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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.
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| 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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