Madrid is amazing, extraordinary, laid back, and a place of wonders for individuals obsessed with food. I luckily ventured here to the land of food, drinking, green space, and deep breaths with a friend of mine who was indeed obsessed with food. We set off on our venture with the sole purpose of eating everything that we set eyes upon. The preplanning consisting of $200 worth of just food tours before even touching down on the ground. I would usually classify this as grossly unnecessary, yet would learn a mere 48 hours later, it was by far the best decision we would make in this magical world they call Madrid.

Touching down in Madrid on Friday night our sights were set on Tapas, tapas, and more tapas, our stomachs empty from the long travel day. After a delayed flight, a missed reservation, and the streets surrounding our respective hostels (Ok hostel, and Way hostel), we headed to El Sur rated as the best and cheapest tapas in the area. True to form, we walked right on in, ordered 5-6 plates and a drink. The atmosphere vibrant, the space packed, the drinks flowing. The food consisting of Jamon, garlic shrimp, mushroom croquettes, and more were tasty beyond imagination, the lack of eating I’m sure adding to the extraordinary experience. And with that our day ended, our eyes closed, and our dreams of more food and our 7 restaurant food crawl the following day consumed our thoughts.

Falling asleep earlier rather than later, helped with morning productivity. Waking up and taking to the streets, to truly see all that Madrid had to offer, was an awesome choice. A few miles roaming the city, before shoveling even more food improved my appetite and perspective of where we were. The Devour tour led by Eduardo included me and 7 other lucky individuals. Starting in the Plaza de Mayor, we meandered around the community, entering restaurants, and enjoying the sights surrounding our original meeting spot. Stopping in locales such as bakeries funded by the Queen herself, and all the furniture constructed inside, to Jamon delicacies paired with wine, to oxtail, and onwards to personal cider with tortillas, fried calamari sandwiches, and dessert to round it all off. My favorite by far the Jamon and liquid chocolate. With but a fraction of the day complete, we had already checked off half a dozen restaurants, foods, and sights throughout Madrid, and we were feeling pretty good about it. To continue the productivity, we ventured towards the palace, basilica, onwards towards the sprawling green spaces, and finally, a complete loop walking along the touristy boulevard onto even more green space number with a massive lake to boot. Here we found rowboats, endless amounts of people, sprawling statues, and a restaurant or two to lounge nearby have a drink, and people watch to our heart’s content. Shad and I being on vacation decidedly bought the most enormous sangria drinks I had ever seen and took part in Spains most loved past time: people watching. The lake to our backs, the sun in our face, and locals and tourists alike strolling by, we soaked up the languages, syles, and breeze across our face, feeling better with each and every drink.

With the time standing still, with the sun still high in the sky and numerous hours left before sunset, we sought out my friend Katie at the glass palace a short walk away.  Although if you have just had a very large sangria, quite a bit of sun, and don’t actually know your final destination, the walk takes on a life of its own.  However, with a short detour, and a quick reroute, we made it their none the less. The grandiose “palace” was okay, the drummer outside enthralling. So as we awaited my friend on the grass, relaxing our legs and backs after a long day of walking, the music enveloped the air and made for a very enjoyable lounge session.

Rooftop bars here we come, rooftops here we don’t. A nice day in Madrid on a Friday is not the best time for a last minute rooftop experience unless you are a willing participant to wait in an hour-long line on the off chance the people enjoying the view up top get sick of it before you get sick of standing in line. It led us to a plaza, a very sugary mojito, and a dinner of more exceptional tapas in a different part of town. A part of town, I can not remember at this exact moment. With all the tapas, and the now the most sugary caprhihini drink in front of us, we dutifully strategized the nights’ festivities. Five bars later, a handful of drinks, and a place where we were served a tapas along with our drink, we finally called it quits for day 1, and wandered back to our beds. Although, not before witnessing a massive line outside my hostel, due to we think a strip club across the way, people littering the streets, peddlers selling warm beers, and even the older crowd of the city, devastated by the night, alcohol  getting the better of them, one’s face in the lap of another friend. Nighttime was surely the best decision.

With a definitive 10 am wake up call and meet up for breakfast, Shad and I shared a large tortilla, and a jamon sandwich with some good ole fresh squeezed orange juice. The day began with an endless flea market, but a few streets away, stretching aimlessly far off into the distance, down alleys, around businesses, and consisted of everything from keychains to axes, to pornography, to comics, to that gift you were dying to get your sweetheart before flying home. Both of us not caring for the material trinkets, we instead enjoyed the environment, the chaos, and all the people streaming past. Walking walking walking, we turned eventually into a neighborhood where much less was happening, the shops quiet, and the mountains looming in the distance instead, reminding us that Madrid truly does have a lot to offer you. The river was enticing, and as we made our way, our thoughts of a grandiose flowing river increased, only to be met with a swampy trickle of water instead. A good place for a nap, but not the best for a swim I reckon. A few hours sleeping in the wet grass, watching the dogs and families pass by, the market was next on our list to check out. Although the market was extremely touristy and overpriced, there are a lot of options in one building, and if you choose wisely the food you get can also be extremely tasty. My choices were not the best, although Shad managed just fine with a few decisive food choices including an arrangement of cheeses, papaya, and a fruit tart to treat the sweet tooth. Going on our respective ways, our second Devour tour would begin in a few hours and sleep needed to be got, before continuing our day and night which would go into the morning hours unbeknownst to us at the time.

Devour Tour number 2 was led by Caroline.  We once again met up and this time was surrounded by a much different crowd: a couple, and a few friends from San Francisco.  Our food tasting included Cod creaminess, garlic shrimp, lamb lymph nodes, eggplant, chorizo, calamari, and much much more. The tour only being a few hours, the night young, and Caroline taking to our group, we were led to a favorite blues bar of hers a stone’s throw away, and a bar on her route home.  The charismatic tour guide that she was, a majority of us followed along as if the tour was just getting started. The jazz bar was packed, the blues/jazz filling the small space with incredible sounds, beats, rhythms, and vibes.  We came for a drink and stayed for five.  Hours passing opposed to moments, the night continued after Sin graciously paid for the drinks, and our night of nights seemingly just beginning, the club was awaiting us.  Dancing till I couldn’t dance anymore, I managed to wander home before the sun rose, my head hitting the pillow a little bit before 6 am.

No time to waste, and a lot more to see, eat, walk towards, and experience, 12 pm was the latest we gave ourselves to recuperate from the night before.  Up and at it again, we decided to be bold and check out Street XO, a restaurant created by Michelin chefs, a unique blend of street food, artistry, master chef, and no-nonsense ordering.  The waiters wearing straight jackets, the restaurant overlooking the entirety of Madrid located on the 4th floor, and the food as delectable as it was beautiful.  We were introduced to this marvel of a spot by awaiting it to open, served a drink with which resembled a smoky ice tea.  However, it became a true experience as it was served upon a platter with a shrimp upon a stick.

Directions for drinking cocktail:

  1. Suck the meat out of the head of the shrimp

  2. Stir the rest upon the stick like a lollipop within the drink, and consume

  3. Drink the drink

Ordering an array of perfectly prepared food courses, and another drink.  One drink with pop rocks and chocolate, the other a martini with cheese whiz.  Very odd indeed.  The bill definitely resembled the experience we had.  Jam-packed and prepared as we were, a flamenco show was still on the docket, and once again off we went.  The leisurely stroll revolved around the food, the tastes, and talk of true Michelin star restaurants that would be attended in the near future.  Now let me tell you about Flamenco shows, just wow.  The way their feet move in a flurry, this way and that, their expressive dresses, stoic facial expressions, intense musical backdrop, and the ambiance, just wow.  I came in open-minded, thinking a show in the middle of the day would be mediocre at best, I walked out with a true appreciation of this traditional dance.  The dancers and band alike were talented beyond imagination, and the experience was one that will not be forgotten anytime soon.  The trip coming to an end, one last meal with my friend awaited.  We ate at a Mexican themed restaurant recommended by locals, and although almost nothing could top our previous food extravaganzas, the food was pretty good, and the presentation of my drink inside an egg, inside a chest, with smoke pouring out was a lot.  The presentation unfortunately much better than the drink itself.  And at last farewells were said, hugs were given, and one last night’s sleep in the dream world we resided in that was Madrid.

Madrid is amazing, incredible, magical, and full of smiles, green space, and most importantly food.  So if you are someone who bases your trip around food and fun, make sure to take a good look at this specific destination.  This trip although very different than my usual travel experiences was one of the best trips I have been on.  It was entirely revolved around food, and my taste buds are still content weeks later, so make sure to not pass this locale up.  Enjoy and I hope to hear about your amazing experiences to Spain in the near future.