What to drink in Madrid

Practically every tourist who visits Madrid wants to try this drink. However, you’ll notice something odd: it’s almost impossible to see locals drinking sangria in bars. This is due to the excessively high price by Madrid standards, not to mention the fact that the quality leaves much to be desired.

This beverage is made from red wine (not necessarily cheap wine), chopped fruit (pear, apple, peach, orange, etc.), liquor, sugar and spices. The key to enjoying a good sangria is to let the fruit marinate in the wine for 24 to 48 hours, which lets the flavors mingle.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of bars mix the ingredients a couple of hours before serving and they add a lot of sugar, which detracts from the true flavor of a good sangria. Usually, the Spanish prefer to make sangria at home and drink it with friends. So, if you want to try real sangria, we recommend you get a Spanish friend to invite you to a party 😊