The faces of the City of Cibeles in a 3-hour walk
Starting at the beginning is always good advice. That is why we recommend that for your debut in the guided tours you decide on a tour of Historic Madrid. This quote is for you whether you are the classic tourist with a backpack on your back and map in hand, or if you have lived in the capital longer than you remember.
You will meet your guide in Plaza de Isabel II to embark on a journey that will put you in context. You will understand how the capital has evolved until today. You will look back from the 9th century, when the Muslims inhabited it, until you reach the 18th century with the Bourbon dynasty. Until then you might believe that the walk is little different from the pages of a history book. If so, you are staying very far from reality.
As you depart from Playa de Oriente and approach Calle Mayor, this conversation between friends will reveal to you that in this great city nothing is coincidental. The most noticeable traces are those that the monarchs have left in the architecture of places such as the Plaza de la Villa or the Puerta de Alcalá. However, other characters have left a mark that may have gone unnoticed, creating customs that are still maintained. Sweets and traditional dishes are also the result of a historical evolution that has marked the Madrid character. Why is it typical to eat a calamari sandwich on Playa Mayor and not a tortilla sandwich? You will find out the reason.
This visit is also an educational and economical leisure proposal for the whole family, children up to 6 years old can accompany you completely free.
A Legendary Madrid
If you are one of those who go a little further than what the eyes see and the ears hear, continue your expedition through the capital through the Madrid Legendario. Here the statues of the Plaza de Oriente will seem to come to life through the legends that have permeated the area known as "Villa y Corte" for centuries.
This is a visit for the curious that will make you go through all those myths that influenced the behavior of society. Your stage will be made up of points such as the Costanilla de San Andrés or the Plaza de Puerta Cerrada until you reach Puerta del Sol. There you will see that what is visible to the hundreds of people who walk through it every day is only a very small part of what it has to show us.
The ideal plan for family and school
In Madrid at 1 Paso they have also solved the problem of finding an activity that you can do with the children. A long weekend or Christmas are dates that they are looking forward to as much as you and what you want is to reward them, not leave them at home. On special days the routes are adapted to family outings, showing even the little ones that leisure can also be educational. In addition, these can become gymkhanas in the city center that make the visit even more participatory.
Those who never see history in the same way again after meeting this team are the students who join their special visits to schools. The guide adapts the explanations to the age of the schoolchildren who quickly become interested in what they are seeing. Therefore, if you are a teacher, always keep in mind that to put the capital within your reach, you have Madrid 1 Step away.
