Madrid Tapas Tour

Join us in this 3 hour adventure exploring the fascinating history of the gastronomy of Spain in our Madrid Tapas Tour.  We will wander through the historic streets of Madrid in search of the most typical and local tapas in taverns that date hundreds of years as well as new more modern cafes that reflect the most innovative trends of the Spanish kitchen happening today. By the end of the tour, travelers will know more about regional cuisine, their origins, the favorites of the locals and tips on how to approach the tapa scene in whichever city you travel to in Spain. This tour will be pay as you go for the tapas.  We will introduce you to different dishes and if you wish to try them, you can make a purchase with our assistance.  This is a family friendly tour and we will be very flexible with both adventurous eaters as well as the younger and more finicky palates.  We can also customize for vegetarians and the gluten free diet.

Included

• Private Guide  
• Map with marked itinerary
• Numerous tips and recommendations on how to spend your time

• Introduction to the most typical tapas and culinary dishes as well as desserts in Madrid and around Spain
• Presentation of many traditional specialty shops holding products typical in the Spanish diet
• Overview of the best approach and how to order in the busy tapa bars and restaurants

Itinerary

• Plaza Neptuno
• Calle Jesus
• Barrio de las Letras (neighborhood of the letters),
• Calle Cervantes
• Plaza Santa Ana
• Calle Victoria
• Puerta del Sol
• Calle Mayor
• Plaza Mayor
• Mercado de San Miguel

We leave some flexibility to this tour based on the group, their mobility and age. We choose places that are convenient for the dynamics of the group.  Sometimes there are closures and holidays that impact the tour and we need to adapt quickly. We do not have set bars.  All depends of the date and how much the group is open to covering.    We will be visiting  approximately 3 markets in Madrid and some specialty shops.  If you decide you would like to have  a bite to eat along the way, that is totally possible.  This is a fun walk to do around lunch or dinner as you can taste and try.  There will be hot and cold tapas, and some items ¨to go.¨ 

As this is a private tour, we are happy to have our guide customize it to a degree. This can happen on the spot or you can send us preferences. 

Duration: 3h
Start:  10:00am
Start point: Your hotel or Puerta del Sol. 

*Weekend or holidays: This tour carries a surcharge of $35 on Weekends or Spanish holidays as the local guides charge more at this time. 

Optional for this tour:
We can combine this tour with a historic walking tour.

Other information
We will contact you after an order is placed to check everything is correct and to continue the process. Remember we can make manual changes to your order later on. Please refer to our terms and conditions for cancellation policies. If you are unclear on how to book, please contact us via phone or email. Thank you

If there is something Spain has become famous for, it’s the culinary scene that is not only a great way to try a variety of typical and local specialties, it can be a very social activity as well. It gives you the experience of immersing yourself with the locals and enjoying a delicious meal that can be fun and full of choice. Our culinary tour will introduce you to the culture of the tapa scene, teach you what defines a tapa and the best approach as a tourist to ordering tapas even if you don´t speak the language. We call it the tapa culinary tour as it encompasses so much more than tapas. We talk about the history and origins of where the raw products come from. If you are going to other parts of Spain, we can talk about regional specialties as well and what to look for, and additional great restaurants to consider or at least great dishes you don´t want to miss out on.

We give a handout that illustrates the different regions of Spain, to help you better understand the geographics as we show you the wide variety of meats, cheeses, produce, etc on the tour. We'll take you on a stroll through the city center of Madrid, introducing you the different neighbourhoods good for tapas among the locals, what they specialize in and give great recommendations on bars and cafes you don´t want to miss as well as specialty shops for other important elements of the Spanish diet. We will visit some typical markets or delis to show you how the madrileños shop and give great tips if you want to return for a purchase.

As we unravel Madrid's culinary mysteries we'll help you develop a good sense of ordering and knowledge of the most typical dishes as well as some spanish protocol that will help you save time and money. We will help you decipher the menu to better understand what you are asking for in advance and give you a good sense of when a reservation is needed or when you can just play things by ear. If you have children, they are more than welcome on the tour and we can help out with picky eaters showing you what is typically ordered for the little ones in Spain.

Vegetarian and not sure if this tour is right for you? It is true that Spain is a meat eating country but we are happy to say there are lots of options for the vegans and we have the restaurants to prove it. We can also give gluten friendly tours. There are a number of up and coming delicious options offered to vegetarians and non meat eaters out and about.