Free Art Quarters Tour
Time: N/A
Duration: 2,5 hours
Price: Free
This tour is currently not running in English. To see the tour in Spanish click here
Come with us and explore one of the neighborhoods with has homed the most artistic and literary geniuses in world history on our Free Art Quarters Tour. A neighborhood in which since the distant 16th century all the great names of Spanish literature have lived, leaving their mark in some way or another.
Learn about the amazing life story of Miguel de Cervantes, the author of the second most translated book in the world after the Bible: “Don Quixote”. Hear how he fought with true bravery in the famous battle of Lepanto and lost his right arm, his writing arm, and how despite him writing several very successful books during his lifetime he sadly died a very poor man. Be astonished by the great rivalry he had with Lope de Vega, the most successful writer of that time who died rich – but knew that he was the lesser writer and that eternity would put them both where they belonged.
Laugh at the unbelievable anecdotes of literature’s most famous antagonisms: The great ego battle between the two greatest poets of the Spanish Baroque, Quevedo and Góngora, who didn’t just write pungent, witty, hurtful sonnets about each other, but also went to great lengths to make each other’s life impossible.
Navigate through one of the areas with the highest density of theaters in Europe, discover the importance of drama in the 17th century (also known as the Spanish Golden Century) when a cultural phenomena of such great magnitude took place – one that can only be compared to Hollywood nowadays in terms of the quantity of productions and the cultural importance. Understand the historical context that made it happen: The great Habsburg Empire and the even greater bankruptcies that ruined gold-flooded Spain.
On our Free Art Quarters Tour you will discover a neighbourhood which has become a mandatory pilgrimage to all those who write and love Spanish literature; a place which has been called home by so many of the greatest writers of the Spanish language, one which is so widely spoken throughout the world. A neighbourhood which nowadays has become one of the most culturally proactive areas in Europe – get lost amongst theatres, cafes, musical bars, and the houses of the greatest writers from yesterday, today and tomorrow.
This tour will be operated by our local partners in Madrid
Calle del Leon
Casa de Cervantes
House of Quevedo and Góngora
The Ateneo
The Esperpento of Valle-Inclán
Statue of Calderón de la Barca
Church of San Sebastián
Calle huertas
Church of Cervantes
Lorca Statue in Santa Ana Square
Felipe the 4th Mural
Cervantes Grave
24 000 TripAdvisor reviews averaging 4.94
1 000 000 Customers Worldwide since the start
Part of all tips goes to a local charity
Great tour, great price. Leticia was INCREDIBLE! Very knowledgeable about the neighborhood as well as artistic community of Madrid and Spain. I learned quite a bit and it ended up being a fun way off the beaten path of what you'd get from a typical tour. Highly recommend!
- Jason E
October 2018
I've signed up online for the free tour around Madrid Arts Quarter with Leticia on Saturday morning, and it was one of the best tours I have ever had! Leticia was just great - very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and energetic - she definitely brought the subject to life. She shared with us so many engaging stories, and made the tour very very enjoyable. The tour covered a small area, however it was packed with stories and legends around Cervantes, Tirso de Molina, Lope de Vega, the set up of the theatre and art culture... all amazingly brought to life by Leticia's storytelling and passion. Thank you Leticia for an amazing experience!
- September 2018
April, 2016
Tirso De Molina Statue - by the Tirso de Molina Metro Station - Exit Magdalena (See Map).
The Free Art Quarters Tour lasts around 2.5h.
Yes we will be there rain, hail or shine. Just make sure to have suitable clothing and consider bringing an umbrella if necessary.
Go to the meeting point and look for our guide carrying a light blue umbrella. If you have any problems finding the location please contact us on our Global WhatsApp support: +52 1 221 205 3215.
Due to the high demand of our tours you can only join the tour if you have made a reservation. So please make a reservation: it is absolutely free, it takes less than one minute, and it helps us make sure that we have enough guides there to cover the demand. Help us make your Strawberry Tour experience unforgettable! Please note that we can't take groups of 8 people or more on our regular tours, instead, please get in touch with us here to enquire about a private tour
In an effort to keep the group sizes manageable and enjoyable for everyone in the group we don’t allow groups of 8 people or more to join our regular tours. Instead , please get in touch with us here to enquire about a private tour.
We believe that everyone, no matter their budget, should be able to experience and enjoy what Madrid has to offer. We also believe that the price of the tour should correlate with your budget and how much you enjoyed it. Therefore, our tours run on a “Pay-What-It’s-Worth” basis. So at the end of the tour everyone can choose to contribute with what they thought it was worth. Our Tour Guides work for tips only and receive no other compensation for running the tour. Please note that we can't take groups of 8 people or more on our regular tours, instead, please get in touch with us here to enquire about a private tour.
We are then able to set the start time to whatever suits you and make the experience more personal. This is also a great option for groups of 8 people or more that are unable to join our free tours together
Someone in our team will get back to you within 24h.
Price: Free
No need to print ticket.
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