MADRID CASA DE CAMPO TOUR – 21KM
The tour starts and ends on Gran Vía in the heart of downtown. After a short run through Madrid's oldest neighbourhood, we'll cross the Manzanares River and enter into the Casa de Campo city park which was previously the hunting grounds of the Spanish Royal Family. A unique and very special experience in the heart of Madrid which will make you feel like you are deep in the countryside.
Runner on the ground - PHILIP
10 years of running
Madrid Casa de Campo Tour is for you if you’re training for a half or full marathon or just eager to stay out there a little longer and see some beautiful nature. The tour starts and ends downtown on Gran Via or at a convenient central location.
From there, we run a gorgeous couple of kilometres through Madrid’s oldest neighbourhood. We go down to the Manzanares River and into Madrid’s epic city park, the Casa de Campo. Previously the hunting grounds of the Spanish Royal Family, it is a dense oak and pine forest. Running through the park is an unforgettable experience in the heart of Madrid. It will make you feel like you are far away deep in the countryside.
Casa de Campo is one of the biggest city parks in the world. In fact, it’s five times the size of New York City’s famous Central Park. The park is situated to the west side of the city and is home to the Madrid Zoo and Aquarium, an amusement park and a cable car called the Teleferico de Madrid. The cable car boasts awesome aerial views of the park.
A more significant part of the park is just a vast, wild open space free of all the noise and artificial elements of a modern city.
Ideal for Running
The park has many trails that crisscross one another. These are ideal for running with plenty of inclines and declines for a proper workout. The pathways are fairly undulating so don’t expect a flat, easy run through the park. It’s still doable for those with a certain fitness level. And we can take it at the pace that suits you best.
Many of the less frequented areas of the park showcase Madrid’s natural semi-arid beauty with red soil and scruffy looking pine and oak trees.
The park is also home to many wild rabbits and has abundant birdlife, including starlings, orioles and nightingales. As well as incredible natural surroundings and views of the Madrid skyline to die for, our run will pass the Almudena Cathedral, the Royal Palace, Opera house and the beautiful Manzanares River.
William Mason –
My guide Philip greeted me in the lobby of my hotel promptly and with a welcoming smile. He had great energy and extensive knowledge of Madrid; his love for the city was infectious. I chose the 21K run as I am currently training for a marathon and I didn’t think I’d get much running in during my two weeks in Spain. This was a perfect way to train and see parts of the city I would not have otherwise visited. The Casa de Campo is vast and beautiful and I felt like we had the place almost all to ourselves – quite a change from the crowded NYC parks where I’m used to running. This particular course is definitely for intermediate to advanced runners. I was unaware (until Philip told me) that Madrid sits at a very high altitude and the first half of the trail in Casa de Campo had quite a few formidable hills. I definitely felt all of this in my legs and lungs, but we powered through. I also had the option of stopping any time for photo opps or just to take a breather, and there were several drinking fountains along the route which made the run sustainable. All along the way, Philip regaled me with a lot of useful and interesting information about the history and culture of Madrid (he was kind enough to send me several restaurant recommendations as well). While this run was perfect for my purposes, I would note that it doesn’t cover the more touristy parts of Madrid, such as the city center, as the bulk of the run is in nature (gorgeous views of the city all along the way, though!). So for those seeking to check off particular tourist attractions on their run, I would recommend one of the other routes that Go offers. All told, this was a fabulous experience which I would recommend for any traveling runner. Thanks so much!
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Bruno –
Perfect run with a perfect guide!
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Mikaela –
Loved the route – it went by quickly because I was enjoying myself so much. Thank you Sarah and John!
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William Marder –
I loved this tour! The experience was great. I loved the tour so much I did it for four straight days. The first three days I ran with Phil and the fourth I ran with Sarah. Both Phil and Sarah are superb tour guides and runners. Running through Madrid with great tour guides is an amazing experience. The tours were the high point of my day.
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John Warnes –
Thank you so much for the kind words! We had a blast running with you all 4 days… your energy is contagious! Can’t wait to see which city you choose to run in next with Go! Running Tours 🙂
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Evelin –
This was a very nice tour through an unusual part of Madrid. The park is huge and offers ample opportunities for running. And John was a guide that adapted to my running skills and it was great talking to him about Madrid, Spain and lots of other topics.
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Camila M –
Had a great run with John. Great sightseeing and a nice break from usual touristy stuff.
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