Your tourist-mushroomer experiences can start near the shelves of Spanish bookstores. The great mushroom atlases are published to help pickers in Spain, and there is even a special application "Trobabolet" for the Android platform. The program allows you to determine the location of fungi, showing the user the exact places of growth of mushrooms. The application also informs the user about the most convenient routes, indicates whether it is possible to reach the destination by car and where to park it. So, if you are a mushroomer and in Madrid in autumn, do not miss the opportunity to start "hunting" for mushrooms!
There are four varieties of caps, and yellow and grey chanterelles are popular. The most cherished are the truffles, especially the winter, the king of the kitchen. Mushroom lovers do not lose time in autumn and go picking them every weekend. Thousands of Madrid residents travel by car to the north of the capital, where special fungal reserves are organized in the forested foothills.
The most popular mushroom spot is the Sierra de Guadarrama. There are specially created mushroom routes around small villages, which can be traversed either with a guide or alone. Mushrooms can also be found in El Retiro, in Casa de Campo and elsewhere in the vicinity of Madrid.
Depending on rains, the mushroom season in Madrid begins in the period between late September and mid-October and ends in early November to mid-December. So, October is the peak time for mushroom picking. Usually in November, in different regions of Spain, there are mushroom holidays and festivals—Jornadas Micologicas. The organisers are local authorities and the mycological community. These days all local restaurants hold mushroom days when the best chefs compete in the preparation of these gifts of nature.
Practical info
When is the ideal duration for going to Madrid to collect mushrooms?
You should visit Madrid from late September to mid-December to maximize your chances of finding mushrooms. The season begins late September to mid-October but reaches its peak in October, ending early November to mid-December depending on the rainfall. Therefore, the ideal time to go mushroom picking in Madrid is during this season. Show more
Which locations in Madrid are worth exploring for mushroom hunting?
Sierra de Guadarrama is the most famous location for mushroom hunting in Madrid. Mushroom routes are available through small villages that can either be self-guided or joined with a guide. Other than this, well-known places to find mushrooms in Madrid include Casa de Campo and El Retiro. The forested foothills in the Northern part of the city also have reservations for special fungus hunting. Show more
What types of mushrooms are famous in Madrid?
In Madrid, the popular mushroom varieties include four caps varieties, yellow and grey chanterelles, and winter truffles, which are highly valued and widely used in the region's local cuisine. To find the perfect location for mushroom hunting, mushroom atlases and the 'Trobabolet' application for android users are some valuable resources. Show more
What is the usual duration of the mushroom season in Madrid?
The mushroom season in Madrid lasts from late September to mid-October, depending on the rains. Ideal picking time is in late October to early November, while it concludes by mid-December. The mushroom atlases provide valuable guidance to where the mushrooms grow and other resources for identifying their location. Show more
Will it be possible to find any mushroom festivals in Madrid during the season?
Jornadas Micologicas, or mushroom holidays and festivals, are held in various parts of Spain, including Madrid, every November. These events are organized by the mycological community and local authorities. The best chefs compete to make their best dishes using mushrooms, and many local markets, cafes, and restaurants in Madrid offer mushroom variants during the mushroom days. Show more
