La Latina on Sunday
Flea markets, tapas, and the week's best people-watching.
Sunday in La Latina is a ritual. It starts at El Rastro, the flea market that has filled the streets south of the old center every week for nearly three centuries. Vintage leather jackets, old records, dubious antiques, and the occasional genuine find. The market is the excuse. The real event is what comes after.
By 1pm the stalls are closing and the crowd migrates to Cava Baja — a narrow street so packed with tapas bars that choosing one feels like a commitment. Croquetas, tortilla, jamón sliced to order. This walk guides you through both halves of the morning: the hunt and the reward.
It only works on Sundays. Plan accordingly.
What you'll discover
·El Rastro has operated every Sunday since 1740. The name means 'trail' — of blood from the old slaughterhouse.
·A croqueta bar on Cava Baja with 14 flavors, none of them larger than a thumb.
·The church of San Andrés, where the patron saint of Madrid is buried under a baroque explosion.
·3,500 stalls stretch down Ribera de Curtidores. Most of it is junk. The rest is treasure.
·Cava Baja has more tapas bars per meter than any street in Madrid. Locals argue about which one is best.
·A hidden plaza behind the market where antique dealers negotiate in whispers.
Before you go
Best time
Sunday between 10am and 2pm. El Rastro closes in the early afternoon and the tapas bars fill up right after.
Getting there
Start at La Latina metro station (Line 5). Follow the crowd — on Sundays, everyone is heading the same direction.
Duration
40 minutes of walking. Realistically, 2-3 hours with the market and tapas.
Footwear
Flat streets but very crowded. Wear something sturdy — you will be shuffling through the market.
El Rastro runs rain or shine, every Sunday year-round. Summer Sundays are less crowded as locals head to the coast.
€4.99
This walk. 30 days.
Or all 5 Madrid walks for €27.99
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