Photos: El_Tres_de_Mayo,_by_Francisco_de_Goya,_from_Prado_in_Google_Earth.jpg: Francisco de Goya derivative work: Papa Lima Whiskey 2, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Fernando Pascullo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: El_Tres_de_Mayo,_by_Francisco_de_Goya,_from_Prado_in_Google_Earth.jpg: Francisco de Goya derivative work: Papa Lima Whiskey 2, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Fernando Pascullo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mercado de San Miguel, glass by glass
Your local guide
Lucía Reyes
View profile
Highlights
- Manchego wheels and hanging chorizo
- Vermouth poured straight from the tap
- Telling a young cheese from an aged one
- A former stallholder's own counter
- A note on where to start
About this tour
This session walks the glass-walled halls of Mercado de San Miguel, from the cheese and cured meat counter I once worked to the central vermouth bar. You see cured meats hanging above the counter and vermouth poured straight from the tap. I explain a few of the small details that tell you what is actually good here.
I move slowly between counters so you can see texture and colour up close, then pause longer wherever a vendor wants to talk. Questions come naturally since the market itself prompts most of them. Afterwards I send a short note on what to try first if you visit yourself.
This suits anyone curious about Spanish market culture packed into one covered hall rather than spread across a city. It also works well as a first taste of Madrid's food scene early in a trip.
Included
- Live video session with a local guide
- A close look at the dishes and where locals buy them
- A short list of places and dishes to try later
Not included
- Food and drinks shown on camera
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Madrid before heading out.
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Cheese and cured meat counter 21 min
You see wheels of Manchego and strings of chorizo hanging above the counter I used to work behind. I show you how to tell a young cheese from an aged one just by the colour of the rind.
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Vermouth and wine bar 21 min
The market's central bar pours vermouth on tap alongside regional wines. I ask the bartender for whatever is pouring best that week and explain what makes vermouth different from a simple sweet wine.
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Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about Madrid: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Callos a la madrileña and Chueca, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Madrid time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Madrid, showing you Cheese and cured meat counter and Vermouth and wine bar live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to buy or cook anything?
No. This is a conversation: the guide describes the dishes and where to find them, so you can try them yourself whenever suits you.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I show you the market live, counter by counter.
Times shown in Madrid time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Fri 30 Oct · 10 seats left From 24,00 €
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