• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Take a walk off the beaten track, away from the tourist crowds, and see the real side of Madrid. On this private tour, go beyond the classic route and explore Chueca where you’ll experience a different Madrid, like a local with a local by your side!

Destination

Madrid, Spain

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

2.5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español, Русский, Deutsch, Italiano

Included

• Private Guide
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 8 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

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 the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Cervecería Santa Bárbara - 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. Off the Beaten Track

   Done with the main highlights of Madrid? Check out Chueca. Explore a lesser-known part of the city that will give you a more authentic feel of Madrid. Check out Mercado San Anton, Plaza del dos de Mayo and more!

4. The Real Deal

   Let a local expert in the area you’ll visit show you their Madrid from a different perspective - away from the tourist traps. See street art, cultural hot spots, local vendors, hangout spots, and historical gems, and embrace the vibe!

5. Personalized Recommendations

   Want to explore more of the area after the tour? Your host is happy to recommend their favorite eateries and where to take a break while wandering in this vibrant area

6. Unique Plan

   Depending on your host, this tour will be experienced based on their knowledge, passion, and expertise. Pick a host that matches your interests and see their city through their eyes!

7. 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.

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

Petra

(About local Virginia )

1 March 2025

2 1/2 Stunden haben wir mit Virginia in Chueca verbracht - was als simple Führung begann, hat sich zu einer schönen Begegnung entwickelt, vielen Dank dafür!Wunderbare Begegnung

Alecia🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eva)

20 February 2025

Yulia was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G-! We met around 9:30 AM and set about on a brisk morning walk to kickstart our tour. Having hit many of the "must see" sights already, we were looking for a unique experience to fully immerse us into the local culture and 'off the beaten path' sights. Yulia 100% met our expectations and even delivered beyond. Her historical knowledge was on point, not to mention her knowledge on fun facts, neighborhoods, diversity, local customs, etc. We learned so much today of a 'behind the scenes' view. We asked many questions and Yulia indulged us each and every time. We definitely recommend the tour as you will be exposed to an experience that the locals live on a daily basis. We covered many miles in walking, so wear comfortable shoes! We really appreciated the coffee break to rest our feet and to chat comfortably over coffee, tea and beer. We did have a hiccup in our meeting point which we assume responsibility for as we should have abided by the confirmation note in WhatsApp vs. the booking details in withlocals.com. Yulia, however, was incredibly patient and accommodating and was so very kind to us not holding our hiccup against us.Magical Madrid

Brady🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mateo )

19 November 2024

Mateo is a pleasant host, punctual, a Spanish citizen from Ecuador. We both thought there would be more content to this walk about. The tour is overpriced as such. Pleasant but overpriced

Max🇺🇸 United States

(About local María Augusta)

30 October 2024

Our tour with Maria was pretty much everything I was hoping it would be (and what I've now come to expect with withlocals!). Our group was two couples (4 people) and Maria was extremely engaging with everyone in our group from the moment we arrived at the meeting point through the end of the tour. Maria brought us around to a few cool, unique shops, stopped by a few local art galleries, and pointed out a bunch of interesting facts/observations about the buildings, architecture, and general history of Madrid. From a basic content and structure standpoint, 10/10. Beyond the structure and content of the tour, Maria is an absolutely delightful human. She was warm, friendly, listened to our questions, was patient throughout the tour, and was an excellent and clear communicator. I didn't once feel rushed, pressured, bored, or anything of the sort during our time spent with Maria. As a guide, 10/10. If you're going back and forth about spending money on a private tour or whether to choose Maria - do it. You can thank me later. Thoughtful and Extremely Enjoyable!

Mo🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Eva)

18 October 2024

I would highly recommend Eva to take you around Madrid. She took me to places the locals would only go and she wowed me with her knowledge, her enthusiasm and her love for Madrid and travel in general. She made my day and look forward to coming back to Madrid to have Eva show me more. Mucho gracias. Eva was a sheer delight

elisabeth🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Patricia )

17 October 2024

We fully enjoyed the tour with Patricia. She is very knoledgable and gave us interesting excplanations during the well chosen route. All her tips for restaurants were excellent. Her German is very good and she responded well to our questions and needs. It was the perfect start for our week in Madrid.its a perfect way to get to know Madrid.Very insightful tour

Jim🇺🇸 United States

(About local Julio César)

8 October 2024

Julio was very knowledgeable and lots of fun to spend a few hours with. He tailored his comments about each area to our specific requests and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our walking tour with him. It was a great way to get to know a small piece of Madrid. Thank you Julio!Great energy and knowledge!

Dan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Patricia )

4 September 2024

We had a very informative and fun tour with Patricia. From architecture to history to politics to great restaurant ideas, we had a great time on this tour. She is very knowledgeable and shares her insights with a love for Madrid. It is an excellent way to start your trip in Madrid and you will leave the tour with a smile on your face. Highly recommended.Friendly and Unique

Dennis🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local María Augusta)

9 June 2024

We had an enjoyable walk with Maria. Maria Augusta is a fantastic host who knows everything of Madrid and it’s habits. She takes the time and answers every question you have with enthousiasm and passion.Great experience

Christina🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Patricia )

8 June 2024

Sehr informativ und tolerant Einblick in das Leben abseits der Touristen hotspots.

Randall🇪🇸 Spain

(About local María Augusta)

22 May 2024

Maria Augusta took us “off the beaten path” in a Madrid neighborhood. We really didn’t know what to expect but 2 1/5 hours flew by as she walked us through shops, museums and many quaint streets. Look up, look down - she pointed out things we would never have noticed. Her knowledge and stories were impressive. So glad we took the chance and did something very local and not typical!! Highly recommend Maria Augusta!Ask for Maria Augusta!

Reinhold🇺🇸 United States

(About local Julián )

12 May 2024

Julian was a friendly, entertaining, and knowledgeable guide, full of local tales, tips, and anecdotes, as well as personal stories. We would not hesitate to recommend him highly. Truly excellent guide!

Wiebke 🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Julio César)

18 January 2024

Julio is a wonderful guide which I can recommend with all my heart. He took his time to get to know me (I booked a private tour) and to then cater the tour to my preferences. He knew so many little details and interesting stories at basically every corner that no regular tourist guide has time to provide. His English is impeccable but after hearing that I used to live in Madrid for a few months some 30 years ago he offered to do the tour in Spanish ( I booked English) which I gladly accepted, but he switched easily to English when I was a bit "lost". I had a really, really great evening that ended with a drink ( my request, my treat, not! included in the tour offer). Hasta la proxima, Julio 💛 Muchas gracias y besitos!

Roy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Julián )

2 November 2023

Julian is the best. My wife and I had the pleasure of touring the Chueca neighborhood with him recently and it was by far the best tour we had done in Madrid. My wife had fallen on some stairs during our trip and not walking well. Julian took his time, stopped frequently and truly took into account her ability vs a specific itenerary to get through. We very much enjoyed our time with him as he brought the architecure to life explaining the history and significance of the buildings, plazas and statues. This tour gave us a local's experience which was both off the beaten path and full of charm and delight. I can't recommend Julian enough! He has natural warmth and intellect which makes him to be a joy to be with. Best Madrid Walking Tour

missfitcarls

(About local Patricia )

21 October 2023

Patricia was incredible! She’s clearly very passionate about the history of the city, and diverse enough to be able to share lots of interesting information no matter what your interests are. I’d love to take a tour of hers again sometime.Best Guide I Could’ve Asked For!

Michelle 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Julio César)

6 October 2023

Julio César is amazing- a genuine soul who gives his all to this tour. His great pride in Madrid, and sharing more about the unique beauty and aspects of Chueca is phenomenal. If you are not comfortable speaking Spanish his English is flawless. He tailors to tour to your interests. Points out & recommends local businesses, reinforces the main thoroughfares so you are always oriented properly and confident to voyage out on your own. He takes time to get to know you personally and customizes the tour highlights to your interests. Highly recommend this tour and especially this guide. Fantastic experience- Julio es lo mejor!!

Sabine🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Julián )

30 September 2023

Julian ist sehr kompetent. Er zeigt uns sein Madrid mit viel Wissen zu Architektur und Geschichte. Auch Tapasbars und Restaurantempfehlungen waren alle super und wurden gleich ausprobiert. Sehr guter erster windruck von Madrid

Sandie🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Mateo )

28 July 2023

My sister and I really enjoyed our time with Mateo, and we loved the relaxed and intimate style of the tour. A few shops we wanted to take us to were closed, but that didn't matter to us, but he was genuinely disappointed for us which was very sweet. He could answer all the 100s of questions we asked. Highly recommend! Thanks Mateo.Knowledgeable and sweet

xt45gkbspp

(About local Mateo )

9 July 2023

Mateo was a great tour guide. We saw so ms things that we just never would have seen on our own, or just would have walked by not knowing the meaning and import. He was flexible based on our schedule. Showed us some really funky stores Just a cool guy. Would recommend Great tour of off rhe beaten track!

Stephanie 🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Patricia )

13 June 2023

Patricia hat die Stadtführung zu einem ganz besonderen Erlebnis gemacht, ist auf Wünsche eingegangen und hat uns eine „andere Seite“ von Madrid gezeigt. Die Zeit ist wie im Flug vergangen. Beim nächsten Besuch freuen wir uns auf die nächste Tour mit Patricia! Vielen Dank nochmal. Stadttour mit einer großartigen Patricia

Barbara🇺🇸 United States

(About local María Augusta)

5 June 2023

My friend and I were visiting Madrid and hoping to get a feel for the different neighborhoods. Maria could not have been better! She understand just what we wanted and had wonderful anecdotes about the culture and history of Madrid that enriched our experience. She guided us through colorful neighborhoods, always sensitive to our needs and timing. I will definitely contact her again the next time we are come to Madrid and happily recommend her to othres!Wonderful experience with Maria!

Debbie🇺🇸 United States

(About local María Augusta)

29 January 2023

We really enjoyed our tour of the Chueca neighborhood with Maria Augusta. She has a lot of knowledge about the area, art & architecture & shared it effortlessly. We learned much about the history of the neighborhood & went into some fabulous artisanal shops & a couple of art galleries. There is no way a non local would be able to duplicate this on one’s own. We have visited Madrid before & this time wanted to explore a bit off the beaten path. And we did!Fantastic & informative tour of Chueca

Patricia 🇵🇭 Philippines

(About local Mateo )

9 November 2022

I asked Matteo if he could add to the Chueca tour and show my Malasaña as well, since I was booked to stay in Malasaña for 2 weeks. He provided a wonderful glimpse into both neighborhoods, ensuring I would find myself at home walking around during my stay. He did admit he thought tour may take too long so he cut out a few stops from the Chueca leg. I wish that he didn’t, but overall, I enjoyed the tour very much. Matteo gave good insights about the history and present life of both barrios. Discovering Chueca and Malasaña

Stephanie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mateo )

7 October 2022

Mateo hit the spot on this tour by truly taking me off the beaten path. I would not have found these places without him or I would have walked by without evening knowing about it, to include shops specializing in items like leather and fans, to art galleries to the school of architecture, while still providing history of Madrid. Hit the spot

Norbert🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Patricia )

1 October 2022

Unsere Tour mit Patricia führte durch viele Gassen und Plätze von Chueca und Mansares. Sie gab uns viele Informationen über gute Tapas- Bars und das Leben der Menschen in diesen Stadteilen außerhalb der Haupttourismusströme.Ein schöner Nachmittag.

Mitchell🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lucas)

19 September 2022

Lucas grew up in this area and knows so much about it from a personal standpoint. When you combine that with his charm and love for the city, it is the recipe for a perfect afternoon afternoon walk.Truly a local for this neighborhood.

Kurt🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lucas)

29 August 2022

Lucas was truly a local as he was able to point out places he remembered growing up. Certain places he wanted to show us were closed due to it being August, but we didn’t feel like we missed any “must see” POI’s. He wasn’t gay, but was so entertaining that we consider him an honorary FOD ;0) Lucas’ joy in sharing his old neighborhood was evident and his insights into the history through the centuries of this area were considerable. Thanks for the great tour Lucas!Chueca and Malasaña Magic

Anastasia🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Elena)

27 May 2022

The tour was an awesome experience and worth every penny! My host was incredibly nice, told very interesting bits and pieces about Madrid, showed unique places and gave valuable tips and suggestions for my last evening. Would definitely recommend! :)The tour was an awesome experience and worth every penny!

Cassandra🇺🇸 United States

(About local Julio César)

25 May 2022

Julio has the perfect personality for meeting new people. He is so friendly and warm. He went the extra mile and walked us through a map and helps us connect all the dots. This would be a great tour to do right when you get to Madrid to get oriented and a sense of what you want to see. He can also give you great tips. The perfect guide!

Jennifer🇺🇸 United States

(About local Julio César)

12 May 2022

I can’t recommend this tour enough. Julio was an incredible guide, showing up with a guidebook and neighborhood maps for me. He took the time to get to know my tastes and what I was looking to get out of the tour, and when it was over, sent me off with a bunch of recommendations. He showed me little details of the neighborhood I never would have noticed myself, and related them to the history of the neighborhood. Amazing tour. Book him!Fantastic

Jenn🇺🇸 United States

(About local María Augusta)

3 May 2022

Maria was an awesome host and a lot of fun. She showed us around Justica and Chueca. I was so happy to see some of the local shops and artisans who actually make and sell their own products. We had so many unique experiences from meeting the owner and seeing the workshop of a haute couture hand fan designers, the private impromptu magic show and the beautiful hand crafted leather bags with a side of snuggly dog. We were interested in buying and supporting these artists so Maria adjusted on the fly to make sure we got to see and visit some really amazing places. We wished we could have hung out with her all day!So much fun

Brenda Jeanne

(About local María Augusta)

25 April 2022

Maria was an amazing guide - very knowledgeable, friendly and started us out right on our holiday with in-depth tour of the neighbourhood. Highly recommend!Maria was an amazing guide

Jose🇺🇸 United States

(About local Marianissa)

10 April 2022

It was an extreme pleasure to had a tour with Marianissa it was like getting a tour with a friend who happened to live in Madrid. She showed us a bunch of cool shops and neat locations to eat and drink with locals. We took her recommendations on several drink and eating spots. We really enjoyed her insight to the city and just felt at ease with her personality. It was really enjoyable and my wife and I would highly recommend her for your next tour around Madrid. Marianissa is awesome

Valerie🇪🇸 Spain

(About local María Augusta)

6 February 2022

My husband and I did the “Off The Beaten Track in Madrid: Chueca” with Maria Augusta. She met us at the appointed time and showed us all around this amazing neighborhood. Maria Augusta is friendly, approachable, flexible, fun, and knowledgeable! She even helped us find a wonderful restaurant for lunch at the end of the tour! I highly recommend that you experience Chueca, a progressive and beautiful neighborhood in Madrid, and that you do it with Maria Augusta as your guide!Highly tecommended tour guide and experience!

Rachel

(About local Marianissa)

23 November 2021

Amaizing!! 🙂 Marianissa was super great for a tour guide. I learned so much about Madrid and she makes me want to move here! If I ever come back to Madrid, I would love to have Marianissa as a tour guide again. She was amaizing!!!.

Tatiana

(About local Marianissa)

23 November 2021

Marianissa was very knowledgeable and energetic. She took her time with us and showed us a great time. Her picks for cañas and tapas was excellent! Thank you Marianissa!.

Mansi

(About local Marianissa)

23 November 2021

Marianissa was amaizing and very accomodating, her knowledge of the city, and her upbeat personality is very charming. She changed my mind about flying to Berlin tomorrow. Thank you for a wonderful evening..

javier🇺🇸 United States

(About local María Augusta)

22 November 2021

Excelente Tour. Muy profesional y conocedera de Madrid. Estuvo perfecto. Mil gracias por todo. Super

Stefanie 🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Elena)

1 November 2021

Elena is a warm one who has shown me many beautiful places and interesting people in this great city. I had a lot of fun and with her fun-loving nature it was very varied. Thank you Elena

Martin

(About local María Augusta)

26 October 2021

Maria was a good guide with detailed insight into the area and its traditions and sights. I absolutely recommend this tour for those who want to see more than the very center of the town. Madrid is a fascinating city where each district has its own character. Walking with a guide is the best way to get to know it. Highly recommended!A nice walk in an interesting area of Madrid!

Karen🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Elena)

21 October 2021

Into great stories? Good food? Interesting art and architecture? One-of-a-kind shops? Elena is your guide! She knows her stuff and is a very nice and interesting woman. It was more than a pleasure to be guided by her. It made our visit to Madrid extra special. Actually, we could not praise her enough. Highly recommended! In het Nederlands: Elena is superleuk en ze heeft ons zoveel interessante dingen verteld en laten zien! De volgende keer in Madrid willen we weer met Elena op stap. Waar dan ook: we weten zeker dat ze er weer een interessante tour van maakt! Don’t hesitate: book Elena!

dudy🇮🇱 Israel

(About local Elena)

21 October 2021

We had a great time with Elena, travling through small streets and intersting local hidden gems that we would otherwise never have found. Elena was wonderfull, she is an exclent guide and it was a lot of fun to spend a few hours with her. Ahe also helped us plan the rest of days in Madrid and shared great tips. A wonderfull experience

Vanessa

(About local Marianissa)

15 October 2021

This tour was so great. Very informative & personable. Highly recommend..

David🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local María Augusta)

8 October 2021

My daughter and I met Acsmiling Maria and straight away we were discovering new things about chocolate and Architecture. We visited so many amazing places and met some very interesting people along the way. Maria was the perfect host with stories and lots of information. Normally I would say do all your tours at the start of a trip but this is so different you could even go on the final day of your trip. Highly recommended. Unseen Madrid

Mark🇺🇸 United States

(About local Elena)

6 October 2021

If you like the idea of a “guide” during your travels rather than a packaged tour, choose Elena to accompany you as you get to know Madrid. We thoroughly enjoyed our day with Elena as we went on a customized version of the Off The Beaten Track tour of Chueca. She was responsive to our requests in customizing the day to take us to local shops, businesses and cafes. Elena is very knowledgeable and engaging. We particularly appreciated the tips and recommendations she made during a leisurely lunch at the end of our time together. We have been on “tours” before and they were enjoyable, but using Elena as our guide was like meeting up with a friend who knows the city and is willing to spend the day introducing us to her favorite spots. I highly recommend that you choose Elena as your guide in Madrid.

Rita

(About local Elena)

10 September 2021

The tour was interesting, in areas other than the typically touristy and crowded ones. It was not just a tour with explanations of architecture, history, art, but Elena also introduced us to typical Madrid commercial and production activities and gave us lots of advice on what to see and where to eat well. I thank Elena for accompanying us with sympathy and competence, a really good and engaging guide✌️really good and engaging guide

Olivia

(About local Elena)

19 August 2021

Lo que buscábamos al contactar con una madrileña era conocer algo más que historia y arquitectura y que el recorrido fuera flexible a nuestros intereses. Todo esto lo cumple Elena con profesionalidad, amabilidad y cercanía. Además, nos ofreció buenos consejos para el resto de nuestra estancia en la ciudad. Qué más se puede pedir?El tiempo vuela con Elena

Rafael

(About local Elena)

28 July 2021

Today we had a walking tour with Elena (alternative tour) and I can assure that it was amazing. Elena was great and so fun with the children, very friendly, the girls loved her! The tour itself is really interesting, something that we normally don’t see in Madrid. I strongly recommend this tour if you want to know something different in the city.Off the Beaten Track in Madrid: Chueca Tour with Elena

Dan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Elena)

27 July 2021

Elena was a great guide and host helping us get to know the neighborhood. She showed us amazing independently owned shops that we enjoyed exploring from leatherwork to jewelry to pastries. We learned about architecture and the buildings while also exploring a museum in the neighborhood and learning about the art. She gave us great tips for the rest of our trip in Madrid. Elena was friendly and helpful and was a joy as a guide.Fun and Informative Walking Tour

Samuel🇲🇽 Mexico

(About local Elena)

13 July 2021

Maravilloso, los mejores tours y momentos vividos con algún guía en cualquier viaje que he tenido sin duda han sido con Elena. Mi hijo de 8 años y yo no solo quedamos encantados sino que hoy tenemos una gran amiga y la mejor persona para introducir a familias a Madrid y todas las maravillas que tiene, sobre todo sus museos. Gracias Elena!Me Gusta Madrid: Alternative Side with a Local with Elena.