Madrid DIY Walking Tour
> Madrid DIY Walking Tour Route Map <
Distance: 7.5 km (nearly 5 miles); Duration: 3-8 hours
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 entrance of the Royal Palace of Madrid – which is located at the far end of the palace building on your right (turn RIGHT when you reach the end of the building).
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 walk to 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 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 the square by the arched exit directly in-line with the entrance you arrived at – on the north of Plaza Mayor. This leads to Calle de la Sal.
At the end of Calle de la Sal, turn LEFT, into Calle de Postas. Follow the pedestrainised Calle de Postas, 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 Pedestrain 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 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), 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 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, and then follow path the 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), and you now rejoin the main Madrid DIY Walking Tour route.
Your Step-Free Diversion Ends!
All other walkers should simply climb the steps in front of you at the gate, pass through the gardens, and descend the steps at the other end – but always heading in a general STRAIGHT-AHEAD direction.
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 (the smaller second path on your right – with the signpost directing you to the “Palacio de Cristal” – your next destination). Follow this path until you arrive at the Palacio de Cristal (you’ll pass the Palacio de Velázquez on your left as you go).
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 crosses Paseo del Uruguay, and then turn RIGHT, into Paseo del Uruguay, and follow it until you leave the park (at the Puerta del Ángel Caído exit). Along the way you will pass the Fuente del Ángel Caído fountain.
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 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 the crossing, turn LEFT, walk around the outside of McDonald’s, and almost immediately take the next crossing on your left (this crosses Calle de Atocha).
At the end of this crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD until you arrive at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.
Where this Madrid DIY Walking Tour ends.
More:
Normally at the end of this DIY Walking Tour of central Madrid, you would simply take a train from the nearby “Estación Del Arte” Metro station. However, the station is currently closed, while work on the line to Atocha is ongoing.
So for now, continue along “Rda. de Atocha” for about 800 meteres – until you reach “Embajadores” Metro station (which is also wheelchair accessible). It’s all clearly signposted.
Madrid Guide Books & Madrid Maps
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Apartments & Hotels in Madrid
Madrid City Centre Hotels and Apartments
These central Madrid hotels and apartments are all located on or near the Madrid DIY Walking Tour route:
5* Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid (accessible): The Gran Via is almost exactly at the midpoint of the Madrid DIY Walking Tour route. So staying at the Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid allows you to easily split the walk in two (and if doing it in one day, gives a very welcome place to relax halfway round).
4* AC Hotel Carlton Madrid – Marriott Bonvoy (also accessible): The AC Hotel Carlton is located just steps from Atocha railway station (the main railway station in central Madrid – and where you are quite likely to arrive at in central Madrid). Staying at the AC Hotel Carlton allows you to drop-off any luggage before you start exploring Madrid. It’s also within easy walking distance of the Reina Sofia Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Prado Museum (as well as the El Retiro park). But most importantly, it’s located near the end of the step-free Madrid DIY Walking Tour route (so you’re really just taking a metro train in the morning, and then slowly making your way back to your hotel).
3* ibis Styles Madrid Prado (accessible): The ibis Styles Madrid Prado is also located very near to Atocha railway station and the museums, so is similarly perfectly located (in fact, the ibis Styles Madrid Prado is actually located just around the corner from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum).
Hostel: LATROUPE Prado Hostel Madrid (partially accessible):
The Latroupe Prado Hostel in Madrid is also located near Atocha railway station. Featuring a 24-hour Reception, a lively bar/restaurant, washing machines and lockers.
Accessibility Information: Although the actual Latroupe Prado Hostel Madrid building itself is accessible, only 3 of the bedrooms are wheelchair accessible (and these are all double/private rooms).
Accessible apartments & Hotels in Madrid:
Finding a truly accessible hotel, hostel or apartment anywhere can be a bit of a nightmare.
But the accessibility filters on the Booking.com Accessible Madrid Hotel search (simply scroll down on the left), will make your search for an accessible Madrid hotel or apartment much easier.
There’s a wee trick here though.
By default, the filters are a bit limited. So. Just ignore the filters initially, and simply enter your desired dates and make an initial search.
You will then be presented with ALL properties that are available on your desired dates (including the apartments & hotels in Madrid which are NOT accessible).
BUT.
You will then also have access to much more detailed filters (on the left – just keep scrolling down until you see the “Property accessibility” and “Room accessibility” filters).
NOW, filter the results as required (as I need step-free access & a roll-in shower as a minimum, I simply select BOTH of the “Wheelchair accessible” Property and “Roll-in shower” Room filters).
IMPORTANT: Always specify, in the “Comments” section during the hotel booking process, that you MUST have an accessible room. And ask for confirmation.
Thank you SO very much for your kind support – and have a great time in Madrid!