In front of the San Miguel market is the tiny Herradores Square. There there is an 18th century bakery in which they still go on making bread with a wood fire oven. Its current owner, a Galician globetrotter, romantic, and admirer of Madrid called José Menor, does not only make bread and sausages, he has also written a highly readable auto biographical volume called From Galicia to Madrid Via the Andes and the Caribbean. If you are lucky enough to come across it, don’t let it go: he knows a lot, and is an experienced, gifted, articulate man.And on to 1.30 pm, when the tapeo or snacking hour comes round, a very Spanish and very Madrid ritual which has persisted despite the citizens’ working hours.

This is the time to stride into the Plaza Mayor and the surrounding side streets, all of them full of little bars, restaurants and century-old shops. At this time of day, the area is full of operetta characters, guiris (as tourists are known), municipal functionaries, petty thieves, passers-by, different kinds of professional adviser, students, private soliders, street vendors selling artefacts, unemployed, tramps and the simply curious. All together they make up a dazzling tableaux in which Dürer, Goya, Warhol, Julio Romero de Torres, lost spies and fortune-telling gypsy women would all fit in fine. Let yourself be carried away by your instincts, the sights and smells. But be moderate if you don’t want to be out of the running before lunchtime, because the tapeo can bring about a precocious inebriety for those un- used to it.If the weather’s good, sit down to have an aperitif or one of the terraces on this square, that has such an intense and passionate history. It was the centre of Madrid life since it was built by Philip III in 1619. Everything took place there, from bullfights to executions, fruit stands and chicken runs, come dies, the Inquisition’s autos dâ fe, processions, tournaments terrible fires, proclamations of different kinds, popular dances held to celebrate weddings, baptisms and compro mises with royalty and songsThe changes of name which the square has seen are further vestiges of the social and political upheavals in Spain in 1812 it became the Square of the Constitution; in 1814, the Royal Square; in 1820, it was the Square of the Constitution once more; in 1823, Royal Square again… And later, more o the same: Square of the Constitution (1835); Square of the Republic (beginning of 1873);

Square of the Federal Republic (end of 1873); Square of the Constitution (1874)… Its curren name is what people have always called it: Main Square o Plaza Mayor.In order to assimilate so much historical whittering, i is a good idea to take a breather and refreshen your body with a lunch that fits in with the place. The neighbourhood is ful of traditional taverns and restaurants to suit all tastes and pockets. Keep on soaking up what is typical and rende homage to the Madrid cocido which is sublime, but heavy o the stomach. Afterwards, sink into a sovereign hispanic siesta There is still a long day ahead.