Madrid on foot: the best urban walking routes

Urban hiking in Madrid means exploring the city on foot along routes that link monuments, parks and riverbanks, without a car or public transport. The five best routes are the monumental walk from the Royal Palace to the Temple of Debod, the riverside walk along the Manzanares through Madrid Río, the circuit of the Retiro and the Paseo del Prado, the trails of the Casa de Campo and the pine wood of the Dehesa de la Villa. They can all be done without any special preparation, with comfortable shoes and water.

Walking is the best way to discover the details you miss from a car or the metro: courtyards, façades, viewpoints and the life of each neighbourhood.

Start at the Plaza Mayor, follow calle Mayor to the plaza de la Villa and carry on towards Almudena Cathedral and the Royal Palace. Walk round the plaza de Oriente, cross the Sabatini gardens and head up calle Ferraz to the Temple of Debod, in the Parque del Oeste. If you arrive at sunset, the views over the Casa de Campo are a reward for the walk. If you are interested in the history of each point along the way, you will find it in historic Madrid.

This is the easiest route in the city: completely flat, car-free and with green spaces on both sides of the river. It starts next to the Puente del Rey, opposite the Casa de Campo, and runs down the riverbank past the Puente de Segovia, Madrid's oldest bridge, the baroque Puente de Toledo and the modern footbridges that cross the river, such as the spiral Arganzuela footbridge. It ends at Matadero Madrid, the cultural centre housed in the former slaughterhouse. If you are staying nearby, the taxi in Arganzuela page will help you with your airport transfer.

From the Cibeles fountain, walk down the tree-lined Paseo del Prado, past the Neptune fountain, the Prado Museum and the Royal Botanical Garden. Cross over towards Los Jerónimos and enter the Retiro through the Puerta de Felipe IV: the Great Pond, the Crystal Palace, the Velázquez Palace and the Rose Garden make a perfect circuit. Finish at the Puerta de Alcalá. To stay in the area, see the taxi in Retiro page.

The Casa de Campo is Madrid's largest public green space, a former royal hunting ground with holm oaks, pine woods and streams. The most popular starting point is the lake, with its terraces and views of the Royal Palace, and from there trails and paths set off for all levels. An original way to get there is on the cable car that leaves from the paseo del Pintor Rosales. Take water and a map on your phone, because the park is very large. The Puerta del Ángel neighbourhood, on one of its edges, is a good place to stay nearby.

Next to the Ciudad Universitaria, the Dehesa de la Villa is a pine forest with viewpoints over northern Madrid and, on clear days, the Sierra de Guadarrama. It is less well known than the Casa de Campo, much quieter and perfect for a short walk among the trees. You can link it with the Parque del Oeste by walking down through the Ciudad Universitaria.

If you like green spaces, you will find more parks and gardens to include in your walks in green Madrid: parks and gardens. And if you prefer to cover longer distances on two wheels, there are routes and tips in Madrid by bike.

At the end of a long day on foot, a taxi hailed in the street takes you back to your hotel with no effort. And on the day of your flight, the transfer to the airport from anywhere inside the M-30 costs €33 with a fixed fare, to any terminal and at any time.