Private Tour Barrio de las Letras de Madrid

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Find your guide in Plaza de Santa Ana, nerve center of the current Barrio de las Letras; this square was configured in the 19th century on the plot of an old Carmelite convent. Since then it has become a meeting place for writers, actors and talkers, very close to the playpens where the Golden Age theater flourished.

   15 min

2. One of the most emblematic streets in the literary quarter. In the 17th century it was the place of residence of authors such as Lope de Vega, Quevedo or Góngora. Today the pavement reproduces fragments of his works, remembering that these streets were the scene of rivalries, friendships and an intense cultural life. (OUTDOOR ONLY).

   Passes by

3. Here lived Lope de Vega from 1610 until his death in 1635. The house, preserved almost intact, reflects what an affluent Golden Age house looked like. In it he wrote many of his works and received leading figures of Madrid literary life. (OUTDOOR ONLY).

   Passes by

4. Narrow and silent street that maintains the atmosphere of the old neighborhood of comedians and writers. Its layout recalls the Madrid of the XVII century, when this area was close to the theaters and was inhabited by authors, printers and actors linked to the cultural flourishing of the court.

   Passes by

5. Founded in 1612, this convent is closely linked to Spanish literary history, as Miguel de Cervantes was buried inside in 1616. For centuries the exact location of his grave, rediscovered in the 21st century, was lost, reinforcing the symbolic value of the place. (OUTDOOR ONLY).

   Passes by

6. Open space that marks the historical boundary of the Barrio de las Letras towards the commercial areas of the center. It is named after the playwright Jacinto Benavente, Nobel Prize in Literature in 1922, and symbolizes the continuity of the Spanish theater tradition from the Golden Age to contemporary times.

   15 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Know before you go

How it compares in Madrid

• Its from-price is 29% above the median of the 1722 experiences we list in Madrid.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Madrid

Madrid is Spain's sunny, sociable capital, home to great art museums, royal palaces, leafy parks and tapas bars that stay busy past midnight.

Three great galleries line the Paseo del Prado: the Prado Museum with Velázquez and Goya, the Reina Sofía with Picasso's Guernica, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza with its sweeping private collection. Beside them, El Retiro Park offers a boating lake, shaded avenues and the glass Palacio de Cristal.

Top-ranked sights in Madrid: Plaza Mayor, Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real de Madrid), Puerta del Sol.

See all 1722 experiences in Madrid