Madrid during Good Friday
Nov 18th, 2003 | 04:01 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3
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Madrid during Good Friday
Will be arriving in Madrid very early Wed. April 7. Staying the 8th, 9th (Good Friday), 10th, & leaving early the 11th to fly to Granada.
Will there be anything open on Good Friday? Will transportation be running? Any suggestions on what to do that day? Is that a good day to go to Segovia or Toledo? Should that influence where we stay -- maybe a hotel within walking distance of Parque Del Retiro or one that has a restaurant?
Thanks in advance
Will there be anything open on Good Friday? Will transportation be running? Any suggestions on what to do that day? Is that a good day to go to Segovia or Toledo? Should that influence where we stay -- maybe a hotel within walking distance of Parque Del Retiro or one that has a restaurant?
Thanks in advance
Nov 18th, 2003 | 04:40 PM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
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tucson,
According to their web pages, the following will be open in Madrid on Good Friday (their web info may or may not be correct!):
Royal Palace
Reina Sofía Museum
Thyssen Bornemisza Museum
Sorolla Museum (the great Spanish Impressionist's atelier)
The Prado will be closed tight.
I think you'll find more open in the nation's capital (home to 3,500,000+ people) than you will in the provincial capitals of Segovia and Toledo on Good Friday. In both provincial capitals, you'll find moving Holy Week celebrations, as well as in Madrid on Good Friday in and around the Basílica de Cristo on the Calle del Duque de Medinaceli, near the Plaza de Jesús and directly behind the Westin Palace Hotel, when they bring out the Cristo de Medinaceli, I believe at 7 p.m. It's a very moving procession that I wouldn't miss.
According to their web pages, the following will be open in Madrid on Good Friday (their web info may or may not be correct!):
Royal Palace
Reina Sofía Museum
Thyssen Bornemisza Museum
Sorolla Museum (the great Spanish Impressionist's atelier)
The Prado will be closed tight.
I think you'll find more open in the nation's capital (home to 3,500,000+ people) than you will in the provincial capitals of Segovia and Toledo on Good Friday. In both provincial capitals, you'll find moving Holy Week celebrations, as well as in Madrid on Good Friday in and around the Basílica de Cristo on the Calle del Duque de Medinaceli, near the Plaza de Jesús and directly behind the Westin Palace Hotel, when they bring out the Cristo de Medinaceli, I believe at 7 p.m. It's a very moving procession that I wouldn't miss.
Nov 18th, 2003 | 05:53 PM
#4
Original Poster
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3
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Thanks Gavin & Maribel for the good information.
Maribel, I have a copy of your Madrid files. I truly appreciate all your wonderful advice & the work that went into putting that together.
Any changes or modifications you would make to the hotel section? Any of the hotels in the moderate or upper moderate sections accommodating to jet lagged tourists arriving in the morning?
Maribel, I have a copy of your Madrid files. I truly appreciate all your wonderful advice & the work that went into putting that together.
Any changes or modifications you would make to the hotel section? Any of the hotels in the moderate or upper moderate sections accommodating to jet lagged tourists arriving in the morning?
Nov 19th, 2003 | 01:17 AM
#5
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,635
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We day-tripped to Sevilla once on Good Friday - took AVE at about 7:30 AM, arr Sevilla 10:00 AM and went to el Portal de la Macarena to see the overnight Procession returning. Awesome! Took AVE back to Madrid at 20:00 - same day return gets you a 25% discount.
I think the Hotel Wellington fits your (walking distance to Retiro Park) need.
We also went to Toledo one good Friday. It was quire crowded with mostly local tourists but lots of things were open.
I think the Hotel Wellington fits your (walking distance to Retiro Park) need.
We also went to Toledo one good Friday. It was quire crowded with mostly local tourists but lots of things were open.
Nov 19th, 2003 | 04:23 AM
#6
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
Likes: 0
tucson,
I would think that most of the hotels on my list would be accomodating to jet lagged travellers in the morning on Good Friday, particularly business class hotels, as they won't be filled with business folk on a holiday wkd. and you might find some really great internet deal. Many natives, including my extended Madrid family, take trips out of the city then. The 5 star, large Wellington, right across from the Retiro on tony Calle Velazquez, would be a good choice, or the 3 star NH Lagasca (where we often plop down after a transatlantic flight)or the 4 star NH Sanvy, both near the Plaza Colon.
I would think that most of the hotels on my list would be accomodating to jet lagged travellers in the morning on Good Friday, particularly business class hotels, as they won't be filled with business folk on a holiday wkd. and you might find some really great internet deal. Many natives, including my extended Madrid family, take trips out of the city then. The 5 star, large Wellington, right across from the Retiro on tony Calle Velazquez, would be a good choice, or the 3 star NH Lagasca (where we often plop down after a transatlantic flight)or the 4 star NH Sanvy, both near the Plaza Colon.
