Experience the best of
Madrid with Withlocals

"My daughter and I had a wonderful time learning paella and tortilla Español from Ariadna and her sweet abuela. We were included in all the preparations and and given some hints to make the food taste extra delicious. Would do this again in a heartbeat and cannot wait to get back to Madrid to set it up. Highly recommended!!"

"Me and my 2 girlfriends needed a home cooked meal after traveling for 3 weeks. This was such a wholesome and fun experience, one that we will all remember and cherish forever! Ariadna and Abuela are so so so sweet and whole heartedly welcoming, would 100% recommend this! "

"We had such an amazing experience with Lola on our girls trip. The food was absolutely delicious, the wine was limitless, and she really did educate us along the way. Definitely book it if you have the opportunity. "

"We enjoyed getting to know Ariadna and her grandmother while cooking in her grandmother’s cute kitchen. They showed us every step in making the delicious Spanish dishes. We highly recommend the empanadillas! The empanadillas are light, crisp and yummy! Thank you Ariadna for a wonderful experience and the knowledge of these recipes that we can take with us to make at home with our families!"

"I had an amazing time on this walking tour through Madrid with Maria who was incredibly knowledgeable about the city’s history, architecture, and culture and her passion for her city was evident. What made the experience even more special was how patient and encouraging she was with my Spanish. She took the time to speak with me in Spanish throughout the tour, helping me practice naturally in conversation while also explaining things clearly when I needed help. It felt like both a cultural experience and a language lesson at the same time. I would highly recommend Maria to anyone visiting Madrid. Gracias María! "

"Of all of the souvenirs I could have brought home from Madrid, this cooking lesson is easily one of the best. Lola's space is bright and clean and inviting, and her thoughtful structure of the class provided an excellent hands-on experience preparing -- and enjoying -- four different dishes."

"This was a lovely experience with Lola and a small group. She’s a fantastic teacher and the food was amazing. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a novice, this experience is great! We met some great Canadians in our class and made 4 amazing Spanish recipes with Lola. The wine and conversation flowed freely. Run to sign up! It’s fantastic!"

"What a fantastic experience! Lola was an outstanding teacher — knowledgeable, engaging, and way fun to cook alongside. Our class tackled four classic Spanish dishes: ham croquettes, Russian salad, Ajoarriero cod, and paella with squid ink (black rice), and Lola guided us through each one with the kind of confidence and warmth that makes even first-timers feel like they belong in the kitchen. Half the joy was the company — our little group brought together people from Kentucky, Tennessee, San Francisco, and Holland, and by the time we sat down to eat everything we'd made, it felt like a dinner party with old friends. And after the cooking was done, we lingered over wine with Lola herself, who generously shared her favorite spots around Madrid — the kind of insider recommendations you simply can't find in a guidebook. And yes, we ate everything. Every last bite. Along with ample wine she freely provided. If I'm back in Madrid, I'm signing up again — same recipes and all. That's how good our time together was."

"DO NOT leave Madrid without booking this experience with Lola. You will not regret meeting with her, only NOT meeting with her! We started our communication with Lola by being provided very good directions and instructions to reach her private dining space. Upon entering, not really knowing what to expect, all we could do was to stand and repeatedly voice, WOW, WOW, WOW! What was once a residence has been converted into a FABULOUS space with an monstrous wooden dining table long with a kitchen showcasing an immense island where her cooking class guests are seated. Our evening was joined with other guests who fast became friends throughout the course of the evening. We drank, laughed, prepped, cooked, stirred, sauteed, sliced, diced, laughed, drank, and so on. The experience was definitely a hands-on experience crafting truly authentic Spanish dishes using the freshest of foods. The dishes Lola selected for us to cook would have been quite daunting to the untrained cook, however, Lola had a knack for breaking down the recipe and turning the 'chore' of cooking in a wonderfully fun and amusing experience. We learned so much along the way, including how to fully prepare a piece of squid including de-boning, de-beaking and cleaning. We nibbled on the first two courses along the way and thoroughly enjoyed the two final main courses. The truffles served at the end of the evening capped off the magnificent experience in a beautifully sweet way. You will arrive as a stranger and be friends within minutes. What we truly appreciated with the experience was the Spanish way of life in how laid-back the culture is and looking at the art of cooking as an experience to enjoy with family and friends vs. a chore. "

"Maria was an absolute delight. From the moment we met she taught me and inspired me to speak and love Español. She was very patient and encouraging and most of all a great teacher. I have vowed to practice so that next time we meet we can experience more beauty in Madrid. Gracias. "