With the reign of the Bourbons Madrid was set out into a new era. Especially the second half of the 18th century was the time of change for Madrid and all of Spain. The man in power back then was Charles III, who is known as the “best mayor of Madrid.” He spared no effort and money (sometimes not his!) to make Madrid one of the leading European metropolises. Besides modernization he adorned the city with a number of outstanding governmental edifices, cultural and scientific institutions, including what today is known as one of the most famous museums in the world, the Prado Museum. Beautiful palaces, squares, fountains and new, wide, immersed in greenery and gardens boulevards were created. Madrid changed its looks forever. It was also Charles III who was behind creation of the national state, introduced the national Spanish anthem and picked the colours of the flag of Spain. From the mid-19th century the development of the city accelerated even further. Skilful architects and city planners worked to modernise Madrid, build new neighbourhoods and monuments. New trends and ideas captured the minds and aesthetics of the artists of the time – secession and art nouveau style. This is when, among others, the monumental Gran Via, known as the Broodway of Madrid, was built.
During the tour we will walk away from the oldest sections of the city to explore the other side of Madrid and talk about the changes that the city experienced from the 18th century onwards. We will see the most monumental buildings, fall in love with beautiful city parks, discover some of the hidden gems of Madrid but also try to understand the local football culture. We will introduce you to the modern changes that Madrid is going through and show you places that people around the world know thanks to the Netflix hit series “Money Heist” (“Casa de Papel”), which was filmed here. All that will be accompanied with great stories, curiosities and loads of audiovisual materials.
During the tour we will see and discover:
- Puerta del Sol
- Casa de Postas and Real Casa de Aduanas
- Four Seasons Hotel
- BBVA Quadrigas
- Royal Academy of Fine Arts where we will discuss the paintings and the figure of Salvadore Dali
- Metrópoli Building – the most photographed building in Madrid
- Gran Via
- San José Church
- Cervantes Institute
- Buenavista Palace – Spanish Army Headquarters
- Linares Palace (Casa de América)
- Bank of Spain (Casa de Papel)
- House of the Ratoncito Pérez (Tooth Fairy)
- Palace of Communications and City Hall
- Cibeles Fountain (Real Madrid)
- Fountain of Neptune (Atlético de Madrid)
- Puerta de Alcalá (Alcalá Gate)
- Buen Retiro Park
- Retiro Pond and Monument of Alfonso XII
RETIRO Park Picnic
Prado Museum
