Set your alarm for 09:00 on a Sunday morning and head off to the Rastro flea market. Yes, it may be crazy to get up this early in the weekends, but for the thousands of people who wake up early to head to what is arguably the coolest flea market in the world, it’s nothing more than typical Sunday behavior in Madrid. If you are there early you can get the chance to pick up the best bargains.
The Rastro is the largest flea market in Spain, and gets going every Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm, all year long. Looking for leather goods like bags and coats? They got it. Want to buy paintings or art? It’s there. Small, not very useful plastic souvenirs? Clothing? It’s all here. More in the mood for furniture? Music? Antiques? You’ve come to the right place. You can find just about anything, used and new, cheap and cheaper at the Rastro. Haggle that vendor down from his starting price and walk away with a bargain or two at any of the 3,500 stalls.
Indubitably, after all that shopping you’ll have worked up a great hunger and thirst. You are well catered for. The bars that line the Rastro overflow on Sundays as the market shoppers pop in for beers and snacks which often include such delicacies as paella, olives, sardines and calamari.
How to get there? Take the metro to La Latina or to Puerta de Toledo (Metro line 5) and you will find yourself in the center of it all.
About the Author:
More about El Rastro, Spain’s largest flea market, including shopping tips can be found at Dirt Cheap Madrid.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Madrid’s El Rastro is the World’s Largest Flea Market
Tropical Plant Display At Atocha Railway Station
When you visit Madrid, one of the Madrid, Spain events that you will want to experience is the tropical plant display at the Atocha Railway Station. This is an indoor hothouse for every type of tropical plant that you can imagine -some 500 species of plants as well as some wild life. When you visit the Atocha Railway Station, you can also enjoy shopping and cafes that are found in this unique area of Madrid. If you enjoy plants and wildlife, you will want to check out the Atocha Railway Station.
Madrid Fair at Casa de Campo
Casa de Campo is the place you want to be in March for the annual Madrid Fair. There are plenty of fairs that take place at the fairgrounds at the Casa de Campo, the largest outdoor area of Madrid, but none as spectacular as the annual Madrid Fair. You can taste the foods of Madrid, see bull riding, traditional dancing and enjoy the culture that is unique to Madrid, Spain. This is one of the Madrid, Spain events that you will want to enjoy when you visit this city in Spain.
Faunia Ecological Theme Park
The Faunia Eco Theme Park is something that is for the young and young at heart. If you want to teach your children about ecology, this is the place to do so. There are events that take place in this ecological theme park throughout the year. Faunia consists of a zoo and a museum combined and is well worht the visit when you visit Spain.
Royal Botanic Garden Spring Blooms
Visit the Royal Botanic Garden at any time and you will be treated to some of the most awe inspiring species of plant life. But when you visit in the spring, everything is in full bloom. The Royal Botanic Garden is devoted to the maintenance of the eco system in Europe. Visit any time, but be sure to take in this site during April when everything is in full bloom and there are weekend events to celebrate and learn about ecology.
Madrid, Spain is a warm and sunny place and there is much to see and do when it comes to annual or daily events that take place in this part of the country. When you visit Madrid, Spain, be sure to take a look at some of the events in this city that the entire family can enjoy.
About the Author:
Joe Deacon loves to travel and
Madrid, Spain
Events are some of his favorite must-see happenings. Go to Eventsetter.com
and see a
schedule of Madrid, Spain Events running at the time of your visit.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Flamenco & Fairs; Fauna & Flowers: Madrid, Spain Events
Madrid art.
For art lovers, Madrid must be a heaven. Its galleries have been receiving raving reviews year after year. International art collectors flock to the art galleries to see what is on display. Entrance fees are affordable (about 6 Euros per adult), so most people can get to enjoy the art. Art galleries include places such as Museo THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA, Museo PRADO, and Museo REINA SOFIA.
In the galleries, the works of many famous Spanish artists (such as Picasso) are featured. In fact, Madrid has the largest collection of Spanish artwork in the entire world! So if you are an art lover looking to examine Spanish art, then Madrid is the perfect venue.
Madrid theme parks.
If you are traveling with kids, it’s good to know that there are family friendly destinations that you can visit as well. Kids may not know how to appreciate Spanish art, but they sure know how to have a great time at one of the two gigantic theme parks in Madrid! The two theme parks are Parque Warner Bros and Parque de attracions. Parque Warner Bros is the more modern theme park. From the name of the theme park, you probably have guessed that many cartoon characters will be featured in the rides. You are right! There is a cartoon village, where children can learn about the history of Warner Bros famous cartoon characters. And then there is Hollywood Boulevard, where the fun rides are. Your children will thank you for bringing them to one of the theme parks!
Madrid monuments and landmarks.
If you are visiting Madrid for the first time, then it is a must that you take some time to visit some of the key monuments and landmarks in the city. But before you make the trip, make sure that you check out the opening hours of the monument. Usually, they are open from morning till evening (regular business hours). On Sundays and public holidays, they may be closed, or they may open for half a day. So be sure to check this out so that you don’t make a wasted trip.
Key attractions include the Royal Palace, the Almudena Cathedral, Puerta Alcala, Parque Retiro, Puerta de Toledo, Plaza Ciebeles, and more.
About the Author:
For more information on Madrid attractions, please visit our website.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Interesting and Popular Madrid Attractions
Madrid’s bullring’s official name is La Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas. It is amazing from an architectural point of view, an impressive red brick and ceramic tile múdejar-style structure exploding out of the ground in a residential neighborhood.
From the suits the matadors wear, to the whole spectacle with the audience waving their white handkerchiefs, to visit a bullfight is a great opportunity to have an up-close encounter with a very unique and extraordinary (albeit somewhat barbaric) tradition. When you go to a bullfight you will either be very interested and jump up and shout “Olé!” along with the die-hard locals, or feel that the whole thing is a barbaric and unjust setup that you would want to distance yourself from. Many tourists visit the bullring only to leave after half an hour.
Las Ventas is located at they eponymous metro stop (Ventas, L2). You literally can’t miss it. Bullfights take place every Sunday from March to October.
A ticket to a bullfight can be very expensive. The closer to the bullring you are sitting, the more expensive it is. The price range is usually 200-15 euros. The cheapest tickets are towards the top of the stadium and there is no shade. But, you get a great overview of the whole spectacle.
About the Author:
Bullfighting in Madrid’s Las Ventas bullring is a bloody spectacle which is heavily covered in the budget travel guide Dirt Cheap Madrid .
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Bullfighting in Madrid
Vibrant and exciting city - Madrid.
First of all, Madrid’s is Spain’s busiest and largest city. It has a population of just under 6 million, and the streets are always bustling with activities. As it is a very well developed city, you can expect the roads to be well connected, and the infrastructure to be adequate. This is to cater to the needs of millions of tourists who flock to this beautiful city each year.
Arrival at Madrid.
Madrid has one of the most modern airports in the world, and there are 4 terminals in this airport. Just a year ago, this airport is responsible for the arrivals of over 40 million visitors. Obviously, it has the capacity to cope with the demand. Upon arrival at the Madrid airport, you can either travel by cab to your hotel, or you can rent a car. If you decide to rent a car, you have to make an advanced booking. This will ensure that a rented car is waiting for you at the airport and you can drive away immediately to wherever you want to go. A rented car provides additional convenience. You can even make a stop at one of the local restaurants to grab a bite before heading to the hotel.
Madrid hotels.
Rest assured that there will be no lack of hotels to choose from. You can choose a hotel that is suitable for you based on your budget, as well as the length of stay. If budget permits, you may wish to book a room in a continental hotel, which is more luxurious. Some examples of higher quality hotels include Maria Elena Palace, Gran Hotel Velazquez, Silken Puerta America G.L., Senator Gran Via Hotel, and many others. If you would like to save a little on accommodation, you may wish to consider one of the budget hotels. Budget hotels are adequately equipped with the necessary facilities as well, except that they are not as luxurious. Facilities are more basic, and you can expect clean beds and adequate level of room service.
Once you have settled down comfortably in the city, you may want to start exploring the city. You can choose to travel by taxi (the most expensive choice), by Metro (very fast) or public bus. Usually, if you travel during non-peak hours, you can move around quickest in a taxi, and you can see more of the city. However, sometimes, because of traffic congestion, underground trains may serve you better. If you have time on your hands, perhaps taking a bus is the best option. It’s cheap, and you can see more of city at a leisurely pace.
About the Author:
For more information on Madrid” target=”_blank”>www.madrid-guide-spain.com”>Madrid Spain, please visit our website.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - General Travel Information About Madrid Spain
The capital city of Spain is reservoir of many historic memories. The cultural heritage of the country is truly reflected in the museums and the art galleries. The locations in Madrid inside the city are full of life activity and energy. Visitors craving to modern trends will feel great. A tourist can get accommodation on hire to reside in long term or short term basis in the city. Walking down in the streets of Madrid bring out the wild of every visitor. Vacationers can sign to apartments for their stay in the busy locations of Madrid.
For people who enjoy life in the countryside or who want to discover their inner instinct in the lonely province will feel lucky to be in their tour to Spain. The locations in Madrid and its suburbs are full of scenic beauty where lurking the quixotic surroundings for the cupid struck visitors. Tourist to these places can find best accommodations to be tenants there for long or short period of time.
It has become easy to find an apartment in any location in Madrid with the presence of Chic Rentals. Chic Rentals offers the service of providing an apartment in rent in Madrid. A customer just needs contact by internet or phone. The apartment for the customer is selected on the basis of style and comfort. Whether in the city or in the suburb of it, Chic Rentals makes an apartment available for the tourist in any location of Madrid caring their choice.
Select the convenient way for getting a reservation for your holidays in Spain. Chic Rentals is the best solution to your dilemma of getting an apartment in any location of Madrid.
About the Author:
For more information regarding Locations in Madridplease visit http://www.chic-rentals.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Find yourself in the Enchanting Locations of Madrid
The various areas of Madrid cater to different types of people. The students have their hangouts while the artists and chicos rico (rich people) find other places to knock back their poison of choice. Look no further, here’s a quick write up of the most important nightlife areas in the spanish capital.
Huertas is an area who is extremely popular with foreigners and the streets and plaza are lines with bar after bar after bar. Barhopping is clearly a favorite pastime here, and revelers’ decisions are often helped along by people standing out in the street handing out fliers and inviting you to shots of fruity liqueur in many a bar. There is a great selection of various pubs and clubs in this area. Everything from jazz clubs to stylish minimalistic bars. And of course, there’s also a fair share of Irish pubs. Nearest metro is Sevilla (L2)
Chueca is Madrid’s gay neighbourhood. It is painfully hip, but also a bit seedy. Not only for gay. Lots of trendy places cater to the heterosexual party traveller as well. The nearest metros are Chueca and Gran Via (L5)
Alonso Martinez is an inexpensive area most frequented by students and young people. Great place to knock back your share of inexpensive drinks. The nearest metro is Alonso Martínez (L4, L5, L10).
About the Author:
Learn about the hottest nightlife zones in Madrid. Dirt Cheap Madrid travel guide got plenty of tips.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Most Important Nightlife Areas in Madrid
As a child I had the priviledge to spend the first years of my life in Madrid and study in an old traditional school run my nuns since the early 1900s. That school which five minutes walking distance to the Royal Palace in Madrid, right in the city center is still up and running pretty much in the same way from decades. During the lunch break, we used to tell each other ghost tales that made the 2-hour break much more bearable.
From all those stories, I remember in special a day when one of the teachers came and sat down with a group of roughly ten girls, telling us how the school used to be a hospital in war times and the used to hide from bomb attacks on secret tunnels right underneath the school. Apparently those tunnels served not only as refuge from air raids during the Spanish Civil War but also served as an enourmous gallery that connected key places within the Old Town, for instance, the Plaza Mayor, the Palace, the Town Hall, the Hospital, etc.
The network of interconnected landmarks allowed some priviledge people with knowledge of its existence to move freely without the fear of being caught, and more importantly, move people and goods undetected. Obviously, I did cuestion many times the veracity of this tale, as it seemed to my quite rare that this story was in fact not of public domain, but merely a rare comment from a nun that usually never walked out of the boundaries of the school-convent building.
To my surprise, this story came out to be absolutely true. Madrid was named after the arabic word ‘Madjrit’ which means ‘place where there are tunnels’. Therefore the secret tunnels that interconnect the whole city centre of Madrid were real and existed before the muslim occupation, around the 11th century. The islamic legacy was specially rich in terms of knowledge of water distribution and supply. It is thougt that the tunnels were in fact designed to keep a permanent reservoir of water, saving it away from the sun and therefore eluding evaporation.
As the arab ocupation where forced out of Madrid and ultimately out of Spain, their systems where left in disuse and many people just forgot about its existence, until diffult times, in particular the Civil War stroke the city. The citizens of Madrid refer to their city as a Gruyere cheese, because of its many wholes underneath the surface, and seems like there could be more than initially thought.
When the city is hosted high profile meetings and events such as official visits from foreing prime ministers, security is obviously high not only on the visible city but also in Madrid underground tunnels. But there are many other cities with the same secret tunnels, for instance Lyon, Paris, Seville or Rome, just to name a few. Some places have organized visits to the hidden tunnels such as the Vatican, other will never be seen by the public, others will only be visited if you talk with the locals and do some research. Staying at privately owned apartments is a good way to interact with locals, whether you want to find apartments in Madrid, rentals in Paris, houses in Seville there will be a hidden tunnel underneath waiting for you to discover.
About the Author:
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Hidden Tunnels in Madrid, the Secret Underground World
Go to a Flamenco dinner show
A Flamenco dinner show is a great cultural nighttime option. If you are traveling to the South of Spain, particularly Granada or Seville, it’s best to find a Flamenco show in these cities. It will undoubtedly be cheaper and more authentic. However, Flamenco shows in Madrid are still a good option if you won’t be traveling outside of the capital.
Try a few tapas bars
A tapas crawl can be fun if you find the right places. Avoid some of the tourist traps in the Sol area, which are overpriced. Ask your hotel for suggestions. Vinoteca, in Plaza Santa Ana, is a one good option.
Check out some of Madrid’s big night clubs
Madrid’s night clubs are a fun experience. None card, and as long as you look about 18, you won’t have any problems getting in. Try Kapitol, across from metro stop Atocha, and Palacio Real (near Sol). Kapitol claims to be the biggest club in Europe. Both charge a cover of 12-15 euros and get busy at around 2 AM.
Hit the bars:
Madrid is full of good bars. Some of the best bars for young people are in the Moncloa, Tribunal, Bilbao, and Malasana neighborhoods. Here are a couple of bars that are normally flooded with American and Spanish college students, as well as others:
o El Chapandaz, “The cave bar” - (Calle Fernando El Catolico 77, Moncloa) Cool looking bar decorated like a cave. Some drinks are poured from a tap in the form of a rock formation hanging down from the ceiling. Good Thurs. through Sat.
o Casa de la Cerveza (Metro Bilbao) - This bar is normally packed on off nights because of its all-you-can-drink for 10 euro deal (from 11-1:30 I believe). You can try Sangria, beer, or red wine and coke (called calimocho- popular with the young Spanish crowd).
Note: Avoid the bars that promote around the Sol area. Some of the Irish bars are OK, as are many of the bars located in underground caves.
About the Author:
For a free guide to the must-see sites in Madrid click here. Or check out our irresistible Madrid vacation deals.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Nightlife Guide: Madrid
Never mind its restless history, the city is perhaps the liveliest in the world. It combines the sophistication of Paris with the raunchiness of Pattaya in Thailand. The cross is almost too hot to handle. So say tourists who visit Spain’s capital by the hordes every year. The city is almost like a well-bred girl who cannot quite hide her unbridled passions. This passion gets unleashed during bullfights especially, the most famous ones taking place in the Plaza las ventas Madrid built in 1931 and the Plaza Mayor de Madrid. At the latter you can also arrange to meet up with friends for a drink or simply stroll around taking in the beautiful sights.
If you are in Madrid, how can you remain immune to football? Craze for the game greets you everywhere you go, through posters and hoardings and so on. For die-hard aficionados a tour around the Santiago Bernabeu is a must. The massive stadium, the trophy room, the Presidential balcony et al leave you with a feeling bordering on humbleness.
Madrid is home to some of the world’s greatest museums and the triumvirate of must-sees are: Museo del Prado, the Queen Sofia Art Centre, and Thyssen Museum. The last-named hosts some 1,600 paintings from all over the world.
After a fill of football and culture (with bullfighting thrown in for good measure), you might want to ease off at a nice eatery. For traditional fare we recommend you try the Bogin where you get to buy a muy typico Spanish three-course meal for 40 euros. But if you want to combine gourmet pleasures with a viewing of some fantastic Flamenco the Corral de la Morería is the best bet.
Madrid is known as the city that never sleeps. Indeed its chief slogan, say a lot of Spaniards, is Mucha marcha or ‘always on the go’. During a typical pub crawl expect large doses of alcohol in ‘copas’ in which combos such as gin and tonic, lemon and rum, or coke and whisky abound. Also, don’t be surprised if you run into a couple of Irish pubs.
Some Madrid pubs have dance floors and remain pen till 6 or 7 in the morning.
If you wish to check into a bar in the open air, we recommend with earnestness that you try the rather upscale ‘terrazas’ where you can swig beers and drink copas till the wee hours.
Getting around the city is fairly easy thanks to the country’s ever-expanding rail network, efficiently-run buses plying extensive routes, and the relatively cheap cabs. In addition, there are car-hire agencies practically dotting the city.
So what are waiting for? Pack your bags for Madrid beckons!
About the Author:
Mike Greaves is a self-made entrepreneur, a well known travel consultant and internet marketer. Over the years he has traveled across the world and has numerous writings credited to his name in many renowned publications. His areas of writing include travel experiences including reviews of World Best Hotels , luxury spas and Luxury Resorts .
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Madrid: Sophisticated Profligate