Fun Indoor Activities with Preschoolers in Madrid: el Mercado de la Cebada

   In my on-going quest to find fun, indoor activities for preschoolers in Madrid*, I present to you the Mercado de la Cebada

Where: La Latina metro, or just stroll down Calle de Toledo from Plaza Mayor

Cost: Whatever you choose to spend 

Logistics: Skip the Mercado de San Miguel (that dreadful tourist-trap, shopping mall food court masquerading as a traditional Spanish market) and check out el Mercado de la Cebada. My favorite mercado in Madrid. It's all indoors and has three floors of food, clothing, shoe repair, knife sharpening, even a self-service laundromat. The best part are the restaurants with great Latin American food. 

Fun for Preschoolers rating: 10/10 recommend for both parents and kids. Don Loco loves going up and down the stairs (there are elevators, too) and looking at all the murals of food. Literally we spend an hour in here every time we go. It's also next to the Polideportivo which has a wonderful indoor swimming pool. 

Mercado de la Cebada, decorated for Christmas