Lavapies and Delicias Tapas Tour, Madrid
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Join us on a stunning Lavapies and Delicias tapas tour, Madrid!
Lavapies is the vibrant and exciting cultural hub of Madrid, and oozes bohemian style. Wander tree-lined streets and enjoy a tapa on the many terraces the neighborhood has to offer. Come time for the sun to go down, Lavapies become a lively party area with plenty of bars and restaurants open until the early hours each morning!
October 2023 Update: Tapapies is an annual tapas festival in Lavapies. It runs this year from 19 to 29 October. It is extremely popular, fun, and crowded. If you’re after a buzz, this is for you. If you’re not keen on busy bars and streets, Delicious is much quieter, or try one of our other tapas walking tours in Madrid.
The picturesque suburb of Delicias is somewhat of a secret for most visitors to Madrid. Located just a short stroll from the lively bohemian suburb of Lavapies, Delicias offers wide tree-lined streets and plenty of local tapas bars and restaurants.
Coming in at a whopping 3 miles, this is the longest tour we’ve made so far, but worry, many of these suburban tapas bars are renowned for huge portion sizes and are perfect for when you’ve worked up an appetite!
Lavapies and Delicias Tapas Tour, Madrid.
Start: Lavapies Metro Station
Finish: Anton Martin Metro Station
Distance: 4.91km \ 3.05 miles
Stops: 10 tapas bars and restaurants
Proposed duration: 5-6 hours.
Tap the star (⭐) on the map link and you’ve got all you’ll need to guide you from one tapas bar to the next in the palm of your hand!
– Have a great tapas tour!
Visiting Lavapies and Delicias
Along the way, you’ll see a more relaxed side of Madrid, rubbing shoulders with locals on their way to one of the best food and fresh produce markets in Madrid (Mercado de Santa María de la Cabeza) or lazing about in one of the many terraces enjoying a Vermouth or small caña of beer.
One of the benefits of this epic tapas tour is of course the food, and while this tour clocks in at around 3 miles in total (just under 5km), it gives plenty of opportunity to work up an appetite and just as well, as most of these suburban tapas bars offer incredibly generous portions!
“The best way to know a city is to eat it.”
– Scott Westerfield –
Visiting Lavapies and Delicias
Along the way, you’ll see a more relaxed side of Madrid, rubbing shoulders with locals on their way to one of the best food and fresh produce markets in Madrid (Mercado de Santa María de la Cabeza) or lazing about in one of the many terraces enjoying a Vermouth or small caña of beer.
One of the benefits of this epic tapas tour is of course the food, and while this tour clocks in at around 3 miles in total (just under 5km), it gives plenty of opportunity to work up an appetite and just as well, as most of these suburban tapas bars offer incredibly generous portions!
How to get to the Lavapies and Delicias tapas route
The tour starts at the iconic Lavapies Metro station which is on Line 3 (the yellow line) and is easily accessible from Sol Metro station (1 stop, 3 minutes). If you’re keen to take in some sights, it’s an easy 1 km (0.6 miles) downhill walk from Sol to Lavapies Metro station and it only takes around 15 minutes.
Getting to Lavapies from Atocha
Atocha train station is also close by and it only takes around 15 minutes to walk to Lavapies from Atocha. Simply follow the signs towards the Reina Sofia (Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía) and you’re pretty much there!
Just follow Calle de Argumosa up the hill for around 100m and you’ll see the fountain Fuente Calle Argumosa, which marks the start of the main tapas street in Lavapies,
Lavapies and Delicias restaurants visited on this tapas tour:
Tribuetxe
- C. de Tribulete, 23, 28012 Madrid
Small Basque-inspired tapas bar within the buzzy Lavapies atmosphere. Dishes to definitely try are the Tuna tartare and the chipirones a la plancha. The menu is on a blackboard so changes but the food is always delicious.
La Chulapa en Mayrit
- Calle del Dr. Fourquet, 37, 28012 Madrid
La Chulapa en Mayrit is an authentic Madrid-style tavern that is a local hotspot, and for good reason. The small, no-frills but often bustling bar offers some great house specialties including stuffed potato balls, and of course, the chapati sandwiches are also highly regarded!
Open every day, the friendly staff and excellent value-for-money menu make this place a great place to stop off for a tapas or two.
O Pazo de Lugo
- Calle de Argumosa, 28, 28012 Madrid
Who doesn’t love a little slice of Galician cuisine right in the heart of Madrid? Established in 1971, the popular O Pazo de Lugo offers authentic Galician cuisine including a great range of tapas dishes served from the traditional tapas counter.
The warm wooden interior is perfect for small groups and there are plenty of booths available to get cozy while you enjoy a Vermouth, wine, and of course, some incredible tapas.
Taberna Las Sobrinas
- C. de Palos de la Frontera, 38, 28045 Madrid
A short stroll down the hill and you’ll enter the tree-lined suburb of Delicias. Taberna Las Sobrinas is a fantastic neighborhood tapas bar with a charming owner and friendly staff who are committed to serving absolutely huge tapas portions for free!
The bar has a streetside shady terrace that’s great for people-watching while sampling some of the local tapas dishes on offer.
There are plenty of seasonal tapas dishes on offer and you can choose from tapas dishes on display inside the bar. House specialties include Ensalada Rusa, and jamon croquetas.
Bar Pulpo
- C. del Ferrocarril, 21, 28045 Madrid
A little further down the street you’ll find this renowned tapas bar that specializes in everything seafood.
Simple and affordable tapas options are found aplenty at this traditional tapas bar and restaurant with a street-side terrace (Bar Pulpo). Seafood and meat dishes are the specialties, with Pulpo a la Gallega and Gambas dishes a must-try!
Tapería La Pequeña Graná
- C. de Embajadores, 124, 28045 Madrid
Just a short stroll from Delicias Metro station is the popular Tapería La Pequeña Graná which offers a great range of tapas with every drink you order. Like many tapas bars in this neighborhood, every time you order a drink, you are offered a ‘cover’, or a small tapas dish to choose from a list of what’s available on the day.
There are more than a few classic tapas dishes to choose from and house specialties include huevos rotos (scrambled eggs), Berenjena Frita con Miel (Fried eggplant with honey), and Croquetas de jamon, just to name a few.
Bodegas Rosell
- Calle del Gral. Lacy, 14, 28045 Madrid
Make your way back uphill (the walk is worth it!) and cross the famous tree-lined Paseo De Las Delicias to discover one of Madrid’s oldest tapas bars, Bodegas Rosell.
Bodegas Rosell is a classic Madrid tapas bar that dates back since the 1920s and offers a reliable selection of tried-and-tested tapas favorites.
Try the homemade Vermouth, Bacalao al pil pil (Cod in sauce), tortilla de abuela (Grandma’s tortilla), and the homemade croquetas, all a must!
La Burlona
- C. de Sta. Isabel, 40, 28012 Madrid
Just a few minutes’ walk from the bustle of Calle De Atocha and the famous Atocha train station is the beautiful La Burlona. This cozy bar and restaurant is set within a stunning red brick archway and also boasts a rustic interior dining area.
They specialize in classic tapas dishes, small plates (called raciones), good cocktails, and an extensive wine list that will keep you coming back time and again. For those night owls out there, this is a great place to grab a bite and a drink as they’re open till 2.30 am most nights.
La Esperanza
- C. de la Torrecilla del Leal, 3, 28012 Madrid
For culture hounds looking for a place to have a tipple and tapas you can’t go past La Esperanza, a small but eclectic tapas bar offering Mediterranean flavors. Aside from a great selection of tapas, beers, wines, and classic cocktails, the relaxed bar also functions as an exhibition space for local artists.
This cozy tapas bar is great for a late-night drink and a nibble on some authentic tapas. Here you’ll find traditional Spanish tapas dishes such as Ensalada Rusa, croquetas, paella, plus many Mediterranean-inspired tapas dishes.
Still hungry?
Check out our other Madrid Tapas tours!
Central Madrid tapas walking route
- Start: Sol Metro Station
- Finish: Anton Martin Metro Station
- Total Distance: 1.38km / 0.85 miles
- Stops: 7 tapas bars and restaurants
- Proposed duration: 3-4 hours.
Just tap the star (⭐) on the map link and you’ve got all you’ll need to guide you from one tapas bar to the next in the palm of your hand!
– Have a great tapas tour!
Goya tapas walking route
- Start/Finish: Goya Metro Station, Madrid.
- Total Distance: 1.96km /1.2 miles
- Stops: 6 tapas bars and restaurants
- Proposed duration: 3-4 hours.
Just tap the star (⭐) on the map link and you’ve got all you’ll need to guide you from one tapas bar to the next in the palm of your hand!
– Have a great tapas tour!
La Latina tapas walking route
- Start: La Latina Metro Station
- Finish: Plaza Major
- Distance: 1.88km 1.16 miles
- Stops: 8 tapas bars and restaurants
- Proposed duration: 3-4 hours.
Just tap the star (⭐) on the map link and you’ve got all you’ll need to guide you from one tapas bar to the next in the palm of your hand!
– Have a great tapas tour!
Lavapies and Delicias landmarks and highlights of each tour
Lavapies during the day is a trendy leafy suburb that’s easy to lose an afternoon in. Nearby there are plenty of large museums and smaller galleries to check out. Come nighttime, Lavapies comes alive with the sounds of bustling streets, tapas bars bulging with people, and street vendors with music playing everything from reggae to funk, or eclectic world music.
Here are just a few of the attractions and landmarks that are within easy reach of this tapas route:
- El Rastro – La Latina’s lively flea market open on Sundays.
- Mercado de San Fernando – Bustling food market with plenty of tapas bars and eateries. Open every day except Sunday.
- Murales “Antigua Tabacalera” – Popular graffiti artworks located beside Embajadores Metro station.
- Estación de tren de Atocha – Madrid’s largest train station with ornate brick entry with greenhouse space inside.
- The iconic Atocha Train Station has a beautiful greenhouse inside.
- Delicias Railway station and museum.
Looking for some more tasty tapas recipes?
- Roasted potatoes with chorizo and thyme - this is simply chorizo, potatoes, onion, and herbs and spices, and simply delicious.
- Catalan roasted vegetables (escalivada Catalana) - the focus is on eggplant, red bell pepper, and onion, which are simmered down with herbs and spices until they're soft and gooey.
- Spiced cheese pate (almogrote) - from the Canary Islands, this incredible invention is important for any cheese lover out there.
- Spanish mussels in a rich tomato sofrito sauce - the sofrito sauce is out again and it also works wonders with mussels.
- Olive tapenade (vegan recipe) - this is a vegan version of the typical recipe so great to serve at parties or enjoy alone smeared over some bread.
- Shrimp in a Cava bath (prawns in sparkling wine) - literally shrimp marinated in sparkling wine with a little bit of paprika and salt, then fried and ready to devour.
- Blue cheese and sherry spread - you only need 2 ingredients to make this but the flavor combo works so well together it tastes much more complex.
- Anchovy and red pepper (capsicum) spread - this spread has some very bold flavors and colors to boot!
Want to explore more of Madrid?
CCome explore the cuisine capital of Spain with our Madrid regional foodie guide!
We’ve compiled everything you need to know, from where to eat, and the best dishes of the region.
They say that all roads lead to Madrid and a small stone slab lies discretely within Madrid’s Sol Plaza celebrating the geographic kilometer ZERO of Spain. But, it’s just a short stroll in any direction where you’ll find the rich aromas of authentic Spanish food wafting from the alleyways and narrow cobbled streets that are lined with Madrid’s famous tapas bars and prestigious restaurants.
Madrid is not only the geographic center of Spain but also the renowned melting pot where Spain’s culinary cultures merge. This is no more evident than in the enormous range of Spanish and international cuisine on offer throughout the capital, and with nearly 10,000 restaurants within the Madrid region, you’re spoilt for choice!
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