Madrid Tapas and Wine: An Interactive Tasting Experience in the Historical Literary Quarter
5.0
56 Ratings
Madrid
Embark on an interactive tasting experience in Madrid's historical Literary Quarter. Explore the city's best tapas bars, each with its own unique story, and indulge in perfectly paired tapas and Spanish wines.
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Literary Quarter (Barrio de Las Letras) - Start things off with a stroll through Madrid’s best neighborhood for a night out: the vibrant Literary Quarter. Get a sense of atmosphere through the beautiful architecture that surrounds you as you pass by locals making their way to their favorite bars for an aperitif—which you’ll do next!
  • Los Gatos - The first stop of your Madrid tapas and wine tour is one of the most eccentric taverns in the Literary Quarter, filled with unusual antiques and even an authentic Picasso. Come evening, this aptly named bar is constantly packed with dozens of “gatos” (a local nickname for Madrid residents) beginning their nights out with vermouth and light bites. You’ll do just the same, pairing your flavorsome vermouth with a selection of tostas (open-faced sandwiches with a variety of ingredients) and the famous gilda, a savory skewer of pickled ingredients with roots in the north of Spain.
  • Plaza de Santa Ana - Dive deeper into the neighborhood of Las Letras as you soak up the lively atmosphere of a Madrid evening. Stroll the cobblestone streets and marvel at buildings that have been standing for centuries and whose stories helped shape the neighborhood.
  • Ferretería Restaurante - Head to your next tapas bar: a neighborhood institution with roots in the 17th century that today is an essential stop on a Madrid-style night on the town. You’ll be treated to two white wines, crispy homemade croquettes, and a selection of Spanish cheeses while your guide shares insider knowledge on how to decode Spanish wine and read a wine label like a pro.
  • Taberna de la Elisa - The final stop of your tapas and wine tour is a centennial tavern in the heart of the Literary Quarter. This historical landmark nearly closed down forever before three local chefs brought it back to life in recent years. It’s the perfect place to end your evening with a fun wine challenge as you blind-taste two essential Spanish reds. Both pair perfectly with the shared plates you’ll pass around the table: potatoes with spicy sauce and garlic aioli (patatas bravas), stuffed mushrooms, and the finest cut of Iberian pork available.
What's Included
  • 7+ tapas selections
  • Guidance from an English-speaking expert
  • Tasting of 5 distinct Spanish wines
  • Intimate small group experience: maximum 12 participants
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel Pick-up/Drop-off
Additional Information

Join a knowledgeable tour guide in discovering Madrid’s famed Literary Quarter, where you’ll get to experience some of the finest local food joints. Each establishment provides its own distinct tale as you savor a combination of tapas, wine, and Madrid’s beloved pre-meal drink: vermouth.

From concocting your own vermouth to understanding the details of a Spanish wine label, envision this as your quick study guide to the world of Spanish wine.

  • This tour is in English.
  • This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
  • Guests with serious food allergies will need to sign an allergy waiver at the start of the tour.
  • This tour is not recommended for vegans and children..
  • This tour is adaptable for: Vegetarians, Pescatarians, gluten free (though we cannot guarantee there isn´t cross contamination as we are not in the kitchens, in the cases of Celiac).
  • Those with dietary restrictions should leave a note in the booking so we can accommodate.
  • Minimum age requirement for alcohol consumption is 18 years of age.
  • This tour is not wheelchair accessible. There is uneven cobblestone streets. Roughly 1.8KM are covered during this tour at a slow pace.
Location
Estatua Fortunato Vendedor ONCE
Plaza de las Cortes
This tour meets at Calle de San Augustin 2. Your guide will be waiting for you by the statue of a man with a cane holding a red Devour Tours tote bag or sign.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(56 Ratings)
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J7455nlcarlosm
May 26, 2024
Great food tour led by an awesome tour guide! - Andrea was a fantastic tour guide! She was able to provide super interesting facts and background history for all of our dining spots and helped make the group feel inclusive at all times. Best of all, all of the food spots we visited were fantastic meals! Well worth the price.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lauriemas1217
May 21, 2024
Fun Experience - Great tour....loved our tour guide, Arantxa. She was very personable and knowledgeable. We learned a lot about the tapas culture as well as about vermouth and Spanish wine. Would definitely recommend...lots of food and beverages for the cost.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
780brucey
May 20, 2024
Great tapas tour with Montes - Montes gave us an amazing culture and history tour along with visits to some very old family owned bars. She guided us through some local favorite Tapas that I would have been unaware of. We sampled on site made vermouth and local wines. A great group and lots of fun. Would do again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michellerj1391oc
May 15, 2024
Amazing tapas tour! - Arantxa was amazing! She is a lot of fun. We learned so much about Madrid history and life. There were many delicious foods and drinks to try. You won’t go hungry on this tour. This experience was definitely worth it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Meghanbd3084sm
May 11, 2024
Fantastic experience - Arantxa was excellent! She was knowledgeable, entertaining and so very kind. Highly recommend booking a tour with her!!
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549janetm
May 9, 2024
A Memorable Wine and Tapas Tour in Madrid - This was our sixth wine and tapas tour with Devour over several years and, like all our past experiences, it was instructional, fun and, above all, delicious. Arantxa was our terrific host, full of energy, charm and knowledge. You will not only have a good time, but learn a lot about Spanish wine, food, and history. We highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cesca642017
May 5, 2024
Find out a little of the history of Madrid by eating and drinking! - Fantastic tour of 3 very different tabernas. Delicious food, and a wide range of drinks, again all delicious. Liliana, our guide was ver knowledgeable about everything we ate and drank; and everywhere we went. The whole atmosphere was inclusive, friendly and fun. We would highly recommend.
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Newyorkeri2024
May 4, 2024
Unforgettable tour with Liliana - Liliana, our guide, made this tour a truly unforgettable experience. We were so lucky to have her as she is an expert in Spanish wines. And she was so entertaining and told us many interesting facts, that we wished that we could have stayed longer. I totally recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mdlmdouc
May 4, 2024
Would definitely recommend! - This tour was wonderful! Our guide Liliana took us to 3 restaurants where we had vermouth, white wines and red wines. We even did a blind taste test of reds. Our guide was very knowledgeable about Madrid and Spanish wines. The tapas at each place were very good. Better than a lot we had already had in Spain.
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A8211ymkims
Apr 12, 2024
Wonderful evening of tapas and wine! - We booked this tour last minute and loved it! Arantxa was a wonderful, knowledgeable, and thoughtful tour guide. My husband is a pescatarian and she made sure there was a special tapa's dish for him at each location that did not contain any meat. When I say we booked it last minute - we booked it the night before and she was still able to accommodate our special request! We learned a lot about local culture, ate delicious food, and drank lovely wines from the different regions. If you are thinking about booking this tour - Do it! We also loved that it was a small group, only 4 couples.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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