Madrid’s Islamic heritage comes alive in its oldest neighbourhoods’ winding streets. On this walking tour of Medieval Madrid, you’ll see medieval walls, hidden towers, and forgotten sites that tell the story of Mayrit – Madrid’s original Arabic name.
Starting at the Monument to Felipe IV in Plaza de Oriente, you’ll peel back layers of history to reveal the fascinating Muslim foundations of Europe’s only capital city to be founded by an Islamic ruler. You’ll see grand royal monuments and the underground archaeological Remains of the Tower of Bones. And you’ll learn how a ninth-century Muslim ruler established a watchtower that would evolve into the modern metropolis, and how subsequent Christian kings attempted to obscure this inconvenient historical truth.
As you make your way to the charming Plaza de los Carros, where the tour ends, you’ll wander through the charming cobblestone streets of the former Morería (Muslim quarter). You’ll explore how Christians, Muslims, and Jews coexisted through centuries of shifting power dynamics, leaving their mark on everything from architecture and art to language and cuisine.
On this 90-minute walk through Madrid’s overlooked medieval heritage, you’ll have the chance to:
• Visit Madrid’s oldest church, San Nicolás el Real (the church of Saint Nicholas), whose tower displays the distinctive horseshoe arches and architectural elements borrowed from mosques
• Trace the impressive medieval walls of both Muslim Mayrit and Christian Madrid, built of flint, giving rise to part of the city’s motto: ”My walls are made of fire”
• Take in the hidden Plaza de Alamillo, once the gathering place for the self-governing Muslim community after the Christian conquest
• See the former Morería district, where Madrid’s Muslim population continued to live and work after the Christian reconquest
• Learn how Muslim artisans shaped Madrid’s architecture through the distinctive Mudéjar style, still visible in surviving medieval towers
• Stroll through the historic Garden of the Prince of Anglona, restored with elements of both Roman and Andalusian garden design
• Find traces of underground qanats (waterways) that gave Madrid its name, reflecting the advanced hydraulic engineering of its Muslim founders
By the end of this Madrid tour, you’ll see how the city’s Islamic roots continue to influence its present, from its architecture and urban layout, to its cuisine and even its language.
FAQ
How do I get the tour?
Download the Voicemap app from Google Play for Android or App Store for iPhone. Once you’ve set up your account, you can purchase the tour of Medieval Madrid and download it to your phone.
How does the tour work?
When you arrive at the Monument to Felipe IV just outside Madrid’s Royal Palace, the tour will automatically. The app uses your GPS to trigger audio, and I’ll guide you to the next stop. If you wander off the route, it’ll even tell you and you can look at a map on your phone to find the way again.
What’s the route like?
This is a 2km walking tour that takes you from the Royal Palace, close to Opera metro, to the Museo de San Isidro, which is convenient for the La Latina metro. It’s nice to do this one on a clear day as you’ll enjoy stunning views of the mountains to the north of Madrid along the way and learn about their strategic importance to the city! The route takes around an hour to complete and while there are a few slightly challenging slopes, it’s nothing too taxing.
Can I take a break?
Absolutely! You can pause the tour at any point to grab a coffee or check out a shop. Be warned that toilets tend to be few and far between in Madrid, so it’s often advisable to ask to use the facilities in a cafe or hotel. However, on this route, you’re lucky as there is a public restroom at the start in the underground car park below the Plaza de Oriente and another in the Mercado de Cebada right by where the tour ends. I’ve got a whole post on where to find toilets in Madrid, if you need more info.
What can I expect from the tour?
Many people love that this tour takes you from the Royal Palace, Madrid’s busiest tourist attraction, to some of its quieter areas in the charming district of La Latina. Along the way, you’ll be able to spot traces of the city’s Muslim history that you may well have missed without guidance.