podtour
Crimes and Legends of Habsburg Madrid
In Habsburg Madrid, people were locked up, tried in public and made things up.
The Rastro and Lavapiés: Cigar-Makers, Corralas and Legends: audio walk in Madrid
From the soldier with a tin at the top of the Rastro to the 3,500 cigar-makers who rose up in 1830: tanners, a street with two heads, a Jewish quarter that arrived late, a hanged man's hat, a corrala, a roofless church and a neighbourhood that has always belonged to outsiders.
What this walk is about
Working-class Madrid, told by its people. You start in front of Eloy Gonzalo, the foundling from the Inclusa who went out tied to a rope to set fire to a house in Cuba, and whom the neighbourhood remembers by the name of a village. You head down the Ribera de Curtidores, where the "rastro" was literal; ask why a street is called Embajadores, "Ambassadors"; follow the trail of the Inclusa and its wet nurses; and reach Calle de la Cabeza, with a legend from 1863 and a crime from 1821. In Lavapiés: the name nobody can explain, the outsiders who made the neighbourhood the most Madrid of all, and a Jewish quarter that turned up in a book centuries later. You finish between the corrala, the roofless Escuelas Pías and the tobacco factory where the cigar-makers stood up to being searched.
- Start
- The foundling remembered with a rope
- Finish
- Three thousand five hundred women searched at work
- Who it is for
- For anyone looking for everyday, neighbourhood Madrid. A walk for anyone curious about trades and working-class history. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The foundling remembered with a rope
- 2
Where the cattle were slaughtered
- 3
Who fled the plague?
- 4
The foundling hospital
- 5
The street of the two heads
- 6
Where does the name Lavapiés come from?
- 7
A neighbourhood of new arrivals
- 8
The Jewish quarter invented later
- 9
The hanged man's hat
- 10
The roofless church and its plaque
- 11
Three thousand five hundred women searched at work
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Madrid, before you go
Madrid makes sense square by square. Leave room for a terrace, an unexpected slope and a proper break when the sunshine gets strong.
More walks nearby
La Latina: From the Medieval Town to the Virgin of La Paloma
Before it was a capital, Madrid was a walled town with gates and parishes, and La Latina still keeps its layout.
Barrio de las Letras: Cervantes, Lope and Quevedo
In just a few blocks, the most famous writers in the Spanish language lived, loathed each other and were buried.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
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on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.