How long is the butterfly route in Madrid?

The butterfly covers 8.1 km with 117 m of ascent and 117 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 56 minutes plus stops.

Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?

Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, elevation profile and kilometre splits on this page are free to view.

How accurate is the drawing?

The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 1.6 km east to west and 1.2 km north to south across Madrid.

Where does the route start?

The start point is at 40.43833, -3.6554 — roughly 4.7 km east-north-east of the centre of Madrid. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.

Spain › Madrid › GPS art route

Butterfly GPS Art Running Route in Madrid — 8.1 km

A 8.1 km loop through Madrid that draws a butterfly when you upload it to Strava. The line follows public streets and paths, climbs 117 m in total, and covers a footprint about 1.6 km wide by 1.2 km tall.

Navigate it in the app

Distance8.1 km

Elevation gain117 m

Elevation loss117 m

Estimated time56 min

DifficultyChallenging

Average gradient1.4%

Route map

Start point: 40.43833, -3.6554 — about 4.7 km east-north-east of the centre of Madrid. It is a closed loop, so any point on the line works as a start.

Elevation profile

Measured from the elevation data in the GPX file: 117 m of ascent and 117 m of descent across 8.1 km, an average gradient of 1.4%.

Kilometre by kilometre

Split	Heading	Elevation change	Range
km 1	Runs south-east	+4 m	675–688 m
km 2	Runs east	+5 m	683–693 m
km 3	Runs north-east	+6 m	689–699 m
km 4	Runs south	-24 m	675–699 m
km 5	Runs south-south-west	+2 m	674–687 m
km 6	Runs west	-6 m	664–677 m
km 7	Runs north-west	+2 m	666–678 m
km 8	Runs north	+9 m	668–682 m
km 8.1	Runs north	+1 m	682–683 m

Turn-by-turn outline

The 24 direction changes below are the ones that define the drawing. Hitting them accurately matters more than pace — the shape only reads well if the corners are sharp.

0.02 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
0.23 km — turn left, then continue east-north-east.
0.57 km — turn left, then continue east.
0.71 km — turn right, then continue south.
0.83 km — turn sharp left, then continue east-north-east.
1.00 km — turn sharp left, then continue north-west.
1.15 km — turn left, then continue west-south-west.
1.29 km — turn sharp right, then continue south.
1.42 km — turn right, then continue east-south-east.
1.57 km — turn left, then continue east.
1.84 km — turn sharp left, then continue west-south-west.
2.09 km — turn sharp left, then continue east-north-east.
2.61 km — turn left, then continue north-north-west.
2.77 km — turn left, then continue north-north-west.
3.01 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
3.16 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
3.31 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
3.43 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
3.60 km — turn right, then continue south-south-west.
3.75 km — turn right, then continue west-south-west.
4.03 km — turn left, then continue south-south-east.
4.28 km — turn right, then continue south-south-west.
4.42 km — turn left, then continue south-south-east.
4.60 km — turn right, then continue north-west.

Difficulty and terrain

Challenging. About 14 m of climb per kilometre. Rolling terrain that rewards steady effort rather than even pacing.

Surface: Mostly urban roads and mixed city surfaces.

Safety: Check route details and local traffic conditions before running GPS art routes.

Best months: Depends on city weather and season.

How to run this shape

Download the GPX file with your subscription and load it onto your watch, or open it in the ShapeMiles app.
Start anywhere on the loop — beginning near a landmark makes the finish easier to find.
Keep GPS recording continuous. Pausing mid-run leaves straight lines that cut across the drawing.
Follow the corners precisely; short detours are what blur the shape.
Upload to Strava and the butterfly appears on your activity map.

Other GPS art routes in Madrid

All 17 GPS art routes in Madrid

Questions about this route

How long is the butterfly route in Madrid?: The butterfly covers 8.1 km with 117 m of ascent and 117 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 56 minutes plus stops.
Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?: Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, elevation profile and kilometre splits on this page are free to view.
How accurate is the drawing?: The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 1.6 km east to west and 1.2 km north to south across Madrid.
Where does the route start?: The start point is at 40.43833, -3.6554 — roughly 4.7 km east-north-east of the centre of Madrid. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.