mjmo

Can anyone suggest a good tour company to use for a get acquainted tour of Madrid? I have 4 nights there and I will be there in a few weeks. I'm also planning on a day trip to Toledo and/or Segovia. Any tour suggestions there or should I just take a bus and explore on my own? Thanks!

mcnyc

Hi, if I may be so bold, Madrid is a pretty tiny city (at least compared to NYC), and wasn't too hard to navigate. You can pretty much get a map of Madrid at your hotel, ask them for the highlights, and walk around, which was what my friend and I did in March. Segovia is a 2 hour train ride from Madrid (get tix from kiosk before the ticketing entrance at Atocha), so plan accordingly, but Toledo was an hour ride, and not so bad. You have to get the tickets from the AVE office in Atocha.
I would definitely go to Palacio Real, see a Real Madrid game (can get there by the Metro), walk around and find the Egyptian temple near Plaza Espana (forgot what that park is called), go to Plaza Mayor and Sol.
We had fun exploring on our own, although you might find differently depending on your traveling taste.

NEDSIRELAND

Are your daytrips to Toledo and/or Segovia included in your 4-nights for Madrid? If so, you might be 'short-changing' Madrid itself.

Some bus tour companies offer half day tours to Toledo. Check with your hotel concierge.

You might want to take a Bus Vision tour and note places you might be interested in visiting again. Or you could start at the Plaza de Espana, go to the Palacio Real, to Plaza de Oriente and Opera, then up the hill to the Plaza Mayor folowed by the Puerta del Sol. Then you go down c/Alcala to Cibeles, turn right and continue to el Museo del Prado. Further down Paseo del Prado is la Puerta de Atocha (Rail station). From Cibeles you could also have continued on C/Alcala up the hill to Puerta de Alcala and Retiro Park

kaudrey

You don't need a tour of Madrid or to go see Toledo or Segovia. I did both as day trips from Madrid using the bus. To get specific details about what to see in Madrid, and the transportation options to those two towns, use

www.maribelsguides.com

and click on Madrid.

Maribel has very detailed instructions on where/how to catch the buses to the towns, and also has walking tours etc.

You can follow that without any help!

Karen

dncee11

I also recommend the Vison Bus tour; start early as possible since you can get off and on all day and switch to different routes.

misscarol

I also did a walking tour of Madrid on my own. Include the Prado, Palacio Real, Plaza Mayor and do the 1/2 day bus tour to Toledo. Plenty of time to walk throught the streets, view the churches and buy some jewelry!