Seats at Las Ventas Madrid
 

After a wonderful trip to London, Paris, Brugge and Amsterdam this year, we are now planning our trip for next year. We plan to attend a bullfight at Las Ventas in Madrid, and despite the help of a few websites and translators, I'm still unclear on some of the terms used for the seats there. Would some kind, knowledgeable soul be able to explain what any/all of these terms refer to in relation to the seats there?

Barrera
Contrabarrera
Delantera baja
Sobrepuerta
Balconcillo bajo
Delantera alta
Balconcillo alto
Delantera de Palco
Asientos de palco
Delantera de grada
Grada
Delantera de andanada

Muchas gracias!

topping

They are the different zones of the bullring. Each one use to have a different price.
Barrera is the first line of seats all around the place.
Contrabarrera is the second.
Delantera baja is the third.
Sobrepuerta are the seats which are just above the doors.
Balconcillo Bajo is similar to Sobrepuerta, I think.
You just have to think they are in order being the Barrera the most expensive and they are cheaper going up in the place, so Andanadas it's the highest part and the cheapest.
I cannot explain you much more because some names are different in different places, not every bullring has such a variety of prices :)
Hope it helps, I'm not a fan of bullfighting , hahaha.

Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon" describes the different seats and makes suggestions as to which you should purchase for your first few corridas. Of course, it also helps make sense of what is going on in the ring.

Reading "Death in the Afternoon" was already on my to-do list, so I've moved it up in priority(started it this evening). I've seen several bullfights in Mexico, but it's been "quite a while." ;)

Any more info on the sobrepuerta and balconcillo bajo seats at Las Ventas in Madrid would still be appreciated.

Why do you want to see animals tortured and killed for fun ?

Topcat --

Saw a brand new book on the corrida "Death and the Sun" at the bookstore yesterday. It follows a season with the latest Ordonez matador. Supposed to offer an in depth look at modern bullfighting. I'll be ordering it.

Hi topcat,

I think that the "Sol y Sombra" difference is far more important that the type of seat. Sol means that you will be seating all the time in the sun, then yoy have "Sol y sombra" (sun and shade), and finally Sombra (shade), the most expensive seats. It will be much better to sit in the shade, and you pay for it.

I think that sobrepuerta might mean the seats situated over the doors (either the door through which the bull goes out, or the door through which the bullfighter goes out). Balconcillo means "small balcony", and in some bullrings you can see a kind of small balcony at a middle level.

The only place I wouldn´t recommend for a novice is barrera and contrabarrera. Right there near the ring, and with that blood smell ... I have watched bullfights in the TV, but I don´t think that I am brave enough (or willing to spend the money, because if you go, go for a good one, and those are expensive ones ...) to go and watch one of them live. I was offered tickets this year for Las Ventas, and I refused them.

Rgds, Cova

As someone said, the distinction between Sol y Sombra is the most important one. All seats, no matter where, have become very expensive - we started going to corridas in the early 60's ! Just go for the cheaper seats in Sol (remember to bring a hat for shade) and frequent the bar in Tendido Ocho between fights where you'll have lots of FUN.

I'll definitely be sitting in sombra. :)

From looking at the pictures at http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/3b3f1/#TL
it looks like there may be a small balcony where the long red/yellow banner is. That would seem to offer a good view at a reasonable price(less than half the price of barrera seats). The way I look at it is that the best seats are priced less than I've paid for some theater tickets. ;)

Pausanias, thanks for the additional book recommendation...I'll check it out.

If you have problem skin, very fair. by all means sit in sombra or sol y sombra, but the best seats we've expeienced have been in sol. The most fun ones were in sol just near the ganadero's box in Pamplona. Much food and a lot of drink were passed out to the surrounding seats - the Domecqs are very generous people, esp. if you already know something about bulls, speak fluent Spanish, and their bulls are well received. If this a one time experience for you, spring for the super big bicks seats and enjoy.

I'm home in NYC now, but this past (4 days ago) Sunday I was at Las Ventas for my third time.
My wife and I sat at the Barrera (sombra section 8 or 9, I have to find my stubs) right behind the matadors and their teams. We shook hands with the bullfighters and took wonderful photographs of them and of all the action.
I can tell you that there is such a thing as good and bad bullfights.
During what will be perceived as a good bullfight, i.e. good bulls from a well-respected ranch, accomplished bullfighters, etc, it will be difficult to get those seats.
On an ordinary Sunday, like this week, you should have no problem getting as close to the action as you'd like.
I must warn you, though, from the barrera, it can be pretty gruesome. I have a strong tolerance for it and so does my wife to a lesser extent but the experience is amazing.

On a side note, and this is going to get messy, the bullfight is not about killing a bull for fun.

Bullfighting is an art steeped in Spanish culture.
Although even many Spaniards are against its very existence, it is not to be missed by those interested in that culture.

Keep in mind also that those are bred "fighting" bulls. They lead much better lives, granted, until that day, than any other animal bred for meat. They are pampered and trained and not caged like the cows we eat.
The meat of the bulls, after the bullfight, is butchered and given to orphanages and the like that same day. And one bull feeds many children.

I guess my point is: Watch the bullfight and appreciate it for what it is. Don't condemn it for what it isn't.

Salud.