Posts in ‘Things to do in Madrid’

Football fans visiting the Algarve in April will be able to set off on a Seville tour to see how the top local Primera Liga side get on against the league’s reigning champions.

Sevilla will play Real Madrid at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on April 26th in what could prove to be a highly significant game as the 2008-09 La Liga season approaches its conclusion.

After 24 matches, Madrid are second in the table on 53 points, while Sevilla are nine points behind in third place.

The reigning champions could still be in the chase for the title at the end of April so will be eager to pick up every available point, while Sevilla will want to secure one of the prized top-four Champions League places.

Sevilla’s other home games over the coming months will see them take on Valladolid on March 22nd, Getafe on April 12th and Deportivo la Coruna on May 24th.

During their Seville tours, holidaymakers can also take in local sights such as the city cathedral and the Torre del Oro watchtower.

Why not book the Seville Tour in advance?

May is one of the best months to visit Madrid; Labour Day is on May 1st, Dos de Mayo - which celebrates the insurrection which led to the Spanish War of Independence - is on the 2nd and then festivities take place to celebrate St Isidro, one the city’s patron saints.

During this time, crazy parties, feasting and general merrymaking can be expected in the Spanish capital for around ten days.

Fiesta de San Isidro is one of those events which are impossible to avoid - every street will be filled with music and every local ready to have a good time.

Individual localities in the city will have their own parties, while Madrid’s squares will showcase music from traditional Spanish flamenco to more modern tastes.

San Isidro, or Isidore in English, was born in Madrid in the 11th century and is also the Catholic patron saint of farmers.

Part of his tradition includes the story that King Phillip III of Spain was cured of an illness when he touched the saint’s relics.

Why not book the Flamenco & Spanish Dance at "Florida Park" before you travel?

Madrid is known as one of the world’s football capitals and it is home to arguably the planet’s biggest football team - Real Madrid, who will be playing Liverpool on February 25th.

This huge Champions League match between two legends of the European game is set to attract worldwide interest and even those without any knowledge of football can still enjoy themselves.

Taking place at Real’s Bernabeu Stadium, the match is an opportunity to see the Madrid locals at their most passionate - and loudest.

Thrills and spills are generally assured when Liverpool play in this competition, meaning there should be some edge-of-the-seat action for fans of both teams, as well as neutrals.

Real and Liverpool have been crowned European champions 14 times between them, with nine and five titles respectively, meaning Liverpool will look on this as a chance to close the gap in the legends stakes.

The match kicks off at 19:45 GMT.

Why not book tickets to visit Avila & Segovia - Full Day in advance?

The best emerging talent in the art world from Spain and beyond will be on show at the Madrid International Contemporary Art Fair, or ARCO as it is known to those in the industry.

Running from February 11th to 16th, this huge event draws art lovers from across the globe to the Parque Ferial Juan Carlos 1.

For the second year in a row a subsection of the fair, labelled ARCO40, will focus on emerging markets, with 55 galleries featuring works by no more than three artists made during the last three years.

Spanish galleries will make up 19 of these emerging offerings, including ADN Galeria from Barcelona, which features the work of Concha Perez, and Eugenio Merino.

Germany will also be heavily represented at ARCO40, with five galleries from the capital Berlin, including Alexandra Saheb.

Reflecting a truly international affair, other galleries will come from as far afield as Ireland, Mexico and China.

Ticket prices for the exhibition vary between €32 (£30) to €66, with concessions from €21 (£20) to €50.

Why not book the Escorial & Valle De Los Caidos (AM) tour in advance?

Tennis fans and anyone who just likes to see a Brit win something should make sure they are in Spain for the Madrid Masters this May.

Andy Murray won the event last year and will be defending his title and, given his run of form so far this year, he could be in attendance as a Grand Slam champion.

The Scot is currently playing in the Australian Open and will be one of the favourites when Wimbledon comes round.

Madrid is part of the ATP Masters Series, which is the most important level of tournament in tennis stars’ calendars, aside from the big four.

Because of its significance, this will also be a chance to see the other big names in the tennis world, from Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the men’s game to the Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova in the women’s.

The tournament runs from May 8th to 17th in the Madrid Arena.

Why not book tickets for Toledo - AM/PM in advance?

This February, fashion fanatics will be found at the Madrid International Fashion Fair (SIMM).

Taking place at the Feria de Madrid, this biannual event takes in all that’s great about the art of clothes, as Spain’s biggest fashion exhibition showcases everything from underwear to city chic.

In terms of numbers, there will be 500 exhibitors and in excess of 1,000 collections, from Spain and abroad.

The models will be strutting their stuff in the Feria de Madrid from February 12th to 14th with tickets costing €30 (£27), but there will be a certain Gallic air to the proceedings.

At each fair a country is invited as a guest and this year France has received the honour, following in the footsteps of Portugal from February 2008 and Brazil last July.

Didier Parakian, president of the French Women’s Pret a Porter Federation and a veteran of SIMM, said it was a "great honour" to be chosen to contribute to the Guest Country programme, especially given the importance of the Spanish market to the French fashion industry.

Why not book the Madrid Vision tour in advance?