Highlights
- Discover the history of Madrid by following the traces left by France.
- Admire masterpieces by El Greco and Rizi in a little-known church.
- Find secret gardens, hidden symbols, and historical remains
Description
This tour traces the general history of Madrid using the French presence as a common thread. France will thus allow us to better understand the birth of the city, the Habsburgs, the Bourbons, the Napoleonic invasion, and the transformation of the capital.
We will start at the Church of San Ginés de Arlés, a true hidden art gallery where we will see, among other things, a work by El Greco and the Martyrdom of Saint Genesius painted by Francisco Rizi.
We will then cross the Plaza Mayor and the heart of the Madrid of the Hapsburgs, recalling Philip II and his French wife, Isabelle de Valois. We will discover the hidden pulpit from which a monk helped ignite the spark of the uprising of May 2, 1808, then the Botín restaurant, considered the oldest in the world and founded by a Frenchman.
In the La Latina district, we will talk about Charles V, the Afrancesados in the garden of the Prince of Anglona, and a small secret garden, the former vegetable garden of French nuns, adorned with an elegant Parisian fountain. We will also see the Torre de los Lujanes, where Francis I is said to have been imprisoned after the Battle of Pavia.
Finally, near the cathedral, we will discover Our Lady of the Fleur-de-Lis, one of the oldest paintings preserved in Madrid, before finishing in front of the Royal Palace, a monumental masterpiece of the Bourbons.
Along the way, we will also observe the coats of arms, symbols, and hidden details that allow us to understand Madrid beyond appearances. The tour will end in Ópera square.
Includes
Guided walking tour exclusively in French
An original way to discover the general history of Madrid through its connections with France
Historical and cultural explanations from a cultural journalist and local live guide
Discover artworks, secret gardens, symbols, and little-known remains
Easy cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
