Free Art Quarters Tour

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