Local Insight: Madrid’s Royal Palace is the largest in Western Europe by floor area, with over 3,400 rooms. Yet, the Spanish royal family doesn’t live there—it’s used exclusively for state ceremonies, making a guided tour your VIP pass inside this working monument.

Madrid’s tapas culture is a social ritual. Locals rarely eat dinner before 9 PM, so the evening tapeo (tapas crawl) is essential. It’s not just about the food—it’s about connecting, sharing stories, and slowly transitioning from work to leisure, one small plate and caña (small beer) at a time.

For the most authentic flamenco, locals avoid the big tablaos in the center. They head to “peñas” or small cultural associations in neighborhoods like Lavapiés, where the emotion is raw, the crowd is passionate, and the performance is for the art, not just the tourists.

Madrid’s culture isn’t locked away in museums—it’s lived on the streets. The true local experience is found in the chatter of a crowded tapas bar, the quiet awe inside the Prado, and the golden light of sunset over the Royal Palace. These tours are your key to living it, not just seeing it.