Madrid might not be the first place to scream adventure, but don’t discount it—it’s overflowing with a different kind of excitement!

Tours. These might not get your adrenaline pumping, but they will get your mind racing. Madrid’s majesty comes from knowledge of the experts: did you know the Spanish Palace is the third largest in all of Europe? Or that the plaza was home to Spain’s Napoleonic resistance? We didn’t either, until these adventure tours in Madrid.

Cooking. Pleasure is at the center of life, and this starts with the taste buds. During adventure travel programs in Madrid, the scents of meats (jamon), cheeses (manchengo), and fish (calamari) waft around the city. Try Mercado San Miguel for an enormous selection of food vendors—buy one of everything, or stake out a stool at your favorite stall.

Canoeing. In Madrid, traffic is heavy, buildings are large, and boulevards give way to hustle and bustle. Luckily for those who crave greenery, Retiro Park is host to 15,000 trees, right in the city’s heart. The park is also home to a lake where tourists and locals can sunbathe, enjoy a tinto de verano, or rent boats for an afternoon of rowing.