Our dinner with Patricia and her husband was such a lovely diversion from all the typical touristy sightseeing we had done and one of the highlights of our trip. They were so welcoming and friendly! Dinner was delicious (I could’ve eaten the whole plate of stuffed mushrooms!) and Patricia even sent us home with several pastel de natas and some fresh bay leaves!

We had a fantastic time with Patricia. The food and conversation were just amazing. She welcomed us into her home and shared stories. We learned so much! This was the best part of our entire trip to Portugal. Thank you, Patricia!

Joelle's market tour and cooking class were exceptional. First we walked through the fresh outdoor market purchasing items we'd be using in the food preparation. Then we returned (through pouring rain) to her house where we prepared and cooked the meal. Joelle is upbeat and we had a delicous meal and a wonderful time cooking, eating, and spending time with a French person. This was our first experience with "withlocals" and I'd definitely schedule another tour.

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.