If your upcoming trip to Madrid, Spain is going to include a Sunday stay, you should do yourself a favor and pay a visit to El Rastro, or formally El Rastro de Madrid.\u00a0 El Rastro is the largest and most popular open-air flea market in the capital city.\u00a0 It is held every Sunday and on Spain\u2019s national public holidays and is located along Plaza de Cascorro and Ribera de Curtidores, between Calle Embajadores and the Ronda de Toledo, and just south of the La Latina metro train station.
\nShoppers at El Rastro can peruse a variety of goods, both new and used, including many antiques dating back hundreds of years in some instances.\u00a0 Below we will provide some of the details with regard to El Rastro, including its etymology, location and hours of operation, and a description of some of the items that are normally available for purchase.<\/p>\n
About El Rastro<\/strong><\/p>\n The term El Rastro is Spanish for the English phrase \u201cthe Trail.\u201d\u00a0 The flea market is most likely named after the tanneries that once dotted the Ribera de Curtidores, the Spanish name for \u201cRiverside of Tanneries,\u201d where slaughtered cattle were once transported to the tanneries, leaving a \u201ctrail\u201d of blood along the street.<\/p>\n According to the bylaws of Madrid, El Rastro is permitted to operate every Sunday and public holiday from 9AM until 3PM, in the barrio de Embajadores, or \u201cAmbassador\u2019s neighborhood,\u201d in the central district of Madrid.\u00a0 The market is governed and regulated by the town council that allows a maximum of 3,500 stalls.\u00a0 One of the most unique features in the area in which El Rastro operates is the statue dedicated to Eloy Gonzalo, a Spanish soldier and war hero who fought in the Cuban War of Independence.<\/p>\n Hans Magnus Enzensberger, a German author, once described El Rastro as the \u201cfinal border between Europe and Africa,\u201d a market made up of people from many different countries and ethnicities.\u00a0 Collectively, they sell their wares, search for bargains and hidden treasures, engage in people watching and sightseeing, and sample the delicious and diverse fare.\u00a0 The market is a far cry from the malls and shops in the more touristy sections of town, providing guests with a true Madrid experience that has to be experienced to appreciate.<\/p>\n Particular areas of El Rastro have become especially renowned, either due to their traditional significance or the specialty stalls located there.\u00a0 Calle Frey Caferino Gonzales, for example, also known as \u201cCalle de los Pajaros\u201d, or \u201cstreet of the birds,\u201d was once home to throngs of street peddlers selling domestic animals and local and exotic birds.\u00a0 On Calle Carnero and Calle Carlos Arniches, sellers offer rare and collectible books, while in the Plaza de Cascorro, locals and tourists can buy the newest fads in clothing and accessories.\u00a0 Other items for sale at El Rastro include paintings and sketches by local artists; magazines, trading cards and stamps; and a collection of music CDS and DVD movies.<\/p>\n As the afternoon wears on at El Rastro, visitors and tourists can join the local Madrile\u00f1os as they head, en masse, to La Plaza de Cascorro, where they can enjoy tapas, cocktails and a selection of both domestic and imported beers, all priced very reasonably to attract the local business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If your upcoming trip to Madrid, Spain is going to include a Sunday stay, you should do yourself a favor and pay a visit to El Rastro, or formally El Rastro de Madrid.\u00a0 El Rastro is the largest and most popular open-air flea market in the capital city.\u00a0 It is held every Sunday and on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2829,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-madrid"],"yoast_head":"\n