The 15 Best Historical Tours in Spain

1.Madrid Essential: Historic Center, Plaza Mayor & Royal Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6,416 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) Our pick

Walk Madrid’s historic core with guides such as Javier, David, Christian, and Miguel. In about 2.5 hours, you’ll connect Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, old city walls, flamenco, Almudena Cathedral, and the Royal Palace through stories, maps, and visual aids. Palace entry is not included.

“Very informative tour about Madrid’s history. JP is an amazing guide - well-prepared, engaging, and great at keeping the group involved.”

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2.Tapas Walking Tour with Food, Wine, and History

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4,261 reviews · 3 hours · from $78

Meet your English-speaking guide at Travel Bar near Las Ramblas for three hours of Catalan food, drinks, and Gothic Quarter stories. You’ll visit four food stops, with tastings ranging from pinchos and seafood to tapas, jamón, and paella. Guides such as Andrew, Santiago, Ewan, and Juan Carlos add plenty of humor and local insight.

“Santiago was a really good tour guide and fun to be with. I cannot remember when I laughed as much as on that tour! I definitely recommend this tour! It was an interesting and delicious experience.”

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3.Sevilla Food Tour: Tapas, Wine, History & Traditions

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,468 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $83

Spend about 3.5 hours walking Seville with a small group of up to 12, stopping at local bars for tapas, four wines, and traditional dishes such as chicharrones, carrillada, espinacas con garbanzos, albóndigas, and pestiños. Guides including Alejandro, Pilar, Jeff, Sasha, and Stephanie add food, history, and practical city advice.

“This was a fun and delicious way to spend an afternoon in Seville! Our guide Sasha was the best! She was fun and knowledgeable and made the experience a great one! The food and drink was fabulous! Salud!!”

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4.Valencia Old Town Tour with Wine & Tapas in 11th Century Historic Monument

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,234 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $96

Spend about four hours with a small English-speaking group exploring Valencia’s Old Town, including La Lonja, the Cathedral, Plaza de la Virgen, and the Central Market. Guides such as Martha, Mimi, Ellie, and Dani lead the walk, followed by tapas, paella, dessert, and regional wines in an 11th-century historic monument. Evening tours skip the market.

“VALENCIA is an amazing city and this tour was just as great. Martha was very knowledgeable and passionate about her city's history and heritage.”

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5.Barcelona Tapas Walking Tour: Food, Wine & History

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,928 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $66

Spend three hours with a local English-speaking guide in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, stopping at four bars or kitchens for tapas paired with wine, vermouth, sangria, and cava. Guides such as Santiago, Lila, Ewan, and Juan Carlos have led this experience. Expect generous food, social company, and some history, though the guide’s focus can vary.

“Amazing tapas and drinking tour to do with friends or family. A good way to incorporate fun with history. Best part of our trip!”

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6.Ultimate Seville Tapas, Wine & History Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,766 reviews · 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $101

Spend about three hours walking Seville’s Santa Cruz quarter with an English-speaking food guide such as Mario, Paula, Elena, or Manuel. Visit historic family-run bars, try 9+ tapas and four drinks, then finish with artisan ice cream. The group is capped at 10, with several dietary options available.

“A great evening visiting traditional family run bars and restaurants and getting a great taste of both local wine and food/ tapas. Our guide and host Guillermo provided a fun packed evening around the tapas and wine of Seville but also a great insight into the history of the city. We would highly recommend to anyone that wants to food and wine culture of the city.”

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7.Skip-the-Line Great Mosque-Cathedral History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,690 reviews · 1 hour · from $38

Meet your English, Spanish, or French-speaking guide by the only olive tree near Santa María Fountain. Spend an hour inside Córdoba’s Mosque-Cathedral, tracing its Islamic beginnings, Christian conversion, arches, altarpiece, and choir. Audio receivers help you hear clearly, and your guide can suggest a local tapas spot afterward.

“Great guide that explained everything so well to us. Luckily we were a group of Brazilians and she also spoke Portuguese. So the tour was made in Portuguese. You should offer this type of language when purchasing a ticket :)”

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8.2.5-Hour Bike or E-Bike Historical Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,262 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $28

Ride through Barcelona with a local guide on a regular bike or e-bike. In 2.5 hours, you’ll see Arc de Triomf, El Born, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, Casa Vicens, and Sagrada Familia. Guides such as Sergio, Peter, Alex, Marina, and Maria are praised for clear facts, easy pacing, and helpful local tips.

“The tour was awesome!! Sergio knew a lot about every place and was super accommodating when we had bike issues. They even sent out a mechanic with anne’s bike she one of our group member’s bikes broke! Quick response and we got to enjoy a coffee at a cafe nearby. The views are great and the routes are very easy to follow.”

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9.Taste of Malaga Tour : Tapas, History and Local Customs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 758 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $83

Spend three and a half hours walking central Málaga with an English-speaking guide such as Felipe, Elise, Javi, Fernando or Emilio. Visit Atarazanas Market, a traditional grocery shop and several tapas restaurants, sampling Iberian ham, vermouth, Andalusian dishes and Spanish wine. The small group has a maximum of 12 people.

“Great tour around Malaga city sampling traditional food and drinks. Fernando was our guide he was very knowledgeable and made the tour fun and informative. He chatted to everyone and we all enjoyed the tour. He gave us information of best places to eat and history of the city. We returned next day to the food market as it was so good!”

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10.Alicante Historic Small Group Tour with Tapas Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 559 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $35

Start at Alicante’s Central Market for local snacks, ride to Santa Bárbara Castle for sweeping city views, then walk downhill through Santa Cruz and the old town. Guides such as Isaac and Francisco explain Alicante’s past in English before a drink and one substantial tapa at a local bar. Expect steps, uneven surfaces, heat, and a small group capped at 11.

“Met Isaac at the central market along with two other guests. He was instantly likeable and really knows his stuff. This was a great tour giving the highlights of Alicante so you can pinpoint the best places to visit.”

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11.Barcelona Erotic Museum – Explore Art, History & Fun

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 450 reviews · 1 day · from $17Best value

Visit Spain’s only Erotic Museum on La Rambla, opposite La Boquería. Your ticket covers more than 800 artworks, historical objects, unusual inventions, an erotic garden, an audio guide in five languages, and a welcome glass of cava, orange juice, or water. Plan on about an hour, and remember that entry is for adults aged 18 and over.

“For what it is and how much is costs, as well as a glass of champagne at the door, I think this is well worth to have a bit of fun and also to maybe learn a little something about history. Definitely recommend having a jar of sangria or something beforehand to loosen up and enjoy yourself!”

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12.Dark History Night Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 344 reviews · 2 hours · from $24

Walk from the Arc de Triomf into El Born and La Ribera as an English-speaking guide recounts Barcelona’s darker past. Expect stories of the Spanish Inquisition, public executions, forgotten cemeteries, and the city executioner, supported by images, readings, props, a wall projector, and headsets. This is historical storytelling, not a ghost tour.

“Elena our guide was amazing ! Very interactive and made the tour! Would definitely recommend.”

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13.The Spanish Civil War Historical Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 239 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $46

Walk from Plaça de Catalunya through Barcelona’s old town, where your English-speaking guide explains the Civil War, anarchists, fascists, Franco, and the International Brigades. Photos and sites linked to George Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia make this complex story easier to follow. The tour ends near Barcelona city hall.

“Excellent walking tour by a guide with highly detailed knowledge of this complicated topic who succinctly explained its origins, main parties and historical background. Plenty of time for questions. Take this tour if you want to get a good objective overview of the Spanish Civil War with an expert on this often under-explained subject. This was my favorite tour in Barcelona. Highly recommended!”

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14.Barcelona Historical 3-Hour Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 222 reviews · 3 hours · from $42

Ride at an easy pace through Barcelona’s old quarters, parks, waterfront, and Gaudi landmarks with a live guide in English, Spanish, Catalan, French, or Italian. You’ll stop at sites such as the Gothic churches, Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, and La Pedrera. Bikes, helmets, a drink, rain jackets, and child seats are supplied.

“Danni, our guide was fantastic, he was very informative and really easy to get along with. As we was a group of 4 he took the time to ensure we all had enough Toilet breaks and time to stretch our legs.”

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15.Tipsy Tapas & History Tour in the Gothic Quarter

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 117 reviews · from $78

Meet at Plaza Real for a three-hour evening walk through Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. Guides such as Ricardo and Hugo pair three tapas stops with Spanish drinks, local history, and live music at the final venue. The set menu can accommodate dietary restrictions, and the tour runs in English or Spanish.

“I booked this for me and my partner for his birthday. We had had the best time ever. Ricardo was the most amazing guide ever, so so friendly, funny, intellectual, kind and attentive. We had the most amazing time, the tapas choices and drinks choices were amazing. We have no negative comments here was absolutely amazing. Please get this tour it will make your trip amazing!! A big thank you to Ricardo you were the best!!! Gracias!!”

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