Puerta del Sol Tour Madrid: History, Kilómetro Cero and Our Tuk Tuk Route
Puerta del Sol is where Madrid measures its distances, rings in the New Year and arranges to meet. Here's its history, what to look for in the square, and how it fits into a TukTuk Tour, with the start just 7 minutes' walk away.
Puerta del Sol is Madrid's central square: home of Kilómetro Cero, the New Year's Eve clock and the Bear and the Strawberry Tree. It has been pedestrian since 2020, so a Puerta del Sol tour by tuk tuk works like this: the 4-hour Full Experience (€299 per tuk tuk, up to 4) reaches Sol at the end of its route, and every TukTuk Tour starts at Plaza de Isabel II, 7 minutes' walk from the square.
How it works
How a Puerta del Sol Tuk Tuk Tour Works
Most guests looking for a Puerta del Sol tuk tuk tour want one of three things. This is how each one works with us.
| You want to | What we suggest | Price per tuk tuk |
|---|---|---|
| See Sol as part of the full city | The 4-hour Full Experience, which reaches Sol at the end | €299 |
| Start near Sol | Our meeting point at Plaza de Isabel II, 7 minutes away, or free pickup near Sol | From €49 |
| See the old center around Sol | The 1-hour Classics: Palace, Plaza Mayor, La Latina, the Barrio de las Letras | €89 |
Message us on WhatsApp with your date and what you'd like to see. We'll confirm what we can do around the Puerta del Sol, or which tour fits best.
History
Puerta del Sol History, in Short
Puerta del Sol history is the story of Madrid itself. The square grew up around a town gate and became the place where news, politics and New Year all happen in Madrid.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1400s | A gate in the town wall faces east, decorated with a rising sun: the Puerta del Sol. |
| 1766–1768 | The French architect Jacques Marquet builds the Real Casa de Correos, the royal post office, on the south side. |
| 2 May 1808 | Madrileños rise up here against Napoleon's troops, the start of Spain's War of Independence. Goya painted the fighting. |
| 1857 | Spain sets its six main radial roads to start from here, the origin of Kilómetro Cero. |
| 1866 | The clock is installed on the Casa de Correos, a gift from the London-based watchmaker José Rodríguez de Losada. |
| 1962 | The New Year chimes are broadcast live on TV for the first time. |
| 1967 | The statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, Madrid's symbol, is unveiled. |
| 2009 | The Cercanías train station opens under the square, and the bear returns to its original spot. |
| 2020 | The square is closed to most traffic and becomes fully pedestrian. |
The building at the center of Puerta del Sol history, the Real Casa de Correos, is now the office of the President of the Community of Madrid. Under Franco it housed the state security police.
What to see
What to See at Puerta del Sol
It's a busy, open square, so it's easy to walk straight past the details. Here's what to look for.
Kilómetro Cero
The stone plaque on the pavement in front of the Casa de Correos. Every distance on Spain's main roads starts here.
The clock
On the tower of the Casa de Correos. Look at the four: it's written IIII, not IV.
The Bear and the Strawberry Tree
The bronze bear on the east side, by Antonio Navarro Santafé (1967). Madrid's coat of arms in 3D.
Charles III on horseback
In the middle of the square. Madrileños call him "the mayor-king" for paving, lighting and cleaning the city.
La Mariblanca
A small statue on a column, a copy of the figure that once crowned a fountain here.
The Tío Pepe sign
The famous neon sherry sign, now on top of the old Hotel París building.
Getting around
Streets That Start at Sol, and Where They Lead
Sol is the hub of old Madrid. Locals still say "nos vemos en Sol" (see you at Sol). These are the streets that lead out of it.
| Street | Leads to | Walk |
|---|---|---|
| Calle del Arenal | The Teatro Real and our meeting point at Plaza de Isabel II | About 7 min |
| Calle Mayor | Plaza Mayor, the Mercado de San Miguel, the palace | 5 min to Plaza Mayor |
| Calle de Alcalá | The Círculo de Bellas Artes, Cibeles, the Puerta de Alcalá | 15 min to Cibeles |
| Carrera de San Jerónimo | The Congreso and the Prado | 15 min to the Prado |
| Calle de Preciados / del Carmen | Shopping streets up to Callao and Gran Vía | 5 min |
| Calle de la Montera | Gran Vía | 5 min |
Things to do
Things to Do in Puerta del Sol
Beyond the photos, these are the things to do in Puerta del Sol that locals actually do.
Stand on Kilómetro Cero
The local superstition says if you step on it, you'll come back to Madrid.
Churros at San Ginés
The Chocolatería San Ginés, in a passage off Calle del Arenal, has been serving chocolate con churros since 1894 and is open around the clock.
Christmas lights
From late November to early January, Sol and the streets around it are lit up. Busiest after dark.
Walk to Plaza Mayor
Five minutes along Calle Mayor. Then on to the Mercado de San Miguel and the palace.
The 4-hour route
The 4-Hour Puerta del Sol Tour Route
The 4-hour Full Experience is our longest route, with 61 places in 4 hours. After the old town, the Prado, Retiro and the Bernabéu, the last hour heads west and finishes at the Puerta del Sol.
| Final stretch | What you see |
|---|---|
| The Templo de Debod | A 2nd-century-BC Egyptian temple, gifted to Spain and rebuilt in the Parque del Oeste |
| The Rosaleda | The Parque del Oeste rose garden, at its best in May and June |
| Madrid Río and the Casa de Campo | The riverside park and the city's largest green space |
| Las Vistillas and the Viaducto de Segovia | Views of the cathedral and the river valley |
| The Puerta del Sol | Kilómetro Cero and the clock, as the tour closes |
Every stop is in our Madrid tuk tuk route guide. Price: €299 per tuk tuk for up to 4, about €74.75 each with 4, with free hotel pickup. This is the longest of our tuk tuk tours in Madrid.
Local tips
Puerta del Sol Tips From Local Guides
Pickpockets
Sol is the busiest square in Madrid. Keep your phone in a front pocket, especially near the metro entrances and street performers.
Costumed characters
People in cartoon costumes expect a tip if you take a photo with them. Agree first or say no politely.
Best time
Early morning, before 9:00, for an empty square and a clean photo of the bear.
Meeting someone?
Say "at the bear" or "at the clock". Just "Sol" is too big a place to find each other.
31 December
New Year's Eve at Puerta del Sol
Spain's biggest countdown happens under the Casa de Correos clock. If you want to be there, plan ahead.
- The twelve grapes: one grape for each of the twelve chimes at midnight, for luck in each month of the new year. Shops sell them peeled and in tins of twelve.
- On TV since 1962: the whole country watches this clock; you'll see it on every channel.
- The rehearsal: on 30 December, thousands come to practise the chimes with gummy sweets instead of grapes. It's calmer and great fun.
- Access: the square has limited capacity, security checks and closed streets. Arrive hours early, and leave big bags and glass bottles at the hotel.
- Our tours that day: we run daytime tours as usual, finishing by 20:00, well before the crowds.
Private tours, every day
Book Your Puerta del Sol Tuk Tuk Tour
Send your date, start time and group size on WhatsApp. We meet 7 minutes from Sol, or pick you up from your central hotel for free.
Does the tuk tuk tour start at Puerta del Sol?
No. Sol has been closed to most traffic since 2020, so we start at Plaza de Isabel II, by Ópera metro, about 7 minutes' walk west along Calle del Arenal. If you're staying near Sol, we'll pick you up from a street nearby for free.
Which Puerta del Sol tuk tuk tour should I book?
The 4-hour Full Experience (€299 per tuk tuk) is the TukTuk Tour route that reaches the Puerta del Sol, at the end of the tour, after the Templo de Debod and the river. The shorter tours stay in other parts of the center.
What is Puerta del Sol famous for?
Three things: Kilómetro Cero, the point Spain's road distances are measured from; the clock on the Real Casa de Correos, which rings in the New Year for the whole country; and the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the symbol of Madrid.
Why is it called the Puerta del Sol?
"Gate of the Sun." Puerta del Sol history begins with a gate: in the 15th century this was one in the town wall, facing east, and it was decorated with a rising sun. The wall is long gone; the name stayed.
Where exactly is Kilómetro Cero?
On the pavement in front of the Real Casa de Correos, the red-brick building with the clock on the south side of the square. It's a small stone plaque, so look down.
What happens at Puerta del Sol on New Year's Eve?
Thousands gather under the clock to eat twelve grapes, one for each chime at midnight. The chimes have been broadcast live on Spanish TV since 1962. Expect security checks and closed streets.
When was the Bear and the Strawberry Tree statue made?
It's by Antonio Navarro Santafé and was unveiled on 19 January 1967. It weighs about 20 tonnes and has stood back in its original spot on the east side since 2009.
How do I get to Puerta del Sol?
Sol station serves metro lines 1, 2 and 3 and the Cercanías commuter trains. From our meeting point it's one stop on line 2, or a 7-minute walk.
Is Puerta del Sol worth visiting?
Yes, for 20 to 30 minutes. The top things to do in Puerta del Sol are finding Kilómetro Cero and watching the clock. It's free and open all the time. Then walk on to Plaza Mayor, 5 minutes away, or ride with us to see the rest.
Can I book a tour that's just Sol and the old center?
Message us on WhatsApp with your date. Tell us what you want to see and we'll confirm what's possible, or recommend the shortest tour that fits.