Alongside some of the world’s top museums, Madrid is home to many other art venues. There are dozens of Art Galleries in Madrid. In sum, about half the art spaces in the country can be found in Madrid – a maze of art encompassing most streets.

It all began in the heart of the elegant Barrio de Salamanca, where some of the private collections owned by aristocrats and bourgeois were first made available to the public in the aftermath of the war. With the arrival of democracy, art galleries extended to the west along Paseo de la Castellana, still within posh districts like Chambería or Salesas. Eventually, the search for new horizons and the Reina Sofía Museum, acting as a magnet drew art galleries into the Literary district, and even into Calle del Doctor Fourquet, a tucked-away street in Lavapiés that today is brimming with art galleries.

Following in the footsteps of the pioneers a considerable number of men and women set up their own galleries for their love of art – an adventure that was half enterprise, half patronage.

Thanks to art galleries, which are usually closer to emerging trends and market demand, many artists have been able to show their work or even, in the case of a lucky few, make a living. Some of the key Spanish contemporary artists – Canogar, Chillida, Úrculo, Millares, Saura, Tàpies or Barceló, to name but a few – would have never earned recognition without the interest and efforts of art dealers and gallery owners.

This walking tour with a specialised guide will allow you to know 4 art galleries located at the surroundings of the Reina Sofía Museum, including a drink and a talk with a gallery owner or artist.