donnae_b

My husband and I enjoy taking our tennis rackets and playing in countries which we travel. I would love to take part in a 5K or half marathon.

Beginning Apr. 28 we will be in Barcelona, Seville then Madrid - can you recommend a public tennis court, a running experience or a concert?

Thank you taking the time to share your thoughts and enriching our travel experience!

msteacher

You might find some races by going to the Runners World UK site and posting this question on their forum (there is a specific one for races). I'll bet some of the runners there will have some suggestions. Have fun!

travellingdad

I run about 5 times a week and love running whenever I travel. I was in Madrid in November and found it to be one of the loveliest running cities anywhere. El Retiro Park is an mazing place to run. It is a classic old style European park with trails everywhere and I am certain one could run a marathon in it and not exhaust all the possibilities! In the early mornings it was deserted but in the afternoons, especially on the weekends, it is full of families and there are musicians, boating and lots more. A lot of accommodation (I stayed in 3 different hotels as I am in the travel business) is nearby so it is a perfect place to run.

Christina

What kind of concert are you looking for? Classical, jazz, rock, flamenco, folk, world or what? Major venues or just clubs or churches? I usually don't plan these in advance unless I know there is someone really famous playing while I'm in a city at a major venue and I want tickets.

There is no need to even plan for other types of concerts, although you can think about how to look them up, I guess. In Barcelona, there are a couple tourist information booths on the Ramblas, for example, who will have a weekly entertainment guide listing things going on, including concerts. For Madrid, there is probably something similar, I read the local papers when I'm there to find out what's going on, but I know Spanish. Your hotels might have something.

TimeOut is a publication based in London, I believe, but has excellent weekly entertainment guides in various cities, including Madrid and Barcelona. It is in English. You should be able to find it at newsstands and online. It also has excellent suggestions for restaurants, bars, etc.

http://www.timeout.com/madrid
http://www.timeout.com/barcelona

Here is one major concert venue in Barcelona, the Palau de la Musica Catalonia, it's also a place many people tour just to see it as it is beautiful Art Nouveau architecture. If you do want to hear a concert there, they do get sold out sometimes
http://www.palaumusica.cat/

Seville isn't that big but again, the tourist office might have some kind of listing, or your hotel. A lot of people want to go to some flamenco experience there, and that's a whole other topic. There is a wellknown theater there, also, the Teatro Maestranzo. I've been there for a dance performance, it's down near the river so a pretty convenient location to get to easily.
https://www.teatrodelamaestranza.es/

They have both music and dance concerts.

donnae_b

Nice variety of suggestions - thank you.

Would love to see a rock concert.

Christina

you mean hear, I think, if it's music.

Those would be in major venues, you could look up the usual ticket international websites, like www.ticketmaster.es

Timeout should list them.

here are some
http://madrid.eventful.com/events/categories/music

donnae_b

Unfortunately ticket master.es is on Spanish any suggestions?

Thank you,

donnae_b

In the meantime I will be searching the above links, thank you so much for you feedback!

sandralist

Christina,

You haven't been to a rock concert for a very long time if you think there not a lot to see.