Private Madrid City Tour by Eco Tuk-Tuk

Royal Palace, Almudena Cathedral and Campo del Moro

The tour starts on Calle de Bailén beside the Royal Palace, the official residence of Spain's royal family, used for state ceremonies and among the largest palaces in Europe. Built in the eighteenth century on the site of the old royal fortress, its white granite facade and vast courtyard dominate the western edge of the old city. Next to it stands Almudena Cathedral, with a classical front that matches the palace and a neo-Gothic interior.

Gardens known as Campo del Moro slope away behind the palace, and the two-hour route and longer rides include them as part of the western viewpoint. Visiting the palace interior is not included, so book tickets separately if you want to go in. Your guide explains how to get to the palace, what to see and the best time of day for photos, then continues to the next stop.

Plaza Mayor, San Miguel Market and La Latina

Plaza Mayor is Madrid's great arcaded square, built in the seventeenth century and surrounded by uniform red-ochre buildings with frescoed facades. Nearby, San Miguel Market is a handsome iron-and-glass hall from the early twentieth century that has been turned into a popular place to eat and meet.

Further south, La Latina is among the oldest quarters of Madrid, with narrow streets, small squares and a busy social life. A private tuk-tuk can pass through lanes that are awkward for coaches, and your guide shares stories of the district's past. It is a good way to feel the old centre without a long climb. Is Plaza Mayor worth visiting? Yes, especially in the morning, when the square is calm.

Las Letras, Plaza de Santa Ana and the Palacio de las Cortes

Las Letras is Madrid's literary quarter, named for the writers of the Golden Age who lived and worked here. Its streets are paved with quotations in bronze letters, and small theatres, bookshops and cafés fill the squares. Plaza de Santa Ana, with its terraces and old theatres, is among the liveliest spots in the area.

Close by, the Palacio de las Cortes, home of the Spanish parliament, is guarded by two bronze lions at its entrance and is easy to recognise. Riding through these streets with a private guide takes the effort out of exploring and gives you context for the places you may want to return to for lunch. Your guide also recommends restaurants in the area.

Paseo del Prado: Prado Museum, Neptune and Cibeles

Paseo del Prado is a wide, tree-lined boulevard that links some of Madrid's best-known cultural sites, and it is part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. The Prado Museum, opened in 1819, houses a world-class collection of European painting, with an especially rich display of Spanish art. The tour passes its main facades and the Casón del Buen Retiro nearby.

Along the boulevard stand the Neptune Fountain and the Cibeles Fountain, a goddess on a chariot drawn by lions, in front of the grand building of the city hall. The Bank of Spain is close by. Because this is a private tour, you can ask for a longer stop at Cibeles to take photos, or have your guide explain which museum suits your interests. Museum tickets are not included.

Retiro Park, Puerta de Alcalá and Los Jerónimos

Retiro Park was once the garden of a royal palace and is now Madrid's favourite green space, with tree-lined paths, a boating lake, rose gardens and the glass Crystal Palace. The tuk-tuk route skirts the park and passes the Puerta de Alcalá, a neoclassical triumphal arch from the eighteenth century that stands at the entrance of the city's historic centre.

Nearby, the church of San Jerónimo el Real stands on a rise above the Prado and is the traditional site of royal ceremonies. The park, the arch and the church together make a pleasant stretch of the ride. The best time to visit Retiro Park is spring or early autumn, and late afternoon is lovely if you want to continue on your own after the tour.

Temple of Debod, Las Ventas and the Bernabéu Stadium

The two-hour route adds the Temple of Debod, an authentic Egyptian temple dating from the second century BC, taken apart and rebuilt in a park near the Royal Palace in the twentieth century. It is among the best places in Madrid to watch the sunset, with open views over the western hills.

The three- and four-hour routes add Las Ventas, Madrid's famous bullring in brick and tile, and the Bernabéu Stadium, among the best-known football grounds in the world. They also stop at the Plaza de Colón and the National Library. With the extended four-hour route there is more time at each stop, so you can take photos, ask questions and still return to Calle de Bailén on schedule.