Madrid is User Friendly

February 12- Flashmob at Callao

2012-02-09T12:33:00.000+01:00

"VALENTINE IS DANCING" WITH SERGIO DALMA, INDIA MARTINEZ, MARY AGUADO AND "THE OCTOPUS"

On Sunday February 12, as of 12 am, Madrid's Plaza de Callao, will become a big stage where everyone is invited to celebrate their "Valentines Dance".
This third edition, which consolidates "Valentines Dance" as a must, will be attended by the Spanish singer Sergio Dalma and performances oby India Martinez and Maria Aguado and the well-known presenter, Carlos Moreno "El Pulpo" will be there to encourage the audience join in to the choreography.
All the people of Madrid who come to Callao can leave their messages of love on a large wall.
There will be prizes to be had as well from the Corte Inglés and Microsoft!!!
More info: enwww.sanvalentinsebaila.com
It will be a great way to see Madrid in action!

Exhibitions, activities and forums during ARCOmadrid 15 - 19 February 2012

2012-02-08T17:58:00.000+01:00

Madrid brings together contemporary art professionals from around the world for the 1st Meeting of European and Latin American Museums, directed by Agustín Pérez-Rubio - Director of MUSAC, León - and Marcelo Mattos Araujo - Executive Director of Pinacoteca de Sao Paulo - with guests including Chris Dercon, Director of the Tate Modern, London; Manuel Borja-Villel, Director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid; Hans-Michael Herzog, Director and Curator of the Daros Latinamerica Collection, Zurich; Alfred Pacquement, Director of the Musée National d'Art Moderne/Centre de Création Industrielle, Centre Pompidou, Paris, and Graciela de la Torre, Director of the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo MUAC, Mexico. The Collecting Forum will also attract other professionals, such as Han Nefkens, Mera and Don Rubell, Joop van Caldenborgh, Farhad Farjam and Eugenio López; and the Professional Meetings will bring together key figures invited by Marc-Olivier Wahler, Director of the Palais de Tokyo: James Lingwood, Co-director of Artangel, London; Bartomeu Marí, Director of the Museu d'Art Contemporani, Barcelona (MACBA); Lynne Cooke, Deputy Director and Chief Curator at the Museo Reina Sofía; Inti Guerrero, Atistic Director of TEOR/éTica, San José (Costa Rica), and RMS La Asociación, together with Tania Pardo, an independent curator.

The participation of these professionals will be a complement to the exhibition side of ARCOmadrid, in which about 200 international galleries will take part in the General Programme, Focus The Netherlands, Solo Projects: Focus Latin America and Opening.

There are two notable new features in this edition. The "Highlighted Artist", an initiative that reflects the quality of ARCOmadrid as a place for discovering new artists and as an authentic presentation space for gallery programmes. Each gallery has been invited to prepare a special presentation of an artist, all of which will be collected in a new publication serving the functions of guidebook and essential informational tool. The other new feature, the Solo Objects programme, will include twelve large format projects which will be exhibited in three spaces at the fair.

In addition to the offer at the fair the city of Madrid, has prepared a series of exhibitions for the occasion, such as the show by the German artist Hans Haacke and the Spanish artist Muntadas at the Museo Reina Sofía; Paintings from the Rubell Family Collection at the Fundación Banco Santander, the collections of contemporary art from MACBA-Fundación La Caixa at CaixaForum and many more. The presence of the Netherlands will also be felt in the leading institutions, with works by artists such as Aernout Mik, Falke Pisano, Gabriel Lester, Nathaniel Mellors, Navid Nuur and René Däniels, among others.

For the first time there will be also the AfterARCO programme that will take the art fair and its activities into the city. Various spaces in Madrid will hold works by artists such as Eugenio Ampudia, Guido van der Werve, Jeroen Kooijmans, Lernet & Sander, Pablo Valbuena and Ruth Gómez, interventions in the urban space, for example like Nico Munuera in Plaza de Cibeles, and concerts, including the Martin Creed Band and Planetas DJ.

The new edition of the Fair continues to support digital media, and the new free iPhone, iPad and Android apps are already available.

Online registration for professionals, ticket sales and free download of the ARCOmadrid publications are already available at www.arco.ifema.es

ARCO, the INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR begins on February 15 at IFEMA

2012-02-08T12:35:00.002+01:00

The world reknowned art fair is for both professionals, buyers and visitors.
This forum is the meeting place par excellence for the international art community, where renowned players can exchange ideas and projects while, at once, interacting with exhibiting galleries. It is a unique platform for analysis and debate on art production, creation, appreciation and presentation.

Professional Preview: Wednesday 15 & Thursday 16, from 12 noon to 9 pm
General Public: Fri. 17, Sat. 18 & Sun. 19, from 12 noon to 8 pm

The Netherlands is the guest country in ARCOmadrid 2012. With the active collaboration of the Mondriaan Foundation and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Spain, ARCOmadrid 2012 presents a selection of Dutch galleries curated by Xander Karskens (Breda, 1973), while also attracting all the country’s major collectors, curators and critics.

CURATOR OF "FOCUS THE NETHERLANDS"

Xander Karskens (Breda/Netherlands, 1973) is an art historian. Currently in charge of the collection and the programme of international contemporary art at Museum De Hallen Haarlem, Karskens boasts wide experience as a curator at the Fons Welters gallery and the Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, as well as in freelance curating projects. As well as being the author of numerous art critiques and texts for broadsheet newspapers, art magazines and catalogues, Karskens has recently held a tutoring position at the Sandberg Institute (Amsterdam).

Galleries selected for "FOCUS THE NETHERLANDS"

GALLERY CITY PLACEMENT
ANNET GELINK GALLERY Amsterdam General Programme
DIANA STIGTER Amsterdam General Programme
ELLEN DE BRUIJNE PROJECTS Amsterdam General Programme
FONS WELTERS Amsterdam General Programme
GRIMM GALLERY Amsterdam General Programme
JEANINE HOFLAND Amsterdam Opening
JULIETTE JONGMA Amsterdam General Programme
MARTIN VAN ZOMEREN Amsterdam General Programme
MOTIVE GALLERY Amsterdam General Programme
PAUL ANDRIESSE Amsterdam General Programme
TEGENBOSCHVANVREDEN Amsterdam Opening
WEST The Hague General Programme
WILFRIED LENTZ Rotterdam General Programme
ZINGERPRESENTS Amsterdam General Programme

There are two notable new features in this edition. The “Highlighted Artist”, an initiative that reflects the quality of ARCOmadrid as a place for discovering new artists and as an authentic presentation space for gallery programmes.Each gallery has been invited to prepare a special presentation of an artist, all of which will be collected in a new publication serving the functions of guidebook and essential informational tool. The other new feature, the Solo Objects programme, will include twelve large format projects which will be exhibited in three spaces at the fair.

In addition to all of this there are the exhibitions Madrid has prepared for the occasion, such as shows by the German artist Hans Haacke and the Spanish artist Muntadas at the Museo Reina Sofía; paintings from the Rubell Family Collection at the Fundación Banco Santander, the collections of contemporary art from MACBA-Fundación La Caixa at Caixa Forum and many more. The presence of the Netherlands will also be felt in the leading museums, with works by artists such as Aernout Mik, Falke Pisano, Gabriel Lester, Nathaniel Mellors, Navid Nuur and René Däniels, among others.

For the first time there will also be an AfterARCO programme that will take the art fair and its activities into the city. Various spaces in Madrid will hold screenings of works by artists such as Eugenio Ampudia, Guido van der Werve, Jeroen Kooijmans, Lernet & Sander, Pablo Valbuena and Ruth Gómez, interventions in the urban space, for example, by Nico Munuera in Plaza de Cibeles, and concerts, including by the Martin Creed Band and Planetas DJ.

he fair can also be visited online (www.arco.ifema.es)

Mercado de San Antón

2012-02-07T21:07:00.002+01:00

We discovered the Mercado de San Antón today!!! Once upon a time this was the local market for residents in the area. Located at Augusto Figueros 24, in Chueca, they have put together a traditional market combined with restaurants and bars where you can pick your tapa made from the different selection of goodies! On the ground floor is the market and on the second floor you can find "Show Cooking".

On the third floor there is a great terrace, where you can have lunch and or dinner. Price was right too!!! Open from Sunday to Thursday from 10 a.m to midnight, and on Fridays to Sunday its open to 1.30 in the morning.

We found a great meat shop- La Finca- here is a picture of Alberto... you can buy a nice piece of meat and they will barbecue it for you at the terrace restaurant!!!

The meat is for real!!! La Finca is a new concept in meat... They call it "meat for happiness". They have a web: http://www.jimenezbarbero.com/ in Spanish, but you can visit it or even buy online!

The market also has a web, but its in Spanish: http://www.mercadosananton.com/

METRO
Chueca
Gran Vía

BUS
No. 147
No. 15

Worth a visit!!! Great atmosphere and the price is right!!!

ORCAM at the Teatros del Canal

2012-01-30T15:57:00.000+01:00

On Tuesday January 31, the first of six concerts to be offered by the (ORCAM) at the Teatros del Canal begin.

The cycle starts off with works by Joaquin Rodrigo, Bernstein and Gershwin Ruiz Pipó and runs until May 8.

More information, photos, music dossier:
www.teatroscanal.com

Video of our visit to FITUR 2012

2012-01-20T16:52:00.001+01:00

We visited Fitur and were able to interview

Gabriel Escarrer, CEO Melia Hotels International
Carlos Abellá, General Manager Sales and Marketing Paradores Hotels
Ernesto Orillac Vice Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Panamá

The footage can be downloaded free of charge at the following link:
http://www.mediatoolsnet.com/

This year the fair was really great. Contines until Sunday 22 January and is open for the general punlic at the weekend.

MUF at the Madrid stand at FITUR 2012

2012-01-20T10:37:00.001+01:00

We were at FITUR this year and as usual it is getting better and better! This is an obligatory international tourism trade fair. Here is a video post of the Madrid stand. They were presenting the collaboration between New York and Madrid. We will have some video with Gabriel Escarrer from Meliá, Gabriel Escarrer, CEO Melia Hotels International, Carlos Abellá, General Manager Sales and Marketing Paradores Hotels and
Ernesto Orillac, Vice Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Panamá.

Non profesionals can visit FITUR on Saturday and Sunday. There are lots of traditional events planneed by the different stands.

Excellent selection of events at MADRID GASTROFESTIVAL from January 23 to February 5

2012-01-20T10:23:00.000+01:00

The annual gastronomy event returns to the capital from January 23 to
February 5 with a vast array of activities and culinary experiences.

Gastrofestival, giving you the opportunity to taste Madrid

In January, Madrid’s cultural and leisure calendar features one of its signature
dishes, Gastrofestival 2012. The third edition of this annual event, which will run
from January 23 to February 5, goes beyond the purely culinary, paying tribute to
gastronomy from a range of other cultural spheres including art, cinema and
fashion.
During the two-week event, and parallel to Madrid Fusión, the international
gastro-summit, over 300 establishments in Madrid will be taking part in an event
designed to be enjoyed with all the senses, highlighting one of the capital’s main
tourist attractions: gastronomy, an art increasingly appreciated by visitors, who
can enjoy one of the most appealing and varied cuisines in the world.
Restaurants, cocktail bars, cookery schools, gourmet shops, clothing and
accessory stores, cultural institutions, art galleries and museums are all involved
in a programme that focuses on six main categories: Sensory Experiences,

Over 300 establishments are taking part in this event, which
combines different disciplines to showcase one of the city’s main
tourist attractions: gastronomy.

This year, alongside Sensory Experiences, Gastroculture, Madrid -
A Gastronomic Capital and Gastrofashion, visitors can enjoy two
new sections: Gastrohealth and Wine Culture

"Dinner with the Stars” will feature several international chefs who
are taking part in Madrid Fusión, including José Avillez from
Portugal, Juan José Gómez from Mexico, Yung Sik Yim and GiHo
Yim from Korea, Aidin Demir from Turkey, and Masato Nishihara
from Japan.

Leading museums, galleries and cultural institutions, like the
Spanish Film Library, have prepared an appealing menu that will
delight lovers of gastronomy and culture.

The Gastroculture section will include the presentation of Hannah
Collins’ book “The Fragile Feast,” in an event with the author and
celebrated chef Ferrán Adriá.

New for 2012: Gastrohealth and Wine Culture

On this occasion, Gastrofestival (organised by the Madrid City Council, through
the Madrid Visitors & Convention Bureau, and Madrid Fusión) is devoting a
section to healthy eating habits that will help us feel good inside and out.
Gastrohealth will include healthy cooking courses and nutrition workshops,
organic menus in restaurants, and health and beauty treatments using fruit,
chocolate and spices, as well as interesting discounts in spa circuits.
The Wine Culture section will allow wine lovers and connoisseurs to enjoy a
variety of wine tastings, wine-matching courses (to learn how to combine wine
and gourmet products), guided tours and even an independent music festival
focusing on wine at Palacio de Vistalegre, featuring artists such as Nacho Vegas,
The Right Ons and Christina Rosenvinge.

Dinner with the Stars
This edition of Madrid - A Gastronomic Capital will be structured around eight
main ingredients. One of the most appealing proposals will once again be “Dinner
with the Stars,” which affords diners the unique opportunity to enjoy delicious
menus prepared by international chefs from Madrid Fusión and served in the
city’s premier hotels and restaurants for only 75 euros.
For instance, this year diners can sample food by Portuguese chef José Avillez at
the Pedro Larumbe restaurant, while Mexican chef Juan José Gómez will be at
Jardín del Orfila, Korean chef Yung Sik Yim at the Westin Palace Hotel, Korean
chef GiHo Yim at Terraza del Casino (two Michelin stars), Turkish chef Aidin
Demir at the restaurant recently inaugurated in the Cibeles Palace, and Miyama
Castellana will be graced by the art of Masato Nishihara.
Furthermore, almost 100 establishments, including traditional taverns and established traditional restaurants, serving Spanish, international and signature cuisine, They are prearing special menus featuring their best recipes, priced from 25 to 40 euros, to introduce the public to the infinite variety of food available in the city.

Gastronomic experiences
Bars and taverns will be focusing on the art of the tapa, offering beer and a tapa
for 3 euros, while some of the leading cocktail bars in the capital, like Le Cabrera,
Chicote, José Alfredo and O’Clock, will be preparing their most exquisite mixed
drinks for the occasion. Cookery schools, gourmet shops and homeware stores
will also be taking part with activities and a range of special offers during the
festival.
Gastrofestival’s Sensorial Experiences section focuses on introducing new
gastronomic sensations through an extensive selection of wine tastings, gourmet
product tastings and gastronomic routes around the city. In this section two of the
capital’s new gastronomic landmarks, San Miguel Market and San Antón Market,
will be taking part, with special activities to introduce their services and products.

Gastronomy and culture
Gastronomy is part of our culture. With this in mind, Gastrofestival has organised
a stunning programme of activities linking gastronomy to disciplines such as
painting, theatre, cinema and literature. Gastroculture reflects this relationship
through special shows organised in some twenty galleries, with tempting
exhibitions, talks, guided tours and workshops organised by the leading museums
and institutions in the capital.
Some of the most notable venues are the Cerralbo Museum (“Gastronomy and
etiquette at the 19th Century Table“), the Lázaro Galdiano Museum (“Art and
Gastronomy at the Lázaro Galdiano Museum“), the Sorolla Museum (“From the
painting to the table”, with a special menu inspired by the painter’s family at the
Doña 59 restaurant), and the National Museum of Romanticism (“Dinner is
served! Traditions and trends in nineteenth century dining”), the Thyssen-
Bornemisza (“Thyssen cuisine”, an itinerary that is rounded off with a tapa created
specifically for the occasion), the Costume Museum (encounter with designers
Modesto Lomba and Roberto Torretta), the Museum of Anthropology (“The Spice
Agora“) and the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts (guided tour).

Films at the Spanish Film Library
To link gastronomy to the silver screen and the stage, the Spanish Film Library
will offer a thematic cycle with movies like “Bon appétit,” “Fast Food Nation” and
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” among others and Microteatro por dinero will
organise short plays lasting under 15 minutes, each for 15 spectators, who will be
able to enjoy a glass of wine (admission 4 euros).
The relationship between literature and gastronomy will be explored in the
Joaquín Leguina Regional Library and in Ivorypress Art+Books, which will host
the presentation of Hannah Collins’ book “The Fragile Feast”. The author and
celebrated chef Ferrán Adriá will be attending the event.

The finest design will be present thanks to Gastrofashion, which will dress the
windows of important fashion stores using gastronomic motifs. Celebrated
designers like Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada, Roberto Verino and Adolfo Domínguez
will be taking part in this edition.

For a complete programme of activities, go to (www.esmadrid.com/gastrofestival), the
special section of the esMADRID.com portal, official website for tourism of the
City of Madrid./

MUSEO DEL PRADO- now open every day of the year except January 1, May 1 and December 25

2012-01-17T09:01:00.000+01:00

It goes without saying that you cannot come to Madrid without a visit to the Prado. Considered one of the great art museums of the world, it is Madrid’s biggest attraction. The unique collection contains more than 8000 paintings by masters including Goya, El Greco and Velázquez. There are also temporary exhibitions in addition to the main collection. You can buy advanced tickets on the website to beat the queues, which might be a good idea to beat the huge queues on weekends

Web: www.museodelprado.es
Address: Paseo del Prado, Metro: Atocha (L1) or Banco de España (L2)

Entrance: General entry 12€, although some discounts apply. Entrance and guided tour 19.50 €
Free for under 18 and for students under 25
Open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. The Museum closes on Sundays and holidays at 7 p.m.
The temporary exhibitions are at an extra cost. Entry is free after 18.00 Tues-Sat, after 17.00 on Sundays and on a number of public holidays.
Temporary exhibitions:
On at the moment:

Treaures from the Hermitage 8th November- 26th March 2012

Fitur International Tourism Fair in Madrid from the 18 to 22 January 2012.

2012-01-13T11:02:00.000+01:00

Fitur International Tourism Fair celebrates its 32nd edition from 18 to 22 January 2012.

Fitur is the worldwide meeting place for of tourism professionals to define the future, create strategies and alliances for innovation to meet changing the market demands in tourism. Fitur is also a great visit for experienced or first time travellers. Four days in Madrid where everyone interested in travel and tourism will be.

Last year confirmed the recovery trend of the tourism industry, 10,434 exhibitors from 166 countries / regions and 209,260 visitors, professional and public, met in FITUR to potentiate the business and leisure business development for destinations hosting millions of travelers. 7726 journalists from 59 countries came to cover the event, which goes to show the consolidation of FITUR is a top destinations in the international circuit of travel trade fairs.

http://www.ifema.es/ferias/fitur/default_i.html

MEDIATOOLStv is offering online, video and broadcast production and distribution service during FITUR.

2012-01-11T13:49:00.000+01:00

The 32nd edition of the International Tourism Trade Fair, FITUR, organized by IFEMA is being held in Madrid from the 18th to 22rd of January in Madrid, Spain

MEDIATOOLStv is offering a comprehensive service of filming, editing, and online broadcast distribution during your presence at FITUR, at a reasonable price, in Spanish and English.

A simple package which includes filming, edit of an online video, approximately 3 minutes b-roll in broadcast quality and personalized online distribution platform start at 900€ +iva. In English and in Spanish.

Your content will online for worldwide distribution within three hours of filming and will remain for two months.

MEDIATOOLStv is Spain’s expert for broadcast and online video. We are a TV, Internet Communications Company located in Madrid, Spain. We produce and distribute VNRs and videos for Internet and Television, as well as for Corporate, PR, Marketing and Audiovisual Media relations firms.

MEDIATOOLStv offers online distribution, (http://www.mediatoolsnet.com/index.html), your press package online worldwide and download free of charge. Your content is accessible world wide with a simple click. It includes your press notes, photographs and video.

MEDIATOOLStv offers an integrated service to achieve greater public presence and penetration in the global and local Spanish markets.

MEDIATOOLStv is a local company with global knowledge. MADRID IS USER FRIENDLY is our platform to reach out to all the English speakers who come to Madrid.

Both the MUF and MEDIATOOLStv blogs, twitter, FACEBOOK, Youtubes will be at your service for the distribution of press notes, online video and news during FITUR.

Email us at:
info@mediatoolstv.com
or

call Lucrecia at +34915627854/ 34 629421926

http://www.mediatoolstv.com
http://www.youtube.com/mediatoolstv
http://www.mediatoolsnet.com

Le Songe of Les Ballets of Monte-Carlo at the Teatros del Canal

2012-01-07T11:17:00.001+01:00

Dance will be one of the highlights of Teatros del Canal with Le Songe of Les Ballets of Monte-Carlo. Inspired by the work of William Shakespeare and choreographed by Jean Christophe Maillot, playing from the 6 to 14h of January.

The Teatros del Canal de Isabel II (c / Santa Engracia, 125) also
offers the possibility of enjoying the past and present of John Gatti, the well known graphic designer and art photographer, who has worked on several films with Pedro Almodóvar. The exhibition offers a journey through the past 30 years of his work through a series of 40 photographs.

Abercrombie & Fitch in Madrid

2011-12-10T16:42:00.002+01:00

This has been going on for a while now... every day or so I would walk past the Abercrombie & Fitch new shop in Madrid- on the chic Plaza de Salamanca- and there were long queues.... Thought well this is because they've just opened. Well, this morning I went back and the long lines of people trying to get in were still there... This definitely needs blogging about...

This is Alvaro, at the front door keeping the line under control... he´s all dressed up!!!

As I wasn't willing to get in the line to get inside... it was an hour and a half long, at least... So I stopped to chat with these Spanish señoritas to find out what was going on inside... Were they giving things away for free? Nope, they announced this was their second visit... and guess what? The salesman are male models half clothed... no tops and there is a disco atmosphere in the shop!!! Aaah, smart marketing... the girls assured they came away with something!!!

This was the top of the line... they were rather embarrassed to be caught in the queue!!!

The only other place I´ve seen these long lines is at Doña Manolita, the most famous lottery shop. The queues this year have been three and four hours just to buy the "gordo" or the traditional Christmas Lottery!!!

Freixenet is offering champagne and oysters!!!

2011-11-23T19:18:00.001+01:00

The catalan bubbly and wine producer, Freixenet, is offering a Christmas special on their French champagne "Henri Abele". Yes, they produce a very nice champagne from France. Champagne, is on the other hand, always French and Cava is made in Spain.

As of yesterday, you will be able to enjoy a dozen delicious oysters from Galicia at the Taberna Pulpería Atino at Plaza de la Remonta for the modest price of 30 €… Pulpería Atino is a delicious fish restaurant worth a visit!!!

Charity "rastro" by Cortefiel

2011-11-22T19:06:00.002+01:00

The Cortefiel Group announce a charity fashion event where they will be offering special discounts on their clothes. It will take place at Hotel NH Eurobuilding on C/Padre Damien this Tuesday and Wednesday 29/30 November. Entry will cost 1€ with proceeds going to charity.

Madrid Christmas lights

2011-11-21T17:03:00.001+01:00

This Friday 25th November, Madrid will switch on its Christmas lights meaning the festive period is almost here! A great plan for the kids! We'll of course keep you up to date will all festive events taking place in the city.

Fifty Factory, the outlet brand of Grupo Cortefiel, opens its "online store"

2011-11-15T12:56:00.000+01:00

The Group, pioneer since 2000 on online sales, is now fully present with all its brands in the e-commerce network.

Fifty Factory, the outlet brand of Grupo Cortefiel, opens its "online store"

http://fiftyfactory.com/

Grupo Cortefiel reinforces its presence on line with the launch of its multi-outlet brand, Fifty Factory. In the new e-shop, www.fiftyfactory.com, you can purchase items from all the Group's brands: Pedro del Hierro, Cortefiel, women'secret and Springfield, as well as Pierre Cardin and Antonio Miró, with discounts up to 70 %.

The new multi-brand outlet store already operates in Spain and plans to extend its presence to other European markets starting February 2012. The e-shop is presented as a website for shopping in an easy, fast and secure manner, where the user can browse by category (coats, knits, jackets ...), by brand, by collections (man or woman) and by size. The delivery time is 48 hours from the purchase and the store offers all payment facilities, with credit or debit card and/or through PayPal. The Fifty Factory e-shop is launched with exclusive promotions for each brand.

Fifty Factory
The multi-outlet brand Fifty Factory opened its first store in 1997 and currently has a network of 28 outlets throughout Spain and Portugal. Fiflty Factory belongs to Grupo Cortefiel, a leader in the fashion sector, which has a sales network of 1,771 stores in 64 countries through its five brands: Cortefiel, Pedro del Hierro, Springfield, women'secret and Fifty Factory .

women'secret surprised the public with a pijama "flashmob"

2011-11-09T12:31:00.003+01:00

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FREE Multimedia: VIDEO, PICTURES, AUDIO, INFORMATION FOR DOWNLOAD: http://grupocortefielnews.com/

women'secret surprised the public in the Plaza Santa Ana, in the very heart of Madrid with a "flashmob" composed of 100 dance students inviting all passers-by to join in the amazing choreography

women'secret surprises public with 100 dancers in pyjamas

The group of dancers, organized by women'secret, took the Plaza de Santa Ana by surprise with a 100 young dance students dressed up in pyjamas to the sound of “Hello” by Dragonnette and Martin Solveig.

The invitation was extended through social networks to the followers of women'secret and to the brand’s loyalty club members, the WOW club. They all enjoyed the opportunity to participate in this spontaneous event, while hundreds of lookers could enjoy the special moment.

With this performance we present our latest pyjama collection differently. Our goal is to create proposals that create emotions and what better way than to invite our fans to join in fun. "This is the spirit of womensecret; our brand stands for dynamism, sensuality, spontaneity and fun," explains Anna Aubert, director of marketing women'secret.

This action is intended to accompany a promotion of 25% discount on all pyjamas, and up to 70% discount to the first five daily buyers who dare to come out of the store wearing the pijamas. This promotion was launched on November 2, and it will be running until November 13.

women'secret

women'secret belongs to Grupo Cortefiel, a leader in the fashion industry. The brand was established in 1993 with its first store in the centre of Madrid, and a strong vision of becoming a leader in creativity, efficiency and sensitivity in the lingerie sector. In the past year year women'secret has opened 70 new outlets in four continents and is now present in 45 countries with a total of 546 stores.

Zarkana: an exciting new production by the Cirque du Soleil

2011-11-07T13:38:00.000+01:00

The Cirque de Soleil are back in Madrid with Zarkana, another dazzling performance which has been stunning audiences on its worldwide tour. Zarakana tells the story of Zark, a magician who has lost his powers and his true love and his quest to regain them. The show will run at the Madrid Arena from 12th November until 1st January. Tickets start from 23€.

Treasures of the Hermitage come to the Prado

2011-11-07T12:51:00.000+01:00

One hundred and eighty treasures normally on display at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg will be coming to the Prado Museum from this week. The objects date from the 5th centry AD upto the 20th century and they include drawings, paintings, archaeological arcifacts and other decorative pieces produced by greats including Rubens, Picasso, Caravaggio, Renoir and Matisse. The exhibition will open on Tuesday 8th November and will be open everyday (even on Mondays when the rest of the museum is closed) until 25th March 2012.

You can find out more information here, and even make a virtual visit.

Queen- Symphonic Rhapsody

2011-10-27T13:45:00.000+02:00

Spanish soprano Mayca Teba will be performing an exclusive concert mixing rock songs by legendary group Queen with the classical opera style. The concert will take place Thursday 3rd November at Joy Eslava Theatre on Calle Arenal. Don't miss it!

Mario Vargas Llosa- Life and Freedom

2011-10-26T10:55:00.000+02:00

The Sala El Águila (Calle Ramírez de Prado, 3) will welcome a fascinating exhibition dedicated to the life and work of the Nobel Prize winning Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa. Items on display include letters, photographs, manuscripts, personal objects as well as audiovisual material which illustrate his illustrious career as a journalist, his friendships and literary influences as well as his political involvement in Peru. The exhibition has already visited a number of cities in Latin America, as well as Paris and Stockholm and it will be in Madrid from 4/11 until 29/1. Certainly a must for lovers of hispanic culture and literature.

Jamón, Jamón!

2011-10-25T14:24:00.000+02:00

For you lovers of jamón (Spanish ham), there will be a festival of jamón iberico taking place in Plaza Mayor from this Thurs until Sunday. The delicious hams are one of our favourite things about Spain!

Pelleas et Melisande

2011-10-20T15:37:00.000+02:00

Pelleas et Melisande, the latest production by the Opéra National de Paris will be running at the Teatro Real at the beginning of November. It's the only opera ever written by French composer Débussy and tells the story of a love triangle which takes place in the imaginary kingdom of Allemonde. The performances are as follows 31/10, and 2, 7, 11, 13 and 16th November. You can buy tickets online here.

Painted Architectures/Arquitecturas Pintadas

2011-10-20T15:23:00.002+02:00

The Thyssen Bornemisza Museum and the Fundación Caja Madrid are jointly hosting an exhibtion which brings together some of the best known paintings of architecutre. The exhibtion which opened last Monday features works dating from the Renaissance period up to the 19th century produced by greats such as Duccio, Bellotto and Canaletto. The Thyssen will focus predominantly on art which shows urban scenes to give a context to a painting, whilst the works on display at the Fundación Caja Madrid shows how cityscapes became ever more a protagonist in art. The exhibtions will run up until the 22nd January.

Fundación Caja Madrid, Plaza de San Martín 1, nearest metros Callao, Sol or Ópera. Free entry, closed on Mondays.

Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, Paseo del Prado 8, metro Banco de España or Atocha. Entance 8€ or 13€ for a combined ticket. Closed Mondays.

Madrid Jazz Festival

2011-10-17T14:50:00.000+02:00

Once again jazz musicians from across the globe will be in the city for another edition of Madrid Jazz Festival (2nd November- 4th December). Now in its 28th year, it is considered one of the world's best known festivals of its kind and this year's promises to be another great edition with 27 performances during the month long festival period. With performers coming from a wide range of countries including Cuba, Senegal, Mexico and Poland, there will a diverse mixture of jazz styles on offer which won't disappoint the most avid of fans. The concerts will be held at various locations in the city. You can see the full programme here as well as where to get tickets, however info only in Spanish (even though it describes itself as an "international" festival).

A tasty Halloween!

2011-10-14T14:49:00.004+02:00

Halloween is approaching, and many of Madrid's bars and restaurants are offering a specials for the spookiest night of the year. Here's a pick!

- Il Particolare (Campomanes, 5. Madrid. Tel. 91 541 83 07. www.ilparticolare.es ) is offering a menu which may look scary but in fact upon trying the food, will be a delight.

- New York Burger (General Yagüe, 5. Madrid. Tel. 91 770 30 79 and calle Recoletos, 4. Madrid. Tel. 91 431 84 17. www.newyorkburger.es ) will be offering a special Halloween Burger, consisting of chargrilled burger accompanied with goats cheese, tomato confit and lettuce.

- Carlos Moreno, bartender at O´Clock (Juan Bravo, 25. Madrid. Tel. 91 563 23 49. www.oclockpub.com ), will be presenting his Trago Sangriento (Bloody Shot) of tequila, mandarine juice, hot agave, a red soul and not forgetting chilli devil horns!

- THE GIN ROOM (Academia, 7. Madrid) will celebrate the night of the spooks by inviting everyone to a gin and tonic.

Madrid in Danza

2011-10-14T10:04:00.000+02:00

It's almost time for Madrid to welcome another edition of Madrid en Danza, its annual international dance festival, which is now in its 26th year. This year's edition will feature 25 productions from ten countries, including Japan, Mexico and the UK, as well as performances by Spanish dancers. Some of the highlights of this year's programme include the curious Paradise in a Jar Odyssey 2001, a take on Stanley Kubrick's Space Odessey and The Odyssey by Homer set to traditional butoh dance; and more traditional performances such as Poppea/Poppea and New Work, which are based on classical operas and dances.

The festival runs between 7th and 27th November at various locations in Madrid. For full programme and where to buy tickets see here.

VII International Conference for the Promotion of the Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables and Vegetables

2011-10-13T16:04:00.002+02:00

At the IFEMA Madrid 18-19th October

"5 a day" sets out an ambitious project of internationalization. Such project, aimed to go abroad and beyond the territorial borders of our country in order to spread the message from Spain as the biggest producer country of high quality fruits and vegetables in the world, is focused on the development of specific projects such as the organization of the VII International Conference for the Promotion of the Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables, to be held on the 18^th and 19^th October under the slogan "5 a day, a matter of health".
The Conference will take place in Madrid, and the Madrid Showground Area (Instituto Ferial de Madrid-IFEMA) will be the chosen enclave to hold such meeting, which, due to its modern equipment and large experience hosting this kind of activities, shall provide with all the necessary facilities for the event to take its course in the best possible conditions.
On its seventh edition, 5 a Day Spain will host this event placing especial emphasis on the aspects related to the horticultural sector and the fight to eradicate childhood obesity. A crucially important Conference for all the sectors involved in "5 a day" movement, from those linked to the environment of fruit and vegetables, to the ones related to health and human nutrition.

Registration is free of charge: http://congreso.5aldia.org/v_portal/apartados/apartado.asp?te=910

The Prado reveals its miniature treasures

2011-10-11T14:17:00.000+02:00

The Prado Museum has just put on display a delightful collection of miniature pieces of art, including several small portraits painted in oil on copper by Goya. It is the first time that they have ever been on display, and they will be on show alongside the main collection. They will be on public display until 26th February. To see some of the works on display from the comfort of your home, the museum has put together an animated guide. Prado Museum miniatures

Día de la Hispanidad 2011

2011-10-10T13:58:00.000+02:00

Wednesday 12th October is a public holiday in Spain to celebrate Día de la Hispanidad (Day of Hispanity). In Madrid there will be the usual military parades and flyovers by the airforces, with around 3000 miltary personnel amd 55 aircarft and just like every year, the King of Spain will be present. The parades will take place along Paseo del Prado, continue along Paseo de Recoletos and will culminate in Plaza de Colón.

Shopin- tailor made personal shopping in Madrid!

2011-10-07T15:44:00.002+02:00

Shopin is Spain's most established and biggest personal shopping companies with over 6 years experience. They know exactly what the customer wants and offer a personalised service tailored to the client. Shopin offers two services- Shopin Moda, dedicated to fashion and Shopin Deco, which helps you find the perfect look for your home. The company prides itself on being a group of specialists that analyse the latest trend and search for the most original and hidden shops. Their services are directed to companies, or individuals who travel a lot or who, simply, do not have time to spend on themselves. They pay attention to every single detail: picking up clients at their hotel, at their home or at their place of work and accompanying them on the chosen route, with coffee breaks or stops to have lunch in the most trendy restaurants in the city. Shopin also organizes private and corporate events where its knowledge of the latest international trends will make it a more enjoyable experience for those who want to do something different.

For more details visit www.shopin.es call +34-619 22 68 50 or email shopin@shopin.es or contact Kate at kate@madridisuserfriendly.com or +34 915627854, if you would like MADRID IS USER FRIENDLY to give you a hand!!!

A new exhibition celebrates the work of Yves Saint Laurent

2011-10-04T16:48:00.000+02:00

The Fundación Mapfre has just opened a new exhibition dedicated to the life and works of French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. Visitors can see examples from his collections dating back from 1965 right up to the present day, including the iconic Mondrian dress. The exhibition is at The Fundación Mapfre, Paseo de Recoletos 23, near metro station Banco de España and is free to visit. It can be seen until 8th January.

Autumn exhibtions at the Reina Sofia

2011-10-04T15:37:00.003+02:00

This is the programme of temporary exhibitions at the Reina Sofia Museum for this autumn. Entry costs 3€ and you can visit as many of them as you like with the ticket.

Alighiero Boetti- Estrategia de Juego until 5th Feb 2012

Elena Asins. Fragmentos de la memoria until 31st October

Andreas Fogarasi. La ciudad de color / Vasarely Go Home until 9th January

Madrid Architecture Week

2011-10-03T15:58:00.001+02:00

You will be able to discover the secrets of some of Madrid's most iconic buildings this week as part of Madrid Architecture Week. The buildings which will be opening up include modern developments such as the Madrid Rio project and recent urban developments to more historic monuments such as the cemetery La Almudena and the Palace of Communication. Events include guided tours, talks and architecture themed walks. Runs from 3-10th October.

The Hole

2011-09-26T15:35:00.003+02:00

It's not circus, nor cabaret and neither is described as burlesque. The Hole mixes these three elements in a decadent and intriguing new musical show at the Teätro Häagen Dazs Calderón. According to the show's creators, it promises to seduce the audience and offer plenty of surprises. Tickets cost from 25€ upwards, and you can opt for the special The Hole Experience Package, which gets you up close to the stage and cava and strawberries on arrival for 95€. Here's a link for tickets.

Madrid's Museum of Romanticism welcomes Puskin

2011-09-23T14:25:00.002+02:00

The Museum of Romanticism has just inaugurated its autumn exhibition- The Russian Romaticism in the Era of Puskin, which includes some of the best known works of the 19th century painter. You can visit the exhibition until 18th December and entry is free. The museum is at Calle San Mateo 13, nearest metro stations are Tribunal (L1, L10) or Alonso Martínez (L4, L5, L10).

Entertainment in Madrid

2011-09-21T14:31:00.002+02:00

Madrid is a city full of life and is slowly becoming a model capital for great shows and musicals for both madrileños and visitors. Look out Broadway!

The best place for glitzy entertainment is Gran Vía here you will find plenty of theatres staging world class musicals, cinemas and nightclubs. Malasaña is where young carefree madrileños come to party, whilst in Chueca the ambient is gay friendly. Madrid has many concert venues and plenty of big names from the national and international music scene come here to perform. If you are looking for cultural entertainment, you will find classical concerts, dance performances and as well as plays. Don't forget to keep checking here where we post our entertainment and culture picks for the coming weeks.

Musicals
For musicals the best place to go is Gran Vía. Recently big name hits such as Mama Mia!, High School Musical and Les Miserables have all been here. Whilst they are in Spanish, you can at least still sing along! The Rialto, Lope de Vega and Teatro Coliseum are the best known and are all on Gran Vía. The Teatro Haagen Dazs near Sol and Tirso Molina is also recommended. Expect to pay around 20€ for a decent seat.

Theatre and dance
In Madrid you will find a wide range of opera, plays and dance performances on offer. However if you plan to see a play, most performances are in Spanish, although sometimes there are shows in English. If you want to see something typically Spanish, why not visit the Teatro de Zarzuela where you can see a traditional Zarzuela or operetta. In general expect to pay around 15-30€ for a seat although sometimes you can get tickets for much less or even free! Here's some of our recommended theatres:
Teatro La Latina, Metro La Latina (L5)
Teatro La Zarzuela, (for typical Spanish opera) Metro Sol (L1, L2, L3)
Teatro Real, (the Opera House) Metro: Ópera (L2, L5, R)
Teatro Español, (on Plaza Santa Ana), Metro: Antón Martín (L1)
Teatro Bellas Artes, Calle Alcalá, metro: Sevilla

Cinema
Unlike the theatre, in most cases the cinema should not pose too many linguistic problems for non Spanish speakers as most films made in English are subtitled for Spanish audiences. In the centre you will find plenty of cinemas, a great deal of them have being going for years and still maintain their old charm. Cinema tickets in Madrid cost around 7€. Here's our pick:
Cine Ideal, Metro: Tirso de Molina (L1)
Cine Capitol, Metro: Callao (L3,L5), right on Gran Vía
Renoir Princesa, Metro: Ventura Rodriguez (L3)
Renoir Plaza de España, Metro: Plaza de España (L3, L10)
Cines Callao, Metro: Callao (L3,L5), right on Gran Vía/Plaza Callao
Fans of independent film might like to try:
The Cine Doré Metro Antón Martín (L1). This is the national filmoteca.
Cine Bellas Artes Metro Sevilla (L2)

Nightclubs
In Spain most nightclubs don't get going until around 2am or 3am and stay open until the break of dawn. This is why you will see madrileños eating churros (long doughnuts eaten with hot chocolate) on their way home from a night out. Entry to a nightclub usually costs around 15€, but often includes a drink. Note that for some places you need to be quite formally dressed to enter. If dancing until dawn is not your thing, neighbourhoods like La Latina, Salamanca or Las Letras have plenty or bars (some more rowdy than others!) where you can have a more relaxing time with a drink. Bars here are often cafes during the day so quite often you can get food here later on, however some of these bars only open at night and tend to be more for dancing and live music.
Nightlife tends to differ in the different neighbourhoods, for example in Malasaña you will find the nightlife is very young and informal. Chueca is gay friendly and anything goes; it normally goes crazy at the weekend. Sol and Gran Vía tend to have the big clubs and tourist orientated nightlife. On the other hand Salamanca has more upmarket entertainment options for those with a big budget. Here are some suggestions how to have a typical madrileño night:

Bars

Typical Madrid bar in the Huertas neighbourhood

Sol: here the bars are very much geared towards tourists, which might not be for everyone's taste! The best streets here for nightlife are Espoz y Mina, Calle de la Cruz and Calle Victoria. A few places we recommend are Las Bravas (Espoz y Mina 13), La Abuela (Espoz y Mina 28), Venta el Buscón (Victoria 5), Bodegas Melibea (Espoz y Mina 9). Again you can just wander around here and see what takes your fancy as there is plenty on offer.

La Letras: a bit less touristy than around Sol but still has an excellent range of bars to suit all tastes. You can't go far wrong with Plaza Santa Ana, Calle Echagaray and Calle de las Huertas. Our top picks include the roof top bar of the Hard Rock Hotel, Café Central (very good free jazz every night) and the Cerveceria Alemana all on Plaza Santa Ana. La Fidula (Huertas, 57) Tabernas Meceira on Plaza de Jésus is also great (it is typical Gallician and has excellent food), and Café Matute (Plaza Matute) has a lovely terrace in the summer. For the top end, try the bars in The Ritz Hotel (Plaza de la Lealtad) or Hotel Palace (Plaza de las Cortes)

Malasaña: Café la Palma (Palma 62), Sala Taboo (San Vicente Ferrer 23), and Tupperware (Corredera Alta de San Pablo, 26) are all legendary in Madrid and play music at weekends, closing in the very small hours. They're perhaps not the best place for a quiet drink! If you're looking for a fun night, you're bound to find something walking around and seeing where the crowds of young madrileños go. Picnic (Minas, 1) and El Pez Gordo (Pez, 6) are a couple of fun bars. Take the metro to Tribunal (L1, L10) or Noviciado (L2) to reach these places.

Chueca: here you will find gay friendly nightlife. Plaza de Chueca on Friday and Saturday nights is usually a hotbed of activity and there are plenty or terrace bars. Some recommended bars are Soho on Plaza de Chueca and Truca (Gravina 10). The Gay Guide Madrid website has more on gay friendly entertainment and is in English. Metro: Chueca (L5).

Lavapiés: El Automático, El Economico, La Buga del Lobo are all on Calle Argumosa, metro Lavapiés. La Caña right next to the Reina Sofia on Calle Santa Isabel is another great place. Metro Atocha. All of these places have great food and terraces in the summer.

La Latina: this area is full of bars! Here night life is more low-key and an excellent choice if you are looking for a few drinks. Cava Baja, Plaza de Paja and Calle Almendero are great spots. We recommend El Viajero (has a roof terrace, Plaza de Moros), El Tomás (Cava Baja 42), Posada de la Villa (Calle San Bruno 3), Lamiack (Cava Baja 42), and La Musa on Plaza de Paja has a modern vibe. Metro: La Latina (L5).

Salamanca: here nightlife is a bit more exclusive and definitely a bit more expensive. There perhaps isn't the concentration of night-time entertainment as there are in other areas however a lot of the restaurants offer cocktails after dark. A couple of places we think are worth a visit are,
Lagoa (Serrano 85- metro Gregorio Marañón) and Bonsai (Jose Ortega y Gasset 66, metro Lista). You could also try some of the more upmarket hotels such as the Serrano Royal (Calle Marqués de Villamejor 8, metro Rubén Darío, L5) or the Hotel Wellington (Velázquez 8, metro Príncipe de Vergara L2, L9 or Velázquez L4) for drinks.

Nightclubs
Here's our pick of Madrid's best clubs:
Boite Calle Tetuán 27, Metro Sol (L1, L2, L3)
Joy Eslava, Calle Arenal, Metro: Ópera (L2,L5,R) A popular one with tourists and has something on every night
Sala Sol, Jardines 3, Metro: Sol (L1, L2, L3). Rock concerts are held here often. Look out for big names.
Pacha Madrid, Calle Barceló, Metro: Tribunal. The Madrid version of the well known Ibiza club.
Serrano41, Calle Serrano 41, metro Serrano. Upmarket club in exclusive Salamanca.
Independance, Calle Santa Engracia 26, Metro Alonso Martinez (L4, L5, L10). Very popular spot with the hip crowd.
Ohm on Plaza Callao 4, and Liquid at Barquillo 8 in Chueca are two popular gay clubs.
And not forgetting: Chocalatería San Ginés on Calle San Ginés (near Sol) is the madrileños' favourite place to get churros and chocolate after a night out. Expect it to be packed out at 6am!

Fashion from the Renaissance Era

2011-09-19T15:49:00.001+02:00

The Italian Cultural Institute in Madrid is currently housing El esplendor del Renacimiento (Renaissance Splendor), a exhibition which shows off a collection of 30 elegant outfits dating from the Renaissance period, including coronation gowns and a dress featuring a pattern designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The pieces on display contain very sophisticated examples of fine needle and brocade work as well as intricate goldthread weaves and embroidery. You can see the exhibtion until 30th September and the Italian Cultural Institute is located at Calle Mayor 86, just around the corner from the Palace and cathedral, nearest metro Ópera.

The National Ballet of Cuba come to Madrid

2011-09-16T10:48:00.000+02:00

The Cuban National Ballet, led by the world famous Alicia Alonso will be in Madrid this month to present Swan Lake and Cinderella at the Teatros del Canal. This particular production will be a special one as the company will be celebrating 65 years since they first performed it.

You can catch the production at the Sala Roja. Cinderella will run 23, 24, 25 September and Swan Lake between 28th September and 2nd October.

Back to work with the Hotel Emperador

2011-09-15T17:02:00.000+02:00

Getting back to work at the long summer break is always tough, but to help make it a little less painful, the Hotel Emperador is offering exclusive after work drinks on Thursdays during the month of September. You can come and enjoy the best cocktails- mojitos, DJs and excellent views of Madrid. They also have another exclusive promotion where you can make use of the Business Classic Room, WIFI and gain access to Emperador Club, where you can relax in the open bar with free snacks and drinks. To find out more about these promotions, visit their website.

Spanish Creators in New York

2011-09-15T16:47:00.000+02:00

For those of you interested in Spanish culture and creativity, the Spanish Consulate in New York has put together an interesting webpage featuring interviews with known Spanish creators from the world of cinema, fashion, music, theatre art and dance. The first interviews online include Antoni Muntadas, Elena del Rivero and Juan Uslé, architect Ana María Torres, musicians Ricardo Llorca y Cristina Pato, movie director Martín Rosete, chef Marc Vidal and writer Eduardo Lago amongst others.

Here's a link to the webpage: http://www.spainculturenewyork.org/beta/cms/spanish-creators/spanish-creators-in-ny/

Cortefiel celebrate Vogue Fashion's Night Out in Madrid

2011-09-13T20:09:00.001+02:00

Madrid is one of the most important fashion centres in the world. The Grupo Cortefiel celebrated the Vogue Fashion's Night Out in Madrid in three of their shops on Calle Serrano: Cortefiel, womensecret and Pedro del Hierro. These are the shops you shouldn't miss when you are in Madrid.

Madrid Fashion Week

2011-09-13T14:51:00.000+02:00

The fashion world will have its eyes on Madrid over the coming days as it celebrates its 54th fashion week. Big names in Spanish fashion such as Adolfo Dominguez, Agatha Ruíz Prado and TCN will be amongst the 45 designers showing off their spring-summer 2012 collections on the Cibeles catwalk. Hoomage will also be paid to the late Spanish fashion designer Jesús del Pozo. Futhermore, the event offers opportunities for 40 young designers to present their designs to the fashion industry in a effort to encourage new Spanish talent. The event places great emphasis on social media, with a blogger zone and the Soy Cibelino Competition on Facebook.

The event takes place at the IFEMA (Feria de Madrid) between 16-20th September.

Les Ballets de Monte Carlo present Sleeping Beauty

2011-09-05T16:48:00.000+02:00

Les Ballets de Monte Carlo present a ballet version of the Perrault's Sleeping Beauty with a contemporary twist. The production is choreographed by Maillot, considered as one of the most talented and imaginative choreographers of the modern day, who has also worked on productions of Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella. The shows runs between 6th-11th September at the Teatro Real. Tickets start at 9€ and can be bought online here.

ArteMadrid Apertura

2011-09-05T14:29:00.000+02:00

One for lovers of art! Over the weeknd of 15-17th September around 50 of Madrid's independent art galleries, big and small, will open up and host an exciting programme of events inlcuding talks, workshops and the chance to see some private collections. To see the full prgramme visit, http://www.artemadrid.com/

Shrek the Musical

2011-09-05T14:09:00.004+02:00

Everyone's favourite green ogre Shrek will be coming to the stage of the teatro Nuevo Apolo from 21st September in a fun packed musical. The show is based on the storyline of the first movie and will include the orginal songs from it. It looks like a great show for both the kids and adults!

Ticket prices start at 25€ and can be bought at Entradas.com

Vogue Fashion's Night Out

2011-09-02T13:51:00.000+02:00

Madrid's most exclusive event of the year, Vogue Fashion's Night Out will be making a return on Wednesday 7th September, when around 340 designer stores in the Salamanca district will be opening their doors until late into the night for special events, cocktails and more! There will also be many celebrities making an appearance and the streets will have a very sophisticated party vibe. The event is free, but if you wish to come along, you'll need to sign up on the Vogue website.You can also find the list of particpating stores on the website.

MTV Madrid Beach

2011-08-31T11:46:00.000+02:00

Fans of live music are in for a real treat this weekend as there will be a free music festival taking place in the newly created Madrid Rio zone of the city. The lineup with feature both Spanish and international indie groups including The Casters, Zombie Kids, Delorean and Miss Caffeina, and the event will be run in conjunction with MTV.

The festival runs 1-3 September and the concerts will begin at 9pm.

Prices rise on the Madrid tourist bus

2011-08-30T15:56:00.000+02:00

The Madrid tourist bus which offers open top bus tours of Madrid will put up its prices by 14% as of 1st September. An adult ticket will now cost 20€. This is because the service will no longer be run by the EMT (Madrid bus network) but will now be run again in private hands, this time by Madrid City Tour. As well as these price changes, the bus route will now incorporate the new Madrid Rio zone, the four towers of Madrid and the bullring at Las Ventas.

Public transport in Madrid

2011-08-29T12:50:00.002+02:00

Madrid has excellent public transport. It's very modern, cheap and covers most of the city centre. If you're looking how to get from Madrid airport to your hotel, we recommend taking a look at this post.

Madrid Metro

Madrid’s metro network is one of the largest and modern in the world and it's the best and fastest way of getting around the city. There are 12 lines, each one with a different colour and number. It's generally very safe but watch those wallets and handbags in packed trains and stations! The metro runs from 6.00 am to 1.30 am and a journey costs 1,50€ no matter where you're going within the Madrid metropolitan area- although there is a 1€ supplement for journeys to and from the airport. The frequency of trains is high, even at the rush hour it’s a fast and comfortable way to travel especially if you are crossing the city. On weekends (Thurs-Sat nights) after the metro closes, there are nightbus routes that more or less follow the same route as the metro and leave from Plaza Cibeles. Again the ticket cost is 1,50€.

The metro station in Sol

Metro tickets can be bought in the ticket machines at metro stations and they have information in English.As we mentioned in useful info, the best thing to do is buy a 10 trip bonometro from a ticket machine, which allows for 10 trips and can be used by everyone. Alternatively passes are available for 24, 48 and 72 hours giving unlimited travel on the metro and bus networks for the duration of its validity. For full information in English see the Metro de Madrid website.

Bus
The bus network efficient and far-reaching with regular services to every corner of the city and its suburbs. Most bus stops have detailed city maps posted (useful even if you're not planning to take a bus), which include the various bus routes. In terms of accessibility, most urban buses nowadays have a special ramp for elderly and disabled people; and (important!) they are air-conditioned in the summer.

Night buses (or buhos) start from Plaza de Cibeles at midnight, circulating on weekdays every 25 minutes until 3.20 am, and then every 70 minutes throughout the night. At weekends and Fridays they run all night every 20 minutes. Just like anywhere else in the world, buses are popular spots for pickpockets, more so when crowded. Information about tourist travel pass, ticket price, lines, destinations, schedules, etc. in English can be found on the Madrid CMT. A single bus journey costs 1,50€, but you can also use 10 trip bonometro passes and tourist passes on them.

Madrid bus

If you are planning to take a bus out of Madrid, perhaps a day trip or to your next destination, there are a number of bus stations. There are two long distance bus stations; Estación Sur (Metro: Mendez Alvaro, L6) where most national buses depart from; for example to Andalucia, Valencia, Galicia etc... and Avenida de America interchange (L4,6,7,9), where buses for the Basque Country, Barcelona and Santander leave from. Make sure you know where yours leaves from! The main bus operator in Spain is Alsa and you can buy tickets from their website. The frequent and cheap buses for Toledo and Segovia (both around 1 hour from Madrid and very popular day trips) leave from Plaza Eliptica (L6) and Principe Pio (L6, L10, R) interchanges respectively.

Taxis
Though slightly more expensive than they once were, Madrid's taxis are still reasonably priced and the drivers are usually honest and safe. All of Madrid's taxis are white with a red stripe. You can flag a cab anywhere and there are many official cab bays around the city. The meter starts at a set minimum price and there are different fees for day, night, weekdays, holidays and depending on the area of the city. The extras are added onto the meter by punching a few buttons, all of which are set by the local authority, another reason for the excellence in Madrid cabs.

Madrid taxis

Make sure the meter is running, otherwise you risk being overcharged. ONLY PAY WHAT IS ON THE METER. When taking taxis from the airport, train and bus stations, it is advisable to use the official taxi zones as roaming touts who offer lifts are often on the look out for an easy rip-off. NEVER USE AN UNOFFICIAL CAB- not that there are many. The cab drivers being their own boss makes sure of that! There are many different taxi companies: Teletaxi, Radiotaxi, Taxi Mercedes…etc... All of them give you the same service with the exception that you can order one over the phone. There are supplements for jorneys to and from the following:

• airport
• IFEMA fairground
• bus and train stations
• and on some public holidays
LUGGAGE: you pay if you put it inside the taxi, NOT if it goes in the boot.
TAXI BOOKINGS: they will charge you the journey from the closest taxi stop to the meeting point. These are charges on a card the cab driver has, but if he punches his buttons on the meter, it will show! Some taxi reservation numbers:
902 478 200 / 91 5478 200
91 405 12 13 / 91 40 55 500
902 50 11 30 / 91 371 21 31

By Bike
Not a good idea! Madrid is still not a bicycle friendly city…It is a pity but we have to say that Madrid is not a cycling-friendly city. Only a few adventurous cyclists dare circulate the traffic packed city centre and there are few bike lanes. However Madrid City Council is decidedly committed to the promotion of cycling as an urban transport, and 274 kilometres of bike lanes are projected to be constructed in coming years, which will link together all Madrid districts.
There are however a number of parks and open spaces such as Retiro, Parque del Oeste and the vast open wilderness of Casa del Campo on the edge of the city if you prefer to cycle somewhere a little quieter. If you really want to go off-road, you could try the Sierra de Guadarama mountain range which is less than an hour from Madrid. Here you can find true nature and tranquility as well as plenty of excellent mountain biking routes
If you want to sightsee by bike, the best idea is to go with one of the agencies in city that organise guided bike tours- see below. They will take you along safe and charming paths, away from the mad drivers. In the summer we recommend wearing good sun protection, but the routes are not too demanding. Some of the agencies also organise cycling tours in the mountains around Madrid and in other parts of Spain, a country with beautiful areas for cycling off the beaten track.

Bike tours
Mad bike (offer various tours around Madrid)
Bravo Bike (routes in Spain)
Urban Movil (bike and segway rental and tours- in Spanish)
BikeSpain (tours in Madrid and Spain)

Bike shops for renting or repair:
Bicimanía (c/ Palencia, 20 in Spanish)
Calmera (c/ Atocha, 98)

Train
There are two main train stations in Madrid, Atocha and Chamartin. Atocha is more or less in the centre of the city and is widely used by tourists, whilst Chamartin in the north is much further out and generally not used by tourists. Most trains will stop at both. From these stations you can take trains to any part of Spain as well as to a number of international destinations. The national rail operator is called Renfe and you can book tickets online. The rail network in Spain is very good and the trains are very modern and clean. Many cities are connected by the high speed AVE service which has slashed journey times remarkably. For example Madrid-Barcelona can now be done in less than three hours. The journey used to take around seven.

A high speed AVE train

There are also the local 'cercanías' trains which might be useful for getting from Nuevos Ministerios to Sol or Atocha when coming from the airport. These serve the city as well as as local towns. As yet the airport is not connected, but hopefully by the end of 2011 it will be. Cercanías stations in the centre include Sol, Atocha Renfe and Recoletos, although the network is expanding rapidly. All cercanías trains stop at Atocha Renfe and Chamartin main stations.

The Lion King returns to Madrid

2011-08-24T12:02:00.001+02:00

The popular musical the Lion King, based on the Disney animated film will be coming to the Lope de Vega theatre (Gran Vía 57) from 21st October. Tickets are already on sale and start from 29,50€. The theatre is also offering special 'butaca de oro', golden seat packages, which for 130€ give you the best seats in the house, a backstage tour, cocktail reception as well as other perks. The production will run until 18th December and tickets can be bought from this link. Here's a taster of the show:

Prado Museum ticket prices to rise

2011-08-22T20:35:00.000+02:00

The Prado Museum announced today that admission as of Sunday 4th September will now cost 10€, up from 7€. However this new price includes entry to the temporary collections which are currently at extra charge or cost the same as the new price with a combinted ticket. The museum says the idea is to give the a much more diverse visitor experience.

Faena flamenco and tango shows

2011-08-17T17:00:00.000+02:00

If you're looking for a flamenco show in Madrid, we can recommend Faena. They offer packages which include show, dinner and even entrance to their club after the show.

In Faena Madrid the passion of the tango and the power of flamenco go on stage in a heated dinner show. World-renowned dancers, singers and musicians join forces to thrill its more demanding audiences.

The Restaurant: The soul of Faena Madrid, Avant-garde and traditional cuisine are mixed with a fabulous décor and a spellbinding show

The Dance Company: The show is about to get started! Glitz, glamour and the temperature rise to its name. Faena Madrid, directed by one of the best flamenco dancers in the world, Josuá Vivanco.

The Club: The hall changes into a state-of-the-art club, with the best sound, light and effects. The most exclusive and cosmopolitan people meet and are welcomed by Faena Madrid's resident DJ

What's included?
Show
Dinner
Entrance to the club (only Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays)

You can also buy a 'show only' ticket which includes a drink: water, soft drink, beer or wine or a cocktail/long drink but does not include the meal.

The shows run from Tuesday to Sunday, with dinner at 9pm and the show at 10pm. Neoturismo are currently offering special discounts on flamenco show packages- see their website to buy at a discounted price.

The Teatros del Canal start a new season with two exciting productions

2011-08-17T16:27:00.001+02:00

One of Madrid's best loved theatres, the Teatros del Canal will start the new season with two exciting productions; Cayetana su pasión and El Pisito.
Cayetana, su pasión is piece of flamenco-ballet which pays hommage to the very colourful Spanish aristocrat the Duchess of Alba, and features costumes designed by Victorio & Lucchino. The duchess herself is a big fan of flamenco ballet and a lover of all things typcially Spanish. The show runs from 31st August until 18th Setember in the Sala Rojo and tickets start from 14,50€.

If you have a decent level of Spanish, El Pisito is the story of a hard-up couple from the 1950's who due to their lack of money want to get married and have their own apartment, however they are offered one under some very strange circumstances. Although the story takes place in the past, it still has a lot of relevance today for young people struggling to buy a place to live due to the economic times. The show runs from 1st-18th September in the Sala Verde and tickets start from 12€.

Road closures and transport disruption in Madrid for visit of the Pope

2011-08-15T13:30:00.003+02:00

As you may know in Madrid this week the Pope will be visiting and his visit will coincide with the World Youth Day celebrations also taking place in the city. Because of this there is going to be a huge influx of tourists in the city over the coming days- there could be around half a million extra people in the city, and due to the massive scale of the event, this will mean significant road and transport disruption from 16th-23rd August. If you are using the metro or the bus routes in Madrid, we strongly recommend checking the websites before making a journey as there will be some metro stations closed, and many bus routes will be diverted. If you are planning on using the Airport Express bus, it will pick up and drop off from Plaza de la Independencia, by the Puerta de Alcalá. Also the Madrid open top tourist buses will have a disrupted schedule on 16, 18, 19 August.

Metro de Madrid website
EMT Madrid bus network website (only in Spanish for the moment and info about route changes very hard to find!)

Red indicates major road closures. View Madrid in a larger map

From 16-23 August: the whole of Gran Vía from Plaza de España to Calle Alcalá, and the Prado-Recoletos axis (from Plaza Colón to Atocha station) will be closed to traffic. Plaza de Cibeles will be difficult to access at times. Banco de España, Recoletos and Colón stations may also be closed at times due to events. All bus routes along this axis, including the nightbuses which all terminate in Cibeles will be rerouted. Additionally there will be some closures around Calle Antonio Maura, Pl de la Lealtad and Alfonso XII.

Thurs 18-Fri 19 August: the following streets around the historic centre of Madrid will remain closed from the Thursday evening due to a procession and into Friday. Calle Mayor- Puerta del Sol- Alcalá- Ruiz de Alarcón- plazas de la Lealtad, Cánovas del Castillo y de Jesús- Duque de Medinaceli- plaza de las Cortes- calle de Toledo- Colegiata- Duque de Rivas- El Salvador- plaza de la Provincia- Esparteros- Sacramento- San Justo.

Sat 20 August: the Pope will be giving mass at the catedral de la Almudena in the morning, and this will mean partial closues around the cathedral area including Calle Bailén, Calle Mayor, Cuesta de San Vicente and Gran Vía de San Francisco.

Sat 20- Sun 21 August: the whole area around the Cuatro Vientos airfield will be off limits due to an open air mass. Probably as a tourist this won't affect you at all as it's way out of the city.

Supercopa- Real Madrid vs Barcelona

2011-08-12T10:49:00.000+02:00

The Spanish football season kicks off this weekend with the Supercopa game, featuring league winners FC Barcelona against winners of the Copa del Rey, Real Madrid. The first leg of the Supercopa will take place this Sunday 14th August at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. Last minute tickets start from 130€ and can be found here. The second leg of the cup will be played the Wednesday after at Nou Camp in Barcelona.

JMJ World Youth Day and Pope's visit to Madrid

2011-08-11T10:30:00.007+02:00

World Youth Day 16-21 August in Madrid

Young people from all over the world will be coming to Madrid to take part in World Youth Day, an international mass gathering for young catholics, which coincides with the Pope's visit. There could be around 1/2 million extra people on the streets of Madrid.

If you are coming to Madrid for World Youth Day or the Pope's visit, you will find the full schedule, travel information and other useful tips on their link in English:

http://www.madrid11.com/en

Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Madrid on Thursday, August 18.

Note that during the visit, Plaza de España-Gran Vía- Alcalá and Paso de Recoletos, Cibeles and Paseo del Prado will be fully closed to traffic from 16th-23rd and there will be other disruption and closures along these routes from 11th August due to preparation for the event. There will also be road closures around the Asturias/La Latina areas of the city Thurs-Fri18/19 August, on Saturday 20th around the cathedral area, and the weeekend 20/21 August the area around the Cuatro Vientos airdrome (SW of the city) will be inaccessible. Expect diversions on buses and Banco de España, Colón, Recoletos and Cuatro Vientos stations may be subject to closures.

The Barber of Seville

2011-08-07T16:54:00.000+02:00

There's no better way to spend a summer night than enjoying some open air opera, even more so from the very elegant surroundings of the Sabatini Gardens located next to the Royal Palace. Ópera Cómica, one of Madrid's oldest opera companies will be performing the classic, The Barber of Seville in what should be a very delightful performance. The production runs from 18th-27th August and ticket prices start at 15€. They can be bought at entradas.com or at the venue box office.

Cossacks from Russia

2011-08-03T12:01:00.000+02:00

As part of the Veranos de la Villa season, the Russian State Cossack Dance Company have been invited to come to Madrid to perform some traditional cossack dances in what promises to be a very energetic production with up to 50 dancers on stage! The performance includes dances from across the different regions of Russia as well as some with hints of oriental influences. Music will be provided by a full chamber orchestra. You can see the production between 4th-9th August at the Sabatini Gardens next to the Royal Palace. Tickets start from 15€ and can be bought from entradas.com or at the venue box office.

Price of a single ticket goes up

2011-08-03T11:06:00.001+02:00

As of Monday 8th August, single trip tickets on Madrid's metro and bus networks will rise from 1€ to 1,50€. This is because the local government can no longer afford to subsidise ticket costs and want to encourage people to become regular users of the public transport network and buy multiple journey tickets and monthly passes instead. For the moment all other tickets including the 10 trip ticket, the monthly 'abono' and the tourist passes will remain at the same price. This price rise is the first for the single ticket since 2003 and it is now the most expensive single on any urban transport network in Spain.

Human Bodies

2011-08-02T13:41:00.000+02:00

Discover the hidden secrets of the human body at a fascinating new exhibition where visitors can see as never before ten human bodies and 100 human organs on display, which have all been preserved by the means of plastination. The exhibition promises to be a unique masterclass about the various systems of the human body and what lies beneath our skin. All visits come with a headset so you can enjoy commentary in the language of your choice. The exhibition runs until 23rd October at the Casa de Campo Pabilión XII (Metro L6 Alto de Extremadura or Lago L10). Tickets cost 10€.

Calé

2011-08-02T12:29:00.000+02:00

Joaquín Cortés is one of Spain's best loved flamenco performers, and Calé is an exciting musical journey which takes us through his 20 year career as a dancer and portrays his influences, experiences and glories. Cortés has tourned the world with this show, including in the USA, and of course seeing him perfom in Spain, it is going to be a much more special experience. Calé runs at the Teatro Coliseum at Gran Vía 78 (Metro: Plaza de España L3, L10) from 3-14th August beween Weds-Sun and tickets costs from 28,50€.

Teotihuacan- The City of Gods

2011-07-28T10:43:00.000+02:00

A fascinating new exhibtion dedicated to the treasures of Teotichuacan, the most important city during Aztec times, has just opened at the Caixa Forum Madrid. It features around 400 artifacts selected from some of Mexico's best museums which were found at the ancient site located on the edge of modern day Mexico City. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to learn how the city's ancient inhabitants lived, their religion and culture, and how they organised their society during the city's 800 year history. Best of all the exhibition is free. You can catch the exhibition at the Caixa Forum (Paseo del Prado 36- look for the wall of plants) until 13th November).

Chicago the Musical makes a return to Madrid

2011-07-27T12:15:00.000+02:00

From the 17th November, the global hit musical Chicago will be back in Madrid, this time at the Nuevo Teatro Alcalá. This year is extra special as the show will be celebrating its 15th anniversary. Tickets are altready on sale and cost from 14,90€ upwards. You can buy tickets here.

Open air cinema in Madrid

2011-07-07T16:01:00.000+02:00

It's cinema as you've never seen it before! To make the most of the summer months, an open air cinema and leisure zone has been errected in the Parque Enrique Tierno Galván for the month of July. The cinema will show each day a film selected from recent favourites such as Black Swan, The Tourist, Pirates of the Carribean 4 and The Social Network. In the leisure zone you will find plenty of restaurants, cafés, bars and snack stands. Each night the film will begin at 10.15pm, but access to the leisure zone will open at 8pm. The cinema season runs from 7th-23rd July. For full programme and to buy tickets, consult the Open Air website. Cinema tickets cost 15€ which includes access to the leisure zone.

How to get there: Parque Enrinque Tierno Galván, metro Mendez Álvaro or Arganzuela-Planetario (L6)

Picota cherry loaf with white chocolate frosting- a yummy recipe made from delicious Spanish cherries

2011-07-07T10:52:00.000+02:00

With many shops facing a shortage of strawberries, maybe it’s time to give one of Spain’s favourites a try – Picota cherries?

Grown exclusively in western Spain’s beautiful Jerte Valley, Picota cherries are uniquely fresh and sweet and only available from mid-June to the end of July. The stalkless cherries are smaller than other cherries, but what they lack in size, they certainly make up for in flavour. Delicious straight from the bowl and with a little vanilla ice cream, Picota cherries also work wonderfully in this stunning recipe. Combining the sweet, vanilla taste of white chocolate, with the juicy, rich flavour of Picota cherries, this luscious dessert is light, moist and ever-so more-ish. Incredibly easy to make, this gourmet dessert is sure to go down a storm with everyone!

Picota Cherry Loaf with White Chocolate Frosting

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves 12 slices

Ingredients:

Cake;
225g butter, softened
225g golden caster sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
375g Picota cherries, halved and stoned
175g white chocolate, chopped into small chunks

Frosting;
100g white chocolate, broken into small pieces
140g half-fat mascarpone
White chocolate curls and fresh Picota cherries, to decorate

Method:

Heat oven to 180Cº/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a 1kg loaf tin with baking parchment, making sure the paper comes up higher than the sides. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, then add the eggs, a little at a time, along with the vanilla extract. Fold in the flour until you have a smooth mixture.

Dust the cherries in a little flour, then carefully stir half of the fruit and chocolate into the mixture. Spoon into the prepared tin, then scatter the remaining cherries and chocolate on top, pressing them in lightly. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for a few mins, then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Remove the marscapone from the fridge to come to room temperature. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Quickly stir in 1 tbsp of the marscapone, then beat in the rest (be careful not to overbeat the mixture or it will go grainy). Spread over the top of the loaf and finish with white chocolate curls and fresh Picota cherries.

Summer exhibition at the Prado- Rome: Nature and the Ideal. Landscapes 1600-1650

2011-07-05T16:38:00.000+02:00

The Prado in conjunction with the Louvre and the Grand Palais in Paris has assembled an exhibition consisting of around 100 landscape paintings by greats such as Velázquez, Poussin and Carracci, which depict scenes from 17th century Rome. Coming to the Prado after a similar exhibition at the Grand Palais, it one of the most ambitious temporary exhibitions ever staged by the museum, with artworks coming from around 50 sources. You can visit the the exhibition until 25th September and a ticket to the exhibition costs 10€. For more information and background visit the exhibition's webpage.

The Russian Imperial Ballet make a return to Madrid

2011-07-05T14:48:00.001+02:00

One of the best known ballet companies, the Russian Imperial Ballet will be back in Madrid this month to treat us to some of our favourite ballet pieces. From 6th to 10th July, they will perform Sherezade, Chopiniana and Bolero; and from 12th to 31st of July they will perform Swan Lake. They have performed in Madrid many times before and always get excellent reviews. The shows will be running at the Teatro Compac Gran Vía. Tickets from 20€ and are available from entradas.com, El Corte Inglés and Caja Madrid/Ibercaja ATMs.

Osborne open a store in Madrid

2011-07-03T16:44:00.002+02:00

Osborne, the sherry makers behind the famous black bull logo have just opened a gift store, Toro by Osborne. The shop is located in Calle Preciados- the main shopping area near Sol. You can find everything ranging from keyrings, to watches to motobike helmets and textiles; all bearing the iconic bull emblem. The store may have only been open a few days, but they are already reporting excellent trade and many visitors coming through their doors. The Osborne Group also plans to open similar stores in other towns and cities in the country.

The symbol of a nation

If you've ever travelled Spain, chances are you will have come across the Osborne black bull silhouette at the side of the road (here's a link to a map showing all of the locations). There are over 90 of them around the country since the first one was errected in 1957. It's perhaps one of the world's most famous advertising campaigns and the logo has since become a symbol for Spain appearing often on souvenirs and postcards.

To find out more about the Toro de Osborne range and to buy online, see their website.

Music and fashion come together!

2011-07-01T12:46:00.000+02:00

The world of fashion and music came together last night to form a project featuring Lourdes Hernández, known as singer "Russian Red" and women'secret. Russian Red's first performance took place yesterday in the new "IT store" in Calle Orense, Madrid. Opening in September 2010, this is the first of the new women'secret concept stores and combines the latest trends of interior design with stylish fashion.

The event brought together professionals from the fashion world, fashion bloggers women'secret customers and fans of Russian Red. Tickets were obtained through different campaigns launched by women'secret on their social networks. Lucky ticket holders enjoyed an exclusive concert consisting of songs from “Fuerteventura”, the new album by Russian Red."In women'secret we are always looking for new ways to reach out to our audience and to get to know them better. We believe in the relationship between fashion and music. The spirit of Russian Red fits perfectly with the woman of "women'secret," a woman who is feminine and contemporary, “ Anna Aubert the company’s director of marketing explains.Russian RedSinger-songwriter Russian Red (Lourdes Hernandez) in recent years has become one of the most significant artists of the Spanish indie music scene. She began performing in small bars in Madrid, then in theatres before stepping onto stages around the world. She has a gift to compose songs, an exceptional voice and an innate ability to transmit and excite her audience. With her first album, “I Love Your Glasses”, she sold over 40,000 copies and earned a golden disc.

On May 10, 2011 Russian Red launched “Fuerteventura”, her eagerly awaited second album, which is to be released in a number of countries across four continents.

If with her first album Russian Red became primarily known as a songwriter with character and future potential, “Fuerteventura” shows her as a singer opening borders to Spanish music. Russian Red has created a subtle, delicate style with much more smoothness, many beautiful hues and surprising twists.

Where to cool off in Madrid

2011-06-29T10:27:00.002+02:00

With the temperatures above 35ºc in the summer months, you're going to need an escape from the intense heat! Here's some ideas for where to cool off.

The outdoor swimming pool at Casa de Campo.

A favourite with the madrileños and great for kids. It's located in the massive green space of Casa de Campo. It's also very cheap costing 4,35€ for adults, 3,50€ for young people and 2,65€ for kids under 14. To get there, take line 10 to Lago.

Rooftop pools

If you fancy a bit of indulgence, it's worth buying a pass for one of the hotels with a rooftop pool. We recently visited the rooftop pools at the Hotel Emperador (from 33€ midweek, Gran Vía 53) and the Roomate Oscar (20€ half day, 40€ full day, Plaza Vázquez de Mella 12), and both were fantasic relaxing places with superb city views. Both have air conditioning and offer bar and restaurant services. What more could you need?

Aquopolis

Kids will love it here! Aquopolis is a water park located in San Fernando, a few kilometres from Madrid. There are plenty of waterslides, swimming pools and water mazes as well as tamer attractions for the very small. Admission costs 19,95€ for adults and 14,95€, although if you buy online you can save a few euros. You can also buy combined tickets which allow entry to other attractions such as the Madrid Zoo or Faunia etc... To get there, you can take the cercanías local train to San Fernando and then bus 1, or one of a number of buses which leave Madrid's Avenida de America bus terminal. See website.

Head to the beach

Madrid is about a far away as you can get in Spain from the coast, but it is still possible to visit the beach. Just recently the city hall opened its 'River Project', a massive construction project which has transformed the area around the Manzanares river in the south-west of the city, and one of the things they have created is a beach. The beach will open officially at the end of July and deckchairs will be available for hire for just 1€ a day!

Leave the city!

When Madrid is scorching hot, up in the nearby moutains the temperature is always much more refreshing. Manzanres el Real is a village with a restored castle situated next to a lake (you can take the bus 724 there from Plaza Castilla, every 30mins), or if you have access to a car you could explore the towns of Lozoya, Rascafria, Pinilla del Valle which are near to lakes for bathing.

Failing this, you can always make yourself a nice bowl of homemade gazpacho or salmorejo, delicious on those scorching Madrid summer days and much better than the stuff you buy in the supermarket!

Antonio López at the Thyssen Bornemsiza

2011-06-28T09:42:00.000+02:00

Today (Tuesday 28th June) the Thyssen Museum will inaugurate its summer temporary exhibtion which is dedicated to the Spanish artist and sculptor Antonio López (1936-). López's style is often described as realist, yet his earlier works often have a more surreal air to them. Many of his paintings have a striking real-life quality to them, that it is difficult to tell whether it is a photograph or a painting. One such example is the incredible series of paintings he produced during the 1960's of Madrid, which includes a well known one of Gran Vía. López also produced the giant baby head sculptures which can be found at the entrance to Atocha station in Madrid. If you want to catch the exhibtion it will run until 25th September. Admission costs 10€ to the exhibition alone or 13€ when combined with entry to the full collection.

Madrid gets its own walk of fame!

2011-06-27T14:23:00.001+02:00

Madrid has now got own walk of fame, just like Hollywood. Known as the Paseo de la fama in Spanish, it will officially open at 7pm today (Monday 27th June) in Calle Martin de los Heros in Argüelles. The names of 25 Spanish cinema stars including Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Antonio Banderas, and Pedro Almodóvar will be honoured with a star shaped plaque after having been chosen by the Spanish Cinema Academy to celebrate its 25th birthday.

Veranos de la Villa- summer concerts

2011-06-27T13:41:00.000+02:00

Every summer the city hall puts on a series on concerts known as the Veranos de la Villa, which takes places across different spaces across the city and attracts artists from different styles of music and dance from all corners of the globe. There will be many events taking place- far too many to list here, but here are a few picks:

29/6- 10/7 Swan Lake on ice (El lago de los cisnes) at the Sabatini Gardens. It may be scorching hot, but this performance on ice looks great for the family. It's performed by the Imperial Ice Stars, a famous ice skating performance company, who have toured the world with this production. In case you're wondering whether the ice will melt, the performance takes place in a specially constructed theatre.

6/7 Lila Downs in concert at the Escenario de Puerta del Ángel. Lila Downs is an internationlly acclaimed Mexican folk singer, who rose to fame after the release of the film Frida, which featured her music. Well worth going to see as she has an incredibly powerful voice.

7/7 Miguel Poveda in concert at the Escenario de Puerta del Ángel. One of Spain's best loved contemporary flamenco stars, yet still performs in a very traditional way. Don't miss it if you want to see some real flamenco!

13/7 Camilo & Tomatito in concert at the Escenario de Puerta del Ángel. Camilo is a jazz musican from the Domincan Republic and Tomatito is one of Spain's best flamenco performers. Here they come together to perform an interesting concert of flamenco-jazz with a touch of latino.

13/7- 24/7 Agua, Azucarcillos y Aguadiente- La Verbena de la Paloma at the Sabatini Gardens. The Sabatini Gardens, next to the Royal Palace are the perfect place to catch a traditional zarzuela on a balmy summer night.

28/7 Afrocubism in concert at the Escenario de Puerta del Ángel. Afrocubism is a project between the Cuban legends the Buena Vista Social Club and a group of musicans from Mali, mixing latino and African styles. It certainly looks an interesting mix!

18/8- 28/8 The Barber of Sevilla at the Sabatini Gardens. Enjoy one of the world's best loved operas in the magical setting of the Royal Palace. It should be unforgettable.

There are many more events including flamenco, world music, opera and dance performances and to see the full programme to buy tickets, visit the Veranos de la Villa website (unfortunately all in Spanish).

A Taste of Portugal in Madrid

2011-06-17T13:50:00.000+02:00

The first ever International Festival of Fado Music, traditional music from Portugal will be happening in Madrid this weekend, and there will be a number of events relating to Portuguese culture and gastronomy running in parallel to the festival. The 17, 18 and 19th June there will be concerts given by Carmo Carminho Rebelo de Andrade, Cuca Roseta and Carlos do Carmo, some of the greatest names in contemporary fado music at the Teatros del Canal. Attendees will have the chance to sample some typical Portuguese delicacies. We went along to the presentation of the festival and heard some of the songs which will be performed, and we can say that it is a very powerful and moving genre of music, which is performed from the soul. If you want to find out more, here's an article from Wikipedia. It is in someways similar to flamenco, yet contains elements of tango. Additional events taking place include a special Portuguese menu at the restaurante of the Teatros del Canal and the projection of four films relating to the fado culture (free entry). For more details about the events taking place and where to buy concert tickets, visit the Festival Fado Madrid blog.

Here's a taster:

Music festivals in Madrid

2011-06-16T12:33:00.001+02:00

Alternative music fans are in for a treat with two music festivals this month in Madrid. This weekend (18/19 June), Heineken Día de la Música will be taking place at the Matadero de Madrid in Legazpi. International acts performing include Lykke Li, Caribou, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Crystal Fighters and Janelle Monáe, as well as Spanish artists such as Russian Red and Vetusta Morla. The two day pass costs 24€ plus booking fee, however day tickets can be bought for 15€. The following weekend (June 24/25) DCode Festival will be held for the first time at the university campus. Acts confirmed include big names such as My Chemical Romance, Kasabian, The Vaccines, Crystal Castles and Sum 41. Weekend tickets cost 70€ plus booking fees.

For more info about the festivals and to get your tickets see:

Día de la Música
DCode Festival

El Museo del Traje (Costume Museum)

2011-06-14T11:49:00.001+02:00

A great idea for rainy days in Madrid! Not a lot of tourists come here, but we certainly recommend a trip to the Museo del Traje located next to university campus. The museum tells the story of western fashion from the middle ages right up to the present day, and there are a couple of sections dedicated to traditional dress from the different regions of Spain. There are hundres of pieces on display, including creations from designers such Karl Lagerfeld, Balenciaga, Dior and Balmain. In addition to the main collection there is also a free temporary exhibition. Admission to the museum is only 3€- a very cheap visit, and seniors and under 18s can get in for free. It's also free for all on Saturdays after 14.30. The museum is open Tues-Sat 9.30-19.00 and Sunday 10.00-15.00.Closed on Mondays. You could also combine a visit with the Museo de America (Americas Museum), located about a five minute walk away, dedicated to the history of Latin America and has a fascinating collection of pre-columbian artefacts on display.

Location: Avda Juan de Herrera 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid. Metro Ciudad Universitaria (L6), or it's a ten minute walk through parkland from Moncloa metro (L3, L6).

Madrid Tapas Fair

2011-06-09T10:59:00.001+02:00

For all you food lovers, some of the top tapas chefs will be at the Feria de la Tapa (Tapas Fair) at Palacio de Deportes making delicious tapas. Each tapa costs 1,20€ and comes with a caña (small draught beer) or soft drink... bargain! Entry to the event is free and it runs between 9th-12th June from 12pm until midnight. The Palacio de Deportes is located in the Salamanca district near metros Goya (L2, L4) and O'Donnell (L6).

Suma Flamenca Festival 2011

2011-06-08T16:44:00.001+02:00

Estrella Morente, daughter of flamenco legend Enrique Morente who passed away at the end of last year, will on Thursday 9th inaugurate this year's annual Suma Flamenca festival which is organised by the city hall of Madrid. Lasting nearly one month, this is one of the biggest flamenco festivals of its kind in Spain, and the flamenco performed here is a lot more authentic than many of the overpriced shows aimed at tourists. This year's lineup includes greats such as Rocío Molina, Niño Josele and El Cigala. The flamenco shows will take place across a number of venues in Madrid and ticket prices vary. To get more information about the shows and for tickets, see the Suma Flamenca website (in English). The festival ends on 2nd July.

Get to know Madrid with Madridem!

2011-06-08T15:33:00.000+02:00

Are you relocating to Madrid? Have you decided Madrid might be the city for a couple of months stay? Put your move into the hands of the experts!

Moving house is always a stressful experience, even more so when moving to a different country and you don't speak the language. Since 2005, relocation experts MADRIDEM have been relocating people smoothly to the Spanish capital and, through their quality range of tailor made relocation and property search packages, they will help you find your dream home and make sure you settle in. Additionally they will ensure the property is in good condition and that all appliances are in working order. If needed, they can advise on legal formalities such as opening a bank account, obtaining residency, school admissions, health cover and settting up utilities. MADRIDEM can also organise domestic services such as maids, babysitters and au pairs, all fully trained and with references.
MADRIDEM also offers short term rentals for those who would like to spend a couple months in Spain and use Madrid as their base. Whether its long or short term MADRIDEM has the solution.
MADRIDEM pride themselves on offering friendly service, efficiency and listening to the client's needs; you will be guaranteed a problem-free move for a very reasonable price. All the staff are professionals, speaking English, French and Spanish with many years of experience and excellent knowledge of Madrid and Spanish law.

MUF recommends them for their efficiency and knowledge. We will keep you informed with their latest news and offers either on this page or our blog:

For more details visit www.madridem.com
For information or requests, please e-mail : info@madridem.com or phone,
We are open from Monday to Friday, from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm
☏ +34 91 716 18 30 and +34 616 011 568 -
Please leave a message if you call before 9:30 am and after 7:30 pm and MADRIDEM will get back to you!

The Mercado de San Antón- a traditional market with a modern twist

2011-06-07T20:10:00.005+02:00

We visited the recently reopened San Antón food market in the trendy neighbourhood of Chueca to see what it had to offer, and walking around and seeing the food on show certainly made us feel hungry! The market is one of Madrid's oldest, but its renovation has brought the market into the 21st century and has created a space where you can not only buy food, but enjoy eating it as well. Given its sleek new makeover, the market may not exactly feel like an authentic market found in many of Madrid's neighbourhoods, but from wandering around it does seem more like a traditional market than the touristy Mercado San Miguel. You'll find your greengrocer, baker, butcher, dairy and a number of other stalls selling delicatessen products where you could do your daily shopping, yet still find something a little more special. Upstairs there is a mezzanine level offering a selection of quick eateries including tapas, sushi, oysters, Italian foods and a juice bar. On the very top floor is the restaurant, La Cocina de San Antón, which has a roof terrace giving views over the city. The restaurant lets you choose food from the market and they cook it for you, or you can order from the menu.We've not tried it yet, but we've heard some fantastic things said about it from those who have eaten there.

Our verdict: the produce on sale did look very tempting, although you will pay more than in other places. If you want something cheaper and more authentcally madrileño, you might be better taking a look at the Mercado de las Maravillas or the Mercado de Cebada. We did a feature on these and other markets in Madrid a few weeks ago- Markets in Madrid.

Location: Mercado de San Antón, Calle Augusto Figueroa 24, metro Chueca (L5), Gran Vía (L1, L5) or Sevilla (L2)
Opening hours: marketplace: Mon-Sat 10am-10pm; mezzanine food stalls everyday 10am-midnight; restaurant: Sun-Thurs 10am-midnight and Fri/Sat 10am-1.30am

Month of international rock concerts in Madrid

2011-06-06T11:05:00.001+02:00

From 3rd- 24th July some of the world's best known rock stars will be in Madrid for a series of concerts known as Los Veranos de Villa, which will take place at the Escenario Puerta del Ángel. Artists performing include Kool & the Gang (3/7); Playing for Change (8/7); Pablo Alborán (9/7); Wynton Marsalis (11/7); Chicago (14/7); The Beach Boys (15/7); Mavis Staples (19/7); Return to Forever IV (22/7), Cassandra Wilson (23/7) y Cyndi Lauper (24/7). Ticket prices vary, but you can buy them online here.

Scott Schuman, The Sartorialist, in Madrid

2011-06-03T13:34:00.001+02:00

A couple of reflections by the Sartorialist about his visit to Spain!!!

Rooftop garden at the Hotel Emperador open for summer!

2011-06-03T12:20:00.004+02:00

Last night we were lucky enough to go along to the cocktail party on the rooftop terrace and swimming pool of the Hotel Emperador, (one of Madrid's most classic hotels) to celebrate its opening for the summer months. It was a very glamorous affair with plenty of tempting food and sophisticated cocktails on offer. There was even a popcorn machine and ice cream man, which added an element of fun to a delightful evening. From the terrace you can see all over Madrid, and it is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail whilst watching the sunset in the city. We were looked after very well by the staff and can strongly recommend the rooftop garden for a special event in Madrid, or even to come along for a relaxing sunbathe and swim at the pool. The Hotel Emperador is located at Gran Vía 53, right in the heart of Madrid on its most iconic street. To find out more, visit their website

We meet founder of The Satorialist fashion blog Scott Schuman

2011-06-02T14:23:00.002+02:00

Fashion blogger Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) came to Madrid to give a masterclass organised by Movistar, and whilst he was in Madrid we got the chance to meet him. Considered by The New York Times as one of the most influential people of the moment, he spent fifteen years working in the fashion industry, but after the birth of his daughter, Scott became interested in photographing people in the streets dressed in a different and innovating way. He decided to put these photos up on his blog, The Sartorialist and comment on them in the hope of creating a two way dialogue about fashion and its relation with everyday life, and for people to become more aware of the street syle and trends around them.

Given the importance of fashion in today's society, Movistar invited Scott Schuman to Madrid to give a masterclass aimed at young people interested in fashion and in the phenomenom of blogging. This is the perfect example as to how today writing about fashion goes much further than what's written in the big name publications and how many other bloggers have been inspired by the work of The Satorialist and his unique approach to fashion writing.

A great month for photography lovers!

2011-06-01T17:17:00.000+02:00

If you're interested in photography you're in for a real treat this month as there are two very important photography events happening in the city. First the World Press Photography Exhibition will be in town from 2nd-26th June at the Junta de Moncloa as part of its world tour. The exhibiton features the award winning photographs from the annunual international photojournalism competition organised by the non-profit organisation World Press Photo. The other event is PhotoEspaña, an annual celebration of photography held across different galleries and exhibition spaces across Madrid, with around 70 different exhibitions in total. It's in its 14th year and this years theme is faces. The event runs between 1st June-24th July. See here for more info about the exhibitions and participating spaces.

Magia Potagia!

2011-05-31T18:01:00.001+02:00

A great one for the kids! Juan Tamariz is a an Andalucian magician who has performed far and wide including in Tokyo, Los Angeles and throughout Europe. He'll be in Madrid in early June to present Magia Potagia, a spellbinidng new magic show which makes the unreal real. You can catch the show from 2nd-19th June at the Teatro Marquina (Calle Prim, Chueca) Thurs-Sat 8.30pm and Sunday 7.30pm.

Summer exhibitions at the Reina Sofia Museum

2011-05-24T13:49:00.002+02:00

Temporary exhibitions at the Reina Sofia Museum this summer. To find out more about an exhibition, click the links. Entry to the temporay exhibitions costs 3€ and with the ticket, you can visit as many as you want.

James Castle. Show and Store.

From: May 18 - September 5, 2011
At: Sabatini Building (main building), floor 3

Yayoi Kusama (no info found)

From: May 11 - September 12, 2011
At: Sabatini Building (main building), floor 1

Leon Golub

From: May 6 - September 12, 2011
At: Palacio de Velázquez (in Retiro Park)

A Hard, Merciless Light.
The Worker-Photography Movement, 1926-1939

From: April 6 - August 22

At: Sabatini Building (main building), Floor 3

Roberto Jacoby, Desire rises from Collapse

From: February 25 - May 30
At: Sabatini Building, Espacio Uno (main building), Sala Bóvedas and Sala de Protocolo

Efrén Álvarez. Económicos

From: February 2 - May 30
At: Nouvel Building (main building), Mezzanine 2

LXS Summer Games in Madrid

2011-05-23T13:08:00.001+02:00

40,000 fans of extreme sports will be heading to Madrid between 1-3rd July to celebrate the World LXS Summer Games. Events include BMX street, dirt jump, FMX, skate and wake, where some of the world's best extreme sport competitors including César Cañas, Sam Reynolds and Vaclav Kolar will be battling it out to become world champion. The games take place at the IFEMA Feria de Madrid.

Ryanair: profit and airfares up

2011-05-23T12:44:00.001+02:00

Ryanair, everyone's most hated airline has announced profits of 374 millions euros, yet has the cheek to raise its fare prices. It plans to hike up airfares in order to pay for increasing fuel costs and other industry costs. This is just another example of Ryanair's greed and another way of increasing their profits from the pockets of the consumer, along with their stupid fees to check in luggage and penalties if you don't print your boarding pass at home. We say avoid Ryanair at all costs.

See the full article on the BBC news webpage.

Explore Madrid on a classic Vespa!

2011-05-20T11:41:00.002+02:00

Fancy doing this when in Madrid?

If you want to see Madrid in a more unconventional way, why not see it whizzing around on a classic Vespa, just like Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck? Trip Chic is a new company which rents out vintage Vespas in Madrid for very reasonable prices and they'll bring it to your hotel complete with helmet, gloves and anti-theft device. They also run custom-made Vespa tours, so you can take in all the city's sights (with plenty of stops for tapas along the way!) in style and just like in the old movies! For more details email: info@tripchic.es

International Museum Day in Madrid

2011-05-17T10:57:00.000+02:00

This Saturday night (14th May), Madrid's museums will be open until late for Noche de los Museos (Night of Museums), an event which is celebrated in museums across Europe. The Prado and Thyssen will be open until 1am and with free entry in the evening, but there will be many other events taking place. The Costume Museum (Museo del Traje), will have a special exhibition and events dedicated to fashion from the 1970s, in neighbouring Alcalá de Henares, the birthhouse of Cervantes will be holding late-night guided tours.

On Wednesday 18th May, International Museum Day, the Prado and Thyssen Museums will also have free entry to both permanent and temporary collections.

Markets in Madrid

2011-05-17T10:50:00.001+02:00

There's no better way to get an insight into a place than visiting its markets, and Madrid has its fair share. Here are some of the best markets for you to explore in Madrid:

Mercado de San Miguel

This market specialising in gourmet food is very touristy and a little overpriced, but the food is great! It's located just a stone's throw from Plaza Mayor in an early 20th century wrought iron building. It's also one of Madrid's newest markets, opening only a couple of years ago after extensive renovation. Here you can find excellent tapas, sea food (sushi), fruits and vegetables, cheeses, olives, preserves, typical sweets and wines. It's a good place to come for lunch as you can hop from stall to stall trying the different tapas (a tapa costs around 1-2€). We recommend the stall which sells 'papas arrugadas', salted boiled potatoes in a spicy sauce, a dish typical of the Canary Islands. It's perhaps not the best place to go if you're looking for everyday foods, but if you're looking for something special, it's worth taking a look. Location: Plaza de San Miguel (just off Calle Mayor). Metro: La Latina (L5) or Ópera (L2, L5, R).

The Mercado de San Miguel

Mercado de Maravillas

A gem of a place for those who know about it. Known in Spanish as the 'market of wonders', the market sells everything under the sun Being one of Madrid's biggest and best loved markets, many madrileños say 'if you can't find it go to the Mercado de Maravillas. If it's not there it doesn't exist'. Shopping here is much more authentic and cheaper than the Mercado de San Miguel, and here you will still be able to find typical produce from all corners of Spain. Expect friendly service and great value for money. Located at Bravo Murillo 122 in one of Madrid's typical suburbs. Metro: Cuatro Caminos (L1, L2, L6).

Mercado de Antón Martín

If you're looking to buy fish, this is place to come, although vegatables and meat are also sold here. Located in one of Madrid's central neighbourhoods, it's always bustling. Location: Calle Santa Isabel 5. Metro: Antón Martín (L1).

Shopping at a market in Madrid

Mercado de La Latina (la Cebada)

Another one of Madrid's traditional markets. Located in a very distinct 1960s building (make of it what you will), the market at La Latina has been part of the neighbourhood for centuries- the orignal and more more elegant market building was pulled down years ago. Here you will find fresh produce- meats, fish, vegatables, fruits, as well as homewear, clothes and other curiousities. Inside, the building looks dated (there are plans to rebuild) and many of the shops are tired looking, but you'll meet plenty of friendly locals and pay very little! Location: Plaza de la Cebada. Metro: La Latina (L5).

Mercado de la Paz

Another oldie and the market building was designed by Gustave Eiffel! Located in the upmarket Salamanca district, but despite its location, still is very down to earth. The market is well known for its produce including meats, fruits, fish, breads and excellent selection of European cheeses (look for the shop La Bouette). You can find some fantastic tapas here as well as other fine gourmet products.
Location: Calle Ayala 28. Metro: Serrano (L4).

A trip to Cabo de Gata

2011-05-16T18:10:00.000+02:00

This Easter break, we escaped Madrid for a few days and headed south to Cabo de Gata, the most south-western tip of Spain and near the city of Almería.

Cabo de Gata is a stretch of wild coastline located at Spain's most south western point, and due to the uniqueness of its flora and fauna, has been designated a National Park. It's a very arid part of the world and it receives the highest amount of sunshine in Europe. Unlike a lot of the Spanish coast, Cabo de Gata remains very unspoilt with plenty of undiscovered beaches and still very little development. Luckily for many of the region's former fishing villages, the arrival of tourism has given the area a much needed boost after the fall of more traditional industries and the migration of many of its inhabitants.

We stayed at Las Negras, a picturesque town, which whilst one of the main towns on the coast, still mantains a laid-back atmosphere. The town offers a couple of coved beaches, which never seem to get crowded and are perfect for swimming and sunbathing. There's also a good range of watersports such as diving on offer. Unfortunately for us, the weather at Easter was not very warm and it was too windy, so we didn't get to do much sunbathing. There is good accommodation available here, including camping and bungalows. No ATM in town, but a good number of restaurants, guesthouses and a supermarket.

Las Negras

From Las Negras it's pretty easy to get around the region, although you will need a car as the Cabo de Gata region has very few public transport links. Distances between places are not too big and the following itinery can easily be done in a day. You can take the pretty coastal road towards San José (the biggest and most developed town on Cabo de Gata), making stops at Los Escullos and La Isleta del Moro- a very small town which still is a fishing village, before ending up at San José. San José has a very good beach and an excellent choice of restaurants, and plenty serving fish. If you really want to get off the beaten track, you can take the unpaved road from San José to the beaches of Playa de Los Genoveses, Playa Monsul and Punta Negra. From Punta Negra, if you're up to it you can walk around the cliff face to the lighthouse at Vela Blanca, however in hot weather it would be very hard going, and it's not accessible by car from this side. Another must-see is the stretch of coast from the town of Cabo de Gata to the other side of the Vela Blanca lighthouse, where is is accessible to cars. You will have to head inland and back out towards the coast to get here. Here the coastal road is very dramatic with plenty of hairpin bends and in some places only one car can pass at a time, which means it can get a bit hairy driving during the main holidays! As you approach Cabo de Gata town, you will see the salinas or salt flats. These are home to a rich variety of wildlife, including flamingos. The town of Cabo de Gata, didn't look like it had much to offer and seemed partly abandoned. Past the town, the road has a couple viewpoints where you can make a stop for photos and to admire the views. One of these is on the cliffs above the Las Sirenas rocks, a dramatic outcrop where many ships became wrecked. If you've got the guts and you're not afraid of dizzying bends, take the trip up to the Vela Blanca lighthouse. Atop it's very windy, but the views are fantastic.

San José

The rocks at Las Sirenas

Although we didn't explore much of the northern part of the coast, if you are prepared to walk (quite far!), there are plenty of small coves inaccessible by car, such as Agua Amarga. The National Park, almost stretches up towards the popular resort of Mojácar, which although now a package holiday destination, is a lively beachtown.

Practicalities: the Cabo de Gata region is still quite underdeveloped and rather isolated. For example there are very few cash machines- only San José and Níjar (an unsightly town inland) have ATMs, and lots of places don't take cards. In San José the ATMs often run out of cash and can charge you quite high commission, so come with lots of cash as it can be a bit of a nightmare. Supermarkets can be found in San José, Las Negras and the town of Cabo de Gata. As mentioned, Cabo de Gata is very arid and hot, so take care in the scorching summer months. For more information, here's a link to the Cabo de Gata tourism page in English.

The beach at Los Muertos

Other suggestions: you could make the most of the region by combining it with a visit to Granada (city of the Alhambra). Also the spectacular white-washed Alpujarra villages, and the mountains of the Sierra Nevada are not to be missed if you have the chance. These places are no more than a couple of hours from Cabo de Gata.

Getting there: if you don't fancy the long drive down south, on public transport from Madrid you can take the train or plane to Almería and hire a car there. There is a bus but it takes 12 hours, which is pointless as you can go cheaper and quicker on the train.

Shakespeare's Richard III and The Comedy of Errors in English

2011-05-11T09:45:00.000+02:00

As part of the Festival de Otoño en Primavera, the Teatros del Canal will be running productions of Richard III and The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare. Both shows will be in English and performed by British theatre company Propeller. Performance times are as follows:

Richard III: 12/13th May- 8pm and 14th May- 4pm

The Comedy of Errors: 11 May- 8pm, 14th May- 10pm and 15th May- 6pm

Tickets between 12€ (in advance)-22€ at entradas.com or the theatre box office.

Address: Sala Roja, Teatros del Canal (Calle Cea Bermúdez 1, Metro: Canal L2 and L7).

Get 25% off at Cortefiel, Springfield, Pedro del Hierro and WomenSecret until 15th May

2011-05-09T11:48:00.001+02:00

The Cortefiel Group is offering a 25% discount voucher from May 5 to 15!!! It can be used at Cortefiel, Springfield, Pedro del Hierro and WomenSecret stores which are all part of the clothing group. Get hold of your voucher here

DocumentaMadrid International Documentary Film Festival

2011-05-06T12:08:00.001+02:00

DocumentaMadrid is an annual international documentary film festival taking place between 6-15th May. There are many screening everyday across various locations in the city. A number of the films will be in English (or French, German, Italian etc...) with Spanish subtitles, so if your Spanish is not so good, there should be something you can understand! Ticket prices are very reasonable and there are usually a few free screenings. We've been in previous years and the quality is very good. Check the programme here (in English).

Madrid Card announce a special card for kids and a 120 hour tourist pass!

2011-05-06T11:40:00.001+02:00

Neoturismo, the comany behind the Madrid tourist Card, have just announced a new card for kids and new 120 hour tourist pass.

The cards are a great way to save money during your visit to Madrid. These include free access to 50 of Madrid's museums, a free visit to the Santiago Bernabéu and Atlético Madrid football stadiums and the Plaza de Toros at Las Ventas, as well as free entry on the 'Discover Madrid' guided tours. Plus you will receive a wide range of discounts in shops, restaurants and bars. You can beat the queues at the main attractions as it gives you preferential entry, which in itself is a huge bonus! For a few Euros more you can combine the Madrid Card with a travel pass, allowing you unlimited travel on public transport, which is certainly very handy, and you can also buy an add-on for the sightseeing bus.

Prices are as follows:

Madrid Card:
24hours: 32€
48hours: 42€
72hours: 52€
NEW! 120 hours 85€

Madrid Card for kids:

24hours: 18€
48hours: 24€
72 hours: 30€
120 hours: 48€

Prices valid until 31st December 2011.

The card can be bought at all the tourist information points, a number of travel agencies, in T2 and T4 of Madrid airport as well as online. You can find out more about the benefits of the Madrid Card by visiting the Madrid Card Website and if you purchase you card online, you will receive a 5% discount.

Madrid goes crazy for San Isidro celebrations!

2011-05-05T17:54:00.002+02:00

The San Isidro Festival (the patron saint of Madrid) is a time when the madrileños come together to celebrate their city. The festivities take place over a number of days; this year it will be from 11th-15th May, with 14th being San Isidro Day itself. If you're going to be in the city, there will definately be a carnival buzz in the air. The city hall has plenty of events organised with everything from concerts, dancing and parades. On the nights of the 13th, 14th and 15th May, the newly remodelled river zone will host a very spectacular river of fire. Concerts wil be taking place at the university campus and the Vistillas Gardens and on the streets of Lavapiés, there will be street theatre. Also the Sabatini Gardens next to the royal palace will host a mass open air dance event with plenty of classics from Hollywood movies from over the last decades to dance along to. You can see the whole programme of events here.

The festival has been celebrated for many years. Madrileños traditionally used to flock to the Pradera de San Isidro, open fields next to the river near the Toledo bridge (although it has long been concreated over). However one tradition which still stands is the Pasacalles parade, where giant figures are marched through the streets of central Madrid. You can catch it on the 11th at 5.30pm and it will go through Sol, along Calle Alcalá and on to Plaza Cibeles. If you head to some of the more traditional neighbourhoods such as La Latina or the area around Plaza Mayor, you'll find plenty of people dressed up in traditional Madrid costume, and many of the streets and shops will be decorated. Not to be missed!

Madrid decorated for San Isidro

Traditional Madrid costume