Free walking tours in Spain

What are the best free walking tours to take when you visit Spain?

Many Spanish cities and towns have free tours of all kinds.

Free tours are led by professional guides and are tip-based, meaning you pay the guide whatever you want at the end of the tour.

This means the guide will make an extra effort to keep you interested, entertained and engaged throughout the tour, which is why free tours usually provide a great experience.

It’s a good idea to book your place on every free tour ahead of time, especially in popular cities like Madrid and Barcelona, because the tours tend to fill up quickly.

When you plan a trip to Spain, use this list of free walking tours in Spain to find tours in each region you visit.

Free walking tours in Spain by city and region

Free tours in Catalonia

Barcelona free walking tours

Free Walking Tour of Barcelona: Explore the historic city centre, including the main landmarks and famous places like Plaza de Catalunya and La Rambla.

Free Walking Tour of Park Güell: The beautiful, artistic and most famous park in Barcelona has its own free tour, covering its architecture, nature and monuments.

Gaudi Free Tour: The perfect tour for art and architecture lovers. Personally, this was one of my favourite tours in Barcelona. It includes iconic buildings by Gaudi and other modernists, like Casa Batlló and Sagrada Familia.

Tarragona Free Walking Tour: The free tour of the old town of Tarragona (a short ride from Barcelona) covers Roman heritage sites and is great for history buffs.

Free tours in girona

Girona Free Walking Tour: The tour will show you the highlights of beautiful Girona, its history since Roman times and the most remarkable places in the city, like the Cathedral and the Jewish Quarter.

Free Game of Thrones Tour in Girona: See the filming locations of Game of Thrones around Girona and hear stories and anecdotes about the TV series and the city.

Free walking tours in Valencia

Valencia Free Tour: Take a tour when you arrive in Valencia to learn about the history and culture of this wonderful city.

Free Tour of Valencia Street Art: Get to know the cool street art scene of Valencia with a guided tour in the historic El Carmen district.

Modernist Valencia Free Tour: Discover the modernist style architecture of Valencia on this free tour and see some of its most beautiful and iconic buildings.

Valencia Mysteries & Legends: This tour takes place at night and explores the dark side of Valencia, with sordid but entertaining stories and legends.

Find all free and paid tours in The Valencian Community

Madrid free tours

Free Walking Tour of Madrid: See all the main landmarks of Madrid and learn about Spanish culture and history in a tour full of facts alongside anecdotes and humour.

San Lorenzo de El Escorial Free Tour: This lovely town is about an hour away from Madrid, so you can visit it on a day trip. Take a free tour to see the historic centre and find the best views.

Toledo free walking tour

Toldeo free tour: Toledo is a unique and very popular destination in Spain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The free walking tour explores its Christian, Muslim and Jewish history and the important and beautiful landmarks in the city.

Free tours in the Balearic Islands, Spain

Palma de Mallorca free tours

Free Walking Tour of Palma de Mallorca: Take this free tour of beautiful Palma to learn about its rich history, iconic buildings like Palma Cathedral, Roman and Arab cultural influences and much more.

Mysteries and Legends Free Tour of Palma: Get to know the city while listening to entertaining mystery stories.

Palma Jewish Quarter Free Guided Tour: Gain deeper knowledge and understanding of the history and culture of Palma through a tour of the old Jewish quarter.

Free Walking Tour of Valldemossa: Take a free tour of this charming village, a short ride from Palma de Mallorca.

Free tours in Ibiza, Spain

Ibiza Free Tour: See the pretty streets and beautiful buildings of the capital, while learning about its ancient history, as well as its more recent history as a party destination.

Sant Antoni Street Art Free Tour: I always like to find free tours with a special theme. This tour takes you through the town of Sant Antoni to discover its spectacular street art scene.

Mahon, Menorca free walking tour

Mahon Free Walking Tour: This tour of the capital of Menorca covers the history and all the city’s highlights, significant buildings and historic marketplaces.

See all tours in the Balearic Islands (free and paid)

Free tours in Andalusia, Spain

Seville free tours

Free Tour of Sevilla: Seville is an amazing city to explore! The free sightseeing tour will show you around its most important points of interest, including the Seville Cathedral and the unmissable Royal Alcazar.

Seville River Banks Free Tour: Dig deeper into the history of Seville with this tour. It includes stories from the city’s Golden Age and its UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Triana Free Tour: When I went to Seville for the first time people told me not to miss lively Tirana, the coolest part of the city. It’s especially famous for its flamenco dancers. This tour takes you through its colourful streets and explores its history.

Cordoba free walking tour

Free Tour of Cordoba: Cordoba is definitely one of the most picturesque places I’ve been to in Spain. This tour lets you discover the city with a local guide, exploring all of its most famous places, like the Gate of the Moon, the Synagogue and the Roman Bridge.

Malaga free tours

Free Walking Tour of Malaga: See Malaga’s most famous highlights, including Malaga’s Roman Theatre, Malaga Cathedral and the Picasso Birthplace Museum.

Alcazaba & Roman Theatre Free Tour: This is a themed free tour of two famous places in the city: the ancient Roman theatre and the historic Alcazaba. The tour also includes a great viewing point overlooking the marina.

Granada free walking tour

Free Walking Tour of Granada: One of the most extraordinary destinations in Spain. On the free tour, you’ll explore the historic centre, Granada Cathedral, the old silk market, Muslim history and much more.

Free tour in Marbella

Marbella Free Tour: A wonderful Costa del Sol destination. See the city’s temples and old facades and learn about its Arab history on this free walking tour.

Cadiz free walking tour

Free Walking Tour of Cadiz: The ancient port city is famous for its beaches and watchtowers. Take this free tour to learn about its history and see all the main points of interest in Cádiz.

Estepona free walking tour

Free Walking Tour of Estepona: While you’re in the Costa del Sol, visit the adorable old town of Estepona, famous not only for its beaches but also for the gorgeous flower decorations on its streets.

Free tours in Benalmadena

Benalmadena Free Tour: Join a free tour to see the old town of Benalmadena with its charming white houses and Andalusian flower decorations.

Free walking tour in Ronda

Free Walking Tour of Ronda: Get to know the old town of Ronda and see magnificent views from the Puente Nuevo bridge.

Mijas free tour

Mijas Free Tour: Take a pleasant walking tour around the pretty town of Mijas with its cute, narrow streets with floral decorations.

Almería free tour

Almería Free Tour: Almería, in southeast Spain, is known for its unspoilt beaches. The free tour covers all the main highlights and the interesting history of the city.

See all tours in Andalucia (free and paid)

Free tours in Galicia

Santiago de Compostela free tour

Free Walking Tour of Santiago de Compostela: The pilgrimage city and the capital of Galicia in northwest Spain is a popular destination, where the Camino de Santiago ends. Take a free tour to see the city’s main landmarks and hear stories about its past and culture.

Vigo free tour

Free Walking Tour of Vigo: A port city in Galicia by the Atlantic Ocean, worth discovering on a guided tour. The tour covers the city’s main streets, squares and viewing points.

Lugo free tour

Free Walking Tour of Lugo: Lugo is an ancient city, known for its Roman history and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You can visit it on a day trip and take a tour with a local guide.

Why take free walking tours in Spain?

Tour guides in Spain need to train, pass exams and get a licence to work as guides.

That’s why you can expect high quality, professional and knowledgeable guides on every tour.

I took plenty of walking tours in different cities in Spain, both free and paid, and they all maintained very high standards.

Free tours are “free” because they don’t have a fixed price and there’s no obligation to pay; they are based on tips you give the guide at the end of the tour to show your appreciation.

That’s a clever concept that makes these tours very popular.

There are more good reasons to take free walking tours, other than the price:

You get to know your way around a new city in a couple of hours.
It’s easy to meet other tourists (and sometimes locals) on these tours.
You can ask the guides for local advice. They’re happy to share their knowledge.

Find out more info about free tours in Europe here

Is there a downside to free tours in Spain?

The only downside I can think of is that these are group tours, so they are not personalised. Private tours can be better suited in some circumstances.

There are set times for the free tours and the timing may not always be convenient. For example, if you are on a short city break and your schedule is tight or if the weather isn’t great, you may miss the free tour.

Also, the themes of most free tours are quite general (with some exceptions, as you can see in the list above).

If you have a specific interest, you may be better off paying for a private tour. Many tour companies are happy to provide customised private tours and they can find expert guides for your specific interest.

For a full list of tours in Spain (including private tours) follow this link

Table of contents