Let’s Walk and Eat Again!
I am so excited to say that after a year and a half, we are finally ready and able to walk, eat and explore again!
Madrid is reopening and once again becoming its vibrant self. Madrileños (folks from Madrid) are out and about, enjoying drinks at outdoor cafés, having long lunches at local restaurants, strolling through the packed streets at all hours and going to concerts, museums and theaters. Life is starting to feel normal here again!
With vaccination rates picking up and restrictions easing, Spain is also slowly but surely opening up to travel. On the heels of this news, I’ve made the very exciting decision to reopen Walk and Eat. Our tour calendar is now officially open for bookings!
I couldn’t be more thrilled to once again connect visitors with the food, wine, culture and people that make Madrid so special. I also want you to know that this wasn’t a decision I took lightly.
It’s been a big year and a half. Back in March 2020, the weekend before Madrid’s near total lockdown, I had a packed calendar of booked experiences. By Thursday, March 12th everything looked different. On Friday the 13th (as ominous as it sounds) my best friend and I stood in front of her restaurant and helped our friends carry home as much food from the restaurant’s giant fridges as they could. The city was shutting down around us. We all know what came next. For Madrid in particular, and Spain as whole, the last year and a half has been devastating.
But even during the strictest stretches of lockdowns, I saw my community band together to get through this crisis.
Manolo the fishmonger always has the best suggestions for what to cook!
Coming Together as Neighbors
Mercado Mostenses, one of my favorite places in Madrid and the market we visit on the De Mercados experience, remained open as a beacon of fresh food and smiling faces, albeit behind masks.
Gabriel kept me stocked up on local Spanish olives, César made sure I had all the fresh produce I needed for my elaborate lockdown lunch cooking projects and Manolo, the fishmonger, guided my journey to discovering the joy of cooking a whole fish. With every “ya volverán” (they’ll return soon) uttered, I knew we were in this together.
Restaurant owners like Marcelo from La Carbonera, whose epic cheese plates are always a highlight of the De Tapas experience, pivoted quickly to take out and delivery. He created at-home cheese and wine tasting kits that featured local artisanal producers.
These boxes were not only a very welcome and fun activity for all of us, but they made sure that the small cheese producers he partnered with had a market for their cheese during a time when most restaurants were closed.
Ove the past few months, I’ve given a great deal of thought to how I want to share their stories and the values I want Walk and Eat to represent going forward.
So what’s next?
More than anything, I am fully committed to offering sustainable and community-based travel experiences that share the essence of what my city has to offer. I want guests to know that when you book with Walk and Eat, the money stays in the community and supports the small businesses that make Madrid such a special place.
My mission is to offer experiences that make every bite count, that connect guests with people behind the food and that give you a true sense of what it’s like to live, eat and drink in this amazing city! And, very importantly, both tours are now more sustainable than ever.
Every restaurant, bar, market stall and tasting stop we visit on each experience is independently owned and operated. Wherever possible we feature locally sourced and organic ingredients. And every tour introduces guests to the spectacular people behind each bite, while making sure not to displace local patrons.
On the health and safety side of things, we’ve tweaked each of our experiences to ensure the health and safety of each guide, guest and restaurant partner and to honor local Covid guidelines. You can see our full Covid policy here.
A New Face
I’m also delighted to share that Walk and Eat is growing! Amy Bingham, wine enthusiast and organizational genius, has joined the team. Amy brings her passion and knowledge about Spanish wines and deep commitment to sustainable tourism and community-centered travel.
Amy and I are excited to cheers to the new chapter of Walk and Eat!
Stay tuned for more wine-focused experiences in the future and Amy’s infectious enthusiasm about all things Spain, wine and food as a guide and as a presence on social media. Get to know more about Amy on Instagram at @SpanishWineStories.
Amy and I will keep you posted on what’s new in Madrid. If you have any questions about visiting Madrid or other parts of Spain this summer, we’re happy to help. Just shoot us an email and we’ll do our best to answer your questions!
Whenever you’re ready to travel we’re ready for you to walk and eat!
All the best and hope to see you soon,
Margit