Mary

I would like to attend a bull fight in Madrid during the early part of May. How do I get tickets? What I've read indiczats that tickets are hard to get and expensive. Shuld I go to the bull ring in advance of the day I want to go or is it just as easy to ask the hotel to get tickets

Richard

It's called a corrida, I call it a public slaughterhouse. A bull, coming ut of the dark into the brilliant sun is faced with the picadors, toreadors and the matador. If the bull seems to have a chance at charging his tormentors, there are fences where the 'dors can hide. After the moment of truth, the dead bull is dragged off to the butcher shop next door. If the bull was brave, you can buy his balls, don't know what happens if the matador doesn't do well. If you go, get a seat in the shade.

Maribel

Mary, <BR>Tickets go on sale at the ticket windows of Las Ventas bullring (metro: Ventas, line #2) two days prior to each corrida. The prices range from 1,000-10,000 pts. (or more) depending on whether it's a normal corrida, a novillada (with younger bulls and novilleros, bullfighters who have not reached full-fledged matador status), a benefit corrida such as the "Beneficencia", one of the 22 corridas during the San Isidro festival (May 13-June 8) or a corrida with superstar matadors, such as the 17 yr. old heartthrob sensation "El Juli" (they call him the Leonardo di Caprio of bullfighting-has his own web page complete with merchandising) or the equally famous Enrique Ponce. <BR>The price also depends on whether you sit in the sun (sol), shade (sombra) or a combination of the two (sol y sombra). <BR>By all means take the shade and also rent a leather cushion ("almohadilla") to sit on. <BR>You can also purchase tickets at the outlet (clearly marked) on Calle Victoria, near the Puerta del Sol where you'll pay about a 20% commission. <BR>There is also a ticket agency called TEYCI at Goy #5 (metro: Colon) where they supposedly sell bullfight as well as theatre and soccer tickets, but I've never purchased tickets there. <BR>(No credit card sales). Simply have read about it in the TimeOut-Madrid guide. <BR>I've purchased tickets both at Ventas and on Calle Victoria. <BR>You can read a short primer on bullfights in Madrid at http://www.softguides.com/madrid_gui...ullfights.html <BR>The weekly "Guia de Ocio", sold at all newsstands will list the corridas/novilladas for the week. <BR>There's also a small bullfighting museum next to the stables at Las Ventas (admission free) which gives you some historical background, displays the trajes de luces of the some of the legendary bullfighters, such as Manolete, and is interesting if you or your friends are aficionados. <BR>Hope this helps to inform you.

Maribel

Forgot to mention that the season runs from March to October with corridas usually on Sundays at 7 p.m.

Maribel

Also need to state clearly that my post is meant simply to inform you regarding how to purchase tickets (as I've needed to buy them for our visitors to Madrid many times), and in no way a promotion of bullfighting. <BR> <BR>

henry

I think Mary as asking for info not a sermon.

Cindy

I'll add the following not as a sermon but as a mild warning. I attended a bullfight many years ago in Mexico. I was not at all prepared for what I saw. Maybe I had watched too many cartoons or something, but I didn't enjoy the real thing at all. With respect to the bulls, I suppose it would be a lot like going to watch an autopsy on your trip to Europe. As for the matadors, I suppose it would be like paying money to watch people run back and forth across a freeway, for the thrill of seeing how close someone can get to the cars without being run down. For me personally, it was just way too scary. I say all of this not to preach or render a moral opinion on the sport, but to caution that this is heavy stuff, and one might enjoy a visit to a museum a little more. (In fact, there is a very good bullfight museum in Granada or Seville, I think.) Before you decide to do it, you might want to read up a bit and just make sure this is what you really want to do. Have a nice trip. Spain is wonderful.

Mary

Thank you for all of the information regarding bullfights. I think that I would enjoy the museum which I didn't know about more than the actual bull fights.

MaureenGP

I think Mary has already decided to visit a museum, so this note is probably superfluous. Regardless, I wish somebody had explained what a bullfight is all about before I went to one, because it almost ruined my trip to Spain. People told me you have to go to a bullfight because it is so quintessentially Spanish--but I found it incredibly upsetting. There are many aficionados, and I respect their opinions, but if you don't know what you are getting into, the experience can be very unpleasant. Not only was I upset about the bulls being tortured and killed, but a matador was gored badly at the one I attended. You have to have a strong stomach...

brendan

Mary, <BR> <BR>Just thought I would chime in that my wife and I went to a bullfight during the Festival de San Isidro and found it to be the high point of our Spain trip that year. Gory, yes. But, to those of you who have see Mexican bullfights, please add your comments to a MEXICAN bullfighting forum. We are discussing Spainish professional bullfighting. <BR> <BR>Please, to those of you who do not agree with bullfighting, there is no need to flame me. Mary is interested, so please go away. <BR> <BR>As for tickets, the information above from Maribel is right on. I would say that in May you could easily sit on the "sol" side. The weather is still quite beautiful, and the corridas begin near dusk. <BR> <BR>Have a wonderful time, and be sure to visit the Reina Sofia Museum. Dali, Picasso, and so many more wonderful images. <BR> <BR>Brendan

Cindy

Brendan, <BR> <BR>What's the difference between a Mexican bullfight and a Spanish one? How do the differences impact on the gore aspect?

Rex

I hope this doesn't seem too far off topic, but the bullfights in Lisbon are amazing and wonderful and have ZERO gore. First of all, the whole thing about is about pageantry and horsemanship. Secondly, the fight is "over" when the toreadors (note: plural, and they are not called MATAdors - - from the verb matar - to kill) IMMOBILIZE THE BULL WITH THEIR BARE HANDS BY GRABBING HIM BY THE HORNS AND HEAD. The first guy, who clearly has to be the bravest comes right head on at the bull and grabs both horns, and the six-eight others quickly rush in to help hold the bull to the side of his neck and behind his jaw. Truly spectacular. Thursday evenings only, if I recall correctly.