madridcityguide

New Year's Eve in Madrid

I have been asked this question many times now, that I thought I would display the answer on the site. I would also welcome suggestions by other people on the subject, which is:

What can I do and where can I go on New Year's Eve in Madrid?

This is what I normally end up doing if I find myself in Madrid on New Year's Eve with family or friends.

Many places in Madrid have private parties on that night - especially the nightclubs. Tickets are not that bad - around 40-60 Euros. If somehow this is not the thing you're looking for (you're not the clubbing crowd, well at least not tonight!)
I  would personally recommend that you do the following: Have a late dinner in a nice restaurant, preferably near the centre of the city as you don't want to be catching the Metro (I do believe it closes for an hour or two). Try and finish around 11.15  - 11.30. Head as near to the Puerta del Sol as you can. Make sure you buy yourselves a bottle of Cava (Spanish champagne) - I would personally ask the waiter in the previous restaurant to keep it chilled for you. You also need to buy twelve grapes and make sure that you eat them on the stroke of each chime at 12 midnight.

I would then head over to Plaza Santa Ana where you will find plenty of nightlife - and in the nearby streets such as calle Huertas. Try the Moderna, Cerveceria Alemana and Naturbier. You may want to explore the bars around c/ Principe, such as Viva Madrid.  Don't be alarmed if the bars are closed - this does happen as it gives waiters and bar staff the chance to celebrate with their families. They will open at least by 1 am!

And finally, try and have a cup of chocolate in Cafeteria San Gines - preferably around 6 or 7 in the morning.

These are just some quick thoughts and I would welcome suggestions from other people on where to go in Madrid on New Year's Eve. Simply add a comment below.

Christmas in Madrid 2007

This looks like it's going to be a bumper, fun-packed Christmas in Madrid. I have just taken a look at the Christmas agenda from the Madrid City Council tourist section and it looks like 2007 will be even better than 2006. I think that the build up to Christmas in Spain is much better than in northern Europe, where trees, lights and other paraphernalia start appearing as early as November.

Even though the Christmas lights went on a week ago, many of the other activities are staggered over the Christmas period. Like last year the Plaza de Colón will be turned into a fairytale island. Nativity scenes will be found all over the city - often in churches, history museum - and the new headquarters of the Madrid City Council (in the Palacio de Cibeles) will hold the principal nativity scene, created by José Luis Mayo. If you have never seen these before, the ones in Madrid are often sights to behold.

The Plaza Mayor has the traditional Christmas stalls where you can buy trees, nativity figures and a number of annoying products - like spray snow and fluorescent lights - that kids love.

If you want to go ice skating, you can either go to Azca (Metro Nuevos Ministerios) or the Campo de Moro (Metro Príncipe Pío or Opera). I went to Azca last year with my wife and children and there was both an ice rink and mini toboggan run - both father and son loved it!

The Plaza de España will feature a craft fair from the 20th December to the th January, where around 200 stalls will be displaying mainly gifts from Madrid.

Nore information can be found on the esMadrid website.

Autumn Exhibitions in Madrid Museums

There are quite a few good exhibitions going on in Madrid at this time of year. Here is a breakdown of the temporary exhibitions from the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen Museums and the Juan March Foundation.

Museo de arte Thyssen-Bornemisza

Dürer and Cranach. Art and Humanism in Renaissance Germany

Dates: October 9th, 2007 - January 6th, 2008

Reina Sofía
This museum has a few temporary exhibitions this Autumn, including:

Gustavo Torner - September 11th, 2007 - December 16th, 2007
Paul Rego - September 26th - December 30th, 2007
Andy Goldsworthy - October 3rd, 2007 - January 21st, 2008
Jano - La doble cara de la fotografía. October 10th - December 20th, 2007

Prado Musuem

The 19th century in the Prado including:
Goya and Neo-classicism
History Painting
The end of the century

Dates:  October 31th, 2007 - April 20th, 2008

Fundación Juan March

The Abstraction of Landscape

Dates: October 5th, 2007 - 13th January, 2008

Technorati Tags: Museums, Prado, Reina-Sofia, Thyssen-Bornemisza,

There are quite a few good exhibitions going on in Madrid at this time of year. Here is a breakdown of the temporary exhibitions from the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen Museums and the Juan March Foundation.

Museo de arte Thyssen-Bornemisza

Dürer and Cranach. Art and Humanism in Renaissance Germany

Dates: October 9th, 2007 - January 6th, 2008

Reina Sofía
This museum has a few temporary exhibitions this Autumn, including:

Gustavo Torner - September 11th, 2007 - December 16th, 2007
Paul Rego - September 26th - December 30th, 2007
Andy Goldsworthy - October 3rd, 2007 - January 21st, 2008
Jano - La doble cara de la fotografía. October 10th - December 20th, 2007

Prado Musuem

The 19th century in the Prado including:
Goya and Neo-classicism
History Painting
The end of the century

Dates:  October 31th, 2007 - April 20th, 2008

Fundación Juan March

The Abstraction of Landscape

Dates: October 5th, 2007 - 13th January, 2008

Ten Places to Enjoy Live Music in Madrid

The Guardian Travel supplement offers ten good (and varied) places to enjoy Live Music in Madrid. They include:

Cardamomo (Flamenco)
Café La Palma (Mix)
Populart (Jazz)
Las Tablas (Flamenco)
Honky Tonk (Rock)
El Junco Jazz Club (Jazz)
Las Carboneras (Flamenco)
Café Central (Jazz)
Clamores (Jazz, Flamenco, Pop, Folk and World music)
Sol y Sombra (Jazz, Soul, R&B and Flamenco)

Technorati Tags: Madrid, Live, Music, Jazz, Flamenco, Folk, World

2007 Festival de Otoño

Festival de Otoño returns to Madrid. A combination of music, theatre, dance and circus from around the world will entertain visitors and Madrileños for the coming 5 weeks. The event runs from the 15th October to the 18th November and is held is venues across the city.

For the 24th year running the

The Theatre companies who are represented include: Britain's National Theatre, La Comédie-Française, Piccolo Teatro di Milano, Josep Maria Mestres.

Dance companies attending include: Les Ballets C. de la B., Compañía Blanca Li, Toneelhuis. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Compañía Carlotta Sagna.

On the music front Caetano Veloso, Companyia Carles Santos, David Sylvian, Philip Glass and Compagnia dell' Ambra will all be performing.

For more information, visit the Festival de Otoño website.

Technorati Tags: festival-de-Otono, music, dance, theater, circus, madrid

esMadridmagazine

If you don't want to miss any of the fantastic range of entertainment on offer in Madrid, then this magazine is for you. You can pick up esMADRIDmagazine for free from any tourist information point, at the airport, on Madrid Visión buses as well as in the majority of three to five-star hotels, museums, theatres, cultural centres and trade fairs and conventions. You can also find it at the most representative and avant-garde movie theatres, gyms, cafés, bars, discos, concert venues and shops in Madrid's city centre.

Download it here… and live Madrid!

If you don't want to miss any of the fantastic range of entertainment on offer in Madrid, then this magazine is for you. You can pick up esMADRIDmagazine for free from any tourist information point, at the airport, on Madrid Visión buses as well as in the majority of three to five-star hotels, museums, theatres, cultural centres and trade fairs and conventions. You can also find it at the most representative and avant-garde movie theatres, gyms, cafés, bars, discos, concert venues and shops in Madrid's city centre.

Download it here… and live Madrid!

Architecture Week 2007

Madrid offers you the chance to discover its architecture through a variety of tourist routes and 50 guided tours of its most important buildings

From September 29^th to October 7^th, Madrid will be celebrating Architecture Week 2007. Open houses, exhibitions, lectures, visits and guided tours make up an extensive programme full of free activities to help you become better acquainted with the architecture, culture and history of Madrid. Partake in the fun however you prefer: ride to the top of Torre Picasso, treat your ears to the pealing of bells ringing out from the city's many belfries, take a panoramic tour of Gran Vía, bike through the Ciudad Universitaria quarter and uncover its secrets... The options are endless!

Visit the website of Architecture Week 2007 or download here a complete program of the Architecture Week.

From September 29^th to October 7^th, Madrid will be celebrating Architecture Week 2007. Open houses, exhibitions, lectures, visits and guided tours make up an extensive programme full of free activities to help you become better acquainted with the architecture, culture and history of Madrid. Partake in the fun however you prefer: ride to the top of Torre Picasso, treat your ears to the pealing of bells ringing out from the city's many belfries, take a panoramic tour of Gran Vía, bike through the Ciudad Universitaria quarter and uncover its secrets... The options are endless!

Visit the website of Architecture Week 2007 or download here a complete program of the Architecture Week.