Madrid:English Speaking Tours?

Posted by: chrismiss56

Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 07/14/05 12:59 PM

Hello

We will be in Madrid from a Friday to a Sunday and was wondering if anyone knew of any guided English speaking tours that will take us around the city.

Thanks!!

Posted by: Bill from NYC

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 07/15/05 12:47 PM

Wellington Society Tour, http://wellsoc.org. Fun and entertaining tours. Not the typical tours were the guide throws out facts about Madrid. The Chairman adds color to Madrid's history and it is recommended by many here.

I hope you like to drink, because the Chairmain does know some great Tapas bars.

If you do go say hi to the Chairman and Connie for me.

Bill from New York City

Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 07/15/05 12:55 PM

I agree with Bill from NYC. I too fully/completely/unequivocally recommend The (British) Chairman's The Wellington Society\'s historical walking tours of Madrid. I think I've attended 4 tours over the years and they're always entertaining, informative, funny, and tasty! If you search this message board you'll likely find dozens of threads and recommendations of these tours.

Saludos, MadridMn

Posted by: Eddie

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 07/15/05 07:34 PM

The Palacio Real offers some English language tours. You may have to wait 30-min or until they have a sufficiently large group to be worthwhile.

Several TourBus Companies have 'canned' tours (dial a language on your headset) in English. TrapSATur is one that comes to mind. I think they're on c/San Bernardo, just off the GranVia; but they have pickup at most major hotels.

Posted by: filbert

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 07/16/05 11:19 AM

A cheaper alternative may be to use that Rough Guide/Lonely Planet book to draw up your route. You can then take as long as you like, and stop off for a coffee or beer or granizado when you like...

Posted by: Rob in Madrid

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 08/20/06 07:09 AM

Speaking of such has anyone found any reasonably priced walking tours, the only ones I've looked at are outrageously priced. 150 to 300 euros for a 3 hour walking tour!!!!I would think a good walking tour would run about 25 to 30 euros a person max. I don't mind joining a group.

I've been looking at Julia Travel, her day Excursions are more reasonably priced. 50 to 75 for Segovia or Toledo.

Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 08/20/06 10:39 AM

The City of Madrid gives inexpensive walking tours. I think Antonio detailed them somewhere on the message board.

Saludos, MadridMan

Posted by: Rob in Madrid

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 08/20/06 12:02 PM

Thanks, I remember hearing something about that, I'll have time this week to check it out. As well I found this Walks of Spain they offer a walking eating tour of Madrid (my kind of walking tour

) at 49 euros quite reasonable. Don't know if I will have enough time to do it though. If I do I will report back

rob

Posted by: Jamongris

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 08/22/06 05:34 AM

Tim Hortons Man, I seem to remember a recent post on a bad experience a message board member had with a Julia Tours, here�s the quote.

Quote:

Recently returned from Madrid where I signed up for a tour of Segovia with Julia Tours. The web site and tickets state that the tours from Madrid orginate at #68 Gran Via. We arrived at 8:40 for our 9:15 tour. There were about 10 people already there standing in front of the building with the #68 address. There was no sign or office for Julia tours which seemed unusual. But, the consenses was that the buses would stop at the street. Well, thats not the case. At about 9:05, a julia bus stopped about 50 yards down the street. I approached the driver to see if he was picking up people for the tours. He pointed out the Julia office which wasn't at #68 Gran Via, but was around the corner on a side street. The group hurried into the office. Everyone was told that they were to be at the office promptly at 9:00 and even though everyone was at the advertised address in plenty of time, they couldn't take the tours and they offered no refunds. A simple sign on the building pointing to the office around the corner would have solved the problem. Unfortunately, 10 people paying over 100 euros each, lost their deposits and ruined a day of their Holiday.

I�m not sure if this is the same as the Julia travel you are on about, but be careful just in case. By the way I have no personal experience of these tours.

Posted by: Rob in Madrid

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 08/24/06 08:45 AM

Can you chance provide the link, I did a search (like a good boy) but couldn't find it.

My brother and his wife are only here for a week and I was debating whether recomending they take a tour or go on thier own. The only problem with Segovia is getting from the train to the old city, took us about 30 mins, thankfully the car rental office had a map to the TI, we had to stop several times to ask for directions. Once your in the old city its easy to get around and coming home I suggusted bus rather than train.

I found the following link for walking tours around Madrid www.esmadrid.com walking tours are very very cheap under 5 euros.

Is the Madrid Card a good deal? Mark wants to see the following prado The palace and The thyssen art gallery and the centro de art reina Sofia (Picasso's Guernica) A 2 day pass ios 48 euros.

to answer your question, yes it is and that's good to know. Thanks

Posted by: Jamongris

Re: Madrid:English Speaking Tours? - 08/25/06 04:01 AM

http://www.madridman.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=001526#000000

If it doesn�t work search transportation for Julia.

I always tend towards doing these things under my own steam, but then I have enough Spanish to get by if I get stuck.

Re the Madrid Card, it sounds pricey to me, but I had some friends over who thought it was a bargain. Bear in mind 10 journeys on the Metro is only just over 6 euros, and it is easy to use as long as you are mobile enough for the stairs. Then all you have to pay for are the entrances......

That was a real sit on the fence answer if ever there was