November 9 - Almudena - holiday for Madrid's patron saint
 

I will be arriving in Madrid on November 9th, which is Almudena, a public holiday for Madrid's patron saint. What can I expect that day? Are shops and restaurants open? Museums and other attractions? Are there public festivals?

I have business meetings starting on the 10th, but I arrive in the morning of the 9th, so I was hoping to get in a little sightseeing.

Thanks.

Not by this website:
http://www.empresuchas.com/calendari...l-2010-madrid/

And this site says it is a holiday:

http://www.gomadrid.com/practic/public-holidays.html

But your website is an American based website and not a Swinish one.
http://www.whorush.com/search/whois:gomadrid.com
I wonder which one you would believe as being accurate?

holidays can change from year to year. one needs to look at a Spanish up to date work calendar.. calendario laboral.. and for Madrid

and guess what!

It is a holiday and also makes a vacation "bridge" ( long weekend).

http://www.fiestas-de-madrid.com/festivos-madrid.htm

of course.. maybe that is just according to this website.. I will try to find out for sure. Maybe someone who lives in Madrid will chirp in soon!

Well, it is a local holiday, only for Madrid town, not for places in the region such as Alcala de Henares. That means that people will probably go out to the shopping centers surrounding the city if they haven´t taken a "bridge" and go some place.

I will be working on monday, so my main plan is sleeping on Tuesday ;)

There will probably be some kind of festivity on the cathedral of La Almudena, the museums will be open and also the shops in the touristic center. Nothing out of a normal festive day, such as a Sunday ...

Rgds, Cova

Thanks for the information. I was pretty certain that it was a holiday because I first learned about it from my business contact in Madrid when we were working out the schedule for our meetings.

Today, "La Almudena", is most certainly a city holiday here in Madrid. Schools and banks are closed as are many businesses.

Nearly all restaurants and bars will be opened in Madrid's tourist center, however, but some of the stores will be closed. Surely the gift shops surrounding Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol will all be open.

The Prado Museum is open but not the Reina Sofia.

Saludos, MadridMan @ you-know-where!

I am here in Madrid and thought I would report back. I arrived this morning and went down to the city center. There was a parade and lots of people. Lots of music, singing, people in wonderful costumes. Even people playing bagpipes. The parade wound its way down to the Cathedral of La Almudena where I think a mass was said out on the street - not sure, I only go to church for weddings and funerals, so I am by no means an expert.

In the city center, lots of things were open, but a lot of non-tourist-oriented shops were closed. Restaurants were all open and pretty busy.

Outside the city center, things are very quiet.