Madrid for Foodies: The Best Food Markets

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Madrid for Foodies: The Best Food Markets

March 12, 2018

Among our favorite places to grab a bite in Madrid are food markets. We love to take guests to see them when we are showing them the city as well. The great thing about food markets is that there's something for everyone and it's all in one place. Whether you are going with friends, family or your partner, you can all grab different things at different stands and eat together at the tables provided. 

These are our favorites:

• Mercado de San Miguel
• Mercado de San Anton
• Mercado de San Ildefonso

For some reason all of them are named after saints. I have done some research to find out why but I haven't been successful.

SAN MIGUEL

San Miguel's Market is the best known gourmet market in Madrid. Built in the beginning of the 19th century, this unique building (best example of iron architecture in Madrid) has always served the purpose of a market, only the food stands have changed. Nowadays, you can find the widest range of elaborate tapas, delicatessen and gourmet products. From the best Iberian ham to fresh seafood brought from Galicia each day. It's one of the trendiest places to eat in Madrid and it's always packed with tourists and locals alike. It has 10 million visitors a year! If you are like me and don't like crowds, better to avoid going on weekends.

SAN ANTON

This market consists of three floors of delicious food. The first floor focuses on perishable food, the second one on take-away food and on the third floor you'll find Cocina de San Anton, a restaurant where customers can eat their goods bought on the first floor, cooked for a supplement of 4€. The restaurant also offers a vast menu based upon seasonal fresh and natural produce, with dishes inspired by traditional Spanish cuisine with international touches. On this floor there is also a rooftop terrace where you can have cocktails at the lounge area. As you can see it has all the things a true foodie needs.

SAN ILDEFONSO

On Fuencarral street there is a street food market that offers dishes from all around the world and of course Spanish food too! If you've been to Candem Market in London, you'll find this place to be similar. A great place to meet up after work or for a pre-dinner drink. There are 20 stands with food that you can either take away or eat in situ. There are two indoor terraces and on the third floor is the cocktail bar where soft rock & roll is always playing.

Images speak for themselves, don't they?

Do you like food markets? Tell me all about your favorite one on the comments below.

xo Cristina

An Organization Freak's Guide to Planning a Trip

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An Organization Freak's Guide to Planning a Trip

March 5, 2018

I organize my trips as much as possible. I like to be prepared beforehand even though some things will have to be spontaneous because you can't control everything (although the perfectionist in me would love to be able to do that).
Before a trip I outline everything: places to see, the best times to see those places and nearby eateries (even make some reservations). I also check out public transport and distances. This saves us a lot of time and also saves us from wandering the streets in empty stomachs.

For today's post, I've rounded up my favorite resources to make a trip itinerary which are the following:

PINTEREST
This is the first place I go to when I start planning a trip. Pinterest has all the cool places. Plus, you can read the article related to a photo so it's an endless source of information.

THE NOTEBOOK
It may sound all fashioned but I love notebooks. I like handwritten pages and drawings and after the trip they look like scrapbooks. That's where I write the full itinerary: it's like a diary but before it happens. Having it written down also helps me organize photos and know what every place was once I am back home.

THE CITY MAP
Another oldie but goddie. After checking in our hotel we ALWAYS ask for a map. We have our phones for extra support but we use maps a lot. In fact, my husband loves saving battered maps after our trips.

THE COMPASS
This one is especially useful for photographers: know where the sun is. When you travel, you may only see places once so getting the perfect shot becomes quite difficult. Knowing the best time to photograph each place will raise your chances of getting the perfect photo and you won't have to go back at a different time of day. Bare in mind that the best time to take photos is one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset, also known as golden hour. Golden hour is great to take pics of people and places, your snaps will have lovely warm hues. The other important one to remember is blue hour, a period of twilight in the morning and in the evening that is a great time to take pics of buildings and landmarks because the sky has a pretty shade of blue, streetlights are on and buildings are still lit.

GOOGLE MAPS IS MY #1 ALLY
Even though we use the traditional map when we are at our destination, all my planning is done through Google Maps. The first thing I check is the hotel location. If it's abroad I'll also look for public transport from the airport to our accommodation. Then, the sights to see. I divide the map in areas and start working on the itinerary so that we don't go back and forth. Because we are usually tired when we reach our destination, we see the places closer to the hotel first. My planning also includes checking what is at walking distance and what is not.

A great thing about Google Maps is that you can download maps to use when you are abroad and don't have internet access. Maps.me is another great app that allows you to download maps.

EXTRA TIPS

• Start your research early! Don't wait until the last minute.
• Check out as many blogs as you can. The smaller the blogger the better because that way you can be sure it's an honest opinion. 
• If a recommendation pops up in a few travel guides, book it.

How do you plan your trips?
xo Cristina

OUTFIT DETAILS
Claudie pierlot top and pants (last seen here)

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS