Tapapiés: the Lavapiés tapas route

For a few days in October, dozens of bars and restaurants in Lavapiés serve a creative tapa with a beer or a glass of wine at a single, low price. It is called Tapapiés, and it is by far the best plan of the autumn if you live around here.

Why it is worth it

Lavapiés is the most mixed neighbourhood in Madrid: Indian, Senegalese, Moroccan, Galician and old-school Spanish bars, often on the same street. Tapapiés is the one week a year when you can walk into twenty of them without thinking about it.

How to do it

• Do not try to do them all. There are more than a hundred. Pick one street and walk it.
• Go on a weekday if you can.
• Start early. By nine the best ones have sold out.
• Vote. There is a prize for the best tapa.

Dates

They change every year and are announced a few weeks ahead, usually for the second half of October. Search for «Tapapiés» for the official map.