Tapas Tour from Across Madrid

Food, Wine and The City’s Soul

Explore with us the flavour and history of local food through tapas culture! Madrid’s tapas are also an exciting way to discover the character of the city and its buzzing street life.

On this evening walk we sample some of the best local tapas from past and present: you will discover how tapas work with wine, why the city’s cooks come up with so many new ideas, and what makes the capital’s tapas different from those elsewhere. ...

As we visit tapas bars, new and old, we will taste wines matched with traditional or avant-garde cookery in small plates that may be adapted to vegetarian or other special tastes.

At the same time, walking between our stop-offs, we explore one or another of the capital’s barrios, or quarters, and its history. Against this lively backdrop of everyday life you will learn how and why tapas have become an emblematic part of the city’s nightlife and its vibrant popular culture.  We will discuss the true origin and meaning of the term 'tapa', as well as the effects of austerity, cultural shifts and gourmet trends on Madrid's food culture.  This is not 'another tapas tour' but an evening of sampling tapas within the social background and history of modern Spain. 

Our consultant, Vicky Hayward, is a journalist, writer and book editor who lives in Madrid. Since she came to Spain in 1990 she has specialized in food, travel, flamenco, visual arts and popular culture. In recent years her interest in History, which she studied at the University of Cambridge, has come together with her writing on food in projects such as articles for the Oxford Companion to Food and her forthcoming translation of a monastic cookbook. Drawing on her encyclopaedic specialist knowledge on the subject, Vicky Hayward has designed this walk exclusively for Across Madrid - and you will taste the difference.


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Please note that we can accommodate families with children and adapt this tour for you.  Just write to us letting us know the ages of the children and preferred starting time and we will run a private tour for your family.

We offer this tour at lunchtime (starting at 13:30) and dinner time (starting at 17:30), but we are flexible and can adjust the time according to your preference. 

Length: 3.5 hours. Maximum group size: 4 people.

Prices:

60 euros per person

The costs for food and drink are not included and are estimated at 40 euros per person
You can pay for your own drinks and tapas at each establishment using your credit card or cash



Private tour prices

If you would like a guaranteed private tour, a supplement of 50 euros will be added to the total price. For example, the cost for a private tour for 1 adult will be 60 plus 50 euros = 110 euros, and a private tour for 2 people will be 120 plus 50 euros = 170 euros.

Family tour prices

For families including children, the cost will be 150 euros per family. This will be a guaranteed private tour.

No hidden charges: 21% VAT included in our prices.

Available days and starting times:
Please note that advance booking is required to ensure availability. As a small company we can rarely accommodate last-minute bookings, particularly during the high season. It is best to book early to avoid disappointment. These are our suggested starting times:

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 13:30 or 17:30.
Monday and Wednesday: 17:30.

Please note that this tour does not run on Sundays. 
To enquire about booking our Madrid Tapas Culture Tour, click here.
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