juanlopez

I am taking my family (all adults) to Spain for the first time. We will be staying in Madrid from Aug. 8th - 15th, then on to Santiago de Compostela for 10 days. Just to name a few of the things we love...we love flamenco music, art, the best Spanish food, shopping (where the locals shop, not at any of the expensive shops). I know there is much to see and do anywhere in Spain, but for the week that we're in Madrid...what are some of your suggestions? Thanks!

jelopez33

Hi Juan: you can read my report on our recent visit to Madrid(and Valencia) by clicking on my name,or seraching in "Spain".
please, don't miss at least one of the big three museums; the exhibition of Art in Poland(I think it closes in september);and thevertical garden outside the Caixa Forum(you can have an excellent lunch at a very good price).If you have any questions,please, let me know.Enjoy the trip!!!

jelopez33

Of course,not seraching, but searching!!

goddessintl

Here is a link to my trip report that includes Madrid.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-june-2009.cfm

Have a great time.

juanlopez

Thanks so much for your post, will definitely be taking in one of the museums and will look into the other attractions as well!

Aduchamp1

I go to a museum every other day because museum walking can be tiring. Madrid is a great hub for day trips to Toledo, Avila, (which is seldom mentioned on this baord) Segovia, Salamanca and Cuenca with the AVE.

We have spent a great deal in and around Santiago but ten days is far too much unless you are planning to see other places.

kimhe

If you are into flamenco, you've definitely picked the right time to come to Madrid. From the 10th to the 14th some of the finest flamenco artists in the world perform at the outdoor scene in the Sabatini gardens in front of the Royal Palace. All nights at 22h. Part of the Veranos de la Villa (Summer in the city) festival.

Rocío Molina is arguably the most cutting edge flamenco dancer in the world today. She dances her "Oro viejo" (Old Gold) on the 11th accompanied by two male dancers, two fabulous guitarists and one of my favourite young flamenco cantaoras, Rosario La Tremendita. Molina is Premio Nacional de Danza 2010. From the presentation of the performance at Sadler's Wells in London: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_sV6R14Mrs

I would also highlight the cantaora Mayte Martín on the 10th and the guitarist Cañizares on the 13th. Tickets and info: http://www.entradas.com/entradas/com...-veranos-villa

cova

I think the Antonio Lopez exhibition is a far more interesting (specially given what you want to do) exhibition than the Poland one.

It has been curated by Guillermo Solana and one of the daughters of Antonio Lopez, and it is specially interesting given that we are talking about a living artist and some of the works being shown come straight from his atelier.

It is at the Thyssen museum, the visit lasts around 1 hour and a half, and I´d recommend to book tickets online to get a good time schedule. Keep in mind that the museum is open until 11:00 pm in summer for this exhibition, so it would be quite nice in the evening.

http://www.museothyssen.org/microsit.../antoniolopez/

Bye, Cova

juanlopez

Thanks everyone for all the great input...anyone know where there's great shopping besides where all the tourists shop?

cova

Juan, it really depends on what are you looking for. Can you explain a bit more so we could know your style and then decide?

Bye, Cova

juanlopez

I could be wrong but my understanding is that when tourists come to Madrid, they shop at places like El Corte Ingles or around the Gran Via and of course prices are generally higher in those locations. I'd like to find out where locals shop for much of the same merchandise but don't pay the higher prices. How about flea markets or a shopping district away from all the tourists go...are there such places?

juanlopez

Sorry, 'away from where all the tourists go...'

Aduchamp1

I am not a shopper but one of my favorite stores is Casa Hernanz near the Plaza Mayor. The sell almost every thing hemp, no not that. There will be people on line buying shoes and rope that you can tie up an ocean liner.

http://traveldk.com/madrid/old-madrid/dk/casa-hernanz

cova

No, Juan, it is not true that prices are higher or that locals don´t shop in Gran Via. El Corte Ingles will have the same prices in Sol or in Nuevos Ministerios or in Sanchinarro, and there aren´t also different prices in Zara or Mango or H&M ...
More expensive areas : Salamanca (specially Serrano, Claudio Coello, Ayala, Hermosilla) or Justicia (between Chueca and Genova), but in both areas, specially the second one ( Almirante, Piamonte, Argensola ...) there are small shops much more interesting than the usual chain fare. In Malasaña there are a few quirky shops, including my favourite spice provider, Yuli http://spicyyuli.com/
Fuencarral is also a chain shop area, but the good thing is that at the beginning is pedestrian-only.

If you are looking for outlets, your best bets are Las Rozas Village and Factory San Sebastian de los Reyes.

I have managed to have never been to El Rastro, and I don´t really have a lot of interest on it.

And regarding food markets, I like the one in Chamartin (Colombia) and the Mercado de la Paz in Salamanca, and from the remodelled ones, I prefer the one in Chueca, Mercado de San Antón, to the Mercado de San Miguel near Plaza Mayor.

Bye, Cova

kimhe

The Chueca and Malasaña area, north of Gran Vía, is Madrid's most lively shopping district that "combine both originality and the avant-garde. Specifically, the section made up of little streets perpendicular to Fuencarral and Hortaleza streets is a shoppers’ paradise".
http://www.softguides.com/madrid_gui...ne.html#chueca

And I repeat: Rocío Molina was voted best female flamenco dancer by Spanish critics both in 2008 and 2009. In 2009 she was presented as "one of the finest soloists in the world today" by The New York Times. Legendary Russian ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov kneeled in front of her after her performance of Oro Viejo in New York City Center in February 2010- the thing she'll do in Madrid.

Here's one of many panegyric reviews: "I couldn’t explain why it gives that sort of fear-amazement-dizziness-fascination-enjoyment. But what is absolutely certain is that we’re witnessing something big, really big. And it makes you feel like doing something so the whole world knows about it." (Silvia Calado, Flamenco-world). http://www.flamenco-world.com/magazi...8032009ing.htm

juanlopez

Thank you Cova & Kimhe for your insightful posts...I will look into all the places and events you have suggested!

kimhe

Some other Madrid tips:

Have breakfast or lunch at Café del Círculo de Bellas Artes in down town Calle Alcalá, 42. One of the city's most emblematic cafés. Grab a window table and watch Madrid life on bustling Calle Alcalá. Take the lift up to the roof topp terrace (the azotea) for the most spectacular views of the city. http://www.esmadrid.com/en/cargarApl...ntificador=179

Watch the sunset over the Guadarrama mountains from the terrace at El Ventorrillo in the Vistillas park. Great pollo al ajillo, some say the best in town. Map, video and some pictures: http://11870.com/pro/restaurante-ventorrillo

Have lunch or some tapas at Casa Granada, on the 6th floor of an apartment building just off Plaza Tirso de Molina. Hard to find and a great terrace. http://www.tripfilms.com/Travel_Vide...ada-Video.html

Plaza Torso de Molina itself, just 300 meters away from much more famous Plaza Santa Ana and Plaza Mayor, has got several nice bars/outdoor cafés and a much more local atmospehere.

Café Central, just off bustling Plaza Santa Ana, is a fabulous jazz venue with live performances from the best artists every night at 10. Entrance 15€. Good food also. Populart, a little further down the street, is also a great place.

A stroll in the beautiful Retiro Park. http://www.aviewoncities.com/madrid/parquedelretiro.htm

Asturian Casa Mingo for the best grilled chicken and cider: http://www.casamingo.es/
Watch the video, and you're sold:
http://11870.com/pro/casa-mingo/videos/bc313f19

Txirimiri in Calle del Humilladero, 6 gives you an idea of why the Basque kitchen is considered among the best in the world. In the midst of one of the best tapas/restaurant districts in town, in and around Calle Cava Baja in La Latina.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ri-Madrid.html

I never leave Madrid without having had the squid in its own ink and the famous cod at Casa Revuelta, also in the same district.
http://11870.com/pro/casa-revuelta

You should also try the excellent salmorejo, a somewhat thicker variant of the tomato/vegetable soup gazpacho, in Según Emma just behind the newly reopened gourmet-oriented San Miguel food market. http://11870.com/pro/segun-emma
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...ma-Madrid.html

First class dining at El Mentidero de la Villa:
http://www.mentiderodelavilla.es/
http://11870.com/pro/el-mentidero-la-villa

The Reina Sofia contemporary art museum. The second floor with Picasso, Dalí, lots of other painitings, posters, films, photos etc., dealing with a couple of the greatest civilizational breakdowns of the 20th century, the Spanish Civil War and WWII, completely blew my mind off a couple of years ago.
(And of course Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museums)

wanderful

If you don't go to the Prado, you haven't been in Madrid.

Cowboy1968

I haven't been in Madrid five times already.

wanderful

Cowboy1968:

Too bad.