The origin of the Madrid flea market appears in the 18th century, beginning as a place for exchanging second-hand clothes and street vendors. Currently, it has become a key place in Madrid, one of the busiest and most visited. It is a market that dazzles every Sunday and holiday from the capital.
It can be said that Calle de Ribera de Curtidores is one of the most emblematic in which a large number of specialized shops are concentrated, yes, at street level: mountain sports, handmade furniture, antiques and two valued patios of careful architecture where they house bookstores, fabric remnants or hardware stores.
Of course, so many stores need a complement that every buyer demands and those are the typical and traditional bars to have vermouth on Sundays accompanied by a delicious squid sandwich. On the other hand, the first and third Saturday of each month, also known as “the Saturdays of the Rastro”, the mythical traditional fair takes place in the Plaza del General Vara del Rey, where you can find a huge variety of themes: vintage products , antiques, gastronomy, collecting, auction, etc.
From Barbieri Real Estate, specialists in rental housing, we tell you all the wonders that the Madrid trail houses. Unique and worth visiting!
Where is the flea market of Madrid?
Before knowing its location, you may be wondering what the name “flea market” is due to. The truth is that its place of celebration is where the old slaughterhouse was located and “the carcasses that were transported without skinning left a trail on the ground.” Hence it has been named as “trail”.
Currently, more than a thousand vendors position themselves around nine in the morning and set up their stalls to delight all their visitors with their products, which normally leave no one indifferent. The center of everything is in the Plaza de Cascorro, but in its entirety it is located around the Ribera de Curtidores.
The main area that includes all the stalls revolves around three main squares: firstly, Plaza de Cascorro occupies the entrance door where you can find stalls selling glasses, bags, fans… Secondly, Plaza del General Vara del Rey where you can find minerals and fossils, clothes stalls… And, thirdly, the Plaza de Campillo del Mundo Nuevo, where everything is sold; from comics, through computer games and antiques to sewing machines.
Among these squares, is the Ribera de Curtidores where a mixture of varied products is sold.
However, it is worth mentioning other streets such as the Callejón de Mellizo, Mira el Río Alta and Mira
In this way, it can be seen that the flea market of Madrid covers several streets of the capital and the good thing is that they are all in the heart of the city, located in the neighborhood of La Latina. Depending on the area you go through, you can find some items or others; crafts, clothing, second-hand items, antiques, records, kitchen products and even pets.
Antiques of the Madrid flea market
Within the flea market, you can find a huge variety of stalls that house real antiques along with auctions and “old-fashioned storage-type antique dealers.” Among them, they have many decoration stores with a style similar to that of Cuéntame and, on the other hand, they have showrooms with some replicas.
Within the “New Galleries“, located in Ribera de Curtidores, 12 different shops are placed: in “Salas“, painting from the Gothic to the 19th century prevails with sculptures from the Romanesque to Baroque periods, ivory, silver, antique furniture, etc. . In “Singulartmob” his designs from the second half of the 20th century to the 21st century stand out, with original articles and pieces from the time. And, in “Mercedes Cabeza de Vaca“, you can find the famous porcelain dolls, although various almonds are also made: lamps, lace, desks…
If you go to Plaza General Vara del Rey, you can find two of the best flea market stores: La Europea and La Recova. Both offer precious antiques, furniture, mirrors, chairs, lamps… There are many pieces from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
If you are a lover or fan of antiques, you already know where to find your oasis and your perfect Sunday plan; it is more than likely that you will be able to find some other relic and, surely, you will leave with a bag in hand. However, if you are visiting the capital or you live there and you don’t know what to do next Sunday, you can take the opportunity to take a leisurely walk through all the shops and delight yourself in one of the typical bars, in the purest Madrid style.
Madrid flea market fair
As mentioned above, on the first and third Saturday of each month the most emblematic and traditional fair in the city takes place, known as “the Saturdays of the slaughterhouse“. It is located in the already mentioned Plaza del General Vara del Rey; The best creators and seekers of “gastrofun”, haute cocktails, art and music are concentrated there.
The square where it is located comes from the old Unpacking Fair that took place in the 70s and 80s. Years later, the flea market took its place, turning it into a space reserved for crafts, collecting, vintage products, auctions… On the other hand, and in order to revitalize the rest of the streets in the area, those Saturdays are also dedicated to distributing various circuits.
Thus, the “gastronomic circuit” stands out, where you can taste all the traditional and innovative cuisine of the city; the “commercial circuit” where the best shops are located and the “family circuit” the most suitable for families as it includes a multitude of activities that can be carried out, located in the Glorieta de la Puerta de Toledo.
Be that as it may, it has been shown that the Madrid flea market offers a pleasant experience both for shopping and for sightseeing in the center of the capital and getting to know an emblematic place with a long-standing tradition. Whether with friends, as a couple, with family or alone, a good Sunday can be in the La Latina neighborhood because… the plans in Madrid are irresistible!
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