Walking Tour: Plaza Colon, Tribunal, Chueca, Serrano

This interesting walking tour will take in 3 very different atmospheres: The new fashion district where you have luxury shops with Serrano and Goya streets, the historical touch with Tribunal, Plaza Colon and the Archeology museum, and finally Chueca, Madrid's Gay neighborhood with its fancy bars and boutiques.

A- The tour starts in Plaza Colon, where you can find the old statue dedicated to Christopher Columbos built in 1885 (the column), in addition the 4 big block in ciment representing tails on the famous explorer. Walk down Calle Goya and cross paseo de Recoletos until you reach calle Genova and go to the left until you reach calle Orellana.

B- You will find there in front of you the Spanish Supreme Court, an 18th century Baroque building which used to be a convent, and its Church, Iglesia de Santa Barbara, where King Ferdinand VII and his wife Barbara de Braguanza are burried. Continue to the south until you reach Calle Barbara de Braguanza.

C- Take the beginning of Calle Santo Tome and walk Calle Piamonte, Calle del Barquillo (where you have many electronic shops),

D- Reach Calle de Gongora and when you get to Calle Gravina , take your right to Plaza de Chueca.

E- Plaza Chueca, in memory of Frederico chueca, a famous pianist composer of many Zarzuelas, is in the heart of an a very animated part of the city. Chueca is the Gay quarter of Madrid, sort of similar to Soho or Le Marais in Paris. you will find in the small streets around many bars and new fashion boutiques. You will also find there la Bodega de Angel Sierra, almost unchanged since its opening in 1897.
Once you finished from wondering in the neighborhood, get back to calle Gravina and continue to Calle del Almirante.

F- Calle del Almirante holds a nice part of the citie's history, matching the political transformation of the city. After Franco, the street was one of the main spots of the Movida movement, with 2 gay bars opening in this conservative neighborhood. it is now considered one of the main spots of Madrid fashion shopping, as well as a few remaining old stores such as Antonio Del Pozo and la Panaderia.
Once you reach Paseo de Regoletos, walk to you left until you reach Calle Villanueva.

G-H- You won't miss there the big building the National Library and Archeology museum, which is partly under renovation. The works are exepcted to end in 2013. Founded in 1867n the museum holds more than 100,000 objects from the pre-historic period to the mid-19th century.

I- Once you finish from the museum, you can wonder in Calle Jorge Juan, Serrano and Goya for some luxury shopping.
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