Hello-

We arrive in Madrid Dec 26 in the afternoon. I thought it might be a good idea to take a Tapas tour so that we can get an idea of the area, as well as be forced to stay up a bit late (to get on Spain time). I'm having trouble finding a tour that is available that day. Adventurous Appetites which has been mentioned on Fodor's does not have tours that day. Walking Tours of Spain cannot commit to having a tour on that day. Does anyone know of any other guides for such a thing? Any suggestions to keep us up and awake into the evening? Thanks so much!

Revulgo posted this on another thread. You can put together your own tour.

cherrybomb, this is a suggested itinerary for your next trip to Madrid:

Use Google Maps to print the itinerary on a map. Tapas time: 12:30pm thru 3pm and 8pm thru 10pm.
Glossary: "caña" -- pronounce Ñ like GN in French cognac-- is a glass of beer on tap, "vino tinto" is red wine, "vino blanco" is white wine, "mosto" is non-alcoholic juice of grapes, "zumo de melocotón o de piña" is peach or pineapple bottled juice, "ración" is a dish of food for sharing, "pincho" is a tapa for one person but also can be shared, "aperitivo" is a small tapa served for free by the bartender in some traditional bars. Bread with raciones is charged extra, if you don't want bread, ask them to take it away.
Choose a few bars of the itinerary and have a good time!

Departure: Puerta del Sol.
MESÓN CINCO JOTAS. Calle del Arenal 6. Meson Cinco Jotas is one of branches in Madrid of this chain of taverns that specialises in cured Iberian ham and tapas.
LA PANERA. Calle del Arenal 19. A panera is a type of hut built to store the corn harvest in the Asturian fields. The bartender serves a free aperitivo with beer or wine. Rec: ración de pulpo (octopus).
EL ÑERU. Calle de Bordadores 5. Always crowded, but you will find a place soon because people tend to drink a glass and change to another taberna. After receiving a tip they will bring a cow bell, doesn't matter the amount of the tip. Wait until they offer an aperitivo for the drink, ask for Cabrales (blue cheese), tortilla or chorizo. Rec: caña de sidra (fizzy cider on tap).
OSTRAS SORLUT in the market. Plaza de San Miguel. Mouth-watering range of French oysters, washed down with champagne or dry white wine. Pick of the range is the "Especial Daniel Sorlut", a fleshier, more flavoursome take on the typical oyster.
MESÓN DEL CHAMPIÑÓN. Calle Cava de San Miguel 17. It is a very old building. Before in this street were mostly warehouses, where the meson is now was a fabric warehouse. Rec: wine jug for sharing and garlic mushrooms.
BODEGAS RICLA. Calle de los Cuchilleros 6. Cheap but nice wine and sherry are available by the litre, poured from tall clay urns. Rec: vermú de grifo (vermouth on tap) and canapé de bacalao (smoked cod in olive oil).
REVUELTA. Calle de Latoneros 3. It is worth coming into this little place to taste their unquestionable star: pincho de bacalao (tender battered cod without bone). Another delicious speciality is torrezno (fried rusher of bacon). The wine is so-so.
CASA PACO. Plaza de Puerta Cerrada 11. Just a drink, with aperitivo for free, to see this restaurant that specialices in steaks. Around the walls are autographed photographs of notables. Closed on Sunday.
EL REY DEL PIMIENTO. Plaza de Puerta Cerrada 4. Long and really narrow kitsch bar. The opening is unpredictable. Rec: ración de pimientos (trips of soft fried green pepper).
LA CHATA. Calle Cava Baja 24. Tiled façade picturing the so-called La Chata, an Infanta of the Spain's royal family who loved the popular way of life and to socialize with all genre of people. She died in exile in 1931. Rec: ración de callos (pork tripe).
TXAKOLINA. Calle Cava Baja 26. Array of Basque-style pinchos. It's difficult to choose one of them.
CASA LUCAS. Calle Cava Baja 30. Trendy tapas and array of selected wines by the glass. It is a rather expensive bar.
TEMPRANILLO. Calle Cava Baja 38. Cosy wine bar featuring an array of good wines by the glass. Rec: revuelto de setas (scrambled egg with wild mushroom).
EL ESCALDÓN. Calle Cava Baja 29. A rare opportunity to taste food from the Canary Islands. Rec: ración de papas con mojo (tiny thin-skinned potatoes with sauce from the islands). Advise: do NOT peel the potatoes.
SALAMANCA. Calle Cava Baja 31. Small bar very popular with locals. Rec: ración de croquetas or ración de albóndigas (meat balls).
TXIRIMIRI. Calle del Humilladero 6. Mouthwatering display of Basque-style pinchos. Good tortilla.
JUANALALOCA. Plaza de Puerta de Moros 4. One of the top bars preparing Basque-style pinchos. Gwyneth Paltrow loves this cool bar. Rec: pincho de tortilla (potato with soft fried onion omelet).
CERVECERIA SAN ANDRÉS. Plaza de San Andrés 4. Nice outdoor tables for a break if the weather is fine. No tapas here.
TABERNA ALMENDRO 13. Calle del Almendro 13. This traditional taberna serves only beer, white wine and sherries such as fino and manzanilla. No Coke. No red wine. Orders are placed at the serving hatch and a small bell rings when the food is ready. Rec: white wine Barbadillo from Andalusia and huevos rotos con jamón (fried potatoes topped with bits of ham and "broken" fried eggs).
LA ESCONDÍA. Plaza de Puerta Cerrada 6. Bohemian atmosphere. Rec: Torta del Casar (sheep's milk cheese from Extremadura). It has a delightfully creamy texture. Wash down with red wine.
LA VILLA DEL PESCADITO. Calle Toledo 26. Humble family-run bar. Local atmosphere. Rec: ración de adobo (deep fried marinated fish). Closed on Monday.
LA CAMPANA. Calle Botoneras 6. It's a popular saying here: if you go to Madrid and don't taste a "bocadillo de calamares" (fried squid roll sandwich), you are committing a sin!. Beer on tap.
CERVECERÍA SOL MAYOR. Calle Postas 5. It's not exactly a charming place, with the bright lights and mirror lined walls. Very 70´s looking Madrileño decor. Rec: ración de pimientos de Padrón (deep fried small green peppers) or ración de chopitos (fried baby cuttle fish).

Arrival: Puerta del Sol.

Thank you, Aduchamp1 and Revulgo. I did print this off when I saw Cherrybomb's post. My concern is that we do not speak a lot of Spanish and it seems there are different ways of ordering the tapas. How do you know if they are "complimentary" or they are ordered and paid for? I'm assuming those offered off of a menu are paid, but do they just bring some to the table - are those to be paid? As in the example of the waiter bringing the bread to the table - just send it away. I'm a bit confused. Thank you.

Paris- no need to speak fluent Spanish - you can just point and order, also many of the places have "tags" on the tapas so you know what it is. You can also ask, people are very nice. Don't bother with the tour, you'll get stuck at places you don't like. the beauty of tapas is that you aren't stuck with a bad meal - you don't like a place, move to the next one.

meant to print this before - so many delicious sounding suggestions!

If you get arrested, then you were supposed to pay for the tapas. Seriously, just say at the end la cuenta (pronounced KWHEN-ta) por favor, the check please. You can assume that you are paying for them, exceptions CAN be nuts and olives.

It is a great, great Spanish tradition to go from from one tapas bar to another. There is no American equivalent(college bar crawls are not the same.)

Love this thread. Thanks, we will use it when we are in Madrid in April.

Thank you all! I think we will be able to venture on our own tour thanks to all of your input! We're really looking forward to our trip! Lovely way to start our holiday!

Do go to Mercado San Miguel but I would advise it during the day or at least very early. It becomes a madhouse and you order by taking a number and have to listen for it to be called and know what you want. If you are not comfortable with Spanish you will be frustrated. It is def worth the visit though. The architecture alone is beautiful and the foodstuffs amazing. Worth just going to shop for snacks. The bread stand is great as is the produce. The cheese shop is about 85% French selection for some reason.

The cheese shop is about 85% French selection for some reason.

I hope one of the Spaniards will correct me, if I am wrong.

In Barcelona they speak Catalan, a language based in Provencal not Castilian. They speak Catalan in Andorra and in parts of France near Andorra. There is a strong sense of Catalan indpendence, especially from Madrid.

Additionally the French produce more varieties of cheese. Cheese is part of the Spanish soul and many varieties are produced throughout the country but not in the same number as the French.

How can you be expected to govern a country that has 246 kinds of cheese?
Charles DeGaulle

Aware there are perhaps more varietals of French cheese Aduchamp, but I still found it odd that it was nearly all French cheese and that was the cheese they were pushing. It <i>was</I> supposed to be a "local" market. If the bodegas in there had few wines from Spain, I would make the same assessment. Also, the large amounts of Northern French and Alsatian varieties of cheese kinda debunks that Catalan theory. Maybe someone will correct us both.

Cherry

What you state does not contradict my point. Catalans have a strong feeling that they should not be part of Spain. And they need not import French cheeses from regions where they speak Catalan. They are not chauvanistic about Spanish cheeses. And many Catalans take great pride in speaking a highly educated Castilian, as if to say, I know your langugae, but you do not know mine.

Please note in Spain a bodega is a winery not a local grocery store as American urbanites have come to use it. I explain it this way. In Spain a bodega is where is wine is sold, in New York it is where crack and toilet paper is sold.

I was referring to the bodegas, rather wine stalls, in the market. I went to the bodega this morning to buy a NY Post, I went to the bodega in the mercado to get a glass/bottle of wine. All the wine in the mercado wine stalls sold was Spanish, there was only cava for sparkling, not champagne.

I am still missing you Catalan point, as I really was noting that for a local market, I was expecting "local" product. It was just a note, no need to get all up in the grill over it.

I'm cool. Just having a friemdly discussion.

I have a friend who describes Madrid as a Spanish city and Barcelona as an international city. Maybe that could be part of it?

Cherrybomb- where is Mercado San Miguel, please? I loved your post, by the way! You have great descriptives! Any other good places for shopping, etc? This is our first time to Spain - I'm really not interested in museums (how horrible of me), but partner in crime will drag me to at least one I am sure. We're going to Seville for New Years - any advice there?

Who knows Aduchamp? They are both completely different vibes, I thought I liked Barcelona better, but now I'm not so sure. Barcelona seems more international, mostly due to language - young people tend to me more multi-lingual. It is also architecturally "newer" for the most part and seems more compact. But again, I have no answers, just random observations that may or may not me true, or universal, but just my opinions. (the schooling me on bodega ticked me though cuz I know and was using it properly, BTW!)

Paris: the Mercado San Miguel is a block west of the Plaza Mayor on C/ Cava San Miguel, just south of C/ Mayor. C/Cava San Miguel becomes Cava Baja south of C/ de la Colegiata. Here is the website for the Mercado - go at night and during the day - two totally different places. http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/ Don't google map it - it will give you the wrong address!

No need for a tapas tours. Virtually every bar in Spain will have something on the counter for you to grab and eat while having a glass of wine or a beer.

If you want to know something more about the difference between pintxos, raciones and tapas, my blog may be useful, http://mugalari.wordpress.com, from a local point of view, and in English. There´s a post called Pintxos, RAciones, Tapas, that talks about the etiquette and characteristics of each concept.