Madrid is an enchanting city that is both historic and modern. You’ll have all the amenities of any world-class metropolis — museums, theatre, art galleries, parks, excellent public transit, retail centers and restaurants, but you’ll also catch a glimpse of times past with ancient medieval cathedrals, Renaissance art exhibits, civil war monuments and centuries-old architecture. Many travelers choose to hook up with travel guides and city tours to help them navigate this maze of wonderment, which can cost as little as $24 or thousands of dollars, depending on how much you want included in your ticket price.

It’s useful to have travel guides in the city, if for no other reason than to cart you around. Traffic in the city centre is unreal at times, with cars swerving, honking, parking and tailgating all over the place. While many museums, restaurants and monuments are within walking distance, you’ll miss out on the historic background, the colorful stories and the travel information that really brings this Spanish city to life. Your freedom might be somewhat hindered on a tour, but you will get an overview of many different places all in one day, so you’ll have a better idea where you’d like to spend more time once you’re back on your own again. A Madrid Vision city bus tour (www.madridvision.es) might take you to Royal Palace, the Paseo del Prado, the Puerta de Alcalá, down the historic Gran Via boulevard, through modern Salamanca and to the Paseo de la Castellana mansion for $14-$43/person.

Many newcomers to Spain desire to expand their Madrid travel to the surrounding areas. Top Day Tours (www.tourmadrid.eu) offer full or half-day tours that depart from top hotels in Madrid and whisk you away to Toledo for the day or even just half a day, if you prefer. Their Toledo travel guides will take you to medieval cathedrals, the Church of St Tomé, the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, the Museum of Victorio Macho, the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes and local restaurants. Another day tour may take you to medieval Avila and UNESCO World Heritage site, Segovia. A third possibility is a half-day excursion to the Valley of the Fallen, where civil war monuments lie, and El Escorial, which is full of Renaissance art. The cost for the Toledo and Valley of the Fallen/El Escorial tours are $184 and the Avila/Segovia tour is $298.

Arriving in a new foreign city can be overwhelming. Where do you go? What should you do? How do you get there? How far apart are the city’s top attractions? The great thing about travel guides is that they give you a good idea of where everything is, so you will note where you want to spend more time during your extended stay. Whether you take a bus tour, a bike tour, a museum tour, a culinary tour or an out-of-town tour, you’ll be able to get the most from your stay in Spain by hooking up with seasoned travel professionals.

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