20/03/2022

Our 5 favourite markets in Madrid

OUR TRIP: 4 days, 14-17 February 2022

WHERE? Madrid, capital of Spain

HOW TO GET THERE: By plane from Paris the journey takes 2 hours.

WHEN TO GO? We advise you to go before or after the summer period to avoid the heat. We were lucky enough to have great weather in the middle of February!

WHY GO THERE? The Spanish way of life is well known and there is everything you need for a wonderful stay: peaceful life, kindness, general good humour... You won't be disappointed!

ACCESSIBILITY: Find all our addresses on our map Mapstr !

We went to Madrid in the middle of February in search of sun. We organised these 4 days at the last minute with the desire to discover the city in a different way from our time in Vienna. We didn't want to run around to see everything, but to enjoy Madrid's life as we wandered around. 

So what better way to start than with our 5 favourite markets! Let's get started!

Mercado San Anton

A stone's throw from the Chueca metro station, the San Anton market is the quietest of our selection. Unless we were there too early, it was only midday after all! 

What we loved here was the omnipresence of colours on all the stands and the Madreamiga bakery clearly made our mouths water!

Mercado San Anton : Each floor opens at different times of the day. The main hours are from 9.30am until midnight! Accessibility: It is fully wheelchair accessible with a lift and there are also adapted toilets.

Mercado San Ildefonso

Just a few minutes' walk from Gran Vía station, the San Ildefonso market is spread over 2 floors. On the ground floor there are two Asian stalls with attractive flavours. On the first floor, it's the main food court with about ten stalls and a huge terrace, which is welcome considering the heat inside! We couldn't resist passing by the plates of theIberico Grill !

On the second floor, there is a more classic bar where you can enjoy your finds. Don't be surprised, the service is quite long but the cocktails are worth it!

Mercado San Ildefonso: It opens at 1pm and closes at midnight (1am on Fridays and Saturdays). Accessibility: It is fully wheelchair accessible with a lift and there are also adapted toilets.

Café Commercial: Not far from the San Ildefonso market, we recommend you try this restaurant with its 1920s decor and a menu rich in discoveries. Prices: from 12€ for starters and 18€ for main courses. Find here the menu in English. Accessibility: the restaurant is accessible on one level. We did not have the opportunity to test the toilets when we visited.

Mercado San Fernando

In the Lavapies district, the San Fernando market invites you to meet people. The stalls are manned by locals and neighbours meet to chat. Just before eating, have a beer at La Buena Pinta. The kegs behind the counter say it all 

The restaurants are also numerous but La Tentacion clearly held our attention! Three sisters run this taqueria and they are by far the best tacos we have ever had! Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong! 

Mercado San Fernando: It is open from 9am to 10pm (11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, Sundays from 11am to 6pm). Accessibility: It is fully wheelchair accessible (access is from the side of the building). To access the adapted toilets, you must ask the security guard for the key. Do not hesitate to ask the people who run a stall if you cannot find it.

Mercado de Vallehermoso

In the Chamberí district, north of Madrid, the Vallehermoso market is a small haven of peace. Surrounding the usual stalls, there are numerous restaurants offering their specialities: rice dishes, home-made beers, poké and many others... the choice is not easy!

At the time of our visit TripeaThe restaurant, Bib Gourmand Michelin in 2019, was fully booked, but that was no problem! We discovered El Escaparate, located just at the entrance of the market. The dishes are fresh, simple and delicious! We couldn't resist accompanying them with a good beer from the house! 

Mercado Vallehermoso: It is open every day from 9am to midnight (Sundays until 5pm and Mondays until 8pm). Accessibility: It is fully wheelchair accessible and there are also adapted toilets.

Mercado San Miguel

Just behind the Plaza Mayor, this is certainly our favourite and most beautiful market in Madrid. With its architecture made of wrought iron and glass, the stalls are visible from the outside and you can't help but want to go in and taste everything!

Madrid's inhabitants flock to it at all times of the day and we understand them! Dozens of stalls stand side by side offering croquetas, an assortment of olives, fresh fish, meat and wine... You're almost sure to find a tapas to your taste!

In the heart of the market, we stopped at Baole. They have reinvented the baos to make real little tapas, a great discovery! A little further on, La hora del vermut offers all kinds of empanadas, olive brochettes with anchovies, peppers or octopus... and don't forget a good glass of Vermouth!

Mercado San Miguel: It is open from 10am to midnight (1am on Fridays and Saturdays). Accessibility: It is fully wheelchair accessible and there are also adapted toilets.

It is a real pleasure to discover Madrid from the point of view of its gastronomy. Each market has its own specificity and each one has its own habits and finds its own little pleasures in life. I can't hide the fact that knowing that they are all accessible by wheelchair is a real plus! In our next article, we take you to the roofs of Madrid !

You can find a video recap of our article right here!

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