Madrid, the capital of Spain, managed to beat its tourist record in 2017 by exceeding 12 million. More and more foreigners are coming and average spending is also growing, so this is all good news for Madrid residents who make a living from tourism.
One of the most recommended activities has to do with the Madrid City Tour , a tourist bus that takes you throughout the city so that you can have a first contact with the main points of interest thanks to its two routes.
Route 1
This route begins in Felipe IV street , very close to where the Prado Museum is. From there we go through the Puerta de Alcalá until we cross the Prado-Recoletos axis. That involves touring the fountains of Neptuno and Cibeles, which is where Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid celebrate their titles, respectively.
The bus then heads towards Gran Vía, which is probably the most important street in Madrid. You reach the Plaza de España and pass in front of the Temple of Debod until you reach the old town. There are three essentials there: the Royal Palace, the Almudena Cathedral and the Puerta del Sol.
In the last few meters you reach the Royal Botanical Garden and two emblematic museums, such as the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum. The tour ends at the Prado Museum .
Route 2
This other route is quite similar. In fact, it also begins at the Prado Museum, although in this case one walks along the Paseo de la Castellana, Prado and Recoletos, arriving to see squares such as Neptuno and Cibeles. In the latter you can see the Palacio de Cibeles , which is the seat of the City Council and is nothing more than an aperitif considering that there are other historical buildings that can be seen on this route, such as the Palacio del Marqués de Salamanca. , the Nuevos Ministerios, the AZCA shopping complex or the majestic Santiago Bernabéu, which is the football stadium where Real Madrid plays.
The Madrid City Tour tourist bus also passes through Puerta de Alcalá and Puerta del Sol, and ends its tour at Plaza de las Cortes.
It must be said that on this second route we have the possibility of taking tickets for the extended version, which takes place twice a day and allows you to get to know the Cuatro Torres Business Area complex , which is where the skyscrapers of Madrid are located, and the Plaza de Toros Monumental de las Ventas.
Important information
You can buy the ticket for one day or two consecutive days to access the tourist bus whenever you want as long as there are places in pounds. Where to buy it? On Calle Felipe IV, s / n (next to the Prado Museum), at Juliá Travel (Calle San Nicolás, 15), on buses, at the Plaza Mayor Tourism Center, at the Plaza de Callao Tourist Information Point, at the Paseo del Prado Tourist Information Point, at www.madridcitytour.es or at travel agencies.
The ticket price is 19.80 euros for one day (23.50 euros for two days). There are up to 14 languages for the audio guides: Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Dutch, Chinese, Arabic, Catalan, Basque and Galician.
Recommended article: 10 romantic plans in Madrid