Booking tours on vacation is the perfect way to tailor your group vacation to everyone’s interests. I’ve put together a guide to the best Madrid tours for groups that will appeal to sports fans, art lovers, foodies, and culture vultures alike. There are plenty of options for big groups, small groups, families with kids, or adults only.
With world-class art museums, royal palaces, and flavorful cuisine, the capital of Spain is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Madrid’s lively cultural heritage makes it a fun place to visit with friends or family. It’s not difficult to find friendly local Madrileño tour guides wanting to show off their city’s hidden gems either! If you are planning a group vacation to Spain, be sure to include one or more of these adventures!
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Table of Contents
Best Madrid Tours for Groups
Free Tours in Madrid
Tapas and Mercados Walking Tour
Booking a free food tour like Guru Walk’s Tapas and Mercados Walking Tour is the perfect solution. This 2.5-hour pay-what-you-wish tour is led by an expert local guide passionate about Spanish cuisine. They will cover the history and culture of typical Spanish food and take you to all the best local spots to try tapas.
Booking food tours as a group can be a challenge. Not everyone has the same tastes. Many people have intolerances, allergies, and dietary requirements that force them to skip dishes. It can be painful to pay for your kids to join a food tour only for them to turn up their noses at everything!
Here are some of the great places you visit:
- San Miguel Market
- Mercado de la Cebada
- Mercado San Fernando
- Mercado Anton Martin
Whether you want to try the tapas is completely up to you! Only pay for what you eat and your guide’s tip. Expect local delicacies like tortillas and jámon on the tour.
The tour’s meeting point is in Plaza Mayor. It runs in English every Friday and Saturday but more often during the peak tourist season. Book ahead to guarantee there’s a spot for every group member as numbers are limited.
Dark Side of Madrid Walking Tour
Booking a free tour is a fantastic way to spend some free time on your group’s itinerary. Some can take a nap, and others can continue exploring the city of Madrid without blowing your budget! Guru Walk’s Dark Side of Madrid Walking Tour delves deeper into Madrid’s spooky and terrifying past.
Most free tours are tip-based. The local tour guide will work hard to offer a fun, unique experience and you can tip them at the end of the tour. How much depends on the tour’s quality and length, but €10-€20 per person is about right.
Your expert guide will take you to mysterious, haunted spots in Madrid’s city center. On this two-hour tour, visit the dark places associated with the Spanish Inquisition like the Palace of Linares and El Rastro in La Latina.
Tours depart almost every day around 5:00 PM from Puerta del Sol. Even though it’s a private tour, numbers are capped to ensure the group number is manageable. This is one of the most popular tours in Madrid, so it sells out a few days in advance! Book ahead to avoid disappointment.
Madrid Walking Tours
Introduction to Madrid Private City Tour
One of the best Madrid tours for groups is Context Travel’s Introduction to Madrid Walking Tour. A good time to book this private tour of Madrid is the first morning after you arrive. It’s a great way to be welcomed to the Spanish capital, get your bearings, and ask your wonderful guide for recommendations.
This three-hour tour allows you to explore the most important monuments in Madrid’s old city at your own pace. Here are some of the places included:
- Plaza Mayor
- Madrid de los Austrias
- Royal Palace of Madrid (exterior)
- Almudena Cathedral
- Puerta del Sol
Because it’s a private tour, you can skip sites your group is less interested in and include new ones. Do you want to buy some churros to eat while you walk? No problem! Do you want to know more about the world’s oldest restaurant once frequented by Ernest Hemingway? Every Context Travel guide has a wealth of knowledge waiting to be tapped into.
Consider the Madrid for Kids Walking Tour if you’re visiting Madrid with kids. It’s slightly shorter and the local guides adapt the city tour so that it’s fun for children under 12.
Food Tours in Madrid
Secret Food Tour
Spanish cuisine is full of flavor, spices, and fresh locally made ingredients. On Secret Food Tour’s Tapas and Food Tour of Madrid, you can eat around the city just like a local would.
Local experts in Madrid’s culinary scene run this 3.5-hour walking tour. Start with a seasonal pastry, followed by a visit to a historic deli. Spain loves all things pork, and everyone will have the opportunity to try Iberian ham and chorizo! Spanish omelets, cheese, patatas bravas, and other delicious tapas dishes are also on the menu.
There is a maximum of 12 people on these tours to keep the group small. Opt for a private tour if a few members of your group have particular dietary needs so your guide can accommodate them. This tour runs over lunch so come hungry!
Tapas and Wine Tasting Tour
Spain’s wines, particularly its riojas, are world-famous. If multiple members of your family or friends consider themselves wine experts, you have to book a wine-tasting tour! Get Your Guide’s Wine Tasting and Tapas Guided Tour is a fantastic option for groups of adults only or those with children over nine years of age.
This three-hour lunchtime or evening tour includes a whopping 12 tastings at four tapas bars. Enjoy a glass of wine or soft drink from different Spanish regions at each bar. There is a maximum of 13 on this tour so everyone can squeeze into off-the-beaten-path eateries.
Spanish Cooking Class
There’s no better souvenir to bring home from a trip than a local recipe. It will make you reminisce about the awesome time you had on vacation for years to come! This Spanish Dishes Cooking Class is a fun, hands-on experience suitable for all ages.
Learn how to cook paella and tortilla de patata. Adults can learn how to mix sangria, and even drink a glass while cooking! This four-hour masterclass ends with everyone sitting down and enjoying their creations. All dietary requirements can be accommodated.
Madrid City Tours
Madrid in a Day Tour
Is your group only visiting Madrid for a day or two? Book a private Madrid in a Day Tour to maximize your short time in this city.
This seven-hour walking tour covers the city’s highlights:
- Royal Palace of Madrid (exterior only)
- Prado Museum
- Plaza Mayor
- Puerta del Sol
- San Miguel Market
- Madrid de los Austrias
This tour includes skip-the-line tickets to the Prado Museum and an expert guide. Learn about Madrid through the ages including the Spanish Civil War and French Occupation. Since it’s a private tour, take as many detours and rests as your group wants!
Best of Madrid by Bike Tour
Another way to explore Madrid in a short amount of time is to speed up your transportation. Madrid is a big but fairly flat city. Swap walking tours for a Best of Madrid Bike Tour. This three-hour tour is perfect for groups with kids aged 13 and over plus a good fitness level.
Here are some of the top-rated sights you will visit on this extensive tour:
- Parque del Retiro
- Cibeles Fountain
- Plaza de la Villa
- Almudena Cathedral
- Gran Vía
- Barrio de Las Letras
There’s a maximum of 15 participants on this tour. No one will be left behind! The tour includes a bike, helmet, and an enthusiastic cycling tour guide.
Guided Tour of Bernabéu Stadium
Soccer (or fútbol) is almost as important as food in Spanish culture. Real Madrid FC is the local team and their stadium is the magnificent Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Get Your Guide runs a Bernabéu Stadium Guided Tour so you can discover more about one of the world’s most successful soccer teams.
Join a 90-minute tour of the field, trophy room, and museum. Depending on access, you might even get a peek inside the changing rooms, benches, and hospitality boxes. Even if you’re not a soccer fan, all sports fans can appreciate this place!
Prado Museum Guided Private Tour
Spain’s artistic legacy lives on in the Prado Museum or Museo Nacional del Prado. It’s home to top artworks by Spanish and European master painters such as Goya, El Greco, Ribera, Reubens, and Velázquez. There are many Prado Museum tours, but Context Travel’s private Prado Museum Guided Tour is one of the best.
Take advantage of skip-the-line tickets and a fascinating three-hour tour by a local art historian. Learn about the museum’s most famous piece, The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, and so much more. It certainly beats walking around without a clue!
Visiting Madrid with family who have young kids? Context Travel has a fun Prado Museum Tour for Kids.
Royal Palace Tour (Optional Royal Collections)
Many walking tours only include the exterior of Madrid’s Royal Palace. That’s good enough if you’re short on time. However, you can only appreciate the grandeur of the Royal Palace of Madrid by heading inside! This Royal Palace Guided Tour offers an in-depth insight into a building inspired by the Palace of Versailles.
This is a two to five-hour tour. The time will depend on whether you want to see the Royal Collections Gallery. All tours are skip-the-line through a special entrance, offering easy access to the palace. Check out the Throne Room, Banquet Hall, Royal Armory, and Private Royal Apartments.
Reina Sofía Museum Guided Tour
While the Prado Museum mostly covers works from the 12th to the 20th century, the Reina Sofía Museum focuses on modern Spanish art. If that’s more your group’s vibe, book a Reina Sofía Museum Tour.
This popular 90-minute tour includes an expert guide who will show your group around the museum’s top pieces. Learn about Picasso’s Guernica, a piece created about the Spanish Civil War. Your guide will leave you in the museum so you can wander the rest of the exhibits at your own pace. Book ahead – this is a popular tour!
Day Trips From Madrid Spain
Toledo
Venture outside Madrid’s city limits on day trips to explore other cities in the Castilla-La Mancha region. As the former capital city of Spain, Toledo is a fantastic choice. It’s only a one-hour drive south of Madrid and Viator’s Toledo Full-Day Tour makes planning a group trip there easy and stress-free.
Toledo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the City of Three Cultures. This tour includes comfortable coach travel, and admission tickets for the Cathedral of Toledo, Santo Tome Church, and Synagogue of Saint Mary the White. Your group can also see Toledo’s medieval walls and the Alcazar of Toledo.
This eight-hour bus tour departs Madrid at 9:00 AM. No one needs to worry about sleeping through their alarm! It’s not too long so kids won’t become tired and cranky. Plus, you will be back in Madrid in time for dinner.
Segovia
Madrid has no shortage of UNESCO-certified places you can visit on a full-day trip. Segovia is an ancient hilltop city with over 2,000 years of history lining its cobblestone streets. This Segovia Day Tour is a great option if you’d prefer a private day tour with just your group.
This six-hour tour starts at 9:00 AM with a 90-minute drive to Segovia. Your private guide will show you around all the city’s main attractions:
- Roman Aqueduct
- Alcazar of Segovia
- Segovia Cathedral
- Corpus Christi Church
Segovia’s Cathedral was the last great Gothic church built in Europe. Some churches are former synagogues and the city has royal ties to the Spanish crown. It’s a fascinating place and your guide will help you uncover the local culture before heading back to Madrid.
El Escorial
Only have a half-day free to explore somewhere new? Luckily, El Escorial and Valley of the Fallen Tour is only five hours away.
The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is one of the top attractions in Central Spain. It’s a monastery, basilica, and palace built in the 16th century. Yes, like the cities of Toledo and Segovia, El Escorial is a UNESCO site! This bus tour not only includes transport to the site but also includes skip-the-line entry.
On the way back, you can visit the Valley of the Fallen, a landscape of 15.2 square miles. It contains a basilica and a monument dedicated to soldiers who died during the Spanish Civil War. This makes for an interesting stop at the end of your half-day tour.
Don Quixote Windmills
One of Spain’s famous sons is the fictional knight-errant Don Quixote. This literary masterpiece by Miguel de Cervantes is widely considered the first modern novel. It’s set in the rolling hills and windmills of Castilla la Mancha. Take a Don Quixote and Toledo Full-Day Tour provides your group with unforgettable experiences of this storied region.
Start your comprehensive 11-hour tour in the picturesque town of Consuegra. Its well-preserved windmills hark to a prominent moment in Don Quixote when he mistakes the huge structures for giants. Head to Alcalá de Henares and visit the Cervantes Museum and his family home.
Don’t worry if you haven’t read Don Quixote! Your guide will fill you in and tell the most exciting tales. Finish your day trip with a stop in Toledo. Dive into the blended Christian, Muslim, and Jewish medieval cityscape that comprises Spain’s former capital. It’s a family-friendly bus tour but more ideal for older kids.
Book Madrid Tours Everyone Will Enjoy
Madrid is a city best experienced with loved ones. Eating too much tapas, cycling around parks, and taking silly photos in front of windmills just isn’t the same for solo travelers. Booking these Madrid tours for groups will ensure that you’re not only on vacation with the best people, but that you’re also having the best experiences.