Visited: 09.04.2026…read more
We stopped by Mercado de San Fernando for a quick bite after landing in Madrid, so we were all still pretty jetlagged. It was only a few minutes' walk from our hotel, which was nice, although it was absolutely sweltering.
We got there around 5:30ish, and most of the stalls were still closed. There were already plenty of people eating and drinking, though, so it still had a lively atmosphere. We walked around trying to find a spot and eventually made our way toward the back because I just wanted something simple to eat with a tinto de verano.
Most of the stalls didn't speak English, so we had to navigate our way through with our broken Spanglish. It made things a little more challenging, but we managed!
Overall, we had a good time. It was a convenient stop after a long flight, especially with the market being so close to our hotel. Just be prepared for the heat, and don't expect every stall to be open if you arrive around that time.