Madrid is smack dab in the center of Spain. The historic center is filled with beautiful old buildings, charming plazas, and lots of trees and parks. I strongly suggest venturing to some of the quaint towns less than an hour outside of Madrid, easily reached by train. With fantastic transportation and a major international airport, Madrid also makes for a great stop on a multi-city tour.
What a fun way to get familiar with the city and visit several sights in a short period of time. After getting fitted for bikes and slathering ourselves with sunscreen, we were off. There are more than ten stops on the tour including plazas, parks, and a palace. While on the tour, I made a mental list of the places that we wanted to come back to on foot.
About two hours into the ride, we stopped for cold drinks included in the tour at a sidewalk cafe in the Literary Quarter. Our bikes were well-maintained, comfortable, and easy to ride. We only pedaled uphill two or three times and only for short distances. Our English-speaking guide was friendly and knowledgeable, though his presentation needed a little polish.
He did a good job of herding our group when we got split up at traffic lights and made sure that we all made it safely across any busy intersections. Much of the ride was on narrow streets with little or no traffic, except for pedestrians. We did ride amid light traffic on large boulevards including a stretch on Paseo del Prado. Though drivers around us were not aggressive and lanes were clearly marked, the bike lanes were in between lanes of traffic, which made my husband a little nervous.
We made sure one of us was always behind our kids, keeping an eye on them just in case someone needed help. Helmets are required for kids under 16 and available to anyone else who asks for one. Ponchos are provided in case of bad weather or you also have the option to reschedule or cancel without penalty.
