We promised ourselves a breakfast on our last day I. Madrid at Ubevan....a place we had been to before and enjoyed. As we made our way there the plaza was full of tables and on these tables hundreds of bottles of water. As we were having breakfast, the earth trembled with thousands of running feet. There was some sort of marathon being run, mostly girls and women in Pink t shirts. They didn't stand still long enough to see what was written on The shirts. It was quite a spectacle - there must have been 2 or 3 thousand that we saw.
And so onto the market.
Sunday was market day at el Rastro.
EL RASTRO
Madrid´s most traditional items can be bought, sold and enjoyed in the plaza de Cascorro and its surrounding streets
A mixture of modernity and traditionalism, Madrid's world-renowned flea market sets up for business around the Plaza de Cascorro. Dating back to mediaeval times, El Rastro is one of the oldest markets in Europe, yet also one of the most modern. Throngs of sellers and buyers, natives and tourists, have made El Rastro one of the most popular places in the city, a must-see in all guide books. In order to get the full experience, it is best to wander up and down its streets, to get lost in the crowds, to practice the art of haggling and to soak up the atmosphere.
This is one of the key symbols of Madrid. A visit to the Rastro flea market is a must for any visitor's first Sunday in Madrid, and a usual strolling ground for Madrileños on public holiday mornings.
Located around the Ribera de Curtidores, this market encompasses a large, almost triangular block marked by Calle de Toledo, Calle Embajadores and Ronda de Toledo, and spreads into various streets in the area, such as San Cayetano, Fray Ceferino González, Carlos Arniches, Mira el Río or Plaza de General Vara del Rey and Plaza de Campillo del Mundo Nuevo.
This area, where in years gone by the pig abattoir and the nearby tanneries stood, and where bull skins were tanned, nowadays plays host to the world's most traditional street market. On Sundays and public holidays, over a thousand street sellers "open their doors" at around 9am much to the delight of locals and strangers avidly in search of a bargain.
At midday, the square popularly known as Plaza de Cascorro - where the statue of Eloy Gonzalo stands, a soldier from Madrid who in 1897 heroically set fire to the houses of the Cuban community of Cascorro - swarms with people. A stream of tourists and Madrileños observe the tradition of the majority, emerging from the Metro at Tirso de Molina station and wandering through the street market from top to bottom. From Cascorro to the Puerta de Toledo.
As you may have gathered this market is huge. Some if the stalls are a bit repetitive, but here and there are genuine artisans with created wares rather then the china made t shirts and tourist souvenirs. We found a jewellers using natural stones and silver or copper and fell victim to his charm, but his jewellery pieces were good and each piece unique. The music playing at nearly every corner was lovely too. We did not find any hidden gems otherwise, no Picasso paintings, or long lost treasures.
I wonder who knows what they are selling in the photo of the stall that looks like they are selling spaghetti. It's not.....
Sunday was market day at el Rastro.
EL RASTRO
Madrid´s most traditional items can be bought, sold and enjoyed in the plaza de Cascorro and its surrounding streets
A mixture of modernity and traditionalism, Madrid's world-renowned flea market sets up for business around the Plaza de Cascorro. Dating back to mediaeval times, El Rastro is one of the oldest markets in Europe, yet also one of the most modern. Throngs of sellers and buyers, natives and tourists, have made El Rastro one of the most popular places in the city, a must-see in all guide books. In order to get the full experience, it is best to wander up and down its streets, to get lost in the crowds, to practice the art of haggling and to soak up the atmosphere.
This is one of the key symbols of Madrid. A visit to the Rastro flea market is a must for any visitor's first Sunday in Madrid, and a usual strolling ground for Madrileños on public holiday mornings.
Located around the Ribera de Curtidores, this market encompasses a large, almost triangular block marked by Calle de Toledo, Calle Embajadores and Ronda de Toledo, and spreads into various streets in the area, such as San Cayetano, Fray Ceferino González, Carlos Arniches, Mira el Río or Plaza de General Vara del Rey and Plaza de Campillo del Mundo Nuevo.
This area, where in years gone by the pig abattoir and the nearby tanneries stood, and where bull skins were tanned, nowadays plays host to the world's most traditional street market. On Sundays and public holidays, over a thousand street sellers "open their doors" at around 9am much to the delight of locals and strangers avidly in search of a bargain.
At midday, the square popularly known as Plaza de Cascorro - where the statue of Eloy Gonzalo stands, a soldier from Madrid who in 1897 heroically set fire to the houses of the Cuban community of Cascorro - swarms with people. A stream of tourists and Madrileños observe the tradition of the majority, emerging from the Metro at Tirso de Molina station and wandering through the street market from top to bottom. From Cascorro to the Puerta de Toledo.
As you may have gathered this market is huge. Some if the stalls are a bit repetitive, but here and there are genuine artisans with created wares rather then the china made t shirts and tourist souvenirs. We found a jewellers using natural stones and silver or copper and fell victim to his charm, but his jewellery pieces were good and each piece unique. The music playing at nearly every corner was lovely too. We did not find any hidden gems otherwise, no Picasso paintings, or long lost treasures.
I wonder who knows what they are selling in the photo of the stall that looks like they are selling spaghetti. It's not.....
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