Madrid · ES
Madrid: Royal Heart Highlights
From the buzzing Puerta del Sol through the Habsburg old town to the Royal Palace and the hidden convents the crowds walk past.
What's the walk about?
Welcome to Madrid, a capital that wears its history lightly beneath a brilliant blue sky. On this easy loop through the oldest part of the city we trace the Madrid of the Habsburgs and the Bourbons: the kilometre-zero heart where every Spanish road begins, the arcaded plaza where kings were crowned and heretics were burned, a gourmet market under iron and glass, and the vast Royal Palace that still receives the world. Along the way we slip into two hushed royal convents that most visitors stroll straight past. Wear comfortable shoes, keep your camera ready, and let the stories bring these golden stones to life.
What you'll see
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1
Puerta del Sol
Square
The bustling, half-moon square at the exact centre of Spain, home to the famous clock that rings in the New Year and the bronze bear that has become the symbol of Madrid.
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2
Plaza Mayor
Square
A perfectly enclosed arcaded square from Spain's Golden Age, ringed by red facades and balconies from which kings once watched bullfights, coronations and the terrible autos de fe.
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3
Mercado de San Miguel
Market
A glittering cast-iron and glass market hall from 1916, now one of the most atmospheric gourmet food halls in Spain, where you can graze on oysters, jamón, olives and vermouth.
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4
Plaza de la Villa
Square
A small, intimate medieval square that was the seat of Madrid's city government for centuries, ringed by some of the oldest surviving buildings in the capital.
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5
Catedral de la Almudena
Cathedral
Madrid's surprisingly young cathedral, begun in 1883 and consecrated only in 1993, blending neo-Gothic, Baroque and strikingly modern interiors beside the Royal Palace.
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6
Palacio Real de Madrid
Palace
The largest functioning royal palace in Western Europe, a colossal Baroque residence of more than three thousand rooms, still used by the Spanish crown for ceremonies of state.
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7
Plaza de Oriente
Square
An elegant, crescent-shaped garden square between the Royal Palace and the Royal Opera House, lined with statues of Spain's early kings and a dramatic equestrian monument to Philip IV.
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8
Monasterio de la Encarnación
Monastery
A serene royal convent founded in 1611, famous for its reliquary chamber holding hundreds of sacred relics, including a vial of the blood of San Pantaleón said to liquefy each year.
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9
Plaza de Santo Domingo
Square
A bright, remodelled square near Gran Vía, named after a vanished medieval convent, now known for a hotel rooftop that offers one of the finest free-feeling panoramas over central Madrid.
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10
Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales
Monastery
A plain-walled convent in the heart of Madrid that conceals breathtaking riches, founded in 1559 by a Habsburg princess and filled with tapestries by Rubens, grand staircases and royal treasure.
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