Madrid Icons & Hidden Gems: Private Custom Tour with a Local
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Madrid, Spain
- 2 to 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Exploring Madrid with a local guide is the best way to get to know the city’s character. Stay away from the tourist attractions—it’s easy enough to visit those on your own—and instead visit hip neighborhoods, local-favorite tapas bars, and artisan shopping districts that are still under the radar. This private tour is with just you and your guide so you can customize every aspect of your experience.
- Private Madrid sightseeing tour, tailored to your likes and dislikes
- Local sightseeing experience emphasizes off-the-beaten-track attractions
- Host is assigned based on your personality and interests
- Great choice for travelers who'd like to go deeper into the city
What's Included
- Private and personalized walking experience with insider tips from a passionate local
- Online questionnaire link sent after booking to tailor your experience and match you to a local host
- Get picked up (on foot) at your accommodation if it's central!
- Flexible durations and start times - Pick your preferred duration when you book
- Direct communication with your host for itinerary planning and local recommendations
- Food, drinks and tickets to any attractions
- Transportation (primarily a walking experience, public transport may be used at an additional cost)
- Gratuities (optional)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
Madrid (Pass By)
Puerta del Sol (Pass By)
Plaza Mayor (Pass By)
La Latina (Pass By)
El Rastro (Pass By)
Parque del Retiro (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private City Unscripted experience: real people, real connections
- After booking, you'll receive a short online questionnaire to share your interests, preferences, and must-sees. Your City Unscripted guide will personally reach out to craft a fully customized itinerary that suits your style—whether you love history, food, hidden gems, or cultural experiences.
- This private tour is a walking experience. A private vehicle is not included.
- Public transportation or local taxis may be used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with your host after your reservation is finalized.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 86 reviews
Armena_B, Mar 2026
Lisa was very knowledgeable about Madrid and adjusted my tour based on my preferences for the time I would be with her. My one complaint is that the tour ended about 25 minutes early (it was scheduled for 2 hours). Otherwise, I enjoyed my time with Lisa.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We’re glad that you enjoyed your time with Lisa and that she was able to tailor the tour to your preferences, she’ll be delighted to hear your kind words. Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! We do appreciate you flagging that the tour ended earlier than scheduled, and we’ll be sure to follow up on this to ensure our experiences run for the full duration moving forward. Thank you again for sharing your experience, and we hope to welcome you on another tour in the future!
MELISSA_M, Mar 2026
This was a wonderful day! We learned so much about the city. The history as well as it today. Our guide, Patricia was fabulous!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We’re thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful day exploring the city and that Patricia made the experience so memorable. Your kind words mean a lot, and we’ll be sure to pass them along to her.
monica_j, Feb 2026
We had Lisa...she was wonderful... our walk about of Madrid was through her lens which helped us see things we would never have noticed about the history and certain icons that are a building or establishment significant. Would work with her again 💯%
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! We’re thrilled that Lisa made your walk through Madrid so special and that seeing the city through her lens helped bring its history and iconic landmarks to life. Your kind words will absolutely be shared with her! We’d love to welcome you back anytime, and we’d be more than happy to arrange another tour with Lisa again in the future.
Susan_B, Feb 2026
We had a fantastic time with Patricia our guide. She is so knowledgeable of Madrid and Spanish history. Patricia recommended good places to eat and great little cafes. Would highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
I’m delighted to hear you had a fantastic time with Patricia and enjoyed learning about Madrid and Spanish history through her knowledge and insights. It’s also great to know her food and café recommendations added to your experience.
Sarah_B, Feb 2026
Despite awful weather, this was a great walking tour. I joined on my own and found Patricia knowledgeable, engaging, and easy company. I’d happily recommend it.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Rain or shine, we’re thrilled you had such a memorable experience! Thank you for recommending City Unscripted!
Srivastav_S, Dec 2025
I was fortunate enough to get to know our host (Patricia) and experience this tour with my older one. She is very knowledgeable and skilled at what she does. She took the time to help us understand the nuances of Spanish Culture, the city vibes of Madrid and its many hidden spots for shopping, I just wish we had more time on this one! Thanks very much, Patricia! Very much appreciated!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed discovering the city’s culture, hidden gems, and unique atmosphere with her. Patricia will be so happy to know that her knowledge, warmth, and attention made your time memorable – and we love that you only wished you had more time on the experience!
Paul_C, Nov 2025
My wife and I had a great time. Lisa was so knowledgeable and friendly. We learned a lot and had fun!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
We’re delighted to hear that you and your wife had a wonderful time with Lisa. Her knowledge and warm approach truly help bring each experience to life, and we’re glad you enjoyed both learning and having fun along the way. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again in the future.
Saskia_v, Nov 2025
Patricia was so great at orienting us to the city! Every food recommendation she made was incredible, and it was the best food we had across 5 cities. So informative, saw so many cool places, and felt secure navigating Madrid after that first day!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
We’re thrilled to hear your time in Madrid with Patricia was such a fantastic start to your trip! It’s wonderful that her insights, recommendations, and guidance helped you discover amazing food and feel right at home in the city. Thank you for your glowing feedback!
William_B, Nov 2025
We took this tour on our last day in Madrid, and it was a wonderful way to cap our stay. Lisa's local knowledge and awareness of hidden gems made the tour fun and interesting. We also appreciated Lisa's recommendations for other things to do in the city. Thanks for a fun-filled day!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
We’re so happy to hear your final day in Madrid with Lisa was such a perfect ending to your trip! It’s wonderful that her local insights and hidden gems made the experience both fun and memorable. Thank you for your kind words and lovely feedback!
Annette_O, Nov 2025
We had the most wonderful experience touring Madrid with Patricia! She was an amazing tour guide, super friendly and very knowledgeable. We learned so much about this beautiful city. We highly recommend this tour and would absolutely ask to have Patricia again.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
We’re delighted to hear that you had a wonderful experience touring Madrid with Patricia. It’s fantastic that her friendliness and knowledge made your tour so enjoyable. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with her, and we’re thrilled to hear you’d love to tour with her again.
Barbara_W, Oct 2025
Lisa was knowledgeable, super friendly and accommodating for our tour. Physical health issues required on-the-spot flexibility and she was wonderful about it. We enjoyed our visit to Madrid much more because of her tour and friendly advice.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for your kind feedback! We’re delighted that you had such a great experience with Lisa and that her flexibility and friendliness made your visit to Madrid even more enjoyable.
Susan_K, Oct 2025
I learned about the history of the city. We walked all around and looked at architecture. The tour was informative and fun.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We’re so glad to hear you had such an enjoyable and informative tour! It’s wonderful that exploring the city’s history and architecture made the experience both engaging and fun. Thank you for your kind feedback!
Ann_B, Oct 2025
Patricia Patricia is a fabulous guide. She made a point of getting in touch with us ahead of time and making it easier for us to connect. She actually came to our hotel to pick us up. She was enthusiastic and cheerful and informative and full of life. We adored her and learned so much and talked about so many different topics. And we not only learned history about Spain, but we shared cultures which is why we love to travel. She also showed us good places to eat or places to avoid. We ended up eating at two of her recommendations and they were outstanding. We couldn’t have asked for more in a guide. We would love for her to come visit us. That’s how much we liked herAnd by the way for English speakers, she is an English teacher, and she speaks beautifully
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Patricia truly embodies the spirit of City Unscripted, passionate, knowledgeable, and genuinely dedicated to creating meaningful connections through travel. Thanks for choosing City Unscripted, and here's to more great adventures!
Nina_C, Oct 2025
We had a fantastic guide with Patricia! She had obviously carefully planned the walking tour and gave us lots of history and fact about Madrid (and Spain in general). We really enjoyed this tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
It’s wonderful that you enjoyed learning about the rich history and culture of both Madrid and Spain during your experience with our host Patricia. She truly provided a carefully planned and insightful walking tour of Madrid, and we're thrilled you got to enjoy! Thanks again for choosing us and we hope to welcome you on another adventure soon! Thank you so much for your kind words!
Sondra_M, Oct 2025
Our guide was excellent. She was knowledgeable and took us around Madrid at our pace. We had a great time and Lisa was very helpful. I will definitely book the tour again the next time I am in Madrid.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We’re delighted to hear that Lisa tailored the tour to your pace and made the city come alive with her knowledge and support. It’s wonderful to know you had such a great time, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable experience on your next visit.
Leonard_S, Sep 2025
Our Viator guide was a half-hour late, did not appear organized, was difficult to understand (very thick accent), and didn’t do justice to this beautiful city. Sadly disappointing
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hello Leonard,
I can understand how frustrating it must have been to start late and feel the tour wasn’t delivered with the clarity and organization you expected. I’m truly sorry this left you disappointed.
This isn’t the standard we strive for, and our Global Host Manager has already addressed this internally with the host. Your feedback helps us improve, and we’d love the opportunity to show you the vibrant and well-prepared experience you should have had.
Warm regards,
Sheenah and the City Unscripted team.
Edward_G, Sep 2025
We had a fantastic experience exploring Madrid on foot with Patricia as our guide. In just three fun-filled hours, she introduced us to hidden gems and iconic landmarks that would’ve taken us weeks to discover on our own.
Her deep knowledge of the city’s history—both old and new—gave us a richer appreciation for everything we saw, from historic sites to modern-day highlights (including shops we couldn’t resist returning to the very next day!). She even brought along presentation slides, adding an extra layer of context and engagement to the tour.
If you're looking for a tour that's informative, engaging, and well worth your money, look no further—Patricia is the guide you want!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're so glad that you had such a fantastic time exploring Madrid with Patricia. It’s wonderful to know that the added touches, like the presentation slides, made the experience even more engaging. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future!
AnnaleeRoselieb, Sep 2025
This did not feel like a custom tour based off the survey we submitted prior. Our tour guide was very nice but showed up with no itinerary for the day. We paid a lot of money for this tour because we thought it would be personalized but it was a very general walking tour through Madrid which is what we did not want. A bit disappointing considering the price we paid. Again, our tour guide was nice and very informative! Just was not the day we had hoped for. Not sure if it was a miscommunication on the company’s side or if our guide just didn’t prepare an appropriate itinerary before.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hello Annalee,
We are truly sorry to hear that your experience did not feel as personalized as you had expected, especially after completing the pre-tour survey.
We’ve taken your feedback seriously and are reviewing both our communication and host preparation processes to ensure guest surveys are always reflected in the day’s itinerary. Your trust means a lot to us, and we’d love the opportunity to provide the personalized and memorable experience you were hoping for.
Warm regards,
Sheenah and the City Unscripted team
Maryanne_D, Sep 2025
Great way to get oriented to a new city and learn fun facts. Patricia was able to answer our many questions.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your review and feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that Patricia helped you get oriented to the city and provided fun facts along the way. It’s wonderful to know she was able to answer all your questions and make your experience engaging. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us!
Joyce_M, Sep 2025
Marina was very sweet but it was difficult to understand her as her English isn’t the best and definitely not suitable for leading a tour. This was advertised as a “hidden gems” but we only went to the most touristy typical spots. Not worth the $200 we spent.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hello Joyce,
We’re sorry to hear that some aspects of your experience did not meet your expectations, particularly regarding language and the “hidden gems” focus. Your feedback is very important to us, as it helps us refine our experiences and ensure they align with guest expectations. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future for an experience that truly showcases the unique “hidden gems” of the city.
Warm regards,
Sheenah and the City Unscripted team
Marcia_H, Sep 2025
We had a wonderful tour with Lisa around Madrid! She customized it according to our wants and preferences and showed us places and points of interest we would not have gone to on our own. Lisa is very personable and easy to talk to. She made us feel at home in a city we’ve never been to before. I highly recommend this tour!! 5 stars!!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
It’s wonderful to hear Lisa made your Madrid tour so special — her warmth, flexibility, and local insights clearly helped you discover places you might have missed otherwise and made you feel right at home. Thanks for the glowing 5-star recommendation!
Evelyn_E, Sep 2025
We were very happy with our guide Patricia, she was knowledgeable, professional and excellent attitude. Thank you Patricia for this beautiful experience in Madrid.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
It’s wonderful to hear Patricia made your Madrid tour so special — her knowledge, professionalism, and positive attitude clearly created a memorable experience. Thank you for sharing such kind feedback!
Jacob_S, Sep 2025
Marina was great - customized the tour based on our areas of interest. Made sure everyone had a great time and kept us at an enjoyable pace all day.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re glad that Marina customized the tour to your interests and made sure everyone had a fantastic time at a comfortable pace. Looking forward to helping you create more memorable experiences in the future.
Shigetsu_S, Aug 2025
Was a really great way to see the city and was customized the way I liked it. The tour guide was informative and friendly was well.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
So glad to hear you enjoyed the customized tour — it’s great that your guide made the experience both informative and friendly!
Littlerph24, Jul 2025
Lisa is absolutely amazing.. really knowledgeable, enthusiastic and fun to tour about. Cares about everyone needs and interest.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thanks for the kind words — we're so glad Lisa made the experience both fun and thoughtful, with her energy and care shining through every step of the way!
Eva_M, Jul 2025
Lisa was fantastic! It was like coming to see a friend who took us around the city and showed us what the locals love, where to go all while learning fun history and facts. I would highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
It’s wonderful that the experience felt like visiting a friend—this is exactly the kind of personal and authentic connection we aim to create. We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you on another City Unscripted adventure soon!
Jordan_C, Jul 2025
Our tour guide Lisa was great. She reached out to us before hand so we could tell her what we were interested in seeing and doing and then catered a great tour for us, even taking us to a great football/soccer store for our 7 year old son.
Lisa had a great personality, was very interactive, and provided us a great tour. We got to see places off the beaten path and learned a good piece of history about Madrid
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for this wonderful feedback! We're so happy Lisa could create a fun, personalized adventure for your family — especially finding that perfect football store for your son! Hearing that you enjoyed exploring hidden corners and learning about Madrid’s history truly means the world to us.
Lani_D, Jun 2025
My family of 4 ( 2 teens age 16 and 18) spent several hours with Laura our tour guide . She was amazing . She took us all around the city and was incredibly knowledgeable about history of Madrid . She even helped us get our metro cards and explained the layout of train system . She was able to talk and engage with each person in our group and we all agreed she was definitely one of our absolute favorite guides ( we travel a lot around the world and use private tour guides so that’s saying something! )
Response from Host, Jun 2025
We're thrilled to hear that Laura made your time in Madrid so memorable. It’s great to know she connected with everyone in your family and went above and beyond to help. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words—she’ll be delighted!
Marj_K, Jun 2025
Lots of great details about the history about the city. Knowledgable and pleasant tour guide, who was very easy to understand. Very much enjoyed our time on the tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour and found the historical insights engaging. We're also glad to know your guide made the experience both informative and enjoyable. We appreciate you sharing your feedback!
Rachael_G, Jun 2025
Lisa was lovely. Lisa was very communicative over WhatsApp before our tour. The tour was for myself and my young teenage daughter. She met us in our hotel lobby could not have been easier. We were both extremely jetlagged. Lisa took that in stride. Wish we had more time in Madrid, I would book Lisa again when we were feeling better. She will cater to whatever you would like, knew how to take the perfect picture new the secret spots and was very lovely to be around. She told us to WhatsApp her with any questions we had while in town she will be lovely with your teen’s. Kids are even if you’re an older couple all around great guide couldn’t recommend more.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
We’re delighted that you and your daughter had such a positive experience with Lisa. She truly goes above and beyond to make guests feel comfortable, jet lag and all! Thank you so much for your kind words! We’d love to welcome you back to Madrid when you're feeling more rested.
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per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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