For tapas after El Rastro
Cava Baja is one of the main streets of the La Latina neighborhood and it is currently known for its various tapas places, bars and amazing restaurants. It is very busy on Sundays after El Rastro with locals and tourists.
The origin of Cava Alta and Cava Baja comes from the old moats located outside the wall to avoid surprise attacks. These old caves made it possible to go in and out even if the doors were closed. The legend tells the Arabs escaped from there when Alfonso VI reconquered Madrid.
Cava Baja goes from Plaza de Puerta Cerrada to Plaza del Humilladero. Most of the boarding houses, taverns and hostels which hosted the stall-keepers coming from Castile and selling their products at the Cebada or San Miguel markets settled there.
They started in the 17th century, and in principle they would house only travelers and their horses. The inn business was an incentive for the proliferation of handicraft workshops dealing with the stall-keepers.
Five of the old inns still exist, even though they do not host people anymore: San Isidro, El Dragón, El León de Oro, San Pedro (Mesón del Segoviano), and the Posada de la Villa.
Among the current establishments, the very famous restaurant Casa Lucio (Cava Baja, 35) stands out. It opened in 1974 and is known for its fried eggs.
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