FAQs Gourmet Madrid Tours

GENERAL
WINE AND TAPAS TOURS
WINERIES TOUR
COOKING CLASSES

- How do I book any of your tours?
  You can book our activities for open groups (Madrid’s wine country winery tour, Tapas tours and cooking classes) through our booking form: You can pay with credit card or by account transfer. Activities require prepayment. For customized private activities send us your request to info@gourmetmadrid.com and we will answer you as soon as possible.
- How far in advance do I need to book?
  Over ten days is recommended. Otherwise the activity might be fully booked.
- What happens if I need to cancel the tour?
  You can always cancel or change the date of an activity. Any cancellation or change in date may be subject to a processing fee. Please check our full cancellation policy. You can send us an email or phone us.
- Do I always need to make reservations? Do you take walk ins?
  Yes, you always need our confirmation for the booking. We only take walk ins if confirmed previously with us either by phone or by email. You can pay the guide directly but you need our confirmation.
- Can children attend your activities? Is there a special price?
  Yes children can attend all the activities. However be aware that the tapas group tour is at night time, from 8.00 pm to 10.30 pm. Small children may get tired in crowded bars. Also cooking classes can be boring for small children. However all activities are perfect for teenagers. The price for children depends on the age of the children. In group activities children under 15 years old pay half price.
- What is the drinking age in Spain?
  18 years. Please consider that people under 18 years old cannot attend our tours unless accompanied by a responsible adult, and cannot drink alcohol.
- What happens if it rains?
  It isn’t a problem for winery tours or cooking classes and there is not much walking distance from bar to bar in the tapas tours. Since the meeting point for the tapas tour is outdoors, if it rains heavily, look for shelter and wait without loosing sight of the statue. The guide will be touching the statue.
- Is there any discount for booking more than one activity?
  No there is no discount.
- Is there any group discount?
  Yes, there is a discount of 10% for groups of 6 people or more.
- What type of clothing do I need?
  Casual. The wine country is a bit colder than Madrid most of the year. In the summer time, even if it is a hot day, the cellars at the wineries can be at 11ºC/ 50ºF. You might want to bring some light jacket. Avoid heels if possible. Comfortable shoes for tapas tours.
- What should I bring on the tours?
  Maybe some water to hydrate from winery to winery. Nothing else is necessary.
- Is there a lot of walking involved?
  No more than 1 Km / 0.8M in total for a normal tapas tour.
- Are there any extra charges during the activity?
  No from our side. Al food and drinks specified are included, and this is enough for dinner in the tapas tour and lunch in the cooking class and wine tour. If you want to order something else that is not included (an expensive bottle of wine, spirits…) you can pay for it at the winery or bar.
- Which bars will we visit?
  Old taverns, and restaurants, sometimes over a hundred years old, specialised in different wines and food. They can change depending on the day. Our customers tell us very often that they go back the following day.
- Do you offer tours for open groups other days rather Mondays and Tuesdays at 20:00?
  Not yet. For now any other day or time would have to be a private tour.
- Do I need to book in advance or can I just show up the day of the tour?
  Reservation and payment are required prior to the tour. You can book it online through our webpage. You will get the confirmation if there is availability in less than 24 hours. If you find any problem with the booking you can call us to the office.
- How much does a private tour cost?
  It depends on the number of people. The tour is budgeted accordingly. If you book a private tapas tour and you hotel is at the city centre, the guide will pick you up at your hotel or desired address. You can check with us.
- How do I get to the meeting point?
  Santa Ana square is at the very core of Madrid city centre and its night life. 5 minutes away from Puerta del Sol (Metro station). There is only one theatre at the square and only one bronze statue. It is very easy to find and everybody knows it.
  See map
- What will we be eating? Is it enough for dinner? Is there a vegetarian option?
  The tapas and portions are from a wide variety of products. These classical madrilian tapas include fish, seafood, vegetables, pork… About 10 different tapas. Enough for dinner. Most of the tapas bars are vegetarian friendly if you eat fish and cheese. However we can adapt the tour to full vegetarian options if advised in advance.
- What will we be drinking?
  Unless you choose otherwise (like beer or soft drinks) you will be drinking all different kind of wines from different regions of Spain. White and red ones. Mixed drinks and cocktails are not included.
- Where does the tour end?
  It depends on the day, but no more than 10 minutes from the starting point if it is an open tour.
- What happens if it rains?
  It isn’t a problem since there is not much walking from bar to bar in the tapas tours. Since the meeting point is in open air, if it rains heavily, look for shelter and wait within sight of the statue. The guide will be touching the statue.
- Can we buy wine? Do the wineries offer wine shipping?
  You can buy wine at the wineries. Shipping to non European countries (specially the US) is difficult when not impossible, and it is quite expensive. Therefore wineries don’t offer it yet. Some wineries do not take credit cards and there are no many ATMs at the small villages so we recommend that you bring some cash.
- Can I know the name of the wineries to visit?
  It depends on the day and availability. We usually don’t know it until the week before. You can check the ones we work the most with at the bottom of this page.
- Do you offer tours for open groups to other regions (i.e.: Ribera del Duero, Toledo, La Mancha) rather than the Madrid Wine Country? What is the price?
  Not yet, right now we don´t offer open groups wine tour to other regions, juts to Madrid wineries. To the other regions we only offer private tours and price depends on the number of people. If you choose to book a private tour, you will be picked up at your hotel and we will customize the tour for you. 125€ per person is the price for a private tour with a group of 12 to 15 people.
- Do you offer tours for open groups to Madrid Wine Country other days than Tuesdays and Fridays?
  Not yet, right now we only have tours Tuesdays and Fridays. Any other day would be a private tour. But we are planning on having more days.
- Do I need to book in advance or can I just show up the day of the tour?
  Reservation and payment are required prior to the tour. You can book it online through our webpage. You will get the confirmation if there is availability in less than 24 hours. If you find any problem with the booking you can email us or call us to the office.
- How do I get to the meeting point?
  The meeting point will be at Cafeteria La Gloria´s front door. Address:Paseo Infanta Isabel, 5. Cafeteria La Gloria is at the same block and sidewalk as the NH SUR Hotel (20 meters/yards from it).
  Paseo Infanta Isabel is opposite to the train station Atocha. If you go by metro you should take Line 1 and get off at ATOCHA - RENFE Metro station. Take the exit Alfonso XII. You will be actually at Paseo Infanta Isabel facing the Cafeteria La Gloria 40 metres/yards ahead of you. The green doors of the cafetería can be spotted from the metro exit.
  See map
  Note that La Gloria and its personel are not related to us in any way. Being a customer from Gourmet Madrid doesn't make you a customer of the cafeteria. If you were to use any of their facilities you should become a customer to them.
- What vehicle should I be expecting?
  The vehicle depends on the number of people. Sometimes a minibus, sometimes a minivan. The guide will come to Cafeteria Sigueros’s door and will identify himself.
- Can I wait inside the Cafeteria?
  The cafeteria is just the meeting point but they are not related to us. Depending on who is working that day they might not be aware of our activities. Any use of their facilities would require their permission or you becoming a customer. If you need to contact us that day, the guide’s phone number for emergencies will be emailed to you with the tour’s confirmation.
- What is the lunch menu like? In there a vegetarian option?
  Lunch at the restaurant consists on a fixed menu of regional dishes. It usually includes sheep cheese and cold pork snacks as appetizers. The ingredients of the other dishes include tuna, tomato, onion, olive oil, potatoes, garlic, beef and different spices (not spicy or hot dishes though). You can have a vegetarian alternative, you need to tell us in advance.
- Do you offer classes during the weekends?
  No. Just the weekends. Any other timeframe would be private
- What will we be cooking?
  The three main dishes will be Tortilla española (Spanish omelette), Paella and Pears with wine as a desert. You will also cook an appetizer or dishes that you can serve as a tapa, depending on the season.
- Is there a vegetarian option?
  Yes, but we need to know in advance.
- Can children attend your activities?
  No children under the age of 13. Above 13, parents take full responsability during the class.
- Can we visit a local market?
  The cooking school is at a local market. The cook will take you to buy some of the ingredients there.
- How do I get there?
  You could take the metro (líne 2 - Red.) and get off at Goya metro station (5th stop from Puerta del Sol). Get out through General Díaz Porlier exit and look back. You will be is at the corner of Goya street. and General Díaz Porlier street (the market's street). Cross Goya st. and take General Díaz Porlier (aside the department store Corte Ingles that you will be facing) walk 100 feet and you will be at the market’s entrance. You have to take the stairs or the walking lanes to the second floor and keep walking to the left corner of the second floor ahead of you. The cooking school is next to a butcher´s shop in front of the elevator.
  See map
  
  A taxi from Puerta del Sol (the city center) will be around 6€ if you prefer.

FAQs

How do I book any of your tours?

How far in advance do I need to book?

What happens if I need to cancel the tour?

Do I always need to make reservations? Do you take walk ins?

Can children attend your activities? Is there a special price?

What is the drinking age in Spain?

What happens if it rains?

Is there any discount for booking more than one activity?

Is there any group discount?

What type of clothing do I need?

What should I bring on the tours?

Is there a lot of walking involved?

Are there any extra charges during the activity?

Which bars will we visit?

Do you offer tours for open groups other days rather Mondays and Tuesdays at 20:00?

Do I need to book in advance or can I just show up the day of the tour?

How much does a private tour cost?

How do I get to the meeting point?

What will we be eating? Is it enough for dinner? Is there a vegetarian option?

What will we be drinking?

Where does the tour end?

What happens if it rains?

Can we buy wine? Do the wineries offer wine shipping?

Can I know the name of the wineries to visit?

Do you offer tours for open groups to other regions (i.e.: Ribera del Duero, Toledo, La Mancha) rather than the Madrid Wine Country? What is the price?

Do you offer tours for open groups to Madrid Wine Country other days than Tuesdays and Fridays?

Do I need to book in advance or can I just show up the day of the tour?

How do I get to the meeting point?

What vehicle should I be expecting?

Can I wait inside the Cafeteria?

What is the lunch menu like? In there a vegetarian option?

Do you offer classes during the weekends?

What will we be cooking?

Is there a vegetarian option?

Can children attend your activities?

Can we visit a local market?

How do I get there?

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