Where to cool off in Madrid

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 ( Gran Vía 53) and the Roomate Oscar ( Plaza Vázquez de Mella 12), and both were fantastic relaxing places with superb city views. Both have air conditioning and offer bar and restaurant services. What more could you need?

The pool at the Hotel Emperador is really something!

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!

Music festivals in Madrid

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)

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).

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

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

A great month for photography lovers!

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.

Cultural activities for Semana Santa

The Madrid region has an great programme of cultural events taking place over Easter week. Here are a few picks:

The Centro de Exposiciones Arte Canal (Paseo de la Castellana, 214), has an exposion dedicated to the period of Alexander the Great with over 330 artefacts from 40 different museums across Europe on display. Visitors can also enjoy a 3D video projection.  Runs until 3rd May. Metro Plaza de Castilla (L1, L9, L10). Free admission.

The Comunidad de Madrid gallery at Calle Alcalá 31, is showing works by the British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare; his first exhbition in Spain. The collection includes 22 of his works in various media such as collage, sculpture and video. Runs until 24th April. Metro Sevilla (L2) or Sol (L1, L2, L3). Free admission.

It's normally closed, but the Lope de Vega birthhouse (la Casa Museo Lope de Vega) at Calle Cervantes 11, will open Thursday, Saturday and Sunday or Easter week, from 10:00 until 15:00 horas (you need to reserve either by calling 91 429 92 16 or emailing casamuseolopedevega@madrid.org).

  

Winston Churchill: Walking With Destiny is a remarkable exhibition looking at the life and work of the British prime minister, and in particular his relationship and interest in Spain. It features photographs, documents and personal objects; many on show on continental Europe for the first time. Not to be missed to get an insight into perhaps the most influential figure of the 20th century, and one of the greatest shapers of history. Runs until 5th June at the Sala El Águila, Calle Ramirez de Prado 3, metro Delicias (L3).

Madrid's parks and gardens

Now that the sun's shinning and summer feels as if it's just around the corner, we thought we'd take a look at some of Madrid's parks and gardens. As you will see madrileños, are really spoilt for choice when it comes to places for kicking back and relaxing on a hot summer's day.

Retiro Park- a must any time of year!

The Retiro, Madrid's green space in the centre, will linger in your memory, particularly if you see it in late spring or early autumn when its colours are most vivid. Long ago, a royal palace was here and some traces of it  can still be found today. Here you can enjoy the lake (boat hire available), impressive monuments, ancient trees and the extravagant crystal palace (used as an art space). There is even a ruined chapel. The park always has a great atmosphere, especially on weekends when it comes alive with musicians and other entertainers. Look out for puppet shows for children at weekends. It's a great place to explore by bike. Right next to the park are the botanical gardens, which are worth a visit too. There are a number of entrances including the one on Calle Alfonso XII near Atocha metro (L1) and train station, and another on Calle Alcalá near Retiro metro (L2).


Casa de Campo- great for kids!

Located south-west of Madrid, but still a quick metro ride from the centre, Casa de Campo is a massive open space, much bigger than Central Park or Hyde Park. You can walk for hours here in unspoilt nature, or if you are looking for activities, there are sports facilities, a large lake with hire boats, an amusement park, aquarium and a zoo, which is said to be one of the best in Europe. The Teleférico (cable car) connects the park with Parque del Oeste in the centre of Madrid and the journey is 11 minutes. There is also an outdoor swimming pool very popular with madrileños in the summer. Metro: Batán or Lago (both L10). Journey around 10 mins from Plaza de España. Metro station Casa de Campo (L5, L10) not recommned as it's further to the attractions and it leaves you in a residential area. The Teleferico leaves from near Monlcoa Metro (L3, L6).

Parque de la Montaña- the place to see the sunset

This park is located very near to Plaza España and the Royal Palce in the pleasant Argüelles neighbourhood. We recommned a visit here to see the Temple of Debod, an Egyptian temple donated to Spain by Egypt. The temple itself is only small, but it's a popular place to come and watch the sunset and see it reflected on the waters of the small pool in front of the temple. You can also get some spectacular views of the nearby mountains, especially during the winter months when they are snowcapped. You can get here by taking the metro to Plaza de España (L2, L3 or L10). Alternatively it's about 5 minutes walk from Argüelles metro (L4, L6).

Parque del Oeste

Another of Madrid's most attractive green spaces is ideal for a summer walk as it's less busy than the Retiro. It's located on the edge of the main university campus. We recommend taking the Teleférico (cable car trip) from here  to Casa de Campo for superb views over the city. Entry free. Be warned it can be a bit dangerous around here at night! Metro: Moncloa (L3, L6) or Ciudad Universitaria (L6).

The Sabatini Gardens

These too are a relaxing place on summer days and are located right next to the Royal Palace. Although they look old, they were actually only completed in the late 1970s, but were made in the neoclassical style. The gardens are named after the 18th century Italian architect Francesco Sabatini, who designed some of the original palace. On display are a number of statues of Spanish monarchs and there's also a fountain and pool.  From these gardens you can get some great views of the palace, as well as see across to the nearby mountain range. Just below is another open space, the Campo de Moro, which is more of a park. We must warn you that in the past there used to be a group of 'deaf' people, pretending to be from a charity (may have been UNICEF) who would approach visitors to give a small donation and sign a piece of paper with fake charity logos to say where they come from. DO NOT give them any money- it's a scam, even if they do try insulting you if you refuse. They are not from any charity and have no official ID, but touirsts still would give them money. Luckily we've not seen them for a while but you never know, and they may be doing the same thing elsewhere in Madrid. Metro: Ópera (L2, L5, R)

Principe de Anglona Gardens- shhh... it's a secret!

These leafy gardens are a bit of a secret even amongst the locals! You will find them located in La Latina on Plaza de la Paja, where it meets Calle Segovia, although the entrance is a bit hard to spot- look for a black gate with a black plaque next to it. These date from the 18th century, when they were part of what were the grounds of a palace, and in recent times they have been lovingly restored to their former glory after years of neglect. Whilst these gardens are small, they are very cool in the summer and a quiet place to relax with a book. In the spring, you will also see the rose arches in bloom. Metro: La Latina (L5).

The Royal Botanical Gardens- a must for lovers of plants

On Paseo del Prado, just a stone's throw from Retiro Park and very near to the Prado Museum, are the Royal Botanical Gardens. These were built way back in the 1780s by King Fernando VI, after being relocated from the neighbouring town of Aranjuez. Here you will find species of plants from all over the world, including many rare ones, delightfully laid out. Entrance to the gardens costs 2,50€ and is open all year round, however opening times vary depending on the season. See website for more info. 

Parque de Juan Carlos I

This was recommnded to us by Chris, one of our readers. It's one of Madrid's biggest and newest parks. As well as 13km of pathways and some small lakes, the park contains themed gardens, water features, a giant greenhouse and a number of sculptures. It's an ideal place to take the kids on a hot summers day! To get there, it is a little far from the centre, although still accessible from there by metro (around 40 mins). You can reach it by taking either metro line 8 to Campo de las Naciones or from Canillejas metro station on line 5.

Parque de El Capricho- full of historical treasures

Whilst the Parque de Juan Carlos I may be modern, the El Capricho park located next to it, is over 200 years old! The park used to be the weekend house and grounds of the Duchess of Osuna
- the house still stands today. Much of the park's orignal features still exist, although they have been restored after several periods of abandonment. Visitors to the park can enjoy the lakes, a memorial island to the Duchess, landscaped gardens, a hermitage, a number of water features and an iron bridge; many of these were created in the French romantic style. Also in the summer months, there are often concerts, theatre performances and other cultural events in what are known as Tardes de Capricho. It's a very beautiful and peaceful place to be anytime of year. The park is only open on weekends and public holidays- opening times 9am-6.30pm winter and 9am-9pm summer. We can't find any information about whether it's possible to visit the house. To get there, take the metro to El Capricho (L5).

The Young Ribera: a new exhibition at the Prado

Starts 5th April at the Prado. José de Ribera, (born 1591 in Valencia) is one of the greats of tenebrism, a movement which uses shadows and contrasts of light in paintings. He spent most of his years in Rome and Naples, where he became inspired by Caravaggio's works and studied naturalism. This exhibition features works from his early days, a period of time where his styles changed as he experimented with different methods. Although a number of his works are already on show at the Prado, the pieces on display come from a variety of art collections from around the world. You can see the exhibition until 31st July.

Admission to the exhibition costs 10€ or 5€ at reduced rate and includes entrance to all temporary exhibitions. A combined ticket for both the temporary and permanent collections costs 12€. To see more info about this exhibition, here's a link to the page on the Prado Museum website. 


We also found this article from the El País section in English about this exhibition. It's worth a read.

Kids in Madrid: the Planetarium and IMAX

Another place to take the kids, and educational too! The Madrid Planetarium runs plenty of projections for kids throughout the year, as well as other activities relating to space. It's also very cheap; the exhibitions and audiovisuals are free to visit, and entry to the projections only costs 1.55€ for kids and 3.55€ for adults. Next door to the planetarium is the IMAX cinema, where you can see movies in 3D on one of their massive screens. One screen is dome shaped, which really gives you the feel that you are part of the action! The movies they show aren't general release, but tend to be documentaries about dinosaurs, space and the natural world etc.., so very educational. Tickets for the shows cost 8.50€.

Although these are both ideal places for kids, we're sure plenty of adults will enjoy these!

Getting there: both are located very near to each other in the Parque Enrique Tierno Galván, near metro stations Méndez Alvaro or Arganzuela Planetario, (both on line 6). Méndez Alvaro also has a Cercanías (local train) station. 


Check: Planetario de Madrid and IMAX Madrid for programme.

Have you ever wondered what's inside the Palacio de Cibeles?

For those of you who have ever wondered what it's like inside, the Palacio de Cibeles (that's the very ornate white building by the Cibeles fountain), it will opening its doors to the public until 27th July. Visitors will have access to 8 floors of cultural space, totalling some 45,000 square metres, as well being able to climb up to the roof terrace to enjoy panoramic views of the city. The building, previously used for telecommunications, has just undergone major refurbishment lasting six years and costing 125 million euros, and in September a cafeteria and restaurant will open on the upper floors.

The building is open from Tuesday to Sunday 10am-8pm until 27th July. Entry is free. It's located on the Cibeles roundabout where Paseo del Prado and Calle Alcalá meet (metro: Banco de España L2).

Madrid with kids

Kids visiting Madrid shouldn't end up getting bored, with plenty of parks and zoos and amusement parks on offer. Spanish people are very friendly towards kids and unlike in other countries, most cafés and restaurants will accept them with open arms. We've put together a list of ideas to take kids in Madrid:

Retiro Park

Kids always love parks and Retiro has plenty of space for them to run around in, being one of the largest parks in the city. There's also a lake where boats can be hired. On weekends, there's a carnival atmosphere and plenty of entertainers to keep the kids amused. Metro: Atocha (L1) or Retiro (L2).



Madrid Zoo and Aquarium

Located in Casa del Campo, a huge wilderness to the south-west of the city, Madrid zoo is considered one of the best in Europe. The zoo was first founded in 1770 in what is now Retiro Park, but today it houses over 6000 animals and 500 species. There is a petting area, dolphin exhibition and avary as well as boats and mini-train.

Tickets cost 19,40€ for adults and 15,70€ for kids. special combined tickets are also available for the Parque Warner. You can get there from Casa de Campo metro (lines 5 and 10).

Website: http://www.zoomadrid.com/es (Spanish only).

Note the zoo closes from the end of September until 1st January and opening times vary throughout the year and depending on the day of the week. Check website first.

The Bernabéu Stadium (Real Madrid Stadium)

Kids can come and imagine they're Ronaldo! Home to the Real Madrid football team, visitors can enjoy a tour of the stadium, museum and trophy cabinets.

Where: Paseo de Castellana, Metro: Santiago de Bernabeu (L10).
Web: www.realmadrid.com
Address: Paseo de Castellana, Metro: Santiago de Bernabeu (L10).

Open: Monday to Saturday: 10:00 – 19:30, Sundays and holidays: 10:30 - 18:30. Opening times may vary on match days- check website.
Closed: Christmas and New Year's Day
Entrance: Children 11€, adults 16€. Can be bought online.

Casa del Campo

Located in the south west of Madrid and away from the centre, Casa de Campo is a massive open space, much bigger than Central Park or Hyde Park. For kids, there are sports facilities, a large lake with hire boats, an amusement park, aquarium and the zoo- said to be one of the best in Europe. The Teleférico (cable car) connects the park with Parque del Oeste in the centre of Madrid and the journey is 11 minutes. There is also an outdoor swimming pool very popular with madrileños in the summer. Metro: Batán or Lago (both L10). The Teleferico leaves from near Moncloa metro (Lines 3, and 6).



Parque Warner

Not quite on the same scale as Disneyland, but still a lot of fun. Parque Warner is a theme park based around the Warner Brothers films and cartoons, located to the south of the city. There are plenty of rides (loved by kids and adults), shows, street parades and cartoon characters to meet. Makes a great day out for all the family!

Tickets cost 39€ for adults and 30€ for kids. You can also buy a combined pass for the zoo and aquarium. You can reach the park by taking the 412 bus from Villaverdo Bajo interchange (Metro: Villaverde Bajo Line3); the C3 Cercanías train from Atocha to Pinto and change there to go to the Parque del Ocio stop, or by car by taking the A4 and exiting at J22. You can see more details about the park by visiting parquewarner.com 

Faunia

A huge wildlife park containing hundreds of animals from all continents. The idea is to teach visitors about the different animal habitats and ecosystems across the world in 8 different zones.

The park is quite a way from Madrid, but is still accessible by taking metro line 9 to Valdebernardo. Alternatively you can take the Cercanías C2 line (local train) from Atocha railway station to Vicálvaro. Tickets cost 25,50€ for adults and 19,50 for kids. Combined passes for Faunia and Madrid Zoo are available.

Note the park closes from the end of September until 1st January and opening times vary throughout the year and depending on the day of the week. Check website first. Website: http://www.faunia.es/en

Shopping with kids

For kids clothes we highly recommend Neck &Neck (Serrano 61 and Ayala 17) and Pasito a Pasito , which is of excellent quality and can be found in many select shops. On the whole, it is all quality and good design. Kids will love Los Caprichos de Goya (Goya, 50), which sells all kinds of crazy things and a visit will keep them and the grown ups amused. Other toy shops include the Imaginarium (Carmen 15, near Sol) and the toy section of El Corte Inglés. FNAC and Casa de Libro have a section for kids and books in English.

Comedy in English MARCH – US LIBERAL COMEDY ELITE: LEE CAMP

The Giggling Guiri is an English language comedy club which has been running comedy events in Madrid and Barcelona since 2005 and brings some of the best loved comedians from the UK, Ireland, US and Australia to Spain. They have a show coming up on Sunday 20th March with US comic Lee Camp. 

The Giggling Guiri (www.comedyinspain.com) is massively excited to present another opportunity to experience real US comedy upfront and live in Spain. Flown directly to Europe by the Glasgow Comedy Festival we managed to catch him en route for a couple of shows from one of the exceptional young talents in comedy in the US. Lee is also a contributor to The Onion newspaper, the Huffington Post, and has performed stand-up at events featuring Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Al Gore.
“Since my dad died, I've been concerned about who's going to keep the torch alive, who's going to keep it lit. And I saw Lee, and I was completely blown away by the balls he has, and I thought 'Hey, that's like my dad.' Three things about Lee really remind me of my father. One of which is that he's a thinking person's comic.

 MADRID (SUNDAY) Mar 20 – 8.30pm (Box office 8pm) / Teatro Alfil (c/ Pez 10, M: Noviciado)
TICKETS € 17 (Presale) € 20 (Box office) www.comedyinspain.com or
MADRID: J&J Books & Coffee (c/ Espíritu Santo, 47 – M: Noviciado) / The Lock Inn (c/ Santa Teresa, 14 – M: Alonso Martinez)
LANGUAGE English

+ INFO Stephen Garland - +34 610 31 76 56 - mail@comedyinspain.com - www.leecamp.net
Lee Camp has been making audiences gasp with laughter for twelve years now. He’s published two comedy books, has been featured on radio, TV and in short films, is the Head comedy news writer for ComedyExpressTV.com, and he did all that by age twenty-five! By the age of twenty-two he had already been the opening act for A-list headliners including Jimmy Fallon, Darrell Hammond, and Tracy Morgan. He was recently on Showtime's series The Green Room with Paul Provenza and is featured in the new bestselling book iSatiristas! with the likes of George Carlin, Billy Connolly, Conan O’Brien, and Stephen Colbert. Camp was chosen as one of the Best New Faces at the Montreal Comedy Festival; he ran for president on Comedy Central's Fresh Debate '08; and he's done comedic commentary on PBS, E! Network, SpikeTV, MTV, and Good Morning America.

Spring Exhibitions 2011 at the Reina Sofía

The Reina Sofía Museum has an exciting programme of  temporary exhibitions for this spring and we decided to include their details on here. They are as follows:

Asier Mendizabal Until May 2
Efrén Álvarez. Económicos Until May 30
Dorit Margreiter: Description Until April 25
Atlas. How to carry the world on one’s back? Until March 28, 2011
Jessica Stockholder. Peer Out to See Until May 2, 2011 (Palacio de Cristal, Retiro Park)

Miroslaw Balka. ctrl Until April 25, 2011 (Abadía de Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos) and Sala de Bóvedas, Museo Reina Sofía)
Jean-Luc Mylayne Until March 27, 2011 (Palacio de Velázquez, Retiro Park)

Coming soon:

Harsh light, without compassion. The Worker-Photography Movement, 1926-1939

Runs April 6 - August 22
Entrance to the exhibitions costs 3€ and covers all temporary exhibits. For more information about the Reina Sofía, here's the museum website

 

Twenty-five things to do in Madrid

Here are some of our suggestions of things we recommend doing whilst you are in Madrid. Trying to fit them all in during your visit would be impossible; even some of us who have lived here several years still have a couple to do!

1. Have a delicious, but not very healthy breakfast of chocolate and churros (long friend doughnuts).
2. Visit Picasso's works at the Reina Sofia.

Churros, a breakfast favourite in Spain

3. Imagine you're a millionaire wandering around the exclusive streets of the Barrio Salamanca hopping from boutique to boutique. Shops now open on Sundays.
4. Go see a Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid match. Surprisingly often there are tickets!
5. Stroll around some of Madrid's alternative neighbourhoods like Malasaña, Chueca or Lavapiés.
6. Go bargain hunting at the Rastro street market on Sunday mornings in La Latina.

The bustling Rastro Market

7. See the indoor jungle at Atocha Station.
8. Go see the vertical garden at the Caixa Forum (Paseo del Prado 48) and the impressive staircase inside.
9. Watch the sunset at the Templo de Debod, an Egyptian temple in the Parque de la Montaña, near Plaza España.

Templo de Debod- the best place to watch the sunset

10. Try traditional cocido madrileño (Madrid style stew).
 11. Have a coffee at either Café Comercial or Café Gijón, where many famous writers used to frequent.
12. Get away from the stress of the city centre by making a visit to Casa de Campo, an unspoilt wilderness on the edge of the city.
13. See the Goya frescoes at the Basilica de San Francisco el Grande.
14. Make a visit to La Latina on a Sunday afternoon and have a caña on the terrace in one of the many bars in the barrio.

Café life in La Latina

15. If you are in Madrid for New Year's Eve, do what the madrileños do and go to Sol and eat grapes at the stroke of midnight.
16. Join in with the locals at the San Isidro celebrations in May. May 15 is San Isidro.

Celebrating San Isidro in traditional costume

17. Make a visit to Retiro Park. Walk or row in a boat.
18. Wander around the Prado, taking in some of the world's most important pieces of art.
19. Go see a zarzuela performance.
20. Catch the changing of the guards ceremony on the first Wednesday of the month.

Huertas- a barrio of Madrid with great food and nightlife

21. See the city from above by going up to the rooftop terrace of the Circulo de Bellas Artes. It has superb views.
22. Buy sweets from Caramelos Paco in Calle Toledo, one of Madrid's best known shops.
23. Take the Teleferico (cable car) from Moncloa to Casa de Campo.
24. Check out the street artists on Calle Arenal on weekends.
25. Go see a film a the Cine Dore, a delightful old cinema which hasn't changed in years.

Cine Dore

The Reina Sofia Museum

The Reina Sofia is Spain’s national museum of modern art and home of Picasso’s Guernica. Housed in a former palace and a mere 5 minute walk from the Prado Museum, you will find here masterpieces by both Spanish and foreign artists such as Dali, Miro, Tàpies, Ernst, Bacon and Van Gogh. Usually there are a number of temporary exhibitions in addition to the main collection at addition entry charge. Even on its busiest days, the Reina Sofia still feels light and spacious. The building has a delightful courtyard garden, which makes a pleasant place for a quick break. We also recommned the views from its very stylish glass exterior elevators. Free entry Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday, but it can get very crowded.

Web: www.museoreinasofia.es (details of temporary exhibits here)
Address: Plaza del Emperador Carlos V, s/n. Madrid, Metro Atocha (L1).
Open: Monday to Saturday: from 10:00 to 21:00; Sunday: 10:00 to 14:30.
Closed: Tuesdays; Jan. 1 and 6, May 1 and 15, Sept. 9, Dec. 24, 25 and 31
Entrance: General admission 6€, although some discounts may apply. Temporary exhibition entry: 3€. Free entry after 19.00 on weekdays, after 2.30pm on Saturdays, all day Sunday and on some public holidays.

The Prado Museum- a Madrid must!

It goes without saying that you cannot come to Madrid without a visit to the Prado Museum. Founded in 1819 and considered one of the great art museums of the world, it is certainly Madrid’s biggest attraction. The unique collection of classical art contains more than 8000 paintings by masters both Spanish and foreign including Goya, Rubens, Botticelli, El Greco and Velázquez as well as hundreds of sculptures, prints and drawings. 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 time saver on weekends. As there is a lot to see, we recommend making a couple of visits as trying to see it all in one visit can be a challenge.

The Prado Museum

Web: www.museodelprado.es (you can find out about temporary exhibits here)
Address: Paseo del Prado, Metro: Atocha (L1) or Banco de España (L2)
Opening times: 9:00 to 20:00: Tuesday to Sunday. Public holidays, 24 December, 31 December 9.00-14.00.
Closed: Mondays (including Mondays which are public holidays), 25 December, 1 January, Good Friday and 1 May.
Entrance: General entry 14€, although some discounts apply. Entrance to 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.


Free for students between 18 and 25 years ol  Monday to Saturda from 10 am to 8 pm. Sundays and holidays until 7 pm. Free for children under 18.

25 little known historical treasures in Madrid

The Comunidad de Madrid has just published a list of 25 places of high cultural interest in the region as part of its 25th anniversary of preserving the region's herritage. Most of these places very few people know about, in fact in many cases the monument is no longer standing and only the remains can be seen today. However they are all hidden jewels from the Comindad de Madrid's rich and interesting past and we think it would be well worth visiting some of them.  Here's the full list:

• XI century walls at Buitrago de Lozoya
• The castle at Manzanares el Real
• Coracera Castle in San Martín de Valdeiglesias
• The museum of Regional Archeology at Alcalá Henares
• The former El Alquila brewery in Madrid dating from the early 20th century

• Chinchón's Plaza Mayor (above)
• San Ginés Church, Madrid
• Real Coliseo Carlos III at  San Lorenzo de El Escorial- one of the oldest theatres in Spain
• San José Hospital and homeopathy institute
• Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, in Madrid- located in a beautiful former palace

• The roman bridge at Talamanca de Jarama (above)
• The Telegraph Tower at Arganda del Rey
• The Queen Mother's coach house at Aranjuez
• Roman roads at Fuenfría which once linked Segovia and Toledo
• Dinosaur remains at Carpetana Metro Station
• Remains of the Buen Suceso church in Sol Cercanías Station, uncovered during construction

• Traces of the old Roman town of Complutum, located near Alcalá Henares (above)
• Remedios Necropolis at Colmenar Viejo
• Medieval burrial ground in Sieteiglesias

• La Capilla de Obispo gothic style funeral chapel (above)
• Asunción de Nuestra Señora Church in Meco dating from the renaissance era
• The church at Colmenar de Oreja
• The barroque masterpiece Sacristía de los Caballeros del Convento de Comendadoras in Madrid
• The organ at the Santuario y Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Church in Madrid
• Golden Rococo style altar at the Parroquial de Santa María Magdalena, church in Torrelaguna

Museo ABC- Madrid's newest museum

Inaugurated on 17th November, the Museo ABC is a new museum dedicated to drawing and illustation house in an old brewery. After a long period of refurbishment, it has six floors and houses over 20,000 pieces of work by 1500 artists, although only around 300 will be on show in an exhibtion known as The Tip of the Iceberg. We've been told that from the top of the building, excellent views of Madrid can be seen and the restored building itself is worth a visit. The museum is at 29-31 Calle Amaniel (metro Noviaciado). You can visit their website here

Museo ABC Madrid- the city's newest museum

Dalí, Lorca and the Student House

Fans of Spanish culture will be very interested to see this. The exhibition tells the story how the world's most famous surrealist artist met Lorca, perhaps Spain's greatest writer of the 20^th century whilst they were living at university together in Madrid. For many years the pair had a very strong friendship until Dalí left for Paris and Lorca travelled to New York. Tragically, Lorca would later be shot by a fascist millitia. Until 6^th February 2011. Free entry.

Address: CaixaForum, Paseo del Prado 38 (metro Atocha)

Website

Teatros del Canal present Wonderland a ballet

Wonderland is the latest ballet by Victor Ullate and the Madrid Ballet Company. It is an interesting contemporary ballet which tries to portray through movement how we see the people who are special to us. The shows runs until 31st October at the Teatros del Canal. More details here (in Spanish)