Posh Madrid Audio Guide

The historically important and posh Salamanca and Chueca neighborhoods have been Madrid's nucleus since the early 1700s, decorated with monuments that were commissioned by Spanish kings and queens. Join Andrea Van Houtven, art historian and Context Travel expert, on this walking tour through "Posh Madrid" as she shows you how these prestigious neighborhoods and modern buildings that were commissioned by Spanish Royalty have evolved over the centuries.

Starting in front of the emblematic Palacio de Cibeles (Cybele Palace), once the largest post office in the world and now a vibrant cultural center, you'll make your way along the spine of the modern city of Madrid, dotted with numerous plazas that are crossed by other avenues that are like the ribs of the city. Along Calle Serrano, you'll see intersecting streets that mark the city's massive urban expansion project around the old town. As you walk, you'll learn how the Spanish state periodically confiscated land and possessions from religious orders, using the proceeds to pay off its crushing national debt.

As the streets narrow and we enter the Old Town, we'll trace Madrid's journey from a small, medieval town into a thriving metropolis and capital. You'll also learn how recent events, counterculture, and the LGBTQI+ community have changed the Chueca neighborhood.

  

Along the way, you'll have a chance to:

By the end of this hour-long tour, you'll have a better understanding of how Madrid was transformed into a modern European capital in the 1800s and 1900s.