Madrid Tapas, Taverns & History Tour

Start your Madrid tapas tour in a historic tavern where you’ll sip vermouth and try typical aperitivo bites like Manchego cheese. This traditional stop will be your introduction to what going out for tapas really means in Madrid.   

 Next up is a cozy, family-run spot that was once a horse stable, but today, it’s all about homemade Asturian flavors and warm hospitality. Here, you’ll witness the traditional Asturian cider pour—and even give it a go yourself! Then, sip your freshly poured cider and dig into two delicious regional tapas.      Now it’s time to build up an appetite! We’ll start our 35-minute history walk through the oldest part of Madrid by heading towards the Royal Palace, one of the largest royal residences in the world. As we explore the Habsburg neighborhood, with buildings dating back to the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries, you’ll discover its hidden squares and secrets while hearing the story of how Madrid transformed from a small village into the capital of one of the world’s greatest empires.       

 The next tapas bar is known for one thing: grilled mushrooms. Learn the surprising and fun way to eat them and sample some addictive padrón peppers while you’re at it. To wash it down, you’ll try a simple wine cocktail that most locals drink on a night out (hint: it’s not sangria!).        On our way to the next stop, you’ll pass through two more essential landmarks. Your guide will take you through Madrid’s famed Plaza Mayor as your guide brings more of Madrid’s storied past to life. Once the stage for plays, bustling markets, and even bullfights, Plaza Mayor has seen it all—including the darker days of the Spanish Inquisition, when public trials were held here. Your guided walking tour continues to Puerta del Sol–the city's beating heart. Here, you’ll be able to stand in the geographic center of Spain and see a beloved statue that's a symbol of the city itself.   

   At the final bar of our Madrid tapas tour, it's time to sit back, relax, and dig into settle in for a tapas feast! You’ll taste one of the city's signature tapas: gambas al ajillo, or garlic shrimp. We’ll tell you all about how this family-run bar claims to have invented this now-classic dish—and they’ve been in business since 1906, so we’ll take their word for it! No meal is complete without a final toast—so you'll raise a glass to an unforgettable night of eating like a true madrileño.

   By the time we part ways, you’ll have seen some of Madrid’s top sights and eaten at the city’s most beloved bars. More than that, you’ll understand how the city’s history and its food go hand in hand.