Community of Madrid
The Community of Madrid for food lovers: tapas tours in the capital’s old town, 69.99 to 89 euros per adult, with times, ages and meeting points.
At a glance
- Guided tapas tours in Madrid’s old town, from 69.99 to 89 euros per adult
- Departures around Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol and the Barrio de las Letras
- Madrid-Barajas, the country’s main airport, on the edge of the capital
- Cocido madrileño, the chickpea and meat stew of the capital
- 1food festival
- 1culinary experience
Food festivals in Community of Madrid
Heidi Meudt, CC BY
Culinary experiences in Community of Madrid
Juan Antonio Flores Segal from Madrid (Spain), CC BYCities and towns in Community of Madrid
Suicasmo, CC BY-SAMap of Community of Madrid
What to taste in Community of Madrid
Cocido madrileño
A slow-cooked stew of chickpeas, meats and vegetables, served in courses.
Bocadillo de calamares
Fried squid rings in a crusty roll, sold in the bars around Plaza Mayor.
Churros con chocolate
Fried dough sticks dipped in thick hot chocolate.
The Community of Madrid is the region around Spain’s capital, in the middle of the Iberian plateau, and the city of Madrid is its centre. The food experiences in this guide are tapas tours in the capital’s old town. Each winter the capital also hosts Madrid Fusión, the chefs’ congress at IFEMA, open to ticket holders: 1 to 3 February 2027.
The capital’s table
- Tapas tours: three operators publish an adult price, from 69.99 to 89 euros, for 2 to 3.5 hours around Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol and the Barrio de las Letras.
Vinos de Madrid, an appellation named after a capital
The region makes its own wine under the Vinos de Madrid designation of origin, created in 1990 with its regulating council. The Community of Madrid notes that no other national capital gives its name to a wine designation of origin.
- Arganda del Rey, Navalcarnero, San Martín de Valdeiglesias: the three original subzones, about 9,000 hectares of vines over 59 municipalities.
- El Molar: the fourth subzone, approved by the European Union in 2019, eleven municipalities, among them Colmenar Viejo, Talamanca del Jarama and Torrelaguna.
- Today: the designation covers 70 localities.
The region’s other quality labels
- Aceite de Madrid, a protected designation of origin for olive oil, and Aceitunas de Campo Real, a quality label for olives.
- Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama, a protected geographical indication for beef, with 1.43 million kilos sold in 2024.
- In preparation: the strawberries and asparagus of Aranjuez, the garlic of Chinchón and Madrid honey, whose files for EU recognition were being drafted in February 2026.
The Community of Madrid beyond the capital
The region has day trips with their own food.
- Aranjuez: a royal town on the Tagus, known for its strawberries and asparagus. Its cultural landscape, with the old irrigation system of the royal kitchen gardens and orchards, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.
- Chinchón: a village with an arcaded main square and an anise liqueur that carries its name.
- Alcalá de Henares: Cervantes’ birthplace, a university town listed by UNESCO.
Chinchón anise is a protected geographical indication of the European Union (PGI-ES-02017), distilled from green anise, matalahúga, within the municipality alone. It comes in four types: seco especial, extra seco, seco and dulce.
Before you go
- Base: the food experiences in this guide are in the city of Madrid, the capital of the region.
- Arriving: Madrid-Barajas airport and the high-speed train stations of Atocha and Chamartín.
- Meal times: lunch and dinner are served late in Spain. Evening tapas tours start between 5 pm and 7:30 pm.
- Getting around: the Madrid Metro covers the capital. The old town is best on foot.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a tapas tour in Madrid?
69.99 to 89 euros per adult for the three operators compared in this guide (2026 prices).
What is Madrid’s typical dish?
Cocido madrileño, a stew of chickpeas, meats and vegetables. The bocadillo de calamares, a fried squid sandwich, is the capital’s street classic.
Is the Community of Madrid the same as the city?
No. The Community of Madrid is the region around the capital. The city of Madrid is its centre and holds the food tours in this guide.