Tapas and Plazas

Description:

There are many ways to spend your time and money at this attractive central square: stroll around and admire the architecture and the murals or even buy an original watercolor from one of the many pavement artists. During the Middle Ages, merchants congregated here to live and sell their wares. When Felipe II established the Court in Madrid, he decided that this square should be reserved for special occasions, and it started to take its present shape from 1790 onwards. The statue in the centre is that of Felipe III.

Description:

As the Plaza Mayor's first building, it served as a model for the rest. The original had archways that gave people access to the square and its daily market from the main street, or Calle Mayor. It was built for the bakers' guild in 1617 and had a colorfully painted façade that was later destroyed by fire. In the late 1980s, painter Carlos Franco was commissioned to redecorate the façade, which he did with allegorical depictions of time and the horoscope. The building now hosts interesting exhibitions about Madrid.

Description:

You can't miss the doorman here, elaborately dressed to imitate 19th-century local outlaw, Luis Candelas. The tavern is under one of the archway entrances to Plaza Mayor. The interior is a faithful representation of an old country inn and it is always full of tourists who cannot resist the temptation of entering a real time capsule. The bar serves excellent Pinchos (canapés) and the restaurant serves up typically hearty Castilian fare. It specializes in roasts from a wood-fired oven, such as Suckling Pig or Tender Lamb. The Callos (tripe) will fill you up sufficiently. There's a good selection of fine Spanish wines to choose from as well.

Description:

These communal courtyards are a feature of typical late 19th-century Madrid apartment blocks in working class districts. The front door of each apartment opens on to a gallery above the courtyard where neighbors would mix socially. There aren't many of them left nowadays, but they live on in the popular consciousness because they appear so frequently in period literature. One of the best-preserved examples is in Plaza de Lavapiés, between Calle Sombrerete and Calle Tribulete. You'll find others on Calle Ruda, Ribera de Curtidores, and a modern version on Calle Embajadores, 37.

Description:

The wine list in this pleasant and popular bar has more than 300 varieties to choose from, mainly Spanish but with some French and Australian labels as well. Order them by the glass or bottle with something tasty from the tapas menu that features homemade specials and exotic treats like Pepper Steak, Cod Canapés, and Cecina de Astorga (smoked beef). The staff are friendly and well informed, and the bar also runs wine tasting sessions and courses.

Description:

Come here any weekend night and you'll find the place buzzing. It's a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike as it's close to Puerta del Sol and surrounded by nightlife venues. It has a statue of playwright Calderón de la Barca in the centre and garden areas round about. The neoclassical Teatro Español building and the art deco Hotel Victoria (a favourite with bullfighters) are both here. As for drinks, the Cervecería Alemana is a good place for a relaxing chat, and then there's the Villarosa (which featured in Pedro Almodóvar's movie High Heels), once a flamenco dance hall, it's now a trendy bar. The history of the square dates back to the times of Joseph Bonaparte who demolished Santa Ana Convent to open up this space.

Description:

The Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate) is the center of Madrid, both literally and figuratively. The historic square is the heart of the downtown shopping district and the site of Spain's most famous New Year's celebrations. This is where the Spanish ball drops come December 31 as Spaniards celebrate with grapes and Spanish sparkling wine (cava). The Puerta del Sol is also the site of Kilometer Zero, the point from which all distances in Spain and the country's road network are measured, which is commemorated with a plaque.

Description:

Founded in 1860 and run by the Molina family for the past 6 decades, the mellow brown-walled Casa Labra is located a mere stone's throw from the Puerta del Sol. Said to have started as a favorite meeting spot of the 19th-century socialist party, it's one of the center's oldest and most popular tapa bars, invariably crowded and full of atmosphere. Of the many tidbits on offer, the delicious deep-fried cod croquettes (croquetas de bacalao) are a must, accompanied by the house's modestly priced Valdepeñas wine. The adjoining restaurant provides a more relaxed and secluded eating experience and is priced accordingly.

Description:

This is Madrid's longest-running culinary act. Lhardy has been a Madrileño legend since opening in 1839 as a gathering place for the city's literati and political leaders. At street level is what may be the most elegant snack bar in Spain. Within a dignified antique setting of marble and hardwood, cups of steaming consommé are dispensed from silver samovars into delicate porcelain cups, and rows of croquettes, tapas, and sandwiches are served to stand-up clients who pay for their food at a cashier's kiosk near the entrance. The ground-floor deli and takeout service is open daily from 9am to 3pm and 5 to 9:30pm.

The real culinary skill of the place, however, is on Lhardy's second floor, where you'll find a formal restaurant decorated in the ornate Belle Epoque style of Isabel Segunda. Specialties of the house include fish, pork, veal, tripe in a garlicky tomato and onion wine sauce, and cocido, the celebrated chickpea stew of Madrid. Soufflé sorpresa (baked Alaska) is the dessert specialty.

Description:

In 1798, Goya himself painted the frescoes on the dome in here and the result is charged with his usual expressive detail and originality. Called Milagro de San Antonio de Padua, it represents one of his most important works. The chapel itself is a simple and elegant example of late-18th century neoclassical design and it houses the brilliant artist's tomb. In order to preserve the painting, an identical chapel was built next door in 1928 where mass is now held.

Description:

Casa Mingo has been known for decades for its cider, both still and bubbly. The perfect accompanying tidbit is a piece of the local Asturian cabrales (goat cheese), but the roast chicken is the specialty of the house, with a large number of helpings served daily. There's no formality here; customers share big tables under the vaulted ceiling in the dining room. In summer, the staff sets up tables and wooden chairs out on the sidewalk. This is not so much a restaurant as a bodega/taberna that serves food.

Description:

Today the Plaza del Dos de Mayo is a lively, popular spot for both young and old. The square is lined with trendy cafes and restaurants (that set out tables when the weather's nice) and has a children's playground and exercise equipment for senior citizens. People often gather with their friends on the stone benches surrounding the statues and the brick arch (the former entrance to the Monteleón barracks) dominating the square.

The Plaza del Dos de Mayo gets its name from the famous uprising during the War of Independence against the French, but it first became popular as a nightspot with Madrid's Movida cultural movement of the 1980s.

Description:

Recently cleaned up and renovated, the Plaza de Santa Bárbara is a pleasant square lined by trees and a few cafes. When the weather's nice, you can have tapas and drinks at the tables set up outside. The Plaza de Santa Bárbara also has a flower shop, a book shop, a small children's playground and exercise equipment for senior citizens.

Description:

Foremost among markets is the Sunday morning El Rastro (translated as either flea market or thieves' market), occupying a roughly triangular district of streets and plazas a few minutes' walk south of Plaza Mayor. Its center is Plaza Cascorro and Ribera de Curtidores. This market will delight anyone attracted to a mishmash of fascinating junk interspersed with bric-a-brac and paintings. Note: Thieves are rampant here (hustling more than just antiques), so secure your wallet carefully, be alert, and proceed with caution. Insofar as scheduling your visit to El Rastro, bear in mind that this is a flea market involving hundreds of merchants who basically pull up their display tables and depart whenever their goods are sold or they get fed up with the crowds. Sunday only. Opens at dawn, gets busy by 9am (earlier in summer), and winds down around 3pm.

Description:

This square has become one of the most picturesque and trendy venues in the city over the last few years. It's surrounded by popular tapas bars, pubs and restaurants. There's a great fresh produce market on one side and if you head along Calle Cava Baja, you'll find some excellent restaurants. Look out for Calle Almendro and the famous tavern with the same name. It's not far from Plaza de Cascorro, heart of the popular Sunday street market, or Rastro.

Description:

A remainder of medieval Madrid, it's name comes from its use at that time. This was the square where the Bishop auctioned off the straw (paja) brought from his farmland near Plasencia in the province of Cáceres. You'll find the Capilla del Obispo (Bishop's Chapel) in the next door Plaza de los Carros. Have a look at its outstanding altarpiece, tombs and doors. A stage is set up in Plaza de la Paja during the Paloma festival where people dance in the traditional madrileño style called chotis. There are some good bars and an excellent Russian restaurant (El Cosaco) round here.

Description:

One of the capital's largest churches, it's also noted for having a huge and outstanding collection of paintings displayed amongst its seven chapels. You'll see work by Goya, Zurbarán, Alonso Cano, Maella and Casado del Alisal along with marble sculptures by Ricardo Bellver and Mariano Benlliure. The dome and barrel-vaulted ceilings are covered in lovely frescoes and the beautiful stained-glass windows were created by the German firm, Mayer. The church itself is an example of 18th-century classical design and its dome - measuring 33 meters in diameter - is one of the largest in the world. You'll find it close to the cathedral and the Royal Palace.

Description:

Named after the views over the Casa de Campo and the River Manzanares, these gardens are one of the nicest places in the capital to relax and have a bite to eat. It's especially worth coming for the open-air party during the fiestas de San Isidro. It's also worth taking a walk around the narrow old streets of the adjacent medieval quarter.

Description:

The cuisine here is Castilian, Galician, and northern Spanish. Set behind a heavily ornamented tile facade, the place has a stand-up tapas bar at the entrance and a formal restaurant in a side room. Many locals linger in the darkly paneled bar, which is framed by hanging Serrano hams, cloves of garlic, and photographs of bullfighters. Full meals might include roast suckling pig, roast lamb, calamares en su tinta (squid in its own ink), grilled filet of steak with peppercorns, or omelets flavored with strips of eel.

Our Local Expert Says:

You can grab a stool or stand at the bar to get a taste of the scrumptious tapas and tasty wines here.

Description:

The focus here is on Basque cuisine from the Bilbao area rather than the more common specialties from San Sebastián. Nevertheless, cod in all its many varieties is still the star of the menu, especially prepared a la vizcaína (onions and red peppers) and al pil pil (olive oil and garlic). On Fridays and Saturdays, the kitchen serves up an unforgettable Alubiada (white bean stew feast). The wine list contains a fine selection from Rioja, Valdepeñas, Ribera del Duero and Penedés.

Description:

A short walk away from La Latina metro is Cava Baja street, where if you take a right you will see this bar. This place serves drinks which are pretty cheap in comparison to the other bars around. The setting of this place is pretty warm though some might find it almost bare. It's a good place if you are in the mood for tapas, mind you, they do get finished pretty early though!

Description:

This bustling three-story restaurant is located right on Plaza de la Cebada close to the Rastro market and the labyrinthine lanes of Lavapiés. Grilling is the big thing here with an emphasis on Uruguayan chorizo (a sausage of red peppers and pork), salchichas (sausages), and beef, but the wide-ranging choice also covers salads, pinchitos (shish kabobs), and couscous. Prices are very reasonable, and there's a first-rate prix-fixe menu. Lunch times tend to be packed, and market visitors make it particularly busy on Sundays. On sunny summer days you can eat on the terrace and enjoy the view.

Description:

Taberna la Percha is divided in two dining areas: one's a traditional tapas bar and the other is a more formal but still relaxed dining room in which homemade specials are offered. Specials include dishes like Huevos Rotos with Ham (basically, fried eggs with ham) and Migas (bread crumbs fried in olive oil with peppers and chunks of spicy sausage). The building itself features a domed 14th-century ceiling and the remains of an old Moorish wall, but the restaurant only dates from 1998.