La Moderna Apicultura

This specialist honey shop, which also sells bee-keeping paraphernalia, is located in Calle Doctor Esquerdo. It is the oldest shop of its kind in Spain and one of the oldest in Europe. It also sells all kinds of products containing honey as the main ingredient, including cosmetics, craft beer, mead, oils and vinegars.

Its history dates back to 1919, when King Alfonso XIII, who was a keen bee keeper, supported and promoted the creation of Spain's first ever company dedicated exclusively to making and selling bee hives and bee keeping tools. As an additional service, they began to sell honey, which gradually became an increasingly important activity for them. Originally, they only sold three types of honey (wildflower honey, royal jelly and pollen) but over the years this has grown to nearly 30 varieties of honey.

It is housed within a particularly striking building, designed by Segundino Zuazo (the architect behind Casa de las Flores, Nuevos Ministerios, and the Palacio de la Música theatre on Gran Vía). Inside there are still stained glass windows by Maumejean, original steel tanks, and an interesting painting with a bee hive.