Prado Museum & El Retiro Park: private halfday walking tour

Hola! My name is María and I live in Madrid since I was 4. I love my city and I am looking forward to sharing its unique personality with you. Let's have a good time exploring it! I have been working as a guide since 2012 when I discovered that this was my true calling. I am a licensed Architect and worked as such for several years until I realized that my main passions were people and traveling while I was spending the whole day on my own in front of a computer…My professional life was needing a turn and I decided to accept the challenge of jumping into a new professional field. As soon as I started guiding groups around Europe and the Iberian Peninsula I understood that I had finally found my place. But soon enough I felt the urge to specialize in my favorite city, my home: Madrid. So I took the exam for becoming an Official Guide in 2017. Madrid is the capital of Spain and a city forged over centuries, with a vibrant history as it has witnessed uprisings, defeats, revolutions, wars, art movements, intellectual gatherings. . . and it has been home to many different peoples whose cultures have been engraved in its buildings, urbanism, gardens, traditions, festivities, language. . . Sometimes quite evidently, sometimes you have to dig a little deeper. We will decipher all the resulting layers of this rich past! But Madrid is also a city in constant renovation, lively, modern and up to date, that offers us a cosmopolitan face that never ceases to surprise: trendy shopping, unexpected and creative events, art galleries, designer markets, up-and-coming venues, sophisticated parties. . . To complete the set, we have magnificent natural environments, some urban and others in the vicinity of the city: a beautiful collection of gardens and parks, like Retiro or Casa de Campo, in the city and the mountains of our National Park, the Guadarrama, or the gardens of Aranjuez, less than one hour away, for example. So whether you're looking for history, nature, heritage, sophistication, art, fashion, the bustle of urban activity or to rest your eyes on centuries-old natural landscapes, you're in for a treat! And it will be a great pleasure for me to accompany you in the adventure of discovering Madrid. Come and explore with me! :) I am a licensed Official Guide in Madrid (city and region) and surroundings (Toledo, Segovia, Ávila, Salamanca, Guadalajara) I have a Degree in Architecture and Urban Planning (Universidad Politécnica - Madrid & Universidade Técnica - Lisboa) I can drive, but not during the tours, as I prefer to focus on the tour while somebody else takes complete care of the traffic. I can book a private car & driver for you.