> Madrid DIY Walking Tour Route Map <
Distance: 7.5 km (nearly 5 miles); Duration: 3-8 hours
This DIY Walking Tour of Madrid is around 7.5 kilometres long (almost 5 miles). As “normal” walking speed is around 7km/h (or 4mph), this is a very easy, and enjoyable, 3 hour stroll.
However, if you actually want to visit some of these places in central Madrid (rather than just view them as you stroll past), I would allow a full day for this walk. Maybe even splitting the walk over two days (if splitting the walk over two days, I would recommend ending Day 1 with a visit to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, and starting Day 2 at the Prado Museum).
The walk itself starts from Opera Metro Station (Metro lines L2 & L5 – so is pretty easy to reach from most parts of Madrid city centre – and is accessible too, although wheelchair users may prefer to reach the starting point using a wheelchair-accessible taxi, as the metro can be rather busy), and ends at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Estación Del Arte metro station is nearby – as is the main Puerta de Atocha train station).
During this DIY Walking Tour of Madrid city centre, you will see:
Opera Metro Station > Teatro Real > Royal Palace of Madrid > Catedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena > San Miguel market > Plaza Mayor > Puerta del Sol > Gran Via > Metropolis Building (Edificio Metrópolis) > Plaza de Cibeles (including the Palacio de Cibeles, and the Fuente de Cibeles fountain) > Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum > Prado National Museum > Parque del Retiro > Palacio De Cristal > finally ending at the Reina Sofía Museum.
And because it’s a DIY walking tour of Madrid, you can take it at your very own pace; stopping for a coffee/snack/drink where, when, and for as long as you like; lingering at the Madrid attractions which interest you (and speeding past those that don’t).
Madrid DIY Walking Tour Directions
These are very thorough walking directions – you shouldn’t be getting lost in Madrid when following this guide. However, I definitely recommend that you follow the Google Streetview route of the entire Madrid DIY Walking Tour first, from the comfort of your own home before you travel to Madrid, as this will allow you to better visualise the entire route before you arrive.
START: Opera Metro Station
[MAP]:
When you exit Madrid’s Opera Metro station (accessible), you will arrive on the pedestrian Plaza de Isabel II. Head towards the Madrid Opera building, passing the statue of Isabel II (if you have used the accessible lift to exit Opera metro station, the Teatro Real (Madrid Opera) building will be facing you as you exit the lift [MAP]).
Head towards Calle de Vergara on the left hand side of the Teatro Real (Madrid Opera) building as you look at it from the Metro station exit.
Calle de Vergara [MAP]:
Follow Calle de Vargara until it splits. When it does, take the right-hand fork, and continue along Calle de Carlos III (always with the opera building directly on your right), until you see the Plaza de Oriente ahead of you.
Plaza de Oriente [MAP]:
The direct route through the Plaza de Oriente (straight ahead towards the equestrian statue of Felipe IV) involves steps (one up, and 4 down). For a step-free alternative route, turn LEFT at the end of Calle de Carlos III, and then turn RIGHT just before the row of statues (the statue of Ramiro I will be the first).
When you reach the end of the path, turn LEFT (along Calle de Bailén), and head toward the main entrance of the Royal Palace of Madrid – which is located at the far end of the palace building on your RIGHT after you have turned here.
Royal Palace of Madrid
[MAP]:
After visiting the Royal Palace, you will immediately see the main STEPPED entrance of the Catedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena facing it (there is also a separate, ramped entrance to the cathedral – no handrails, and a 7% gradient, on Calle de Bailén).
Catedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena
[MAP]:
As you exit the Catedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena via the exit on Calle de Bailén, turn RIGHT, and cross the Pedestrian Crossing AHEAD OF YOU (which crosses Calle Mayor – at the rear of the cathedral).
Then immediately, take the next Pedestrian Crossing, on your LEFT, which crosses Calle de Bailén.
At the end of this second crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, along the right-hand pavement of the continuation of Calle Mayor.
After crossing the sidestreet of Calle del Sacramento (just after the Monument to Victoria Eugenia and Alfonso XIII and the Cathedral Church of the Armed Forces), then passing Plaza de la Villa on your right, continue along Calle Mayor until you see Plaza de San Miguel on your RIGHT too.
Turn RIGHT into Plaza de San Miguel, and you will see the San Miguel Market ahead of you (left-ish at the end of the square).
San Miguel Market
[MAP]:
After visiting the market, ensure you leave from the same Plaza de San Miguel exit if you need a step-free exit, turn RIGHT, onto Plaza de San Miguel again, then turn LEFT, onto Travesía de Bringas.
Almost immediately, turn RIGHT, onto Calle de Cuidad Rodrigo, and pass through the Arco de Cuidad Rodrigo arch which leads into the Plaza Mayor.
Plaza Mayor
[MAP]:
After passing by the equestrian statue of Felipe III in the centre of Plaza Mayor, exit Plaza Mayor by the arched exit on the north of Plaza Mayor (directly opposite/facing the entrance you arrived at). This exit leads to Calle de la Sal.
At the end of Calle de la Sal, turn LEFT, into Calle de Postas. Follow the pedestrianised Calle de Postas to the very end, until it again joins Calle Mayor (at the junction with Calle de Esparteros).
When you reach Calle Mayor again, you will see a Pedestrian Crossing directly in front of you. After crossing Calle Mayor here, turn RIGHT, and continue along the LEFT-HAND pavement of Calle Mayor until Puerta del Sol appears on your left.
Puerta del Sol
[MAP]:
After walking around Puerta del Sol, turn LEFT, into Calle de la Montera (the turning is just beside the underground entrance to Puerta del Sol Metro station).
Continue along Calle de la Montera until the very end, where it meets Calle Gran Vía.
Turn RIGHT into Calle Gran Vía and almost immediately you will see a Pedestrian Crossing on your LEFT.
After crossing Calle Gran Vía here, turn RIGHT, and continue along the left-hand pavement of Calle Gran Vía, until it splits (where you will see the Pedestrian Crossing, on your RIGHT, which will take you back across Calle Gran Vía) leaving you at the foot of the magnificently domed Metropolis Building (Edificio Metrópolis).
Walk around the building until you reach Calle de Alcalá (the main road that runs behind the Metropolis Building). You will immediately see a Pedestrian Crossing in front of you. Cross Calle de Alcalá here, and turn LEFT at the end of the crossing (so you will now be on the right-hand pavement of Calle de Alcalá.
Continue until you reach Plaza Cibeles (at the end of the Banco de España building). Across the road, you will see the Fuente de Cibeles (Cibeles Fountain) and the stunning Palacio de Cibeles (Cibeles Palace).
Palacio de Cibeles
[MAP]:
Three Pedestrian Crossings will take you across Paseo del Prado to the Palace (here, here and here).
At the end of the third crossing, turn LEFT, and stroll round to the main entrance of the Palacio de Cibeles.
After your visit to the Palacio de Cibeles, return back across just two of the three crossings, turning LEFT, down the leafy walkway in the centre of Paseo del Prado before you reach the third crossing again.
Stroll along the shaded path, past the Fountain of Apollo, until the path ends. Turn RIGHT at the end, and you will immediately see the Pedestrian Crossing that will take you back across the final lanes on the Paseo del Prado.
At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT, and then LEFT towards the main entrance of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
[MAP]:
When you return to Paseo del Prado after visiting the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, turn RIGHT, retracing your steps. However, ignore the Pedestrian Crossing that you used to cross Paseo del Prado before, and continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, where a different Pedestrian Crossing will take you across Plaza de las Cortes in the same direction as you are heading.
At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, passed the Westin Palace Hotel, where another Pedestrian Crossing will take you across Calle de Cervantes.
At the end of this crossing, again continue STRAIGHT AHEAD (by the NH Madrid Paseo del Prado Hotel this time), and almost immediately, take the Pedestrian Crossing on your LEFT (which crosses Paseo del Prado again, this time you will cross Paseo del Prado completely – in 2 stages).
At the end of this first crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, passed the Public Toilet (also accessible – and FREE!), where a second Pedestrian Crossing will take you across the far lane of Paseo del Prado.
At the end of this second crossing, again continue STRAIGHT AHEAD to the entrance of the Prado Museum.
Prado National Museum
[MAP]:
When leaving the Prado Museum, don’t cross any roads.
Instead, turn RIGHT and RIGHT again, and continue along the RIGHT-HAND pavement of Calle de Felipe IV.
Continue in the same direction. Along the way, you will cross two sidestreets:
Calle de Ruiz de Alarcón – at the end of the crossing, simply continue STRAIGHT AHEAD; and
Calle de Moreto – after crossing here, again, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD. But. Almost immediately, cross Calle de Felipe IV, via the Pedestrian Crossing on your LEFT, towards the impressive El Casón del Buen Retiro.
At the end of this crossing, turn RIGHT, and follow the pavement around the right-hand side of the El Casón del Buen Retiro building, until you arrive at the front, where you will instantly see a Pedestrian Crossing which will take you across the road to the Puerta de Felipe IV entrance of the El Retiro Park (Parque de El Retiro).
There are steps within this entrance to the park, and at the other end of the Jardin del Parterre too. However, a step-free route is possible:
Step-Free Diversion STARTS
[MAP]:
Turn RIGHT after entering the gate, then follow the path until it splits after a few metres, then take the LEFT-HAND path as it climbs.
When you reach the top of the path, follow the wider central path ahead of you.
At the end of the central path (the Jardin del Parterre will be on yout LEFT as you travel along this path), turn LEFT, and follow the path until you rejoin the main route after the garden (sadly, this means that you will totally bypass the Jardin del Parterre, and the Statue of Jacinto Benavente).
Turn RIGHT when you arrive at the Paseo Paraguay path just behind the gardens (you’ll see the steps leading up from the gardens on your LEFT), and you now rejoin the main Madrid DIY Walking Tour route.
Your Step-Free Diversion Now Ends!
Step-Free Diversion ENDS
All other walkers should simply climb the steps in front of you at the gate, pass through the gardens, ascend the steps at the other end, then continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along Paseo Paraguay.
The main Madrid DIY Walking Tour route continues....
Paseo Paraguay [MAP]:
Continue along the wide path until you reach the fountain at the end (the Fuente de la Alcachofa).
After the fountain, take the path that leads off at an angle on your RIGHT (the smaller second path – with the signpost directing you to the “Palacio de Cristal” – your next destination).
Pass through the two brick gateposts at the end of the path.
Once through the gateposts, the path splits in either direction. To your LEFT is the Palacio de Velázquez. And to your RIGHT is the Palacio de Cristal.
Palacio de Cristal
[MAP]:
There is a step-free path around the pond at the Palacio de Cristal. Starting from outside of the Palace building, pass around this in a clockwise direction, until halfway around (you will be directly opposite the Palacio de Cristal at this point. Then, and with your back to the Palace, take the smaller path that leads directly away from the Palace/pond.
At the end of this smaller path, turn RIGHT onto the main path (Paseo de Fernán Núñez).
Follow Paseo de Fernán Núñez, until it meets the Paseo del Uruguay road, and then turn RIGHT, into Paseo del Uruguay, and follow it until you come to a roundabout – with the Fuente del Ángel Caído fountain in the centre.
Pass STRAIGHT ACROSS this roundabout, and leave the park at the Puerta del Ángel Caído exit.
Puerta del Ángel Caído [MAP]:
Turn RIGHT at the Puerta del Ángel Caído exit, and you will immediately see a double Pedestrian Crossing that will take you across both lanes of the main road here (Calle de Alfonso XI).
At the end of the second part of the crossing, turn LEFT, and after a few metres, turn RIGHT and head down the pedestrianised Calle Claudio Moyano until the end.
At the end, turn RIGHT, and almost immediately, take the Pedestrian Crossing on your LEFT (this crosses Paseo del Prado again).
At the end of this crossing, turn LEFT, walk RIGHT-ISH around the outside of McDonald’s, and almost immediately take the next crossing on your LEFT (this crosses Calle de Atocha).
Reina Sofia National Museum
At the end of this crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD (along Calle del Dr. Drumen) until you arrive at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (and the nearby “Estación Del Arte” Metro station – Atocha Railway Station is just across the road too).
Your Madrid DIY Walking Tour now ends
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