Every Sunday morning the streets around Calle Ribera de Curtidores (between the Plaza de Cascorro and the main thoroughfare of Ronda de Toledo) erupt in a frenzy of activity as the Rastro sets up shop. During the spring and summer months it seems like the entire population of Madrid descends upon the streets of La Latina.
The La Latina District's Weekly Flea Market
Attracting thousands of shoppers to the streets of the barrio (district) of La Latina, "El Rastro" is something of an institution in Madrid and has been bringing in the crowds for hundreds of years. Originally this area was the site of two large slaughterhouses that gave the market its name - Rastro means "stain" after the blood that washed into the streets. La Latina, traditionally a working class district of Madrid and notorious for its petty crime, has now become a trendy "up-and-coming" area popular with Madrilenos for its pulsating night-life. Sunday nights in particular are popular as many market-goers hit the bars and clubs in the area after the market shuts up shop.
Sunday Shopping In Madrid's Rastro
The market engulfs the surrounding streets and plazas with every kind of stall imaginable. Clothing forms a staple with stalls offering used clothes, imported clothes from India and Asia, baby clothes, and military surplus. Leather goods are popular too, as are antiques, toys, all kinds of crafts and jewellery, painting and every kind of artwork. The lower end of Calle Ribera de Curtidores and the Plaza Campillo Mundo Nuevo have plenty of bric-a-brac, books, cameras and electrical items on offer.
In and around the main market there are numerous bars and restaurants in which to cool off and take a break from the hustle and bustle with The Plaza de Cascorro having the lion's share of restaurants. Even if the seemingly endless array of stalls doesn't grab you, the thronging atmosphere will.
Where and When?
The Rastro kicks off around 8.00 in the morning and continues until 2.00 or 3.00 in the afternoon every Sunday. Its a good idea to drag yourself down here early as it gets very crowded very quickly and the heat can be exhausting at midday. La Latina is the nearest Metro stop to the action on the Green Line (#5) or Metro Puerta de Toledo toward the south of Calle Ribera de Curtidores. Alternatively the market is about 15 mins walk from Plaza Mayor in the center of town. Guide books will warn against petty crime in the area but things have improved in recent years with a regular police presence throughout the market.
