Our Favorite Cities

Madrid - Guided walks
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Ready to walk? Remember: this does not mean walk til you drop - total exhaustion. It's a different, close-up way to see a city, with a bi-cultural local who walks whenever possible, everywhere! That gives a more in-depth view than most tourists ever get. Country walks, too... more than 20 years walking in Madrid's countryside is, well, a lot of years and a lot of miles....
City Walks: Urban walks right in the city. Three basic types and a few wild cards. Depending on type of walk, different mixture of history, legends, classic or lesser known sights, shops. >>Discover walks: Get to know a neighborhood. Classics like Oldest Madrid, or something different like Lavapies, Chueca, Moncloa-Arguelles. >>Old Shops: Two different walks visiting traditional commerce in the older parts of the city. Hats, kitchenware, herbs, ceramics, baskets, hand-dipped candles, candy and a lot more..... >>Food Lovers: Two different walks centered around food shops. >>Wall Walk: Follow the perimeter of Madrid's 12th century walls. Learn why Madrid is where it is!
	Park Walks: Museumed out? Get some green! Several of these walks are learning experiences themselves (history, nature), or if you prefer, just a stroll in the park. >>Casa de Campo: Madrid's huge semi-wild park has a varied history: royal hunting ground, city park, battleground in the Spanish Civil War and again urban park. It's a privilege to have a park of this size just a metro ride away - and its untamed areas are almost like being way outside the city. Five different walks of varying lengths in this park: two on the east side, two on the west side and one west to east. Several of the walks have views out to the mountains on a clear day. The walks on east side of the park have good views of the city and can end at outdoor cafes by the lake for lunch. >>Parque del Oeste: Madrid's "West Park" is on the bluff over the Manzanares river. Possible extension to the new riverside park or to the University campus. >>Monte del Pardo: On the edge of the city, this huge wild extension is almost 25% of Madrid's municipal area. Like the Casa de Campo, it used to be a royal hunting ground. Much of the area is restricted access to protect the deer and wild boar, but there are some very nice walks, including a part forest / part riverside walk connecting the village of El Pardo and Madrid's University campus. >>Other Parks: ask about guided walks in other parks

Country walks: Explore Madrid's countryside using rail-trails, forest paths and old livestock trails. Some walks are forest, some open "dehesa"-type pastureland, some more rocky. Different routes are best in different seasons: wildflowers, autumn color, holy trees, etc. >>Nature-nature: Walks near these villages: Miraflores de la Sierra, Cercedilla, Colmenar Viejo, Manzanares el Real, Ambite and more. >>Nature-culture: A few of Madrid's best hikes are near cultural sights like San Lorenzo de El Escorial monastery or La Granja Palace (Segovia).
Basic info: City walks are usually two-three hours including stops; some walks have longer and shorter versions. Walks outside the city vary from two to five hours. Prices depend on route selected and number of participants. Want to know more? Contact us for more information! Or.... want to walk somewhere else in Spain? Click HERE for some favorite places!
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