otherwise long line! With a tour approximately three to four hours long, this is the perfect way to see so much of Madrid in a short amount of time.

Visited this place?

Madrid Sightseeing and Skip-the-Line Royal Palace Tour

Duration: 4 hours

242 reviews

3. Take a rooftop tour for a bird's-eye view of Madrid

Gran Vía Madrid
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Bguito used under CC BY-SA 4.0

If you are looking for a more aerial view of Madrid, why not take to the rooftops on a rooftop walking tour? Reach the top of three or four rooftops, for breathtaking views of the city and learn about the history of Madrid in this unique way.

Rooftop Walking Tour of Madrid

Address: Meet at a central location in Madrid, near the Embajadores metro station.

Duration: Approximately 2 hours

Website:

Visited this place?

4. Prado Museum Tour (from USD 39.0)

Museo del Prado frente
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user [Unknown] used under CC BY-SA 3.0

The Prado Museum, in Madrid, has some of the most priceless works of art in the country, and the entire world. Grab a tour and learn more about artists such as Velazquez, El Greco, and Bosch, while also skipping the lines of the museum. The tour ends inside the museum, where you are free to continue exploring this incredible space!

Visited this place?

Prado Museum Tour in Madrid with Skip-the-Line Admission

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

494 reviews

Madrid Tour Guide

sandra lopez

Sandra Lopez

Hi! I'm Sandra, a tour guide from Madrid. I was born and raised in the city center of the capital, so I know every single corner of my favourite city in the world. I have two years of experience as a guide and I love my job, I am very sociable and I am passionate about showing Madrid to everyone. I love history and I am an art expert thanks to the Prado Museum courses.

Tours by Sandra

Madrid Tour Guide

Patricia Knabe

Patricia Knabe

Hi! I am a photographer that’s triying to go ahead in filming as a cinematographer. Very social person that has experienced the Madrid during the transicion, Movida madrileña and the LGTB movement. Love to show my city in a special way with all the history and improvements that are happening today. I love to show my city with a different personal perspective. Meeting people from all over the world is amazing.

Tours by Patricia

5. El Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen from Madrid (from USD 70.0)

Facade monastery San Lorenzo de El Escorial Spain
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Jebulon used under CC0

If you are looking for a half-day trip from Madrid, why not visit the El Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen? This monastery is the final resting place of Charles I and Isabella of Portugal, as well as other Spanish royalty. You’ll then make your way to the Valley of the Fallen, a vast basilica carved into the mountains. This is an excellent way to see the sights that are just a short distance outside of the city center of Madrid.

Visited this place?

El Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen from Madrid

Duration: 5 hours 30 minutes

754 reviews

6. Take a bike tour (From 28.45 USD)

Ride a bike around Madrid
Source: Viator

If Segways are not exactly your style, why not try another mode of two-wheel transportation, by taking a bike tour through Madrid? See all of the sights on your bike in an approximately three-hour tour, while learning about this incredible city. Tours are limited to 20 people, which leaves room for an in-depth tour! See places like the Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor, the Egyptian Templo de Debod and St Ann´s Square!

Madrid Bike Tour

Address: Hotel pick-up and drop-off.

Price: From 28.45 USD

Duration: Approximately 3 hours

Website:

Visited this place?

7. Private tour of the city (from USD 176.0)

Madrid Skyline - Spain
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Alberto Racatumba used under CC BY 2.0

If none of these options interest you and your party, a private tour of Madrid is always an option! This is the perfect way to see exactly what you want to see, as the entire tour can be geared to cater you and your party’s interests. Get picked up by your tour guide and driver at your hotel for an approximately three-hour tour of the city, seeing all the sights, eating the food, and experiencing Madrid in this incredible, personalized way.

Visited this place?

Madrid City Private Tour Including Las Ventas Bullring

Duration: 3 hours

6 reviews

8. Segway tour (from USD 35.0)

Go on a segway tour
Source: Viator

If you’re looking for a laugh while also touring the city, a Segway tour is the perfect tour for you. Choose from a 1.5 or 2.5-hour tour and see the city on your Segway! A great way to get your bearings in a new city.

Visited this place?

Madrid Segway Tour

Duration: 60 to 150 minutes

357 reviews

Meander through Madrid on your travels!

Madrid is such a vibrant and colorful city, with so much history and culture. Whether you are walking through the streets, tasting the food, learning about the culture, or walking through the museums to see priceless works of art, Madrid is a city that encompasses European city life, like no other. Choose from any of the tours above, to help you get your bearings in a new city and learn about Madrid like you’ve never experienced before!

Visited this place?
Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

Clare Fitzgerald is a recent graduate of Franklin and Marshall College where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and an honors Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. She continues to pursue...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore Madrid
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.