There's a great indoor go kart place and also an indoor ski slope near madrid.

Seems as if you arrive in Madrid just in time to experience plain fantastic flamenco dancer Eva Yerbabuena on the outdoor scene in the spectacular Sabatini gardens just outside the Royal Palace on July 14 and 15.

Arguably the greatest female flamenco dancer in the world the past 10-15 years. I can almost guarantee a night to remember for a very long time for both your kids, your Madrid friends and yourself. Part of the huge Veranos de la Villa/Summer in the city festival through July and August.
http://veranosdelavilla.esmadrid.com/index.php/en/

Eva Yerbabuena in Córdoba two years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAm4z2EJjQU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clCZYH5VNWw

The Sabatini gardens: http://www.madridtourist.info/sabatini_gardens.html

Info and online tickets: http://veranosdelavilla.esmadrid.com...eva-yerbabuena

Kimhe--You gave us advice on another thread with your recommendation about what night to go to Casa de la Memoria in Seville. We will also be in Madrid on the nights of July 8 (unfortunately, we are busy on July 9, which is when one of the dancers you are suggesting will be there), July 10, and 16th. Would we have to buy tickets to the Veranos de la Villa events in advance?

I would recommend to buy tickets to the Veranos de la Villa concerts as soon as possible. The most popular events is starting to sell out. A pity you wouldn't be able to see Eva Yerbabuena on the 14th or 15th.

BUT on the night of July 8, the extremely popular flamenco singer Estrella Morente is on in the Sabatini gardens. Have seen her live three times, and two of them were totally unforgettable. Daughter of flamenco legend Enrique Morente who died much to early in 2010, and Estrella has been a major star in her own right the past ten years. The most well known female flamenco singer in the world today, several Latin grammy nominations etc.

NOTE: Only a few tickets left: http://veranosdelavilla.esmadrid.com...trella-morente

Here she's together with her grandmother in Girona in the autumn of 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np5kLHhX7BQ

OK. This is an outdoors concert? Are there chairs or do we bring something to sit on. How long do the concerts generally last?

Very much chairs/seats, concerts about 1,5 hours

Kimhe--I've looked at the seating map, so I see that there are specific seats. There are only seats left in the B zone. Do you have a recommendation whether it is better to be closer to the front on the side or the center further back?

I would be closer to the front.

OK. The seats closer to the front are very much to the side (at the end of the row), but I can go ahead and do that.

I am trying to buy with my credit card, but the system does not accept it because it is from the U.S.

Go to El Corte Inglés website as their system may be better. Look under "entradas". Good luck

Thanks for the suggestion. I found the website and "entradas," but I couldn't find the event. It didn't show up in my search, but maybe I'm not doing it correctly.

it may not be on there..

Tickets for this event only at entradas.com. Very few left, will sell out in short time, so if you have trouble getting them with your US card, I would ask the hotel to make the reservations for you. Should be no problem.

Sorry for the useless suggestion. El Core Ingles usually sells almost everything!

Well, thanks for trying to suggest an alternative. I wrote to the hotel yesterday, but no one responded, and I see today that the tickets are almost gone. So, unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it will be possible for us to attend.

Hope you will not miss this because of holding a US credit card.

From her Madrid big debut some ten years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUJA52_oDn8

The voice in Almodóvar's major success movie Return (Volver): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upsF0jpz4kg

And recently with the "Sisters of the poor" in Málaga at a Senior Citizens home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz6eEFJIh4g

I can try to see if there are any ticket options once we arrive in Madrid, although we are only arriving the night before. Still no response from my hotel.....

Use to be people selling tickets for a few Euros extra at the major flamenco events.

You should go also just to see the Sabatini gardens and get a feel of the atmosphere at the outdoor scene just outside the northern facade of the Royal Palace. This gives you an idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p59-ajkR5-A
Wonderful Mayte Martín on the same stage during last years festival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A9ZesY0hOQ

OK. Thanks for all your help. If you have any other suggestions about a venue to attend that evening, or the evening of July 16, let me know. We might see if we can buy a ticket that evening at the gardens. We are going to the Casa de la Memoria in Seville, so at least we will have an opportunity to see a performance there.