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Get ready to experience all the things that we Madrileños absolutely love to do in our city. Join me for this private walking tour, hear local stories, taste authentic tapas and become a local for a day too!

Destination

Madrid, Spain

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español

Included

• Private guide
• 2 Top quality tapas in the oldest Taverns of Madrid

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Carmen.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Circulo de Bellas Artes - Madrid to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Meeting Point

   Very central meeting point near Circulo de Bellas Artes.

4. Plaza de Canalejas

   Beautiful square and start to our trip into Madrid XIX century

5. Vibrant artistic area

   Vibrant area where we can find lots of artisans making Spanish Guitars, gloves and hats and chocolate makers

6. Theatrical square

   The most theatrical square in the world

7. The oldest taverns in Madrid

   Enjoy tapas and Spanish wine tasting. You also will see how a traditional Madrid Tavern worked and works for the last 200 years!

8. Local streets

   Streets are full of Madrid's history; discover where Lorca had his last dinner, the oldest restaurant in the world and the caves underneath Plaza Mayor.

9. Lively area & medieval walls

   One of the most lively and beautiful streets in all of Madrid, with hidden medieval walls

10. Flamenco culture

    Get insights into why flamenco is such an important part of Madrid culture

11. Adios!

    We will end our tour in this beautiful plaza and I'll give you lots of recommendations for the rest of your stay

12. Make it yours

    Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

    Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

    Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

• Tell me your preferred date and group size
• Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
• Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Contact me

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Kate🇬🇧 United Kingdom

16 October 2024

I cannot speak highly enough of my experience with Carmen. I have visited Madrid several times and thought I knew the city reasonably well but Carmen’s knowledge and love for her city opened my eyes to so much more. On top of this her warmth and engaging personality made me I feel as if I spent a few hours hanging out with a friend. It was a wonderful evening full of fascinating insights and lots of laughs. I would recommend Carmen whole-heartedly. If you are thinking of booking with her … do it! A fascinating evening with a friend

Michele🇺🇸 United States

23 July 2023

Carmen was wonderful! We had such a lovely time exploring the city with her. She was so warm, and extremely interesting. We learned so much about the history of Madrid. Our time spent together was like catching up with a dear friend. Afternoon in Madrid

Rhea🇺🇸 United States

3 July 2022

We had such a fun time with Carmen. She truly showed us the "HiddenGems" . We never would have thought to seek out the places Carmen showed us and hence her tour really enriched our stay in Madrid adding to our historical and cultural understanding. Carmen has an engaging personality and lots of fun to be around ... We were all as old friends enjoying a great laugh having tapas at the end of our tour. I know we will definitely be back in touch with her on our return trips to Madrid for her suggestions and another fun time in Madrid. Fabulous tour in Madrid with Carmen.

Steve🇺🇸 United States

9 June 2022

Rachel🇺🇸 United States

11 May 2022

We enjoyed a fun, informative and lovely day with Carmen in Madrid. With only one day, we wanted to get a taste of the city from someone who actually lives there. Carmen was the perfect host, and designed a custom tour just for us. Her family has been in Madrid for 5 generations. She took us to her father's favorite shop, as well as several of her own favorite hangouts. We enjoyed beautiful views, history, art, delicious tapas bites, drinks and an all around fabulous day. Thanks Carmen!Amazing day in Madrid

John🇺🇸 United States

16 February 2022

What a great guide, day and experience!! Carmen is a 5th generation Madrileno and knows the city. She met us at our hotel as planned and we spent the day on a walking tour of Madrid. There were a few things in particular we wanted to see and she easily accommodated our request. She has long-standing personal relationships with many of the people (waiters, matre d, managers, etc.) at the places we visited - this saves time and adds a special dimension to her tour. You will learn a lot about not only the history of Madrid (including the backgrounds of the various Royal families of Spain), but also how the city developed and why it developed the way it did. We stopped a few times for Tapas and a drink and had a wonderful lunch at Cerveccia Alemana (a favorite of Hemingway and the food is very good, also). She has a love of Spanish literature and you will learn more about Cervantes, Man of La Mancha and Don Quixote that in your high school literature classes. Highly recommended.Saturday in Madrid with Carmen - Wonderful

Unknown

13 February 2022

Carmen was terrific she not only knew the history behind Madrid but also took us to other “out of the way” places during our tour. The best part was her personal touch. We stopped at several restaurants and bars along the way where we were warmly greeted by the owners who new Carmen and treated us to special tapas, drinks and a look beyond. By the end of our tour it felt like we had made a life-long friend and can’t wait to come back for another tour with Carmen. If you’re looking for that personal touch Carmen is the right choice.

Chantale🇨🇭 Switzerland

10 November 2021

Die Tour was super. Sehr interressannt. Persöndlich und autentisch. Jederzeit wiederGrandios

Daniel🇺🇸 United States

24 September 2021

Even if you think you know Madrid well, you will see places and learn facts about the city and it's development that are new. Carmen has an encyclopedic knowledge of her city. This is an especially good tour for someone that likes history and appreciates crafts and experiences prior to mass marketing and chain stores. The best and most interesting three hours I have spent in Madrid ever!!!Simply The Best

Kristi🇺🇸 United States

3 July 2021

I spent a spectacular day with Carmen! She knows the best places to go beyond the most popular tourist spots! I think she must know everyone in the city! I feel like I made a friend in Madrid!Highly recommend!

Carol🇪🇸 Spain

15 February 2021

We couldn't have asked for better weather! And Carmen's sunny disposition and energetic personality was a perfect match for our tour. Carmen's savvy knowledge and life time experiences as a true Madrileño gave us a behind- the-scenes look at some of Madrid's oldest establishments and hidden gems. Carmen's genuine friendships with owners and employees of the city's landmark businesses was delightful. No topic was left untouched: literature, culture, architecture, cuisine, art, history ... It was a fabulous day of sightseeing and storytelling. And her English was excellent as well. Highly recommend! Secrets Revealed on a Glorious Day

Raymona🇩🇪 Germany

7 December 2019

We liked walking Madrid with Carmen. She gave us insight in things that we otherwise would not have seen. Very relaxed and now we know more. She shows you Madrid in an intimate way

Beth🇺🇸 United States

18 September 2019

We had a fabulous intro to Madrid with Carmen. Her energy level is through the roof and exactly what we needed to kick start our Madrid experience. There are many great things to say about Carmen but one of the most important is that she is a true local. She knew all of the staff at the various restaurants we visited. Carmen was passionate about Spanish history and we loved hearing her point of view. We highly recommend Carmen! Electric Madrid

Edward

7 May 2019

I wish when I landed in Madrid that Carman was the first person I met. I couldn’t think of a better person to guide you though this labyrinth of a city. She is always informative, charming, witty and concise. Really you would want no other person to pal around a few hours with. Whenever we think of Madrid it will always be with fond and funny memories of our time with her. If you’re looking for witty, intelligent,informative and above all fun memories of Madrid, I would highly recommend giving Carman a shout.The best of Madrid

Beth🇦🇺 Australia

3 May 2019

We had an amazing time with the lovely Carmen . She was passionate about her job & city & shared her wealth of knowledge with us . We had a great night & we are so glad to have her as a friend Highly recommend this tour . Amazing experience

Gordon🇨🇦 Canada

1 May 2019

Carmen was a super host and great fun to be with, you will learn much about Madrid like a local; and ask anything about any major city she will know the best things to see and eat there. She seems to know everyone in all the best stores and restaurants, and can give you priceless tips about those establishments. If you want a fun and informative evening about everything Madrid, have a day with Carmen. Thanks GordLearn about everything Madrid and beyond

Ruth🇺🇸 United States

26 January 2019

Carmen is wonderful. She was exactly what I needed. She took on of my guest around Madrid while I had to work one day. She was accommodating, agreeing to pick up and drop off at hotel, explained things her way, and brought us to local dishes. She made a schedule to what we needed, nothing more or less. Well experienced with people and happy to meet new friends around the work. They type of personal guide you don’t mind hanging around with for 6 hours. 😍Private tour in Madrid

James

14 December 2018

Only one comment. Carmen was brilliant. The best ever local tour guide that I have had. JamesFab tour of Madrid

Diarmuid

10 December 2018

A group of us from Dublin (5) arranged a trip to Madrid for our Christmas Party. We arranged to meet with Carmen on the Friday of our trip and it was the best thing we could have done. We had asked Carmen to show us the history of the city while also including some local food + drink which she a fantastic job in doing! We had a fantastic time, saw loads of the city, enjoyed local food and wines and really enjoyed our trip! Thank you very much Carmen, we will be back! Christmas Party from Dublin

Kathy🇺🇸 United States

16 November 2018

Carmen was an enthusiastic tour guide. She showed us HER Madrid with passion! She was full of recommendations for our stay. I would recommend her for anyone visiting Madrid. Kathy and David SiegelMadrid Like a True Local Madrileño

Nancy

17 October 2018

My husband and I were visiting from Boston- carmen showed us our best evening out! She knew exactly where to take us and we want to go back and party with her again! Fantastic time!! Thanks Carmen!👍👍Carmen is the best!!

Susan🇦🇺 Australia

15 October 2018

We chose Carmen to undertake our first tour of Madrid due to the outstanding recommendations she had received on WithLocals and her reputation is clearly deserved. Carmen is a true local and she generously shared her time and significant knowledge with us during the tour. She helped us to understand the history and culture of Madrid, as well as the physical layout of the city, which helped orientate us for further explorations on our own. We wouldn't have enjoyed our time in Madrid if we hadn't had taken this tour with Carmen - we can't wait to return! Wonderful Tour

Therese🇳🇱 Netherlands

5 October 2018

We had such a great time wandering around the old Madrid street with Carmen telling us all about the history and the special places. She is great! We had fun and we learned a lot about Madrid and Spain. Carmen takes her times and is absolutely not fixed on time. At the last place we visited she took the time to have a wine and a bite and talk a bit more about day to day life in Madrid. Carmen is the best!

Vanessa🇦🇺 Australia

24 September 2018

We had a fantastic time with Carmen! We hit it off with her straight away and thoroughly enjoyed learning some history and interesting facts about Madrid! It was very relaxing and we felt like we were being shown around Madrid with a friend!! Loved visiting the rooftop terrace bar and the quaint streets and various places we would never have found on our own!! We loved Carmen’s passion and enthusiasm for Madrid!! Her tour made us love Madrid even more!!! Highly recommended!!Amazing tour of Madrid with Carmen!

Claudia🇺🇸 United States

23 September 2018

Carmen was a delight and very friendly. She took us out on our first night in Madrid getting acquainted with the Salamanca neighborhood. She was very responsive exchanging messages on the app to coordinate a personalized tour. We met and felt instantly comfortable with her and like we were with an old friend. She had a lot of information to share, knew the hidden terraces for views of the city, and was very passionate about her city. Touring with a friend

Celia🇺🇸 United States

26 July 2018

Carmen is a fantastic guide! She is articulate, intelligent, and a true Madrileña (5 generations). She can show you unforgettable historic places that you probably will overlook. She knows the literary and political history of Madrid and of Spain. I highly recommend her!Fabulous Guide

Jessica 🇺🇸 United States

12 July 2018

I wasn't able to make it in time for the tour finally due to flight delays, but still was able to meet up with Carmen and was invited out for a fun night partying in Madrid since it happened to be Gay Pride week as well! Thank you so much for the unique experience and memories!So much fun in Madrid!

Wayne🇺🇸 United States

7 July 2018

We really enjoyed our time with Carmen. She is friendly, knowledgeable and full of fun. Her love of Madrid, its out-of-the-way places and its people is contagious. We got to appreciate what it is like to live in and to enjoy this city. We stopped and enjoyed several sites and establishments. Some of these were surprises that I will not give away. By the end of the night it was like we were old friends out on the town. We were truly sad to say goodbye. The only regret is that we didn't take this tour when we first arrived in Madrid. Carmen had many suggestions and several of the places were definitely worth a return visit. Carmen even gave us recommendations of places to see and to eat in our upcoming cities. DONT miss this tour. Wayne & Teri NH USAWe had a great tour with Carmen !!

Siobhain🇨🇦 Canada

28 June 2018

We had a wonderful time with Carmen! Her love and passion for Madrid is genuine and contagious - the information she shared is the kind you'd never find in any guidebook, only from a native. By the end of the tour, we had a new friend - we can't wait to come back to Madrid and book another tour. Muchos gracias, mi querida!Muchos gracias Carmen!

Sandra🇪🇸 Spain

5 June 2018

Carmen was fun and knowledgeable. Thank you!Very fun guide

Irma🇬🇧 United Kingdom

4 June 2018

Carmen is all that and a bag of chips! She is full of life, loves her city and has a little Sex in the City, Carrie and Samantha attitude which we absolutely adored. Genuine and unapologetic but certainly not rude in any way. This was exactly what we wanted from a local and she is truly one of a kind. We walked, talked, laughed, and felt like we had been friends for years. Afterwards, we ended up hanging out at a local, beloved tapas eatery with Carmen, that's how much fun we had and how nice it was meeting her. Carmen was the bomb!

Sharon🇺🇸 United States

27 May 2018

We had the best time and learned so much about historic Madrid that we never would have learned or seen. Many places you can't get to by bus or car. She loves Madrid and it shows! We highly recommend going with Carmen!!Carmen was amazing!

Matteo🇨🇭 Switzerland

14 May 2018

Carmen is really kind and professional. She show me the hidden gems of Madrid. I recommend her. Madrid like a true Local Madrileño

Charles 🇺🇸 United States

28 April 2018

Carmen is an amazing guide! My wife and I couldn't have asked for a better time. She was extremely knowledgeable and is a true local who knows all of the best spots in Madrid. We loved her full spirit and great enthusiasm for all things Madrid. Thank you Carmen for making our trip memorable. Better than we could have every expected!

Pete

19 March 2018

Carmen was great to work with. As soon as we booked, Carmen reached out and worked with my wife and I to personalize our tour. On top of that she offered plenty of suggestions to help make our time spent outside of our tour better. Our tour with Carmen was really great! We ate fantastic tapas, saw the city from new perspectives, and really got a sense of the culture. Carmen has a real love and passion for Madrid, her culture, and her rich history. I would highly recommend booking with Carmen. You won't regret it! Great tour with a new friend!

Jim🇺🇸 United States

8 March 2018

My evening with Carmen made my first day in Madrid incredibly fun and made me feel like a local. Sometimes, when one travels by oneself, it takes a few days to feel comfortable, but Carmen's fun and warm personality made me feel at ease and was a great way to start my trip to Spain. In addition to her planned tour (that is simply amazing), Carmen customized the tour given my love for Flamenco. As it turns out, she is extremely knowledgeable and has a deep love for Flamenco as well and we took in an amazing show, in addition to tapas, wine, and history of Madrid and Spain. If you book a tour with Carmen, you will have the time of your life - I know she created a memory for me that will last a lifetime. Thank you Carmen!A night to remember

Jairo Alberto🇺🇸 United States

3 March 2018

I speak her language, so Carmen and my family hit it off with Carmen right away. She is knowledgeable and outgoing and kind and light hearted and sweet and warm. Even in cold rainy Madrid, she managed to make us forget the weather and concentrate on the beauty and rich history and art of the city. Carmen la hemos pasado de hostias! Eres una guía maravillosa y nos haz hecho sentir como si fuéramos amigos de toda la vida! Muchas gracias!!!! Te recomendaré a todas las personas q pueda! Eres fenomenal!!Great person, great guide, great friend!

Melissa🇺🇸 United States

28 February 2018

I really enjoyed my tour with Carmen. We had a great time. It felt like I was just hanging out, exploring the city with a friend. Carmen was great!

Isabel

20 February 2018

Abbiamo trascorso 3 ore passeggiando per le bellissime vie di Madrid, visitando locali caratteristici e splendide opere d’arte, con una guida d’eccezione: Carmen. Molto gentile, simpatica e disponibile. Ci ha organizzato un tour inconsueto, non le solite cose e non i soliti cenni storici. Siamo entrati nella Madrid vera e l’abbiamo vissuta guardandola con gli occhi dei veri madrileñi. Davvero un esperienza indimenticabile. Consigliatissima!!!! Spero di tornarci presto. Mi affiderò senz’altro ancora a Carmen e a questo splendido ed innovativo servizio. C’è ancora tanto da vedere. Madrid like a true Local Madrileño

Robyn🇺🇸 United States

19 February 2018

Una sorprendente svoperta

Manon🇨🇦 Canada

31 January 2018

We had a wonderful saturday afternoon in Madrid with Carmen, rich in a wealth of information about Madrid but also Spain in general. Carmen has an impressive knowledge about history. We walked places we had walked many times before over the years without noticing what she showed us during the tour. She is very generous. A fabulous afternoon with Carmen in Madrid

Dan & Carol🇨🇦 Canada

3 December 2017

We had a wonderful time with Carmen exploring the delights of Madrid and, best of all, we made a new friend. We met Carmen at a sidewalk restaurant not far from our hotel and immediately hit it off. She is a little closer to our age - we are 60 - than the other guides we had on our trip and I think that helped. Not complaining about our other guides, who were uniformly good, but sometimes the 20-something perspective and attitude can be a bit wearing for us older folks. That being said Carmen is a human dynamo, full of energy and passion: passion for her city of Madrid and for Spain; passion for the great food and drink; passion for the fascinating architecture and art that is everywhere; passion for music and dance, especially the flamenco guitar; passion for the history and culture of this great city and country. And, Carmen knows everybody! Flamenco guitar makers...check! Flamenco dance teachers...check! Restaurant, bar and delicatessen operators...check! There were so many highlights that day: our stop at the shop of the Flamenco guitar maker (who is obviously a dear friend) and a chance to talk about guitar making and playing and the mysteries of Flamenco; the Cerverceria Alemanna where Hemingway went to drink beer and get into fights (of course in the old town it's probably harder to find bars where Hemingway didn't drink and get into fights); the tiny seafood place - so tiny that they don't have chairs - with the freshest, tastiest grilled shrimp in the world; the cape maker where we all fell in love with the traditional Spanish cape, or at least the idea of the traditional Spanish cape.... Best of all was just walking through the town, listening to Carmen tell us about so many places and people and memories. Just a fantastic time...a thousand thanks to Carmen. Muchas gracias!You will LOVE Carmen!

Jorge🇺🇸 United States

28 November 2017

Carmen is a wonderful person full of knowledge. She knows a lot of people and unique places to visit and eat. I loved my tour! Madrid

Bryan🇺🇸 United States

7 November 2017

We had a great time on our private tour with Carmen. She was very knowledgeable of the city and clearly knew many of the locals personally. She was even able to get us into several closed shops/restaurants (as our tour was on the early side) by speaking to the staff. Additionally as our tour wrapped up she gave us many great restaurants and other suggestions which she wrote down for us. A few of which we visited where we certainly would have not without the recommendations. Thanks Carmen!Carmen was great!

Dianne🇺🇸 United States

11 October 2017

Carmen was wonderful!! She did not just show us around the beautiful city of Madrid, but I feel she became our friend. She is in love with her city and is excited to share it's history and secrets. I highly recommend her if you are looking for someone to show you the true Madrid. The perfect afternoon!

Bart🇨🇭 Switzerland

4 October 2017

Together with Carmen, my daughter (12) and I went on an exploration of Madrid's daily life. We visited all kinds of local shops and artisans with rich heritage and learned and discussed about the history of Madrid and Spain throughout the centuries. All this whilst walking the streets and paying attention to it's great monumental buildings and city life. Carmen brought her daughter in the same age-group of mine and as such the tour became even "more local"! After the tour we where kindly invited to meet up with her friends and spent memorable moments in bar and restaurant which one as tourist would have never come across. Thank you Carmen and Rita for your passion and rich explanations about a great city and it's people! We'll be back - and good to know that you also organise visits outside Madrid -> across the country! Highly recommended - All the best!! Constance and Bart A truly local and personalised experience

Juliet🇿🇦 South Africa

29 September 2017

We had an incredible tour around the old town of Madrid discovering places (shops bars,bakeries ,flamenco spots and exciting roads we would never have found ourselves .Carmen had so much knowledge and passion to share about her city.Really fun to be able to ask all the questions you wanted to know and would never find on google !! A really worthwhile experience and best was the next day we knew exactly where to find all the best spots !!-thank you Carmen 😀😀😀 we loved our evening with you .Amazing tour!!!

Nigel🇬🇧 United Kingdom

16 September 2017

What a great time we had in the company of Carmen. The tour consisted of only my wife and I with Carmen and that is the way I would want it. Carmen took us to some amazing Tavernas, Plazas, Streets and restaurants and filled us in on the history of each place. This was supplemented by history, tales and information as we walked between venues. We shared a love of flamenco, art and culture and from our initial meeting it was clear that Carmen would tailor the tour to our specific interests. Above all we enjoyed her excellent company and wit, sharing wine and tapas at several locations. We left Carmen feeling we had made a friend for life and would highly recommend her tour. Excellent!Madrid with Carmen - Great tour, wine, Tap

Ling🇪🇸 Spain

27 August 2017

My family had Madrid Like A True Local Madrileño tour with Carmen. We booked the tour last minute and the communication was great. We met at Círculo de Bellas Artes, went to the rooftop and had a panoramic view of Madrid. That was a great way to start the tour. She then took us through the city to many sites with significance in Spanish culture. We also had a peek at the kitchen of the world oldest running restaurant and the underground cave of a taberna at Plaza Mayor. This tour enlightened us about Spanish literature and writers, bull fight culture, and flamenco art. The tour ended with a flamenco show referred by Carmen which was outstanding. We enjoyed the tour and will definitely recommend Carmen to anybody visiting Madrid.Madrid like a true Local Madrileño

Nico🇳🇱 Netherlands

3 August 2017

Carmen showed us a lot of places in Madrid and told us about the history. We went to some really good tapas bars and had a lot of fun. I would certainly recommend this tour.Madrid like a true local Madrileno