Alicante: Paella & Sangria Cooking Class with Market Tour

4.85

(133 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I was almost late because I got distracted by the smell of oranges outside Mercado Central — honestly, I’d never seen so many different tomatoes in one place. Our guide, Carmen, waved us over with a grin and started chatting with the olive vendor like they were old friends (maybe they are). She let us taste a sliver of cheese that I still think about. The market felt loud but warm, all chatter and clinking coins, and I fumbled my Spanish ordering saffron. Carmen just laughed and helped out.

We carried our bags down some side street to this restaurant where the kitchen wasn’t hidden away — you could actually see locals eating lunch at the bar. The chef, Luis, handed me an apron that smelled faintly like paprika. He showed us how to make salmorreta for the paella base; mine looked a bit lumpy but nobody cared. While things simmered, we made sangria (I might’ve gone heavy on the fruit) and nibbled little anchovy toasts and spicy almonds. Someone asked about vegetarian options and Luis didn’t miss a beat — just swapped out the seafood for artichokes like it was nothing.

Lunch was noisy in a good way — people passing plates around, sharing paella straight from the pan. It tasted smoky and rich, not at all like what I’d had back home. There was this moment when everyone went quiet for a second after the first bite. Then someone cracked a joke about their burnt rice and we all laughed again. I left with recipes stuffed in my bag and hands smelling like garlic. Still can’t pronounce “salmorreta” right but I keep trying.