Discover Muslim Madrid: A Private Walk Through the City’s Hidden Islamic Origins

Ready to uncover the history of Madrid in a way few travelers ever do?
Join Madrid Museum Tours on an exclusive private tour through Muslim Madrid, exploring the city’s deep-rooted past as the Islamic stronghold of Mayrit—the original name of the capital of Spain.

This immersive private guided visit, lasting four hours, traces the origins of Madrid and takes you on a mysterious journey through the streets of Madrid. From the Islamic suburb and Arab wall to the heart of Christian Madrid, each step reveals layers of cultural heritage.

Pick up from your hotel. Start at the Museum of the Origins of Madrid

From your hotel, we will walk to the Museum of the Origins of Madrid, housed in the historic home of San Isidro. Here, you’ll trace the city’s story from the Paleolithic era through Roman, Visigothic, and Muslim settlement.

We explore how Moslem Mayrit emerged through advanced qanat irrigation and urban design. Discover the everyday life of its inhabitants and the engineering behind the formidable Arab wall—your first step into the hidden past.

Inside the museum, we also dive into Christian Madrid, encountering Santa María de la Cabeza and La Latina, and witnessing relics like the Well of the Miracle and the 16th-century Renaissance courtyard.

Exploring the Islamic Suburb

From the museum, we walk into the old Islamic suburb, revealing how Mayrit grew from water channels—qanat—into a thriving city. At Puerta de Moros square, markers trace these historic aqueducts, which gave the city its original name.

Descending toward square de la Paja, we encounter the elegant Palacio de los Vargas and learn of its connection to San Isidro. Discover how disputes over his relics led to their relocation to the parish of San Andrés and the creation of the stunning Capilla del Obispo.

Today, this site—alongside the modern-day Santa Bárbara School—forms a powerful symbol of spiritual and historical continuity in Christian Madrid.

Uncovering the Christian Wall and the Mudejar Legacy

Our private walk continues to the ancient gate of Puerta Cerrada, once sealed to protect the city. Nearby, de los Carros square evokes the medieval market life. We then reach the Iglesia de San Pedro el Viejo, originally a mosque, now home to a striking Mudejar tower and the setting of spine-chilling “leyendas madrileñas”.

Following calle de Alfonso VI, calle del Toro, Cava Baja, and Cava Alta, we wind through the historic neighborhood of La Latina. This path, shaped by the old Christian wall, once bordered a lagoon that supplied the Islamic suburb and the old souk near today’s Plaza Mayor.

Layers of Madrid: From Arab Wall to Royal Grandeur

Walking along Calle Mayor, past the Italian Cultural Institute and down Calle del Factor, we see preserved sections of the original Islamic wall. At the Iglesia de San Nicolás, a former mosque crowned by a majestic Mudejar tower, we witness the enduring blend of two cultures. In San Nicolás lies the tomb of Juan de Herrera, the great architect of the awe-inspiring Royal Monastery of El Escorial, the most important monument of the Counter-Reformation.

In Ramales square, we dive into the mystery of Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez and his lost tomb beneath the vanished Iglesia de San Juan Bautista. Then, we descend into Oriente square, home to a hidden 11th-century watchtower and the grand Royal Palace of Madrid, built atop the former Islamic fortress and Habsburg Alcázar.

Hidden Legends and the Echoes of Mayrit

Near the cathedral of La Almudena, we explore ruins of the Church of Santa María de la Almudena, which stood atop Mayrit’s main mosque. The alley behind holds a murder mystery immortalized by the Duke of Rivas—one of many leyendas madrileñas our guide will bring to life.

In Mohamed I Park, we descend to Cuesta de la Vega to witness Madrid’s oldest surviving structure: a stretch of the 9th-century Arab wall. Built using Cordoba-style masonry, this wall symbolizes the city’s Islamic engineering prowess and its lasting Mudejar legacy.

The Forgotten City Gates and the Soul of Madrid

We uncover the role of Puerta de la Vega—once the southern entrance to the Muslim medina—and the small portillos that fortified the city. These ancient gates, remnants of the Christian wall and Islamic suburb, are still visible near Calle Segovia.

Mayrit’s Origins and the Rise of Christian Madrid

Before urbanization, the region’s natural springs drew settlers like the Carpetani and Roman aristocrats. In the 9th century, Mohamed I established Mayrit as a military and hydrological stronghold. His son Al-Mundir selected the site that now hosts the Royal Palace of Madrid.

From the conquest by Alfonso VI and the “cats legend” to the rise of the Mudéjar community under Alfonso XI, the city became a unique melting pot. Though expelled in the 17th century by Felipe III, many mudéjares remained, integrating their traditions into Madrid’s DNA.

A Living Legacy in Every Step

This exclusive private tour by Madrid Museum Tours is more than history—it’s a sensory and intellectual experience. The private route guides you through centuries of architecture, faith, and coexistence—from Mayrit to modern Madrid.

With tales of San Isidro, Santa María de la Cabeza, the “legend of the Cats” and surprises like a hidden trompe-l’œil, this is not just a tour—it’s a true historical discovery.

• Come walk the ancient lanes.
• Touch the stones of the Arab wall.
• Feel the silence of the Capilla del Obispo.
• And let the streets of Muslim Madrid speak their truth.

Drop off at your hotel in Madrid

Length: 4 hours.

Time: Tour from Monday to Sunday.

Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish.

Guides: All our guides are licensed by the Madrid Regional Government and Art History specialists.

High-quality audio gear for crystal-clear listening to your guide.

Meeting point / Drop off : your hotel in Madrid.

Cancellations: before 8 days of the tour: NO penalization.

• Less than 7 days before the Tour: 100% cancellation cost

Book this tour: Please fill in the contact form and we will contact you within 24 hours to confirm it.