The historically important and posh Salamanca and Chueca neighborhoods have been Madrid’s nucleus since the early 1700s, decorated with monuments that were commissioned by Spanish kings and queens. Join Andrea Van Houtven, art historian and Context Travel expert, on this walking tour through “Posh Madrid”, as she shows you how these prestigious neighborhoods have evolved over the centuries. The tour starts in front of the emblematic Palacio de Cibeles (Cybele Palace), once the largest post office in the world, and now a vibrant cultural center. Along Calle Serrano, you’ll see intersecting streets that mark the city’s massive urban expansion project around the old town. As you walk, you’ll learn how the Spanish state periodically confiscated land and possessions from religious orders, using the proceeds to pay off its crushing national debt. As the streets narrow and we enter the Old Town, we’ll trace Madrid’s journey from a small, medieval town into a thriving metropolis and capital. You’ll also learn how recent events, counterculture, and the LGBTQI+ community have changed the Chueca neighborhood. Along the way, you’ll have a chance to: • See Alcalá Gate, commissioned by Spanish King Charles III to bring some Italian pizzazz to Madrid • Stroll down Calle Bárbara de Braganza and dive into the history of the queen consort who it’s named after • Discover how a group of 100 artists gave rise to the Círculo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Circle) in 1880 • Follow the path of the city’s first mule-drawn tramway on Calle Serrano and hear about its modernization into a fashionable, high-end residential district under José de Salamanca • Hear about the National Archaeological Museum’s famous bust, La Dama de Elche, and why it might not be an original • View monuments to Christopher Columbus, whose journeys to the New World were financed by the Spanish crown • Visit the only royal mausoleum to King Ferdinand VI and his wife Barbara at the Parish Church of Saint Barbra • Learn of the decay that took place in Madrid’s neighborhoods during Francisco Franco’s dictatorship, and the renewal since democracy was restored in the 1970s • Pass the headquarters of Instituto Cervantes, which promotes the Spanish language and Spanish literature worldwide • Take in the majestic cupola of the most photographed building in the city, the Metropolis Building By the end of this hour-long tour, you’ll have a better understanding of how Madrid was transformed into a modern European capital in the 1800s and 1900s.