Mercado de San Miguel

As some of you know, as soon as I arrived in Sol I fell in love. I knew straight away that this was where I wanted to spend my year in Madrid and I have to say one of the main attractions was definitely the Mercado de San Miguel.

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Mercado de San Miguel is the last Iron market left standing in Madrid, it's named after a church which previously stood in the same spot. Now, I've seen an indoor market in Spain before and, compared to the only other indoor market I've seen (Birmingham... ), they're pretty cool.

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You're surrounded by mountains of colourful fresh fruit and vegetables and impressive arrays of fish and meat. However, Mercado de San Miguel is certainly more unique for not only is it host to a fresh fish stall rivaling all others.... we're talking full octopuses on display, but it has what I believe is the perfect combination of necessities under just one roof!

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For the early risers, there is a juice bar with a wonderful display of exotic fruits which the barista will transform into a refreshing smoothie for you, or, if you return later at night, he might even add a little something extra to make a colourful cocktail for you. Round the corner from the juice bar is also a wall of fresh fruit and veg that just looks so tempting! Unfortunately for me, the pricing is a little too extravagant to be student-friendly. Cherries are priced at 25 euros per kilo at the moment! Daylight robbery me thinks!

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Opposite the fruit stall is the aforementioned fish counter. The displays are so impressive I end up taking a picture every time I pass (well, I did, before my phone was stolen! ). They once had a swordfish lain across the centre of the ice, it was amazing, if not a little scary! They also sell cones of fried seafood which are definitely on my list of things I need to try!

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Further into the heart of the market there is a plethora of stalls selling snacks and tapas that would definitely make your mouth water! They have everything from stuffed olives to croquettes to cheese and cold meat platters, and all accompanied by a glass of wine or an ice cold beer. I’m yet to try any of the food in the market, but when I do I shall be updating you on what it is like... I have been assured that it is as delicious as it looks!

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In the evening or late afternoon a host of tourists and Spaniards alike venture out to grab a glass of wine stood at one of the many bars in the market. There is also a small seated / standing area in the middle of the market where groups can huddle around the tables and indoor heaters and enjoy their purchases.

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For those who are interested in a more filling meal there is a paella stand with an impressive array of dishes in massive wok type pans. More recently, I have also spotted people getting plates with what looks like beef and French fries on, which looks mind bogglingly tasty, but I haven’t quite yet figured out where it’s coming from unfortunately!

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For the perfect after dinner treat you can head towards the back of the market where you can choose from a vast selection of cakes, pastries and chocolates or, alternatively, a slightly healthier frozen yogurt. The frozen yogurt is absolute heaven, although it is made slightly less healthy once you choose from some of the tempting toppings. Some of the options include; dulce de leche sauce, brownie mixture, chocolate almonds, white chocolate sauce and many others. I recommend you don’t make the fatal error I did and greedily go for a large tub, the toppings and the yogurt itself are so rich you will be full at only the half way point! Medium looks just about the right size for me!

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The Mercado de San Miguel is a completely unique feature of Madrid and should definitely be a visiting spot for anyone thinking of living or travelling here. The variety of food on offer makes it the perfect place for friends to grab some tapas and drinks as you can all choose from the individual stalls and reunite at the tables meaning everyone is happy with what they’re eating. I took my mum here when she arrived to visit and she absolutely fell in love with it. I have since taken my sister and she too really enjoyed it. It is a great place to take guests as there is simply nothing like it in England and the atmosphere is perfect for a relaxed drink amongst friends or family.

El Mercado de San Miguel is a must see in Madrid, not only because is great to grab something to eat, but also because of the great environment and great places to drink too. It is called mercado translated to "market", but maybe not in the traditional sense of the word, more of a place filled with small like restaurants with tapas, sweets, drinks and more.