Madrid Tapas Adventure

Your tapas adventure begins in Plaza de la Villa, the old main square in central Madrid. After a brief introduction to the city and its tapas credentials, we head towards Mercado de San Miguel, the first gourmet market in all of Spain, for the first of many food tastings. Here we start with an aperitivo, what else? We try traditional vermouth and taste some of Spain’s most succulent olives.

Spain is a well-known cheese-producing nation, offering the world such cheesy delights as manchego, mahón, and idiazabal. We try some delicious Spanish cheese, alongside a glass of wine, of course, at one of the best cheese stalls in the market.

Next, we head to the pulsating barrio of La Latina to explore its narrow lanes and fascinating history. This neighbourhood is ultra trendy right now and is popular with locals for its vibrant food and drink scene. We visit a tiny, off-the-beaten-path restaurant that is well known for traditional tapas dishes with a fusion twist. This tiny spot only has six tables, so it’s always busy and has a great atmosphere!

From there, we head back to the oldest part of Madrid, and as we walk, we continue to chat about the city’s history and food culture. Your guide points out some artisanal stores where you can pick up authentic, handmade souvenirs made by locals. If there’s time and the group are interested, we make a quick stop at one of these shops.

Our next stop, right in the heart of Plaza Mayor, is to try the iconic bocadillo de calamares, the most famous sandwich in the city. To wash it down, we try some local beer too! Back on the streets, your local guide points out interesting sights and alternative food and drink stops for you to explore on your own as we head to our penultimate foodie highlight of the day.

Does it get much better than potato croquettes? The perfect snack at any time of day and with so many different flavours to choose from, croquettes are the best! We try some of Madrid’s most famous croquettes together at a heritage tavern that was originally built in 1860 and only specializes in these special potato treats.

After that, we cross Puerta del Sol, one of the most iconic spots in Madrid, and finish our tapas adventure with a local dessert and sweet wine in yet another historic location. This joint has been run by the same family for over 100 years, serving a traditional Spanish dessert that might just remind you of something familiar.

Once you’ve finished your dessert, your guide takes you back to Puerta del Sol, where they can help you out with directions back to your accommodation or ideas on where to go next!

Additional information

Dress standard: We recommend comfortable clothes and walking shoes. We suggest that you bring a water bottle, sunscreen, and a hat during the summer months.

Your trip: For your Urban Adventure, you are in a small group of a maximum of 12 people

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. See you at the starting point! Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Additional information: If you have any allergies to certain foods, please let us know in advance by noting it in the ‘Additional Request’ section of the booking form or by emailing [email protected]

Child Policy: Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ when booking. Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour.

Local contact

Office phone number: +34 633 344 231
Email address: [email protected]

Mr. Michael O. from Australia travelled on 14 Nov 2018:

This was not only my first time to Madrid, but also my first time in Spain. Our guide Cecilia was warm and welcoming and her passion for the city was infectious from the start. We dove head first into the Madrid Tapas scene with tasty treats, aperitifs and wine to accompany them and all with a locals insight on the city I have now fallen in love with. Thank you Cecilia and Urban Adventures for making my first night in Madrid unforgettable.

Mrs. Leanne M. from Australia travelled on 29 Oct 2018:

The tour was really good fun, we sampled many different tapas and drinks with a fun group and a great guide Andrea. Thank you!

Mrs. Kathryn B. from Australia travelled on 07 Apr 2018:

Very knowledgeable and helpful on the tour and provided additional information for our own travels

Mr. Michael H. from USA travelled on 07 Mar 2018:

Celicia was amazing! She was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and went above and beyond to ensure our experience was one of a kind. In fact, she even provided my wife and I with recommendations for Toledo, which we were originally not going to travel to, but I’m glad we did. We had such a positive experience on this tour we booked one for Marrakesh. Thanks again Celicia!

Mr. Maria R. from Colombia travelled on 14 Aug 2017:

We loved the tour it gave us the chance to taste food from all over Spain, not just the tipical Paella and it gave a us a new perspective on spanish cuisine. Also, our guide Cecilia gave us lots of tips and info from the city!

Ms. Debra K. from Australia travelled on 12 May 2017:

We thoroughly enjoyed our Tapas Tour with Andrea, who was a terrific guide. I wasn’t particularly keen on some of the tapas (the calamares bocadillo and cod croquettes in particular – have had much better elsewhere), but this didn’t detract too much from my overall enjoyment of the tour.

Mrs. Gail L. from Australia travelled on 11 Apr 2017:

Had an amazing time, Andrea was awesome, I will definitely like to do more Urban Adventure and also will look at these as gift ideas.

Mr. Lisa Rose P. from Canada travelled on 11 Mar 2017:

Great to visit bars and taste foods I wouldn’t have as a tourist. Andrea the guide was great

Mr. Neil C. from Canada travelled on 21 Feb 2017:

We had a very enjoyable evening with Andrea and being a small group allowed us to get the most of her knowledge of the local customs and area.

Mr. Paul H. from USA travelled on 30 Oct 2016:

I spent three days in Madrid and this by far was the biggest highlight!!

Cecilia was our tour guide and she is absolutely the best. She is fun and very knowledgeable. Her enthusiasm is infectious. Everyone in our group enjoyed Cecilia and the tour. We had a perfect variety of Tapas that are from various types of historical venues. Everything we ate and drank were delicious. You will not walk away hungry.

Throughout the tour you will learn a lot about the culture and sites of Madrid. This is a must do and I will recommend to all friends and family visiting Madrid. Five Stars!

Ms. Pam S. from Australia travelled on 13 Oct 2016:

David was a fantastic guide! The places we went were great and David went to a lot of trouble to keep my non alcohol drinking son happy. Best urban adventure trip yet!

Ms. Lucy W. from Australia travelled on 26 Sep 2016:

I absolutely loved this tour and will recommend to everyone I know heading to Madrid. David was fantastic, I was well fed by the end of it (And I have a massive appetite so I was expecting to still be a little hungry) and I learned things about a city I’ve already visited 4 times.

Ms. Erina P. from New Zealand travelled on 24 Sep 2016:

David was a delightful guide – knowledgeable and great fun. Good to get off the tourist track and experience other parts of Madrid. Tapas were delicious and varied. Really good for orientation to Madrid.

Mr. Tim W. from Australia travelled on 29 Aug 2016:

We loved the Madrid Market and Tapas tour, and Cecilia was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Personally I found the amount of food too much, but others in the group managed it, and overall it was a great introduction to food specialities from all over Spain

Mr. Erica W. from Australia travelled on 15 Aug 2016:

Fabulous. Cecilia was an awesome guide, a must do if you are in Madrid, thanks for a great experience.

Mr. peter g. from Australia travelled on 13 Aug 2016:

Cecelia was very professional and great fun, thanks for an amazing experience, Pete and Debs

Mr. Arlene B. from Australia travelled on 22 Jul 2016:

Our private tapas tour with Cecilia was fantastic! She was very knowledgeable and very personable. She took us to the best of the best places with high quality food and drinks! Make sure you come hungry, although you do get to walk it off! Excellent tour that is highly recommended and well worth the money.

Ms. Jennifer H. from Australia travelled on 27 Jun 2016:

This was the best travel experience I have ever had. It was a fantastically fun night. Our tour guide Inez was delightful. The food was amazing, drinks were delicious and her knowledge and experience of Madrid, unmatched. Her accommodation of my coeliac disease was much appreciated. Loved this tour, it was exceptional.

Mr. Stefanie R. from Australia travelled on 15 Jun 2016:

Our guide was excellent! Thank you very much!

Mr. Patrick M. from Australia travelled on 02 Jun 2016:

Cecelia was fantastic.

Mrs. Renee S. from USA travelled on 04 May 2016:

Our tour guide, Inez, was fabulous. She made us feel very comfortable and her English skill are fantastic. The tour was so much fun. I’m worried if I do this again in another city I might be disappointed because it would be hard to surpass this experience, but I will try another Urban Adventure again sometime.

Ms. Jan B. from United Kingdom travelled on 28 Apr 2016:

What a great tour! Ines was brilliant and enthusiastic and great fun. We got to try all kinds of things in all kinds of interesting bars. Loved it.

Ms. Kerri R. from Germany travelled on 25 Apr 2016:

Loved it!

Mr. stephen r. from United Kingdom travelled on 18 Mar 2016:

Cecilia is a knowledgeable and charming host. I travelled alone so this trip was perfect. She makes everyone feel at ease and we all had a great time. I really would recommend it.

Ms. Sarah E. from United Kingdom travelled on 04 Nov 2014:

Thoroughly enjoyed and very good value for money

Ms. linda t. from travelled on 26 Aug 2014:

Clara was fantastic. Knowledgeable, interesting and fun. We would recommend her to anyone interested in food and history of Madrid. Linda