Stage 8: Madrid — where all of Spain’s roads begin
Laura Casas | 28. May 2025
Renowned worlwide as Spain’s vibrant capital, Madrid is so much more than Plaza Mayor, calamari sandwiches, and the Prado Museum. Today, we’ll show you the city from an entirely new perspective —aboard a very special vehicle. Are you in? 🚴
We started out from the southern part of Madrid, known as Madrid Río (Madrid River) because it runs alongside the well-known Manzanares River. What makes this green stretch of the city special is its many trees and plants, picturesque bridges, and plenty of playgrounds — including one with EIGHT huge slides. It’s a real paradise for kids!
And who said Madrid doesn’t have a beach? In this area, there’s even an urban beach — no swimming or sand, but it does have fun vertical fountains, a large grassy area, and even beach bars! 🏖️
We left the park and headed to another green spot in the city: Casa de Campo. There, we pedaled around an artificial lake where you can go kayaking, grab a drink at one of the nearby terraces, or watch the local wildlife (like some little ducks 🦆).
Next up, we made our way toward the city center. Our first stop was the Temple of Debod, an Egyptian temple from the 2nd century B.C. Although there’s no water around it now, it used to sit in the middle of a small lake, which made it look especially beautiful on full moon nights.
Next, we walked up to the Almudena Cathedral and just a little over 300 meters later, we reached another must-see spot in the city: the Palacio Real de Madrid, the largest royal palace in Europe by floor space 🏰.
You can also watch the changing of the guard for free — a grand event with over 400 people and 100 horses. It has nothing to envy from Buckingham Palace!
Our tour continued at Plaza del Sol, where you’ll find the Kilometer Zero plaque that marks the starting point of the six main national roads.
Finally, we ended at the Puerta de Alcalá, the first triumphal arch built in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Tired legs, happy hearts — and even happier faces! 😊
During this stage, we also took the opportunity to visit DTA, a leading company specialized in AGVS applications for heavy loads. Their general manager, Miguel de Sebastián, showed us around their facilities, and the staff didn’t hesitate to come over, curious about the igus:bike.
We also had the fortune of visiting our customer Convey Systems S.L., a renowned specialist in intralogistics and automated handling solutions. Jesús Martínez, head of electrical engineering, welcomed us.
Our rider:
Javier Ortiz
“I’m Javier and I’ve been working at igus as a Sales Engineer since 2013. After several years of supporting our customers across Spain with our lubrication-free solutions, I’m now based in Madrid.
I’m passionate about outdoor sports, especially cycling. Our bike may not be the lightest one, but I’m proud that it’s made from recycled materials. Every time I ride it, I feel like I’m contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable world.”
Map of the tour
