Madrid Río park &
Casa de Campo forest
private architour by bike
through madrid río park and casa de campo forest with an architect
- BIKE | WALKING TOUR
- duration
- 4 hours
- languages
- english | spanish
- groups
- 1 a 15 personas
- ages
- 0 a 99 años
479,00
TRIPADVISOR 5.0/5.0 *
Do you fancy an architecture bike tour through Madrid River and Casa de Campo forest away from the crowds in the city center?
We suggest you get away from the hustle and bustle of the center of the city and get to know more about the Madrid Río Park around the Manzanares River and its surroundings from an urban, historical and architectural point of view. We offer you a ride with your bike, your BiciMAD ticket or with a bike we will rent for you, to get to know an area of Madrid forgotten until the burial of the M-30 road. An architecture private tour in Madrid by bike, discovering the best landscaping project in years.
private architecture tour around Madrid River park and Casa de Campo forest, away from the hustle and bustle of the city center
campo del moro gardens
You will begin in front of the Royal Palace, reviewing its history since the Arabs built the Alcázar when Madrid was founded exactly in that place in the 9th century. You will enjoy a walk in the Campo del Moro Gardens that were designed in the 19th century. A romantic route emulating forests in the English countryside.
royal collections gallery
tuñón y mansilla
Completing the cornice of Madrid is the Gallery of Royal Collections by Emilio Tuñón and Luis Mansilla, open in the summer of 2023. As a basement, the plinth of the Royal Palace continues to house the collections of the Austrias and the Bourbons, dynasties that have marked the history of Spain to the present day. We will tell you the history of this building that was born from the 2002 competition, whose works lasted from 2006 to 2015 and which has already accumulated numerous recognitions, such as the FAD award in 2017.
casa de campo forest
From there you will take a bike and you will enter the Casa de Campo, the green lung five times bigger than Central Park, the King’s private hunting site until 1931 and a Civil War front, stopping at a secret viewpoint from which we will enjoy the views of the cornice of Madrid in which the new Gallery of the Royal Collections of Tuñón and Mansilla stands out as a plinth beneath the Royal Palace and the Cathedral. We will go to the Lake of the Casa de Campo where we can enjoy another skyline of Madrid.
hexagons pavilion corrales y molezún
We will enter the Casa de Campo until we reach the Pavilion of the Hexagons of José Antonio Corrales y Ramón Vázquez Molezún. A milestone in contemporary Spanish architecture, built in 1958 for the Brussels Universal Exhibition as the Spanish Pavilion. Winner of the first Architecture Prize, it was transferred and rebuilt to Madrid as part of the Feria del Campo where it would host some of the famous fairs that were held biennially or triennially from the 1950s to the 1970s. After three decades of abandonment, it is now being refurbished with the intention of becoming an exhibition space again.
avenida de portugal
We will come back to Madrid Rio crossing the Portugal Avenue, full of cherry-trees and Portuguese pavements. We will continue the walk among the pines of the first section of Madrid Río, stopping at the Renacentist Bridge of Toledo of Juan de Hererera, the Bridge of Segovia by Pedro de Ribera and the new bridges like the metallic spiral designed by Dominique Perrault.
madrid río park
You will discover a hidden gem for locals and visitors alike, such as the Center for Hydrographic Studies projected by Miguel Fisac, with its famous concrete beams in the shape of bones. After freshening up on the “beach of Madrid” and throwing ourselves down the slides, we will cross the bridge designed by Dominique Perrault.
matadero
cultural center
After enjoying the views from the bridge, we will continue to the Matadero to enjoy the renovation of its pavilions: the Design Center of Antonio Franco, Casa del Lector by Antón García Abril, the square where we could see any concert under the Escaravox, the structure designed by Andrés Jaque or its greenhouse that once was a warehouse for potatoes, ending at La Cantina where you can have an aperitif with tapas while we talk and I give you recommendations for your stay in Madrid.
matadero
At the end of our Madrid Rio bike tour, you can leave your electric bike rented in the public bike rental service called Bicimad at a station or the one you bring from home tied with your padlock. So you can stay visiting one of the exhibitions at the Central Design, watching one of the films at Cinetéca, a play at the Naves del Teatro Español or one of the events that usually fill the main open square. In case that you prefer to rent a bike at Principe Pio, we must return to the starting point to return them.
info
duration 4 hours
groups 1 to 10 persons
languages english spanish
ages 0 and up
under 18 with an adult
saturday, sunday and bank holidays
10:00am
monday to sunday
4:00pm
6:00pm jul-aug
- from
- 479,00€
- 1P x 479.00€/p…… 479.00€
- 2P X 144.50€/p…… 479.00€
- 3P x 96.30€/p…….. 479.00€
- 4P x 72.25€/p…….. 479.00€
- 5p x 57.80€/p…….. 479.00€
- 6p x 49.83€/p…….. 479.00€
- 7p x 44.14€/p…….. 489.00€
- 8p x 39.87€/p…….. 499.00€
- 9p x 56.55€/p…….. 509.00€
- 10p x 51.90€/p…… 519.00€
- vat included
bike rental not included
1 | you can come with your bike and locker
2 | bike rental with BiciMAD
+7 € I 2h I
You can leave your bike in Matadero
3 | bike rental in a shop
+25€ I 6h I
You must return the bicycle to the starting point.
book now
meeting point
jardines campo del moro
paseo de la virgen del puerto, 1
metro
principe pío L6 L10
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FQA
No. Our architours are guided by a local architect, but they are offered in a colloquial language that will help you understand each style in its historical context, in a didactic way, whether you are an architect or a mere amateur.
If you are an architect, student of architecture or work in the field, let us know with your booking. In that case, we can propose you a tour in which we go deeper or use a more technical language. We recommend you book a private or tailored tour, just for you, adapted to your interests.
The visit led by a local architect who will give you the artistic historical context of the buildings, accompanied by plans and historical photos to understand the urban development of the city in each period. Bike rental is not included.
You have three options:
OP 1 | You can come with your own bike and lock.
OP 2 | You can rent an electric bike with BiciMad
+7€ | 2h
You will be allowed to stop the bike at Matadero Cultural Center, enjoying the exhibitions and avoiding coming back to the starting point.
You must register in the app, at least, one day before the tour starts.
https://www.bicimad.com/
1º | Download the app bicimad
Iphone https://apps.apple.com/es/app/bicimad-emt-madrid/id1263402487
Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emtmadrid.bicimad.gestion2
2º | Register with your credit card on Mpass
web https://mobilitylabs.emtmadrid.es
mobile https://www.mobility360.app/
OP 3 | Bike rental in a shop | 6-24 hours | +25€
In groups bigger than 6 people, in the event that there were no bicycles available at the Principe Pío Bike Station of the public bike rental service, you would rent a bike from a store (+ € 25) that you must return at the end of the tour at the point of departure.
The acces to the Campo del Moro Gardens is free. The entrace of Matadero too. There may be exhibitions, concerts or events that in some areas of the cultural complex require the payment of a ticket that is not included in the price of the architour.
Most of our architours are led in English but also in Spanish.
The tour will be led in the language that most of the attendees speak. If you do not speak one of the two languages, we will always offer you an alternative in the language you chose when you booking
We do not do group tours in two languages n the same tour to avoid the experience taking too long and not enjoying it as we want.
Group tours and private tours last a bit more than three hours, and can be extended to three and a half, depending on the size of the group, how fast we walk, how busy are the rooftops or how long we stop answering your questions.
When we were done, you can stay longer on the rooftop, having a dring or taking all the photos you want. Keep this in mind if you plan to do another activity at the end.
Tailored architours are designed based on the time you have to enjoy the experience.
We offer you schedules based on the opening of the buildings and gardens we visit and the weather of each season. Afternoon times vary so you can enjoy the views just before sunset.
If the schedules that appear on the tour page do not suit your availability, contact us with your request.
Schedules and some buildings included may be altered by private events outside of architoursmad. We will always offer you an alternative to do it another day.
We ask you to be on time and to be at the meeting point 5 minutes before the architour start.
If you come with your own bike or you rent a bike with BiciMad we will finish at Matadero Cultural Center, close to Legazpi Square. You can stay there having a drink or enjoying any of the exhibitions, concerts, films or cultural event.
Depending on how heavy is the rain or wind, some rooftops may close or restrict access to some areas for safety reasons. Whenever possible, we will notify you in advance to find an alternative day. If this is not possible, we will cancel with a refund.
Our tour will be through Casa de Campo first which is closed to private car traffic. In Madrid Río we will share the walk with pedestrians, so the maximum speed allowed is 10 km / h and you must respect the safety distance of 1.50 m. to avoid collisions with other passers-by.
The bikes from the public bike rental service BiciMad are electric ones. A clean, healthy and sustainable method of transport. Most of our tour is done on flat roads.
is it possible to do the tour on foot?
It is possible to do the route on foot, but the duration would be longer or we would have to adjust the route. Write to us and we will design a tailored tour.
“This is not your average boring tour! Emilio was an informed and fun tour guide. As a designer and urban enthusiast I really enjoyed hearing about the long history of city planning, supported by the places we visited and copies of historical plans that he brought on the trip. My tour involved biking along a beautiful green biking trail which was a great break from the city centre where I was staying. Emilio is warm, kind and generous. I highly recommend doing his tours”.
Jeremy Vandermeij | designer | Canada
2019
google *****“Emilio is a knowledgeable and friendly tour guide. His tours don’t just point things out; he provides historical and architectural context which really brings the city to life. It’s clear that he knows his stuff and can answer anything you throw at him! As an urban planner myself, I loved that he could get into the details of why/how things were built.
I took the bike tour of Madrid Rio and it was a fantastic way to learn about this relatively recent area of Madrid while enjoying a leisurely bike ride on trails.
In addition, Emilio has great suggestions for other places to visit, restaurants, and shopping. Take one of his tours! It will improve your understanding of Madrid as a city and be a great time.
Phil Parker | architect | Canada
2019
google *****
