Walking Madrid's Silhouette

In a 3-hour walk you follow Madrid’s monumental architectural arc from medieval settlement to early 20th-century modernity. Among its various highlights are — San Nicolás de los Servitas, the city’s oldest church built in the Middle Ages. Pontifical Basilica of San Miguel, a Baroque church famed for its rare convex façade and sculptural allegories. Crypt of La Almudena Cathedral, a vast neo-Romanesque subterranean space with over 400 uniquely capped columns. Real Basílica de San Francisco el Grande, crowned by a large circular dome, houses Spanish paintings from Zurbarán to Goya. Walking through the historic core, your guide weaves these interiors into the city’s evolving streetscapes — from medieval courtyards to the broad avenues of Gran Vía. From 1800s through 1920s, an architectural frenzy reshaped Madrid during the European Belle Époque, resulting in Gran Vía, lined with elegant Art Nouveau buildings. Today’s contemporary architecture adds a final layer to the city’s silhouette.

This historical and architectural walk is about time, space, and built structures in Madrid. Jaime’s art historical insight places each site within the political and cultural forces that shaped it — from medieval coexistence and Baroque theatricality to neoclassical ambition and urban reinvention. In the crypt of Almudena Cathedral, centuries press into shadow and stone; at San Miguel, Baroque theatrics unfold through façade sculpture and acoustics; at San Francisco el Grande, its art and frescoes reflect Madrid’s enlightened patronage. Rather than isolated highlights, these buildings form a sequence of moments in Madrid’s story when power, faith, and identity were built into physical space. Jaime’s narration helps you read familiar façades as records of shifting style, authority, and civic ambition. The experience closes with wine and tapas, grounding Madrid’s architectural history in a city still lived through its taverns, plazas, and conversation.

Jaime is an art historian trained at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), with further studies at the Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia. He spent several years working in cultural management within one of Madrid’s most prestigious private art collections, where he developed a close understanding of how art, architecture, and history are interpreted and presented. Today, Jaime is a professional guide in Madrid, combining academic rigor with on-the-ground observation of the city’s evolving urban fabric. He continues to work across the tourism and cultural sectors, bringing historical context to the streets, buildings, and monuments that shape Madrid’s identity. Jaime speaks Spanish, English, and Italian, and is a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) under UNESCO.

Keep an eye on the weather and dress approproiately. Do wear comfortable shoes as this tour involves a lot of walking. ** This experience should be booked two weeks in advance to ensure tickets and availability. However, if you are arranging a last-minute trip, get in touch with us via Chat.