| To
book a Spanish Course in Madrid
Modern-day Madrid beats to a different rhythm
than the rest of Spain. Life in Madrid is on the street, the
local tradition being to "tapear" (meander) from bar
to bar taking a glass of fino and a mouthful of tapas. Madrid
is a stage on which its inhabitants play. Exuding warmth and
vitality, Madrid will surely work its magic on you.
History
The first concrete references to Madrid
emerged around the 10th century. At that time it was surrounded
by cities of far greater importance, such as Toledo, Segovia
and Valladolid. In fact it was little more than a fortified
village when Felipe II decided to make it the permanent capital
of the Spanish Empire in 1561. Valladolid briefly assumed the
role of capital in 1601 but this lasted for only 5 years and
during the 17th century Madrid attracted not only civil servants,
but also writers such as Cervantes and Calderon.
During the 18th century the city was cleaned
up by Carlos III , at that time it had a reputation for being
one of the dirtiest cities in Europe. He was also instrumental
in developing the intellectual life of the city. The invasion
of Napoleon at the beginning of the 19th century spelt the beginning
of a long period of wars and political uncertainty. In 1931
the Second Republic was proclaimed in Madrid. Franco's troops
first attempted, and failed, to take Madrid in 1936, and the
subsequent siege and slow grinding advance of the Francoists
lasted until the civil war ended in 1939.
Climate
In general you can rely on pleasant or hot
temperatures just about everywhere in Spain from April to early
November. The temperatures normally range from 15°C to 35°C.
In Madrid it is slightly cooler, although temperatures can climb
above 30° C in July and August. Rain in most areas is heaviest
from around October to April, though from year to year, rainfall
is inconsistent to say the least. Madrid and the Central region
regularly freeze in December, January and February and snowfalls
in the mountains start as early as October with some snow cover
all year on the highest mountains. Weather in the high mountains
is generally unreliable.
Five
day weather forecast
City Sights
Museo del Prado
The Prado, which was built towards the end of the 18th century,
has a whole string of rooms devoted to the works of a trio of
Spain's greatest - Velazquez, Goya and El Greco. These three
elements are the cream, but there is plenty of good work by
a range of Flemish, Italian and other painters too.
It is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 7pm, and on
Sundays and holidays it closes at 2pm.
Puerta del Sol
Once the site of a city gate, the Puerta del Sol, is Madrid's
most central point. Just to the north of the statue of Carlos
III, stands a statue of a bear nuzzling a madrono (strawberry
tree). This is a favourite meeting place for locals and the
city's symbol.
Plaza Mayor
West of the Puerta del Sol, the heart of Medieval Madrid beats
in the 17th century Plaza Mayor. It was for a long time a popular
stage for Royal festivities and now is a popular place to drink
expensive coffee!
Palacio Real
When the Alcazar burned down in 1734, Felipe V took the opportunity
to build a palace that would dwarf its European counterparts
both in size and architectural magnificence. With some 2800
rooms, it is certainly large. Carlos III was the first monarch
to move in, but the present king is rarely in residence 50 rooms
are open to the public.
Plaza de Oriente
Just across from the Palace, stands the majestic Plaza de Oriente.
The square is dominated by an equestrian statue of Felipe IV,
but does in fact have some 44 statues of monarchs.
Day Trips
Toledo
Less than an hour from Madrid is a remarkable medieval city
bristling with monumental splendour. They still call it La Ciudad
Imperial, and for a while the city looked set to become the
heart of a united Spain. Twisting lanes and blind alleys, extraordinarily
decorated internal patios, steep cobbled streets and sheer architectural
diversity make this place an absolute must.
Alcala de Henares
Approximately 35 kms east of the city, is dear to the hearts
of many Spaniards, as the birthplace of the country's literary
figurehead, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. The city entered a
period of greatness after the founding of the university here
in 1486. The university was for a long time one of the countries
main seats of learning.
Salamanca
This university town is approximately 2 hours north west of
the city by bus or train. It is, like Cambridge or Oxford, very
much a student town, steeped in history. It also has a university
founded in 1218, which became the equal of Oxford and Bologna.
Don't miss the Plaza Mayor, generally considered to be Spain's
most engaging central plaza.
Nights out
Madrid has the wide selection of cafes,
bars restaurants and nightclubs that you would expect from a
city of its size. Spaniards are renowned for heading out late
so those night owls amongst you will be in their element. Whether
it's a good Tapas and a bottle of Sangria that you enjoy or
dancing the night away in one of Madrid's many nightclubs you
won't be short of options.
Activities
On Sunday morning, the Embajadores area
of Madrid seems to contain half the city's population as all
and sundry converge on El Rastro, the city's flea market. Starting
from Plaza de Cascorro, its main axes are Calle de Ribeira de
Curtidores and Calle de Embajadores. Much of what is on sale
is rubbish, but the atmosphere alone is worth the effort. There
are a good many junk and antique stores dotted about here, and
more contemporary shops in the Mercado Puerta de Toledo, just
west of the Rastro area. Calle del Prado is a good place to
look for high class furniture and other antique items. The best
known department store in Madrid and throughout Spain is El
Corte Ingles.
There are some good bookshops at La Casa
del Libro at Gran Via 29-31 and the Libreria Turner at Calle
de Genova 3, both have good selections of books in English.
Special Events
| Third week of May |
Fiestas de San Isidro
Labrador
Madrid's single greatest fiesta is
without doubt the one that celebrates the city's patron
saint, Saint Isidro. It starts with the pregón,
a speech delivered by the mayor, on the middle Friday
or Saturday of the month and goes on for a week. There
are free music performances around the city, and the country's
most prestigious feria, or bullfight season, takes place
at the huge Plaza De Toros Monumental de las Ventas. |
| 24 June |
The fiesta de San Juan
Held in the Parque del Buen Retiro over the seven days leading
up to 24 June. |
| 2nd week of August |
The second week of August
celebrates the consecutive festivals of San Cayetano in
Lavapiés, San Lorenzo in La Latina and La Paloma
(around Calle de Calatrava in La Latina). |
| Last week of September |
The Fiesta de Otoño
The autumn festival is held in the Chamartin barrio of
Madrid.
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Where Can I Find The……?
Tourist Office
The main tourist office is on the ground floor of the Torre
de Madrid, Calle de la Princesa 1 (the entrance is around the
corner on Plaza de España). It is open Monday to Friday
from 9am to 7pm, and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm. The office
at Barajas airport is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 8 p.m
and Saturday from 9am to 1pm.
There is another tourist office at Plaza Mayor 3. It is open
Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm and Saturday from 10am to
2pm.
Post and Communications
The main post office is in the ornate and unmistakable Palacio
de Communicaciones on Plaza de la Cibeles. The postcode for
poste restante (lista de correos) at the main office is 28080.
For stamps (which you can also buy at tobacconists), the post
office is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 10pm and Saturday
from 8.30 to 8pm. The two main telefonica offices are open daily
from 9.30am to 11.30pm. They have telephone cabins, telex services
and phone directories for the whole country. They are located
at Paseo de los Recoletos 37-41 (metro Colon) and Gran Via 30
(metro Callao or Gran Via. The telephone code for Madrid is
91.
Foreign Consulates
The British Embassy can be found at Calle de Fernando el Santo
16, 28010 and the contact details are as follows:
Tel: (91) 700 8200
Fax: (91) 700 8272
E-mail: press.public@embbrit.es
Web site: www.embbrit.es
Banks
There is a wide range of banks and cash machines available throughout
the city. When changing cash or cheques, always ask about the
commission. This can vary from bank to bank American Express
( 322 54 24) has an office at Plaza de las Cortes 2. It's open
from 9am to 5.30pm and on Saturday from 9am to noon.
Internet @ccess
El Argonauta Virtual, Gaztambide 9 (tel: (91) 550 0835; fax:
(91) 543 3978; web site: www.argonauta-virtual.com)
Medical and Emergency Services
At least one pharmacy opens 24 hours a day in each district
of Madrid. Alternatively, dial 098 to find out where the nearest
one is. In a police emergency you can call the Policia Nacional
on 091. The direccion General de Policia-extranjeros (900 15
00 00), at Calle de los Madrazo 8, sometimes has an interpreter
service in summer. There are six First-Aid stations (Urgencias)
scattered about Madrid in case of Medical emergency. They remain
open 24 hours a day. For an ambulance call the Cruz Roja on
522 22 22 or Insalud 409 55 30. In a general medical emergency,
you should always dial 061 for information. The fire service
can be contacted on 112 or 080.
If you have medical problems you could try
popping into the nearest Insalud clinics -often Marked 'Centro
de Salud'. Make sure you have all your insurance details with
you (including your E-111 if you are an EU citizen). The most
central one is at Calle de las Navas de Tolosa 1.
Airport Transfers
Madrid's Barajas airport is 13 kms north
east of the city. To get into the city, take either an airport
bus, the metro (which is generally easier to navigate) or a
taxi. If you take a taxi from the airport, you will have to
pay a supplementary charge for your luggage, also make sure
the driver turns the meter on when you get in ! It should cost
no more than 2000-3000 ptas to the centre of town.
Before You Go….
The Spanish Tourist Office (UK) is situated
at 22-23 Manchester Square, London W1M 5AP and the contact details
are:
Tel: (020) 7486 8077 or (0891) 669 920
Fax: (020) 7486 8034.
E-mail: buzon.oficial@londres.oet.mcx.es
Web site: www.tourspain.co.uk
Useful Websites
www.softdoc.es Comprehensive guide to Madrid
To
book a Spanish Course in Madrid
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