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Madrilenos take enjoyment seriously and there is every opportunity to join them. The city and its people seem born for entertaining the senses. Hardly surprising when you consider that for centuries the very idea of work was abhorrent to the indolent privileged classes gathered around the royal court. The city's chronicles indicate that those who had to work for a living also enjoyed a good knees-up whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Those old enough to remember the halcyon days of the movida in the late 1970s and early 1980s will tell you things have calmed down as Spain has adapted to the economic rigours imposed by membership of the EU - but you'd never know it! Madrid can justly think of itself as one of Europe's most frenetic nightlife capitals. Bars, clubs, theatres, cinemas, music and still more keep madrilenos and visitors busy all year round. It may not have the cachet of the London clubbing scene or the reputation of Ibiza in summer but for sheer density of people rubbing shoulders in a seemingly effortless desire to have a good time almost round the clock, Madrid is hard to beat. Where else will you see bumper-to-bumper traffic at 4am?

The BUS Tour

Yes we know its cheesy, but it really is the best way to get an overall feel of the City.

Get a unique view of Madrid aboard this open-top double-decker bus. There are three tours covering all the city's highlights, from historical sites and monuments to the modern Madrid of skyscrapers and cosmopolitan architecture. The tour enables complete flexibility to hop on and off as many times as you like aboard this open-top double-decker bus.

Discover Madrid using three tour routes. Your ticket is valid on ALL routes.

Route 1 - Historical Madrid (75 minutes)
Philip III and Philip IV enlarged and embellished the city but the Bourbons brought new cultural and architectural tastes. It is to them we owe the spectacular Royal Palace, the Paseo del Prado and the Puerta de Alcalá. A drive down the Gran Vía, the capital's most important road during the first half of the last century, gives us an insight into its unique architectural diversity and outstanding examples of the Belle Epoque, such as the Casino de Madrid and the Palace Hotel.

Route 2 - Modern Madrid (75 minutes)
The nineteenth century saw Madrid expand. The Salamanca neighborhood was built, a residential area and the site of the first bourgeois homes. The Paseo de la Castellana was developed, where the city's palatial mansions give way to modern skyscrapers of great architectural value, and which are a testament to Madrid's position as one of Europe's most cosmopolitan, attractive and modern cities.

Route 3 - Monumental Madrid (40 minutes)
We take a closer look at Madrid's monuments, the heritage left by the Austrians in the 17th century and perhaps the wealthiest and most personal, with the Plaza Mayor, the Plaza de la Villa and the Plaza de la Paja as noteworthy examples. The journey continues to view the iron architecture of the 19th century with Atocha Railway station and the Mercado de San Miguel market as typical landmarks, or the old Portillo de Embajadores that opens onto Madrid's traditional neighborhoods of Lavapiés and the Rast

Dates:
Daily (except New Years Day)

Location:
You can board the bus at any one of the stops around the city

Time:
Buses depart every 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the season.

• June 21 to September 20, 2005 - Bus operates between 9:30am and 12:00 midnight
• September 21 to December 20, 2005 - Bus operates between 10:00am and 9:00pm
• December 21, 2005 to March 20, 2006 - Bus operates between 10:00am and 7:00pm

Itinerary:
Route 1 - Historical Madrid (75 minutes)

• Palacio Real
• Templo de Debob
• Palacio de Liria
• Plaza de Espana
• Gran Via, 71
• Gran Via, 49
• Gran Via, 29
• Gran Via, 11
• Circulo Bellas Artes
• Museo Thyssen
• Museo Reina Sofia
• Jardin Botanico
• Museo del Prado
• Plaza de Cibeles
• Plaza Colon
• Museo Arqueologico
• Puerta de Alcala
• Alcala, 37
• Puerta del Sol
• Plaza de Opera

Route 2 - Modern Madrid (75 minutes)

• Museo del Prado
• Puerta de Alcala, Retiro
• Barrio Salamanca
• Plaza de Colon
• Museo de Escultura
• Museo de Ciencias Naturales
• Nuevos Ministerios
• Santiago Barnabeu
• C.S.I. Cientificas
• Museo Lazaro Galdiano
• ABC Serrano
• El Corte Ingles
• Museo Arqueologico
• Puerta de Alcala
• Plaza Cibeles
• Puerta del Sol
• Las Cortes

Route 3 - Monumental Madrid (40 minutes)

• Atocha
• Reina Sofia
• Circo Estable
• Glorieta Embajadores
• Restro
• Puerta de Toledo
• San Francisco El Granda
• Palacio Real
• Plaza Mayor
• Puerta del Sol
• Las Cortes
• Museo del Prado
• Alfonso XII

Additional Info:

This product must be booked at least 24 hours prior to travel date

Confirmation for this product will be received at time of booking

Buses have adapted for passengers with reduced mobility. The features include automatic access ramp, reserved space for wheelchairs with safety clamps and fastenings, extended ramp and kneeling system to the right of the bus.
Pricing Policy:

Children aged 6 years and under are free of charge

Youth prices are applicable for children aged 7 - 16 years

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