Madrid — Gran Vía to the Plaza Mayor

Old Madrid’s merchant spine: the 1846 leather house on the Gran Vía, fans on the Sol, the last cape-makers of Spain, turrón and consommé on San Jerónimo, ending in an espadrille queue beside the Plaza Mayor.

1. 0:00 — Loewe Gran Vía 8
   Begin at Casa Loewe — the 1846 leather house at full flagship scale; the napa is architecture.
2. 0:35 — Antigua Casa Talavera Calle Isabel la Católica 2
   A tiled jewel-box of hand-painted ceramics — one family’s eye for a century.
3. 1:00 — Casa de Diego Puerta del Sol 12
   Onto the Sol: fans painted and mounted since 1858 — watch one snapped open with authority.
4. 1:25 — Guantes Luque Calle Espoz y Mina 3
   A shop the size of a wardrobe — your hand measured across a velvet cushion, 1886 manners.
5. 1:50 — Capas Seseña Calle de la Cruz 23
   The last cape house of Spain — Picasso was buried in his; try the sweep of it in the mirror.
6. 2:15 — Lhardy Carrera de San Jerónimo 8
   Consommé from the silver samovar at the downstairs counter — Madrid’s gilded pantry since 1839.
7. 2:35 — Casa Mira Carrera de San Jerónimo 30
   The turrón dynasty, 1842 — the Alicante slab cut with a guillotine before your eyes.
8. 3:00 — Casa Hernanz Calle de Toledo 18
   Finale past the Plaza Mayor: espadrilles braided since 1845 — join the queue, everyone from farmers to infantas has.

Chocolate con churros at San Ginés is the lawful dessert; Sobrino de Botín — the world’s oldest restaurant — sits two streets on if the evening opens. The Rastro’s Sunday chaos is another Madrid entirely, and worth it.