Madrid: Paella & Tapas Cooking Class with Market Visit

Summary

Madrid flavors hands-on cooking class with market stroll and shared table

You’ll join a small group in Madrid for a hands-on cooking class where you’ll shop for fresh ingredients at a local market, learn classic Spanish recipes like paella or tapas with an expert chef, and share laughs (and sangria) around the table. Expect new friends, practical tips, and flavors you’ll want to recreate back home.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the clatter — knives tapping, someone laughing too loud (probably me), and the warm smell of garlic already drifting through the kitchen. I’d signed up for this Madrid cooking class thinking I’d just learn how to make paella, but our chef, Marta, started us off at the local market. She handed me a tomato that still had a bit of dirt on it. “This is what makes it real,” she said. I tried to ask for saffron in Spanish and got a smile from the vendor — not sure if it was my accent or just my enthusiasm.

Back in the kitchen, we paired up (I got matched with a guy from Liverpool who confessed he’d never cooked rice before). Chopping onions together is oddly bonding — especially when you’re both blinking away tears and pretending it’s just the onions. Marta moved around showing us how to get that crispy bottom layer on the paella (she called it socarrat), and suddenly everyone was arguing about whether you should ever stir it after adding the rice. The kitchen smelled like paprika and simmering stock, and someone spilled sangria on their notes — which made us all laugh harder than we should’ve.

I didn’t expect to feel so at home sharing plates of tortilla española and patatas bravas with people I’d only just met. There was this moment when we all sat down together — forks clinking, stories about travel mishaps flying around — that felt almost like a family dinner. Even now, I can remember the taste of that first spoonful of gazpacho: cold, sharp, bright red from those market tomatoes. We swapped WhatsApp numbers at the end (my hands still sticky from peeling shrimp), clutching our little recipe booklets like souvenirs.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Hands-on Spanish cooking class

• Visit local market for ingredients
• Team up in pairs with chef
• Prepare gazpacho starter
• Cook paella main dish
• Make sangria drink
• Enjoy meal with classmates
• Receive recipe brochure

Top questions

Is there a morning market visit included in this Madrid cooking class?

Yes, if you book the morning paella cooking class option, it includes a visit to a local market for fresh ingredients.

Are dietary restrictions accommodated during the Spanish cooking class?

Yes, dietary needs can be accommodated if advised at booking; menus are flexible based on requirements.

What dishes are prepared during this Madrid paella & tapas class?

The menu includes dishes like paella, gazpacho, sangria (morning); or tortilla española, garlic shrimp, chorizo in cider, patatas bravas, tomato bread with ham, crema catalana (evening).

Is this Madrid cooking class suitable for solo travelers?

Yes; solo travelers are paired with a cooking buddy during the class.

Are drinks included in the Spanish cooking experience?

Yes; drinks such as sangria are included with your meal during the class.

Is this culinary activity wheelchair accessible?

Yes; the venue is wheelchair accessible.

How many people are in each Madrid cooking class group?

The small-group classes are limited to 12 participants per session.

Do I get recipes to take home after the Madrid cooking class?

Yes; you receive a recipe booklet featuring all dishes prepared during your session.

What’s included

Your day includes hands-on instruction from an English-speaking local chef in central Madrid, all ingredients sourced fresh (with morning market visit), drinks like sangria throughout your meal, pairing with other travelers if solo, accommodation for dietary needs if requested at booking time, wheelchair accessibility throughout the experience—and you’ll leave with your own recipe booklet as a souvenir.