Madrid is synonymous with a cosmopolitan city, heritage, culture, entertainment, gastronomy, traditional and cool ... It is a mecca for premieres, cinema, theatre, musicals, exhibitions and concerts: the best musicians come to play here. But above all, it is a city on the move and never sleeps.<\/p>\n
Madrid welcomes its inhabitants with open arms, so much so that it has become one of the most visited cities in the world. A study by the statistics portal, Statista<\/strong>, The Spanish capital is the tenth most visited city in Europe. Last year it received 9.2 million tourists, 16.2% more than in 2016. These are data from the Ministry of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda. So this city must have something to make more and more people choose it as a tourist destination. If any of you are thinking of packing your bags for the capital, we are going to help you to find out about a priori<\/em> this magnificent city. To talk about all it has to offer would be exhausting. We would need to write several volumes in the style of Don Quixote. As we don't have that much time, I have thought of dividing the visit to Madrid by the seasons.<\/p>\n I know that planning a visit to Madrid in July and August makes you sweat just thinking about it. There is no beach. It's extremely hot, with days over 40 degrees and nights that don't drop below 30. But I assure you that we can find a way to take refuge from the high temperatures. Every neighbourhood in Madrid offers us a peculiar corner. Cool gardens and interior patios, hundreds of terraces, rooftop swimming pools, open-air cinemas, night-time concerts in a botanical garden, traditional street parties, artisan ice-cream parlours and even an ice-cream bar in the centre.<\/p>\n Who said hot?...Get ready with a good dose of sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a bottle of water and comfortable, cool clothes because we are going on a trip.<\/p>\n We leave behind the rainbow flag festival to walk through its streets, discover its monuments, squares, museums and all the corners of its central neighbourhoods: Sol, Lavapi\u00e9s, La Latina, Madrid de los Austrias, Malasa\u00f1a and the district of Las Letras. They all offer hundreds of possibilities to take refuge from the heat. As the heat is intense in the middle of the day, the best thing to do is to visit the city's main museums: the Prado<\/a>, the Queen Sofia<\/a> o the Thyssen Museum<\/a>(which are only a few metres apart). We will be able to contemplate the best works of the world in rooms that are always fresh.<\/p>\n Once outside, we will look for shelter again. And where can we find good shade? Madrid hides small gardens and parks with fountains to cool off in. I would highlight two in particular, because they are free to enter and there are few people: El Prince of Anglona Garden<\/strong> and the Huerto de las Monjas<\/strong>, both located in the Austrias district.<\/p>\n Next to the Santiago Bernabeu football stadium is another of the city's most peaceful gardens: those of the Olivar de Castillejo Foundation. Here, during July and August, cultural activities are organised, such as its summer cinema.<\/p>\n More crowded are the gardens of the Royal Palace, known as the\u00a0 Sabatini Gardens<\/strong> and those of the Campo del Moro<\/strong>. Thanks to its fountains and ponds we can refresh ourselves and continue on our way.<\/p>\n But if there is one thing that characterises the people of Madrid it is the terracing; <\/em>is the regional sport par excellence. Whether it's pouring rain, hot or cold, the terraces are always full. Every neighbourhood in Madrid has its own. But if you're looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of cars and neighbours at street level, you have the opportunity to have a drink a few floors up.<\/p>\n Many buildings take advantage of their rooftops to look out over the Madrid skyline. You can find vertiginous terraces in many hotels on the Gran V\u00eda, in markets such as San Ant\u00f3n in Chueca, in the Casino of Madrid, the Circle of Fine Arts or even on the fifth floor of the Thyssen Museum, where you can also find a small terrace in the interior garden of the Museum of Romanticism. This is the route through the the most select terraces you can find in Madrid<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our visit continues.... Because the cultural offer in Madrid does not end. With the heat comes its open-air concerts<\/strong>, by the hand of Botanical Nights<\/a> of the Complutense University. Every year, this university city hosts the best of the national and international music scene. This summer, artists such as Elvis Costello, Serrat, Simple Minds, Funambulista and Norah Jones will refresh the nights of July and August with their music.<\/p>\n And if you're looking to see a film under the Madrid sky, in addition to the Bombilla Park or the Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid has one of the few remaining Autocines in Spain, with a giant 250 square metre screen and 350 parking spaces! Become the protagonists of Grease<\/em> it is now possible!<\/p>\n If we intend to visit Madrid in August it is perfect. Most of the people who live here have fled to the beach. There is less hustle and bustle and less cars on the streets... At this time of year, the best opportunity to get around the centre is by bike (here you have information about how the municipal electric bike rental service<\/a><\/strong>)<\/p>\n Madrid never rests, and August is synonymous with verbena, chotis, chulapos, farolillos and lemonade. It all starts on 7 August with the Fiestas de San Cayetano in the Lavapi\u00e9s neighbourhood<\/strong>, continues with those of Saint Lawrence on the 10th<\/strong>, to the verbena de la Paloma on 15th August<\/strong>. Balconies are decorated, Manila shawl competitions are held, the corralas are filled with lights and garlands and in the streets groups of chulapos and manolas dance to the sound of the chotis.<\/p>\n If we have chosen the month of July to visit Madrid, we will come across one of the festivals that have become a reference in recent years: Gay Pride Festivities<\/u> which takes place during the first week of this month. A huge parade of floats, drag queens, dancers and lots and lots of music will take place along the Gran V\u00eda.<\/p>\n With September, normality returns to the city and autumn arrives. My favourite season to get to know Madrid. Neither cold nor hot. If you are going to pack your suitcase during these months, don't forget your camera and point out the city's main parks on the map. See how the colours of the leaves change and pick pine nuts and chestnuts are just some of the autumn activities on offer.<\/p>\n If we want to capture the colours of this season, the best proposal is to take a stroll through the city's largest parks: El Retiro<\/u><\/strong>, the West Park<\/u><\/strong> o the Casa de Campo<\/strong>.<\/u> The main lungs of the city.<\/p>\n The most central and well-known is the Retreat<\/strong>, with its 118 hectares. It is the favourite of the locals and certainly of tourists: with its fountains, promenades, gardens, pier and even exhibition halls such as the Crystal Palace<\/strong> o that of Vel\u00e1zquez<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Undoubtedly the largest green space is the Casa de Campo<\/strong>, The 1,722-hectare site is a large enclosure that also has the Madrid Zoo-Aquarium<\/strong> , the\u00a0 Amusement Park<\/strong>, the Cable car<\/strong>, a fairgrounds and the Madrid Arena<\/strong>, It also has a large lake where you can go canoeing and boating. It also has a large lake where you can go canoeing or boating.<\/p>\n The third option for photography is the West Park<\/strong>. Its 100 hectares are coloured yellow, orange, ochre, brown or red. Within this enclosure you will find the Temple of Debod<\/u><\/strong>; A must-see in Madrid if you want to travel back to the Egyptian era of the 2nd century BC for a few minutes. A spectacular landscape that we can contemplate even better if we go up to the Moncloa lighthouse<\/u><\/strong>, u<\/u>not of the\u00a0highest viewpoints in Madrid<\/strong><\/a> located on a 110-metre high tower with breathtaking views.<\/p>\n Autumn is market season in Madrid. If you intend to disembark as alternative tourists, read on because this will be of interest to you. In October, in the Malasa\u00f1a neighbourhood the Autumn Market, <\/u>a pop-up market where gastronomy and design go hand in hand.<\/p>\n On the other hand, if you are more into the vintage, <\/em>\u00a0on the second weekend of every month, the traditional Engine Market<\/a> at the Railway Museum. Fashion, furniture, food-trucks and live music all come together here, and admission is free.<\/p>\n We know that winter is hard, but when you travel for pleasure it's another thing. If you are on holiday and one of your options is to visit Madrid, welcome! Wrap up warm; take a hat, gloves, a scarf and warm clothes. You will see that the low temperatures do not paralyse the city. Madrile\u00f1os and tourists mingle in bars, caf\u00e9s, taverns, heated terraces, theatres, musicals, concerts, .... Everything flows in the capital.<\/p>\n The first thing that strikes you is the caf\u00e9s and bars crowded with tourists and locals. A hot coffee or a cup of broth will quickly warm you up. But the typical thing in winter is churros with chocolate. At this time of the year the churreros (churro makers) make their August. <\/em>The churros and porras stalls are a temptation for visitors. The same goes for the chestnut stalls, there is nothing more typical in winter than asking for a cone of roasted chestnuts as you walk around the capital. But if you are still hungry, the most traditional thing to do is to look for the best taverns in the city. cocido madrile\u00f1o (Madrid stew)<\/u>. But be warned: 500 calories for the body!<\/p>\n A must-see in Madrid is also the Real Botanical Garden<\/a>, located next to the Prado Museum. Taking advantage of the bad weather outside, we can take refuge in its gardens and greenhouses. It has more than 5,000 species of living plants from America, Europe and the Pacific, as well as a herbarium and a library. There are talks and workshops related to botany. Admission is 4 euros.<\/p>\n While we are on the Paseo del Prado, we can take the opportunity to approach the National Library<\/strong>, next to the Plaza de Col\u00f3n<\/strong>. It has approximately 28 million copies. Everything that is published in Spain, be it books, manuscripts, press, graphic material, scores, audiovisuals or sound recordings, everything is kept in this spectacular 18th century building.<\/p>\n In the afternoon-evening and if we are not tired we can choose between hundreds of shows that Madrid has to offer; the latest theatre premieres, musicals, opera, dance... Or attend music concerts in the most acclaimed venues like La Riviera, Galileo, Sala Clamores, Caf\u00e9 Central and Berlin.<\/strong><\/p>\n But if discovering Madrid has put an end to our feet and our backs, what better alternative than visiting one of the hundreds of spas in the city or going to the most famous Hammam in the capital: the Arab baths in the Plaza de Jacinto Benavente. Ending our winter visit in a jacuzzi or with a massage is priceless.<\/p>\n Madrid in spring is spectacular, it changes colour completely. But if we are going to take to the streets in this season we have to take into account its crazy weather; we can find the 4 seasons of the year, all in the same day. So, it is essential to go out with an umbrella and layered clothing, like onions, because we will go from hot to cold in a matter of minutes.<\/p>\n According to Google SightMaps<\/u>, has become one of the most photographed cities in the world. These photos are then uploaded to the internet by locals and tourists alike. And one of the most captured corners is, without a doubt, the Plaza Mayor. Located in the heart of Madrid de los Austrias, its fa\u00e7ades and arcades have witnessed the most important historical events of our country under the watchful eye of Philip III on horseback.<\/p>\n If we are lucky enough to have a completely clear day, this is the opportunity to tour the city's main gardens. Both the Rose Garden of El Retiro<\/u><\/strong> The rose garden, like the one in the Parc de l'Ouest, is well worth a visit in spring. Hundreds of different kinds of roses form a showcase of colour that catches the visitor's eye and nose. Alongside the roses, shrubs, a variety of flowers and fountains brighten up these parks. Visits to the two rose gardens are free all year round. Just a word of advice: not suitable for allergy sufferers.<\/p>\n And what happens if it rains? I recommend a place not too crowded where you can take shelter: a place that is not too crowded. I recommend a quiet place to take shelter: the Arganzuela Greenhouse. <\/u>It is a botanical garden that houses 9,000 species of plants distributed in microclimates. It is home to tropical and aquatic species, as well as an infinite number of cacti. If it has stopped raining and without leaving this neighbourhood, you can stroll along the banks of the Manzanares. This is what is known as Madrid R\u00edo<\/u>.<\/strong> Just an hour from the Puerta del Sol, a 10 km long avenue opens up with green spaces, parks with swings, zip lines and slides for the little ones. And if the heat gets too hot, there are plenty of fountains and water jets to cool off.<\/p>\n International Museum Day is celebrated on 18 May. If you happen to be in Madrid, the cultural offer is impressive. You'll see. Each museum organises its own programme of activities during these days. This year it will be the 19th, when admission will be free and the museums will be open until 1 am. All the museums belonging to the Ministry of Culture are taking part. This is a once a year opportunity. If you want more information I leave you this link www.icom-ce.org<\/a><\/p>\nWhat to do in MADRID IN SUMMER<\/h2>\n
Museums always fresh<\/h3>\n
Gardens in Madrid<\/h3>\n
Terraces in Madrid<\/a><\/h3>\n
Summer concerts in Madrid<\/h3>\n
Cinema under the sky<\/h3>\n
Verbenas<\/h3>\n
Gay Pride Festival in July<\/h3>\n
What to do in Madrid in Autumn<\/h2>\n
Madrid Parks<\/h3>\n
Markets<\/h3>\n
What to do in Madrid in Winter<\/h2>\n
Calorific gastronomy<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Cultural visits<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Evening entertainment<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What to do in Madrid in Spring<\/h2>\n
Plaza Mayor<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Parks and roses<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Arganzuela neighbourhood<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Night of the museums<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Book Fair<\/strong><\/h3>\n