Cooking, Tapas & cultural weekend in Madrid

We invite you to a Gourmet weekend in Madrid to taste the best of Spanish cuisine by participating on a fun and interactive cooking class given by a professional and friendly Spanish Chef, and by tasting “tapas” on a private walk through some Historical sites and visiting gorgeous bars at the most famous tapas quarter. You,ll love it ¡¡

Friday

Check in our fabulous 4 star hotel, a modern and welcoming hotel set in the historic, gastronomic and leisure centre of Madrid, just 5 minutes from Cibeles, Retiro Park, the majestic Royal Palace and very near to the Mayor Plaza and main museums…

We will pick you up at your hotel to take you to our cooking school in Madrid in the centre of Madrid. We will visit a local market to buy and learn about the ingredients we will use to cook our Spanish recipes.
Then we will go to our prestigious cooking school and put on our aprons ... The workshop will take about two and a half hours and will consist of a complete menu- first and second dish and dessert -based on regional or other typical Spanish recipes you may wish to learn how to cook (or to meet your needs and tastes) such us:

· Gazpacho, tomato soup with garlic, olive oil and other vegetables
· Spanish omelette, with potatoes, onions and more Mediterranean ingredients
· Famous rice dish : PAELLA ¡¡
· Desserts: Natillas - sweet vanilla custard; wine sweet Pears…
· Sangria – famous Spanish punch made with wine, fruit and secret ingredients.

We will finish with a delicious lunch based on what we have prepared,,,

Free afternoon , to explore the intensity of this elegant city with all its magnificent monuments, large avenues and royal gardens; visit some of its great museums as El Prado, Reina Sofia or Thyssen or do some shopping at the fancy shops in the lovely Salamanca Quarter, or main Gran Via street , ..
Dinner free. Suggestions will be given.

Sunday

10:00-15:00: Visit to Royal Palace and Tapas tour

Visit to the amazing Royal Palace: Philip V commissioned Sacchetti, an Italian, with its construction. It was decorated by renowned 18th century European artists. Works by Tiépolo, Lucas Jordán, Mengs and Goya can be seen in its rooms. Its armoury is considered to be one of the most important in the world ¡¡

from the Royal Palace, just in the beautiful Opera plaza, our guide will lead you on a private walk through some interesting sites which currently form part of what is known as the Madrid of the Hapsburgs, in the area surrounding the beautiful arcaded Main Square (Plaza Mayor) , and visiting gorgeous bars and cheerful taverns at the most famous tapas quarter. Snacking and drinking your way through the evening from bar to bar is incredibly Spanish, and can be lots of fun. Grabbing a “tapa”, a small portion of food and a drink at one place just leads to someone saying “lets go to that place down the street,” where they might offer a better tapa. Anything from shrimps cooked in garlic, clams in sherry sauce, ham croquettes with a béchamel sauce, stuffed peppers, pickles on cocktail sticks, , cheeses and hams,….can be enjoyed as a tapa…just delicious¡¡¡

What includes:

· English speaking guide
· 2 nights in modern 4 star hotel situated in the historic centre of Madrid
· 2 Breakfasts
· Cooking class in prestigious cooking school including visit to the food market
· Lunch of the dishes prepared during cooking class and including wine or Sangría
· Recipes and cookery equipment
· Tapas Style lunch with wine, beer and refreshments.
· Guided walking tour through the Old Quarter including Visit to Royal Palace
· Transfer from/to hotel to cooking school
· Taxes

What is not included:

· Airfare
· Transfers from /to airport
· Personal expenses (minibar, phone calls ,etc)