Spain Travel - Festive Madrid

A city you need to know how to conquer...

Madrids atmosphere

Admire masterpieces by Velazquez and Goya, steep yourself in the alleys of medieval Madrid, follow the trail of Almodovar around the Plaza de Chueca, enjoy a few tapas at the bar of a taberna, buy a bellota ham, a guitar or a bullfighter's costume... Madrid is a city that feels good about itself, is both tolerant and traditional, and has managed to preserve an authentic working class life in spite of tourism and property prices. Above all, the city is a mosaic of districts, each with their own identity and atmosphere.

As with most large metropolises, the journey from the airport to the outskirts of Madrid is slightly disappointing for visitors, since big 1970s blocks of council flats have permanently disfigured the landscape. The centre of Spain has also been suffering from a terrible drought for a year: charred trees and cracked earth make an impressive picture that you can see from the airplane window before landing.

Entering the capital is like going into a large provincial town; it is literally crossed and cut in two by a large thoroughfare which is successively known as Paseo de la Castellana, Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado, and links Plaza Castilla (in the north) to the Atocha station (in the south). Past the superb Puerta de Alcalá, you enter 18th century Madrid with its striking broad avenues, fountains, parks and neo-Classical palaces (the Prado and Palacio Real). Strictly speaking the historic centre, from where you have to set off to explore the city, is in fact in the southwest part, with Plaza Mayor as a landmark. Of modest dimensions, it is a reminder that Madrid was originally a village (baptised “Majerit” by the Moors in the 9th century), which did not become capital of the kingdom until the 16th century, when Philip II moved the court here from Toledo.

Old Madrid and Palacio Real (allow half a day)

Early in the morning or late afternoon when the churches are open, old Madrid is a treasure trove of living poetry with its narrow alleys, small sunny squares, noble 17th century residences, monasteries with their astonishing interior wealth, and houses adorned with wrought-iron balconies. On your way in or out, the Plaza Puerta del Sol is an inevitable crossroads. On the ground is kilometre zero of the national highways. It is, above all, the liveliest and busiest square in Madrid.

As if drawn by a mysterious magnetic pole, you naturally head for Plaza Mayor, the original nucleus of the city. Created in 1619 under Philip III (an equestrian statue of him stands in the centre), this immense rectangular space was the stage for coronations, the burning of heretics, executions and bullfights on horseback. Today, a stamp and coin market is held here on Sunday mornings, beneath the arcades. In spite of tourism and property inflation, the district has remained working class, as attested by its shops from another age: haberdasheries, cobblers, 1930s hairdressers, hatters, knife makers... In Calle de la Paz, José Ramirez makes widely renowned guitars out of solid wood, and people come from all over Spain to order made-to-measure bullfighter costumes at the Justo Algaba boutique in Plaza Pontejos...

If you fancy drinking una cerveza (a beer) or eating un bocadillo con calamares (a speciality of Madrid), avoid the bars on Plaza Mayor (too touristy); instead, go to one of the countless old tabernas nearby (in Calle Postas, for example), where excellent tapas are served all day long. The cafe in Calle Nuncio is also a pleasant place. If the old Toledo road seems too lively, you can enjoy the peace and quiet of Plaza de la Paja (“straw square”) with its typically medieval irregular layout; this was once the centre of the Moorish quarter. Goya liked to come here to paint in the evening, to capture the mauve and golden shades of the sky over Madrid.

Your journey through old Madrid will take you, in the west, to the 140 m (459 ft) façade of the Royal Palace. Opposite the Sierra de Guadarrama, this gigantic 18th century building, built by the Bourbons, was the royal family's official residence until 1931. The brilliant white exterior conceals an exceptional interior decor, with precious furniture, over-ornate mirrors, silk hangings, crystal chandeliers, and collections of weapons and musical instruments.

Above the neo-Classical gardens of Plaza Oriente, which overlook the palace, the district is residential and ultra-chic. Here there are two shops that are worth a visit. Opposite the Senate in Plaza Marina Española, Gondiaz offers a magnificent selection of ibericos de bellota hams (see our article on gastronomy). Then head for Plaza de San Martin where you will find Luis Bardón Mesa's beautiful bookshop, with walls that are entirely covered with original leather-bound editions.

Another aspect of Madrid

Still neglected by tourists, the old Lavapiés district is also the poorest, most colourful and most cosmopolitan in Madrid, with its Chinese supermarkets, Indian restaurants and Arab tearooms. Reputedly a trouble spot and monitored by the police, this district is nevertheless lively and interesting for its multicultural atmosphere. It is near the famous Rastro flea market, which takes place every Sunday between Plaza Cascorro and the Puerta de Toledo and attracts thousands of bargain-hunters.

Prado Museum, Thyssen Museum and "district of letters" (allow one day)

Madrid boasts two extraordinarily rich art museums: the Prado* (probably the world's largest classical art gallery), which houses collections bequeathed by the Habsburgs and Bourbons, and the Thyssen Museum, whose originally private collection was purchased by the Spanish State in 1993. These two museums are set close together in a district which, since its creation in the 18th century, has been considered the showcase of Madrid. The Paseo del Prado, which separates the two museums and runs alongside the immense Parc del Buen Retiro, is rather like what the Champs-Élysées in Paris used to be: a chic and majestic promenade where people come to be seen in their brand new cars before booking into the Westin Palace hotel... Today, the Paseo del Prado is also renowned for its second-hand booksellers and the famous literary cafe Gijón.

To reach this magnificent district and discover Velazquez's famous painting Las Meninas or the Impressionist paintings purchased by the Spanish State from Baron Hans Thyssen-Bornemisza at the Prado, we recommend a trip through the Huertas district, also nicknamed the “district of letters”, between Plaza Santa Ana and the Neptune Fountain (on the corner of the Prado). The great Spanish writers of the 16th and 17th centuries lived here and some of them died here, for example Cervantes (1547-1616) and his enemy, Lope de Vega (1562-1635), prolific author of 1,000 plays, but also Quevedo (1580-1645), Tirso de Molina (1583-1648) and Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681). This district, with its 19th century and early 20th century architecture, is full of tapas bars and traditional restaurants, such as the excellent El Rincón de Esteban (see our article on gastronomy).

Chueca district

In love with Madrid, filmmaker Pedro Almodovar is particularly fond of this district with, at its centre, Plaza de Chueca between Paseo del Prado, Gran Va and Calle Hortaleza. In the late 19th century, it was one of the city's most elegant districts.

Today, it is Madrid's gay district, renowned for its nightlife, cafes, bookshops and charming boutiques. Calle Augusto Fgueroa is famous for its shops and shoe designers. At number 26 Calle Hortaleza, Manuel Rodriguez is one of the last classic guitar makers in the capital: his “Centenario” model, entirely hand made using exotic wood (cedar from Honduras and ebony from Madagascar) is considered by specialists to be the Stradivarius of classical guitars.

Alcalá de Henares and the 400th anniversary of Don Quixote

Located 33 km (20 miles) east of Madrid and listed as a world heritage site, the town where Catherine of Aragon (one of Henry VIII of England's wives) and Cervantes were born is this year celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of Don Quixote. This book, a legend in western literature, was considered by Dostoyevsky and Kundera to be the forerunner of the novel. You can get to Alcalá de Henares in 40 minutes by bus (leaving from Avenida de America, 3.50 euros return). Besides the house where Cervantes was born (identically reconstructed), this little town is above all famous for its magnificent university, founded in 1498, which has a perfectly preserved Renaissance façade. It is rather like a monastery, with its patios, gardens, arcades and fountains... Even today, students from all over the world come here to take courses in language, history and literature. The festivities organised for the 400th anniversary of Don Quixote are of remarkable quality, with a Gustave Doré exhibition and concerts given by Jordi Savall (who has found scores from the time of Cervantes).

New generation hotels that are worth a look

Jean Nouvel has also designed a fantastic hotel, the Puerta America, which has just opened on Avenida de America, in east Madrid. This magnificent red and orange building, with glass lifts located on the outside that give the impression of entering a space ship, has 308 rooms and 34 suites. To create this unique hotel, Nouvel called upon twenty architects of all nationalities, each one being responsible for one floor. Thus, from neo-Renaissance style to 1970s Pop spirit (superb white, spherical rooms) via the Japanese tradition, each room is a unique work. For design buffs this hotel is like a play area, dedicated to freedom and the imagination. Breakfast, moreover, is of outstanding quality: exotic fruit, bellota ham, scrambled eggs... A must!

For its part, the Spanish chain High Tech Hoteles has also just opened several hotels in Madrid. Just a stone's throw from Plaza Mayor, the Posada del Peine is set in the city's oldest hotel (1610). As for the Hotel President, it is in the very chic district of Salamanca, famous for its leafy streets, art galleries and luxury boutiques. These two establishments, equipped with Wi-Fi, offer very innovative contemporary interior design, with rooms and bathrooms that are refined and sober, where glass and wood are harmoniously combined. Rooms from 90 euros (approx. £60).

Madrid undertakes some major works

Madrid today is a city that, like Spain, is full of go and enthusiasm, and has, in record time, managed to get over the civil war, make a fresh start after Francoism, and develop a passionate interest in modernity. Whether it be new technologies, creative cuisine, fashion, design or architecture, Madrid has had an easy passage into the 21st century... and managed to retain its identity.

Recent architectural creations illustrate this fundamental movement of Spanish society, as demonstrated, for example, by the spectacular ongoing extension of the Prado by Moneo (Pritzker Prize 1996) on the site of the cloisters of the church of San Jerónimo el Real.

Opposite the monumental wrought-iron Atocha station, the “Castilian Beaubourg” was opened late September in the presence of the queen and the minister for culture. Jean Nouvel's bold architectural creation is an extension of the famous Reina Sofia national museum of contemporary art, which notably houses Picasso's Guernica. La Ampliación (the name given to this wing) has already sparked a debate in the Spanish media, not unlike the one caused by the inauguration of the Pyramide du Louvre in Paris in 1989... Adjoining the austere 18th century baroque hospital which has housed the museum since 1986, this building consists of three levels (a library, an auditorium and exhibition rooms) and leaves structures visible from the outside, whether it be terraces, staircases or lifts. Access is through a triangular atrium, covered by a huge roof that lets the daylight in. The brilliant red of the cafeteria (run by Sergi Arola, one of the rising stars of Spanish gastronomy) shows reflections of the street.

*The Prado contains over 15,000 paintings and receives almost 6,000 visitors per day, over 60% of them from abroad (including Andy Warhol, who took a 10-minute tour of the museum in 1983!).