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Art and culture activities in Madrid

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Art and culture activities led by local experts

Discover unique experiences hosted by inspiring locals.

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5 out of 5 average rating, 4 reviews

Sketch Madrid and aperitivo at Mercado de San Miguel

See Madrid in a whole new way—via sketching. In this workshop, I’ll guide you in capturing the energy, architecture, and flavors of Mercado de San Miguel, one of the city’s most vibrant locations, and send you off with a personalized artistic keepsake inspired by our exploration of Madrid’s bustling market scene. • Meet outside Mercado de San Miguel, where you’ll receive all the materials you’ll need to get started. I’ll show you my own sketchbook to provide inspiration. • Observe the market’s stunning ironwork, bustling stalls, and colorful displays, and choose compelling subjects to draw. I’ll demonstrate with a quick sketch, showing how to break down a scene into simple shapes and lines. • Move around the market to capture fresh angles, textures, and movement. Gain insights into Madrid’s food culture, history, and the market’s significance while refining your artistic skills. Our session wraps up with a drink and small 'tapa' as we share our sketches, and discuss the creative journey. You’ll leave with a deeper connection to the city’s culture, plus your sketches, a meaningful keepsake of your time in Madrid.

5 out of 5 average rating, 2 reviews

Guided Yogilates and breathwork at Madrid Rio

Join me for a mindfulness Yogilates session along the serene riverfront of Madrid Río, blending yoga, Pilates, and holistic practices in a setting that enhances relaxation and focus. • Begin with a short exploration of Madrid Río’s cultural significance, a symbol of urban revitalization and sustainability. • Warm up with breathwork and mobility exercises before progressing through core activation, strength work, and flowing postures. I encourage a deep awareness of every sensation. • Push your stability and coordination with balance challenges before enjoying a guided relaxation and cool-down. Reflect on the harmonious blend of movement, mindfulness, and community in a closing circle, where you’ll share your experience and enjoy a snack in one of Madrid’s most iconic green spaces.

5 out of 5 average rating, 12 reviews

Colonial Shadows - Black History walking tour of Madrid

Embark on a thought-provoking journey through Madrid’s historic landmarks to uncover its hidden Black history. Explore stories of colonization and slavery while discovering the Black heritage that shaped the city. • Starting at the Opera House, I’ll take you through some of Madrid’s most notable streets, revealing the colonial history hidden in plain sight. • You’ll learn about the roles monarchs and the Catholic Church played in the slave trade as we visit the Royal Palace and discuss the “Casa de los Negros,” as well as Almudena Cathedral’s ties to the era. We’ll also explore Plaza Mayor’s history of slave markets and executions and uncover Carlos III’s involvement in the trade at Puerta del Sol. • Discover the influence of Black art and literature on Madrid as we visit Plaza de Ramales, honoring Black Spanish painter Juan de Pareja, and stop at historic sites like the San Fernando Fine Arts Academy and Iglesia de San Ginés. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of Black contributions and resilience, the lasting impacts of colonization, and unique recommendations for further exploring Madrid.

5 out of 5 average rating, 1 reviews

Discover Madrid's Islamic past with an archaeologist

Embark on an eye-opening journey through the history of Islamic Madrid on a walk around La Latina, tracing the city’s origins all the way back to the ancient city of Mayrit. This experience is in Spanish. • Visit the Plaza de la Cebada, formerly a Muslim cemetery, and the Church of San Pedro el Viejo, where I’ll explain the post-Reconquista fusion of Muslim and Christian culture. • Stroll through the Prince of Anglona Garden, with its Islamic-style water features, before visiting the sites of the city’s medieval souk and the Islamic Wall, the oldest structure in Madrid. • Other highlights of our walk include Almudena Cathedral, with its fascinating hidden Virgin statue, and the Torre de los Huesos, a defensive tower built to protect the Islamic city. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of the multilayered history that shaped the city, and the opportunity to continue our conversation over coffee at a local cafe.

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Sketch at sunset from a 2,000 year old temple

Sip, snack and draw panoramic views of Madrid at Templo de Debod, an Egyptian landmark. Meet Katie Enjoy drinks and snacks, learn the spot's history. Practice sketching Receive materials, watch a demo, learn key techniques. Try your hand Explore different approaches and subjects with guidance. Wrap up Share sketches, receive illustrated postcards, and recap.

5 out of 5 average rating, 2 reviews

Through Reina Sofía Museum towards the Spanish Civil War

Join me in Madrid’s extraordinary Reina Sofia Museum for an unforgettable exploration of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) through art, including a guided analysis of Picasso's Guernica. This isn’t just a museum visit—it’s a journey through the social and political forces that shaped Spain’s turbulent history. • Begin with the museum’s transformation and its role in preserving Spain’s modern art. • I’ll walk you through examples of how Spanish artists reflected the growing class divide and political instability in different works and talk about key moments in various political movements as well as the role of art in war-time propaganda. • Finally, we’ll spend time examining Picasso’s Guernica, exploring its symbolism and global impact as a protest to the war itself. • I’ll talk about the aftermath of the Civil War as well, including the repression and exile under Franco’s dictatorship. You'll walk away with a new understanding of how art is an important force in the shaping and remembrance of war.

5 out of 5 average rating, 1 reviews

Shape and decorate a tapas dish with an artist

Mold clay into a work of art at a Madrid ceramics studio. Enter my studio Step into my Madrid workshop filled with handmade ceramics. Link clay to tapas See how ceramics shaped Spain’s tapas dining tradition. Grab some clay Hold clay in your hands and shape it with ancestral methods. Decorate your piece Engrave, paint, or glaze your dish with Spanish motifs. Wrap with tips Leave with my insider recos for Madrid's best tapas bars.

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Photography workshop at the historic Plaza Mayor

Join me, a professional photographer, for a photo walking tour of some of Madrid’s iconic buildings and landmarks. You’ll learn essential skills for capturing sites and unforgettable memories. • Meet at the historic Plaza Mayor, where I’ll explain key principles like composition, framing, natural light, and smartphone or camera adjustments to capture the essence of a place. • Get hands-on practice by photographing arches, statues, and architectural details. I’ll share personalized feedback to help you improve your images with each shot. • Capture dynamic photos of daily life at Mercado de San Miguel and creative angles of charming narrow streets at Calle Cava de San Miguel. You’ll leave with a library of unforgettable images, and the skills and inspiration to take striking photos wherever you go.

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Embroider a postcard in a local artist's studio

Stitch a minimalist carnation and learn its cultural significance. Peruse the gallery Encounter genre-bridging embroidered photos and collages. Follow the thread Stitch together embroidery, symbolism, and Spanish history. Watch and learn View a cross-stitch and carnation motif demonstration. Embroider a flower Stitch your unique carnation under expert tutelage. Admire your work Enjoy your creation and receive a real farewell carnation.

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Walk through ten centuries of Madrid’s hidden history

Follow the evolution of Madrid across 10 centuries with this architectural walking tour. We’ll trace the city’s transformation from a humble ninth-century village to the bustling metropolis of today. • Begin at the remnants of the city’s original walls, built in the ninth century when Spain was under Muslim rule. • Make our way to the 13th-century San Nicolás de Bari de los Servitas, Madrid’s oldest church, and see other surviving medieval buildings such as the 15th-century Torre de los Lujanes, which once housed the nobility. • Conclude our walk in the relative present—the grand, 18th-century Plaza Mayor. Throughout the tour, I’ll point out hidden treasures like a medieval door made out of wood and tombstones reused in unexpected ways. After the tour, we can continue the conversation over for a drink at a local bar. You’ll leave this journey with a sense of all the layers of history that lay just beneath Madrid’s modern surfaces.

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4.9 out of 5 average rating, 4608 reviews

Traditional Flamenco Show in Historic Cave

Our team at Essential Flamenco will welcome you inside. You will be offered a drink at the tablao bar, and later you will visit an +100 year old original brick cave. The first 20 minutes you will relax with your drink in the main room with the Flamenco music... Next, ten minutes before the show, you will be given a introduction about the history of Flamenco, from its roots and origins to how it developed throughout the years. Finally, to conclude the experience, you will enjoy the one-hour flamenco show that will take place inside the famous cave, without amplifiers or microphones. Our capacity for the event is limited, so you are going to enjoy a unique, warm and intimate evening . Every week we are visited by different artists who delight us with their talent and art, and the performances vary daily, so each exhibit is unique! . We have three schedules, the first at 6pm, the second at 7.30pm and the last at 9pm. Essential Flamenco is ranked number two on TripAdvisor, obtaining certificates of excellence for seven years. Under the artistic direction of "El Mistela", who won the National Flamenco Critic Award, and he does a performance every day at 7.30pm, you're guaranteed to enjoy the performances of artists of the highest quality. We are waiting for you to enjoy an unforgettable evening!!

4.88 out of 5 average rating, 1365 reviews

Free Tour Madrid Essential

The best way to get to know a city is with a FREE TOUR or walking and getting lost in its streets, but sometimes you can go through amazing places with cute anecdotes and not notice, that's why we created this route. **IMPORTANT** (2 people maximum per booking) If your group has more people, they can come but **contact me first** Welcome to the FREE TOUR, this means that it is FREE to join (what is paid to airbnb, it is for the reservation, not the cost of the tour), so you with your tip decide the value of the tour, and these are the ones that keep this activity alive, we also hope you have a good time with us and recommend us, with a strong applause and a good review, which are equally important! Let us take you and show you the city we know and the city we are sure to fall in love with you. We will tour the most important places in the city center, telling you the story, anecdotes, dark and fun stories and the best tips for the rest of your stay in Madrid. Puerta del Sol (the main square) and its monuments. Km 0 Calle Arenal Madrid's Oldest Churreria Teatro Real (Opera House) Plaza Oriente Royal Palace Almudena Cathedral (Main Cathedral) Los Austrias (the oldest neighborhood) Plaza de la straw World's oldest restaurant Plaza Mayor and many more...

4.97 out of 5 average rating, 758 reviews

Your Personal Photographer in Madrid

IG: @dorian. ph If you want to do the experience on a different route or time that does not appear on the calendar send me a message. Solo trip? Did you come with your family and want to capture unique moments? Would you like to discover the most beautiful and iconic places in Madrid in a friendly or private environment? - Then this is YOUR experience! Our meeting point will be Puerta del Sol, there we will begin our photographic tour. We will visit the Plaza Mayor, the San Miguel market, Plaza de la Villa, Castrense church, the Almudena cathedral, the royal palace and the Sabatini gardens. Not only will we take you to some of the best spots in the city to take spectacular photos, we'll also provide tips and recommendations for the rest of your stay. We'll help you pose and take lots of candid photos, to make sure you get the best results. We will edit a selection of 40 shots, but we will send you all the photos we take during the session on THE SAME DAY. If you have any ideas or special requests, do not hesitate to contact us!

4.98 out of 5 average rating, 675 reviews

Madrid Picture Tour

Whether you are visiting Madrid with family, friends or alone and want to get to know the city in a different way by taking wonderful souvenir photos, Madrid Picture Tour is for you. Our tour starts at Plaza de la Provincia, in the heart of Madrid, just a few steps from Plaza Mayor where our tour continues and where we will capture the best angles of the square and of course you will be the star. We will visit the Mercado de San Miguel, which with its peculiar style will take incredible photos. You will also know La Plaza De la Villa and then we will go to one of the most beautiful places in Madrid, El Palacio Real and La Catedral de la Almudena, we will tell stories and take some spectacular photos, you will take a beautiful memory of your visit in Madrid, whether or not of this city, I will make you feel part of it. Is this your first time in a photo experience? No worries , I will make you feel comfortable, I will help you and guide you at all times. If you are interested in any dates or times that we do not have published or an alternative route, please contact us, we will do our best to help you. **** you will receive on the same day ALL photos taken and we will edit 10 photos for you that you select within three days ****

4.92 out of 5 average rating, 24 reviews

Tour Through Madrid on a Classic Vintage Bike

Join me on this journey through Madrid for a unique experience that combines history, fun, and charm. We'll explore the city on vintage bicycles, a distinctive way to travel back in time while discovering Madrid’s vibrant history. As a proud Madrileño dressed in the traditional hat, I will guide you through fascinating stories, legendary tales, and hidden gems that even many locals don’t know. Our adventure begins in Retiro Park, a stunning green oasis in the heart of Madrid. We’ll bike through its serene paths before heading into the city center. Along the way, we’ll visit iconic landmarks such as Puerta del Sol, the Royal Palace—once home to Spain’s monarchs—and the medieval Plaza de la Villa. At Plaza Mayor, we’ll pause to soak in the views, take photos, and I’ll share tips on where to enjoy the city’s famous bocadillo de calamares. This 11 km route is designed for small groups, ensuring plenty of stops to connect with fellow participants. By the end of the tour, many guests continue to explore the city together, forming new friendships. The friendly and intimate atmosphere, the charm of riding vintage bikes, and the opportunity to take stunning photos make this an authentic and unforgettable way to experience Madrid during the day. it’s an opportunity to create lasting memories, connect with others, and immerse yourself in the history and spirit of this incredible city.

4.98 out of 5 average rating, 55 reviews

Explore Cuenca and a vineyard in the Spanish Tuscany

Our adventure begins in Madrid as we set off towards Cuenca. We'll pick you up in a car, ensuring a maximum group size of 6 people for a close and intimate experience. This won't be your tipical tour - we're not in a hurry and we'll set the pace from the start, creating an atmosphere akin to a group of friends enjoying a good time together. Upon arriving in the enchanting city of Cuenca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, our immersion kicks off with a hike to viewpoints. Here, we'll marvel at how the Arabs ingeniously constructed a city amidst the winding bends of the Gallen River, surrounded by rocky walls and seemingly suspended houses. Navigating throug its alleys and ascending the peaks, we'll share the city's history, captivated by its impressive medieval architecture and Muslim origins. A leisurely break will be provided for you to enjoy a relaxed meal. Our adventure is designed for your enjoyment, allowing you to savor the experience. Post-lunch we'll stroll through Alfonso VIII Street, renowned for its splendid shops where you can acquire memorable souvenirs. Before heading back, we'll make our way to a local vineyard, personally tended by its owner. He will guide us through the wine-making process, and we'll indulge in a sunset tasting amidst the pictures, in the Spanish Tuscan landscape.

4.99 out of 5 average rating, 701 reviews

Prado Museum with an art expert

I have a degree in Art History and the Prado Museum has no secrets for me. In addition, I also studied at Ca' Foscari University of Venice. For 2.5 hours I will show you a special selection of masterpieces in the best gallery in the world, in detail I will explain the historical context of the painting, the meaning and the techniques used. We will see not only the most important masterpieces in the Prado, but also some of my favorite and less-known pieces. You will enjoy some of the great masters: Bosch, Patinir, Rubens, Tiziano, Tintoretto, Veronese, El Greco, Goya, Velázquez ...Just impressive! And some other special surprises for you. Tikets not included. Contact me for a different time schedule request, private groups or if you prefer to visit other museums like Reina Sofía or Thyssen-Bornemisza. This experience is perfect for business groups that want to find something different. It is also perfect for groups of friends. Other things to note For private groups just contact me! Or contact me if you prefer to visit other museums like Reina Sofía or Thyssen-Bornemisza. If the days available do not fit into your travel calendar, we can specify another day or time. Visit 100% accessible. It is not possible to take pictures

4.93 out of 5 average rating, 469 reviews

Tim Bikes highlights bike tour Madrid with tapas

In our 3 - 3,5 hrs highlights bike tour with tapas you will discover the most beautiful and nicest places in Madrid. Everyone from 7 years is welcome to join this tour conducted in English and Dutch. Ask us if you prefer Dutch. Private tours in English, Dutch, Spanish, French if available and Portuguese if available. Of course there will be various stops along the way to take a picture and ending this tour with 3 tapas and a drink on the beautiful terraces of Madrid. We will take you to the most interesting places, the most famous monuments, squares and parks. Showing you the beautiful architecture and we tell in a pleasant way about the history, legends, art and gastronomy of Madrid. You will discover the best and most beautiful places of Madrid and later you go there back on your own. You are inspired for the rest of your time in Madrid. You will ride on a comfortable 7 speed city bike in a lively and fun atmosphere. We have children seats for 0-20 kg. Ask for availability. The total tour takes approximately 3 hours. This tour requires experience with biking in the city. We have electric bikes available (only for adults, minimum length 1,50 m), additional costs € 10 to be paid at the bike shop.

4.92 out of 5 average rating, 2584 reviews

Tim Bikes highlights bike tour Madrid

Our tour is ideal for everyone who wants to get to know Madrid in a short time but in a relaxed way. Conducted in English. Private tours in English, Dutch, Spanish, French if available and Portuguese if available. In about 3 hours and 11 km biking, you will more or less see and hear everything of the old center while riding a very comfortable bicycle. The “must see” places as well as the hidden corners away from the typical touristic paths. We will ride mainly on cycling paths, pedestrian zones and parks. Of course there will be various stops to take pictures. When we stop, we will tell you about the stories behind what you see and tell our personal experiences of our time in Madrid. After the tour you have an idea which places you want to visit in your own time and in which restaurants and tapas bars you want to have your meal. You are inspired for the rest of your time in Madrid. We have children seats for 0-20 kg. Ask for availability. The total tour is about 3 hours. This tour requires experience with biking in the city. We have availability of electric bikes (only for adults, minimum length 1,55 m), additional costs € 10.

4.86 out of 5 average rating, 70 reviews

Haunted and Weird Madrid

Explore haunted, bizarre, beautiful, and mysterious Madrid! We'll hear about theaters, cemeteries, martyr poets, plazas, alleyways, palaces, churches, and the brawls, hauntings, assassinations, and more that occurred there. History, literature, and legends come together for weird (and scary) stories. We'll begin at the statue of Felipe III in Plaza Mayor. We'll love to have you! A few points: *This is a tailored experience. You are often the only person, or one of few. Tell me your preferences! *2 hour tours are available, ask before we meet. *If Spanish is desired, please ask *Tips/donations are always welcome after

Art and culture activities in Madrid

Art and culture activities led by local experts

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