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_City Overview According to Arab chroniclers, it was in AD852 that the Emir of Córdoba, Mohamed I (AD 852-886), ordered a fortress to be built on the left bank of the Manzanares River, the geographical centre of the Iberian Peninsula. He named the settlement ‘Mayrit’ (‘source of water’) and in it lay the seeds of the city now known as Madrid. Traces of this flourishing Moorish town survive to this day, in a section of town wall (muralla Arabe) near the Royal Palace, as well as in the mudéjar architectural style of Madrid’s oldest church, San Nicolás de las Servitas. Mayrit (or Magerit) was situated in a strategically important location and Christians and Arabs fought bitterly over the territory until late in the 11th century, when Alfonso VI finally settled matters by capturing the Alcázar (castle) after a three-year siege. However, it would be another 500 years before Philip II took the historic decision (in 1561) to move his capital from Valladolid to Madrid. Today, Madrid remains Spain’s financial and political core, home to the Cortes (Parliament), Senate and Royal Family, as well as the extraordinary cultural riches of the Golden Triangle – the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza art museums. With a population of just over three million, Madrid is Europe’s fourth largest city – after London, Paris and Milan – and its highest capital, at 650m (2132ft) above sea level. The repression and torpor of the Franco era (1936-1975) are now all but forgotten by the Madrileños who, perhaps more than any other Spaniards, are determined to vivir a tope (live life to the full). The craving for conspicuous enjoyment, not to mention the 2800 hours of annual sunshine, turn the streets into bustling centres of public display. Madrid’s infectious and colourful fiestas punctuate the year, with each barrio (district) trying to outdo the other in its celebrations. The highlights include Reyes Magos (Feast of the Three Kings), Carnival, the religious processions of Holy Week, the San Isidro festival in May (the beginning of the bullfighting season) and Fin de Año (New Year’s Eve), when the Puerta del Sol becomes the focus for several hours of uninhibited partying. Visitors should also look out for the major cultural festivals, notably the Veranos de la Villa in summer, and the autumn Festival de Otoño, embracing film, dance, theatre and music of every description. Although Madrid’s climate is more extreme than other Spanish locations, the warm dry summers and cool winters still allow for many alfresco activities. Although anxious to appear ‘modern’ in clothes, outlook and lifestyle, Madrileños remain fiercely traditional, clinging to their customs more noticeably than their cosmopolitan Barcelonese rivals do. Most choose to live at home until marriage, divorce remains controversial (particularly in high society) and the family surpasses everything. While the Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid Province) stretches over 8000sq km (3090sq miles), the city’s historic heart is easily explored on foot. The narrow, labyrinthine streets of the medieval quarter contrast with the grand boulevards, laid out in the 18th and 19th centuries – the period when Madrid began to take on the trappings of a modern capital. Each barrio (district) has its own distinctive atmosphere – Lavapiés, Malasaña and Chueca being the oldest and the most interesting. Most visitors first get to know the central area, known as the Madrid of the Hapsburgs, roughly between the Castilian-Baroque Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol, Madrid’s ‘mile zero’. It is only a short walk from here to the city’s main street, the Gran Vía, lined with shops, banks, offices, bars and cinemas. Fashionable Madrid starts with the Salamanca district and the boutiques of Calle Serrano, while the modern business quarter extends along the north–south axis, known as the Paseo de la Castellana. Distinguished by its skyscrapers and impressive office blocks, this is where the multinationals have their headquarters. At the far (northern) end of the Paseo de la Castellana are the leaning towers, the Puerta de Europa (‘Door of Europe’), a daring display of architecture symbolising the city’s confidence in its future. Indeed, Madrid has already launched its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, which would not only win the city some desirable developments and revenue but also award Madrid the status of one of the world’s major players. Language As soon as a Spaniard opens his/her mouth, everyone knows where they come from. The Madrileños speak Castellano (Castilian Spanish), established as the national language since the Nova Planta decrees of 1716. Although they pronounce all vowels and consonants (as opposed to the elliptic Andalusian Spanish), Madrileños frequently waive standard grammar rules, in a phenomenon known as Laismo (where personal pronoun la replaces le) or Leismo (where le replaces la). The second decisive factor in determining accent is social class. In Madrid, the upper classes open their mouths extra wide to speak, as though they have a potato in their mouth – patata en la boca. The lower social classes have their own accent. One of its characteristics is the ‘rh’ sound replacing the ‘s’ sound – hence es que (because) becomes erh que. Madrileños are very fond (in a patronising kind of way) of the accent from Andalusia but are less well-disposed towards the accent and language – Català (Catalan) – of their arch- rivals in Barcelona. Phrases Yes - Sí No - No Hello - Hola Goodbye - Adios Please - Por favor Thank you - Gracias My name is ... - Me llamo ... How are you? - Qué tal estás? I’m very well - Estoy muy bien I feel ill - Me siento mal How much does it cost? - Cuantó es? Do you speak English? - Habla inglés? I don’t understand - No entiendo Where is ...? - Dónde está ...? Entrance - Entrada Exit - Salida Danger - Peligro Open - Abierto Closed - Cerrado Toilets - Servicios Doctor - Médico Hotel - Hotel Restaurant - Restaurante Beer - Cerveza Wine - Vino Menu - Carta Today - Hoy Tomorrow - Mañana Monday - Lunes Tuesday - Martes Wednesday - Miércoles Thursday - Jueves Friday - Viernes Saturday - Sábado Sunday - Domingo One - Un / uno / una Two - Dos / dues Three - Tres Four - Cuatro Five - Cinco Six - Seis Seven - Siete Eight - Ocho Nine - Nieve Ten - Diez Twenty - Veinte Thirty - Treinta Forty - Cuarenta Fifty - Cincuenta Sixty - Sesenta Seventy - Setenta Eighty - Ochenta Ninety - Noventa One Hundred - Cien One Thousand - Mil Getting There By Air Barajas International Airport (MAD) Tel: (91) 305 8343/6, flight information or (902) 353 570. Fax: (91) 393 6203. Website: www.aena.es Barajas airport, 13km (eight miles) from Madrid’s city centre, has three terminals serving more than 27 million passengers per year. Terminal one handles all international flights (except for Iberia flights to Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal). Terminal two serves domestic flights and the Iberia international flights listed above. The new terminal three is used primarily for the Madrid–Barcelona shuttle. Major airlines: In addition to Spain’s national airline, Iberia (tel: (91) 722 9600; website: www.iberia.es), over 50 airlines serve Barajas, including Air France, Alitalia, American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways International. Approximate flight times to Madrid: From London is 2 hours 15 minutes; from New York is 7 hours 5 minutes; from Los Angeles is 11 hours 5 minutes; from Toronto is 7 hours 5 minutes and from Sydney is 27 hours 30 minutes. Airport facilities: These include banks, bureaux de change, ATMs, pharmacies, hotel and rail reservation, tourist information, left-luggage, a post office, shops, restaurants, bars, and car hire from Budget, Europcar and Hertz. Business facilities: The airport has two business lounges in terminal one (with fax and telephone facilities) and Iberia has a lounge in terminals one and two. The Madrid Chamber of Commerce and Industry (tel: (91) 305 8807) has a small office in terminal one and a meeting room for eight people with photocopier, fax and phone available for around €30 (plus VAT) per hour 0800-2100. Arrival/departure tax: None. Transport to the city: The EMT airport bus (tel: (91) 431 6192) departs every ten minutes, daily 0530-0130, for the underground bus terminal at Plaza de Colón (journey time – 30-45 minutes) and costs €2.50. A taxi journey costs about €15, including a €3 airport charge (journey time – 30 minutes). The new extension to metro line 8 (see Public Transport) links Barajas (Aeropuerto) with the city centre (Neuvos Ministerios), running daily 0600-0200 (journey time – 12 minutes). Travellers with Iberia can now check in at this station rather than at the airport – a service that will eventually become general. Getting There By Road Motorways (Autopista) are prefixed by the letter ‘A’, national multi-lane roads connecting towns and cities are prefixed by the letter ‘N’ and Madrid ring roads by the letter ‘M’. Highways (Autovía) and other major roads (Carretera Nacional) are indicated by two Roman numerals or, more commonly, three digits. Many motorways have tolls. Traffic drives on the right. No person under 18 years old may hire or drive a vehicle over 75cc. Seatbelts are compulsory for front-seat passengers in cars and crash helmets must be worn on motorcycles. After sunset, sidelights must be used, while spare bulbs and red hazard triangles must be kept in all vehicles. The speed limit for cars and motorcycles is 120kph (75mph) on motorways, 100kph (62mph) on dual carriageways, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (31mph) within towns. Fines for traffic offences are strictly enforced. Drivers who are shown to exceed the legal alcohol to blood ratio of 0.05% are fined up to €600. Foreign visitors require a valid driving licence to drive in Spain. National licences from EU countries are accepted, while nationals of other countries are advised to obtain an International Driving Permit. Third-party insurance is required and documents should be carried at all times. A Green Card is strongly recommended for all visitors and is compulsory for those from outside the EU. Real Automóvil Club de España – RACE (tel: (91) 594 7400) has reciprocal agreements with the AA and RAC in Britain and the AAA in America. Emergency breakdown services: RACE (91) 593 3333 (24 hours) Alternatively, drivers in distress can contact the Ayuda en Carretera (run by the Guardia Civil) on the roadside SOS telephones, who will contact the breakdown services. Routes to the city: Motorways radiate outward from Madrid. The NI links Madrid to the French border (via Burgos and Irún), the NII to Barcelona (via Zaragoza) and the French border. The NIII weaves its way to Valencia and Alicante, the NIV to Seville and Cádiz, the NV to Badajoz at the Portuguese border (where the A6/E90 continues to Lisbon) and the N401 to Toledo. There are also two ring motorways, M30 and M40 (a third, M50, is under construction). Approximate driving times to Madrid: From Barcelona – 7 hours 30 minutes; from Seville – 7 hours 45 minutes; from Lisbon – 8 hours 45 minutes. Coach services: Estación Sur de Autobuses, Calle Méndez Alvaro (tel: (91) 468 4200), is Madrid’s most important bus terminal for long-distance travel. Destinations served include Albacete, Avila, Alicante, Toledo, Barcelona, Benidorm and Santiago. ENATCAR (tel: (902) 422 242) provides coach services between Spanish cities, operating from this station. Getting There By Rail The national Spanish railway network is operated by RENFE (tel: (902) 240 202; website: www.renfe.es). Madrid has two main railway stations – Estación de Chamartín, Calle Agustín de Foxá, in northern Madrid, and Estacióon de Atocha, close to Paseo del Prado at Avenida Ciudad de Barcelona, in southern Madrid. Both stations have exchange facilities, cafés and car hire on or near the premises. Chamartín also has a post office, tourist information, hotel reservation centre, InterCity Club Room and a large shopping centre. Mainline services in Spain are reliable, efficient but slow and sometimes crowded – it is essential for travellers to book ahead for long-distance trains. Tickets can be purchased from stations, from the RENFE office on Calle Alcalá 44 (tel: (91) 531 2624), or from travel agents. RENFE also offers a telephone information and ticket sales service (tel: (902) 240 202). The Cercanías (tel: (902) 444 403) is the suburban network connecting outlying towns beyond the metro (see Getting Around). Trains are frequent and reliable and there is less overcrowding than on the metro. Atocha Station is the hub of the Cercanías suburban rail network. Príncipe Pío Station, Paseo del Rey 30, also connects with the Cercanías. Rail services: Madrid’s rail network provides a service to provincial capitals in Spain and connections to the European railway network. Chamartín Station serves trains from France, Catalonia and northern Spain – including Bilbao (journey time – 6 hours), Barcelona (journey time – 6 hours) and Oviedo (journey time – 6 hours). Atocha is Madrid’s largest station, serving trains from the regions of Andalusia, Extremadura and Portugal, including Malaga (journey time – 5 hours) and Valencia (journey time – 3 hours 30 minutes). Many trains stop at both Atocha Station and Chamartín Station. Atocha is the arrival and departure point for AVE (tel: (902) 240 202), the high-speed Madrid–Seville service calling at Córdoba, which leaves twice daily (journey time – approximately 3 hours). Transport to the city: All three stations are connected to the metro system. Getting Around Public Transport Central Madrid is served by a comprehensive network of more than 150 city bus routes, a modern and extensive metro system and local trains to the neighbouring cities and towns. The main hub is Puerta del Sol. The Consorcio Transportes de Madrid (tel: (902) 444 403; website: www.metromadrid.es or www.ctm-madrid.es) metro system will cover more than 230km (143 miles) by 2003 and is good value, clean and efficient, although crowded during rush hour. Trains run every three to five minutes, 0600-0130. Each of the 11 metro lines is distinguished by a colour and number (at stations and on maps). EMT (tel: (91) 406 8810) runs Madrid’s bus service. Night buses, known as buhos (owls), depart from Plaza de Cibeles for the suburbs, between 0000 and 0600, and cost the same as an ordinary day ticket. The local train network, operated by Cercanías (tel: (91) 506 7067), comprises 11 lines in the Madrid area and provides a fast link between Charmartín Station and Atocha Station – as well as to destinations such as Toledo and El Escorial (see Excursions). Single tickets for the metro and city buses (available on board and at stations) cost €0.95. Metrobús tickets (a carnet of ten tickets) cost €5 and are available for purchase at metro stations, estancos (tobacconists) and EMT information kiosks at Plaza de Callao and Puerta del Sol. The abono transportes pass (a passport photo is required) offers unlimited trips on any combination of public transport – metro, bus and train – within the zone and period of time (month or year) chosen. A one-month ticket costs €32.30 (concessions are available). Taxis Oficina Municipal del Taxi (tel: (91) 588 9632) is the governing body of taxis in Madrid. City taxis – white with a diagonal red stripe and a green light on the roof – are available for hire at ranks or on the street. Meters start at €1.50 and rates per kilometre are €0.90 before 2300 and €1 thereafter. When entering a taxi, travellers should always check that the meter is not already running, as this is an occasional scam to overcharge passengers. There are surcharges for additional passengers, luggage and telephone or airport pick-up. Taxi touts are to be avoided. For tipping, rounding up to the nearest Euro is appreciated. Major private taxi companies include Radio Taxi de Madrid (tel: (91) 547 8608), Radio Taxi Independiente (tel: (91) 405 1213) for long-distance trips and Radio Taxi (tel: (91) 447 3232), which also provides a service for the disabled. Limousines Limousines are available for hire at Madrid’s top hotels and from Autos Chamartín (tel: (91) 405 4599) and Autos Delicias Limousine (tel: (91) 547 4023). The cost is upwards of €211 for eight hours. Driving in the City Due to frequent traffic jams, aggressive drivers and problematic parking, driving in central Madrid is not recommended to tourists. Those who ignore this advice should make use of centrally located car parks (Plaza Santa Ana, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de Oriente), costing €1.40 per hour, or the ORA (Operación Regulación Aparcamiento) pay-and-display parking system – cards are valid for a maximum of two hours, cost €18 and are available for purchase at estancos (tobacconists). Illegally parked cars may be towed away. Impounded cars should be recovered as soon as possible as the fines rise every hour (tel: (91) 345 0666). Car Hire Cars can be hired by drivers aged 21 years and above, on presentation of a passport and valid driving licence (held for at least one year). A valid international insurance policy is also necessary and full insurance is advised. Providers include Avis, Calle Agustin de Foxa 32 (tel: (90) 213 5531; website: www.avis.es), Europcar, Atocha Station (tel: (91) 530 0194; website: www.europcar.es) and local company Alcar SL, Paseo de la Castellana 121(tel: (91) 555 1010; website: www.serinves.es/empresas/tropicar). Rates start at approximately €49 for two days of car hire. Bicycle & Scooter Hire There is no better way for one to get around Madrid than by bombing along on a moped, thus avoiding the parking problems that car drivers often suffer. Motoalquiler, Calle Conde Duque 13 (tel: (91) 542 0657), offers a choice of vehicles, with prices ranging from approximately €40 to around €100 per day. Bicycles are best reserved for trips out of town. Karacol Sport, Calle Tortosa 8 (tel: (91) 539 9633), hires out mountain bikes (€12 per bike – a €30 returnable deposit is required) and organises excursions into the surrounding countryside. Business Business Profile In addition to being Spain’s administrative, political and communications hub, Madrid is also the leading financial centre and the country’s most important economic region. Over half of Spain’s companies have headquarters in Madrid, along with foreign banks, insurance companies and prestigious business consultants and auditing firms. The national stock exchange (Bolsa) is also based here. However, rival Barcelona is rapidly overtaking Madrid as the favoured location for international companies. The financial, insurance and real estate sectors in Madrid are the most significant contributors to the city’s economy, representing 17% of the Spanish total. These activities are supplemented by other successful service industries, including transport and communications, media and publishing, leisure and tourism – Madrid currently receives around five million visitors a year. As well as making a vital economic contribution, these sectors are the main sources of employment in the city, with around 150,000 people working in the transport and communications sector alone. Foreign companies with a presence in Madrid include IBM, Peugeot, Proctor and Gamble, Shell and Siemens. Major exhibitions and trade fairs take place at Institución Ferial de Madrid (IFEMA) in the grounds of the Parque Ferial Juan Carlos I, Campo de las Naciones (tel: (91 722 5000), and the Palacio de Congresos de Madrid, Paseo de la Castellana 99 (tel: (91) 337 8100). The Comunidad de Madrid (tel: (902) 100 007; website: www.comadrid.es) has up-to-date information about trade fairs and conventions. The stock exchange is situated near the Plaza de Cibeles, however, most modern businesses and an increasing number of banking headquarters are located in the north of the city, along Paseo de la Castellana – sometimes referred to as Urbanización Azca but better known to many as ‘Little Manhattan’. Madrid has launched its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. To enhance the city’s prospects, the developers intend to transform an area to the north of the city (already becoming known as La Nueva Castellana) into an ultra-modern sports and recreation zone. At its heart will be the Palacio Olímpico – a 20,000-seater stadium next to the Real Madrid training ground – and four skyscrapers, each rising to a height of 191m (627ft). The president of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez, is a major investor in the scheme, estimated to cost upwards of €275 million. Javier Mariscal has already devised an emblem for the games but the sponsors are still searching for a slogan that will capture the imagination of Madrid’s citizens. Madrid is protected from the worst ravages of Spain’s unemployment – in September 2000 the level was 9.7% as opposed to 13% nationally. The Madrid economy continued to show strong signs of growth during the first half of 2001, although some indicators point to a slowing down in demand during 2002. Industry appears to be suffering most, while construction remains the most vital sector. The terrorist attacks on New York and Washington in September 2001 instantly impacted upon the tourist sector, with more than 7800 hotel reservations cancelled in the first nine days following the disaster. The luxury end of the market has been worst affected and while the cost of hotel accommodation generally has continued to rise, visitors still may be able to negotiate bargain rates. Business Etiquette Standard business hours are 0900-1400 and 1600-1900, although 0800-1500 is quite common during summer. Larger companies and multinationals, however, are increasingly working through the day (in line with the rest of Europe), although smaller and local businesses still take the mid-afternoon break. Punctuality is not the norm. Traffic jams are commonly used (and readily accepted) as an excuse for arriving 15 minutes late. Breakfast meetings are popular, perhaps because they are usually accompanied by delicious little cakes and strong coffee. Lunch and dinner meetings are also common. Business cards are vital at initial meetings and smart dress, including a suit (and tie for men), is advisable. Small talk is a vital accompaniment to any meeting, as personal relationships must be developed before business can be done. Children, grandchildren, the flight to Madrid and the weather usually occupy the conversation before business rears its ugly head. While Madrileños work extremely hard, nothing is of more importance than the family and it is entirely acceptable for an important telephone conversation to be postponed if a family member rings. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview Madrid is best known for its ‘Golden Triangle’ of art museums (Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornomisza). The celebrated Art Walk (Paseo del Arte) links all three. The city’s focal point remains the Puerta del Sol – the eastern gate (puerta) of the city in the 15th century. The monument of the bear and madroño (strawberry tree), in the centre of the square, symbolises Madrid. The Calle Mayor leads west from Sol, to the Plaza Mayor, which evokes the splendour of Spain’s Golden Age. The wide Calle de Alcalá – a grandiose thoroughfare constructed in the reign of Charles III – leads east of Sol, towards the Plaza de Cibeles. The fountain, with its statue of a Greco-Roman fertility goddess astride a lion-drawn chariot, is a landmark instantly recognisable to all Spaniards. Visitors may be less impressed with the crazy merry-go-round of traffic encircling her. Overlooking Plaza de Cibeles is the imposing Palacio de Comunicaciones – the head post office dating from 1904. The Madrid cityscape is softened by numerous green spaces – lovely squares, such as the Plaza de Oriente, in front of the Royal Palace, and parks, most obviously the landscaped Parque del Buen Retiro and Jardín Botánico (Botanical Gardens) near the Prado. Further west is the wilder Casa de Campo, which also contains the Parque de Atraciones funfair and leisure grounds. More unusual is the greenhouse in the Atocha Station (entrance at concourse, gate 14), popular with Madrileños and visitors alike. Tourist Information Oficina Municipal de Turismo Plaza Mayor 3 Tel: (91) 588 1636 or (91) 366 5477. Fax: (91) 588 2930. E-mail: inforturismo@munimadrid.es Website: www.munimadrid.es Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-2000, Sun 1000-1500. The Comunidad de Madrid (regional tourist information office) has branches at Calle Duque de Medinaceli 2, Barajas airport, Chamartín Station, Atocha Station and Mercado Puerta de Toledo, Ronda de Toledo 1. Passes The Paseo del Arte (Art Walk) ticket allows entry to the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía museums. The pass costs €7.70 and is available for purchase at any of these three galleries – valid for one trip to each gallery within a year of the first visit. The state museums (including the Prado and Reina Sofía) are free on Saturday 1430-1900 and Sunday. Monuments managed by the Patrimonio Nacional (including the Palacio Real, Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales and Monasterio de la Encarnacion) are free (officially for EU nationals only) at least one day a week (usually Wednesday). Key Attractions Museo del Prado (Prado Museum) The 213-year-old Prado Museum has undergone an extensive renovation to reclaim its position among Europe’s greatest galleries. Within its 4000-strong collection of 16th- to early 19th-century paintings, are masterpieces by Fra Angelico, Botticelli, El Bosco, Titian, Rembrandt and Velázquez, as well as evidence of the astonishing development of Goya – from his sun-soaked early paintings of dances and festivities to the grim madness of his black period. Paseo del Prado Tel: (91) 330 2800 or 2900. Fax: (91) 330 2856. E-mail: museo.nacional@prado.mcu.es Website: http://museoprado.mcu.es Transport: Metro Atocha or Banco de España; bus 9, 14, 27, 34 or 37. Opening hours: Tues-Sat 0900-1900 and Sun 0900-1400. Admission: €3 (concessions available); free Sat 1430-1900 and Sun. Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum) Madrid purchased the private collection of Hans-Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza after a nine-and-a-half-year loan, instantly enriching the city’s fund of art treasures. The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza collection contains over 800 paintings, sculptures, carvings and tapestries, ranging from primitive Flemish works to contemporary pieces. Highlights include works by Fra Angelico, Van Eyck, Dürer, Caravaggio and Rubens. Palacio de Villahermosa, Paseo del Prado 8 Tel: (91) 369 0151. Fax: (91) 420 2780. E-mail: mtb@museothyssen.org Website: www.museothyssen.org Transport: Metro Banco de España; bus 1, 2, 5, 9, 14, 27, 34, 37, 51 or 52. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1900. Admission: €4.80 (permanent exhibitions); €3.60 (temporary exhibitions); €6.60 (combined ticket); concessions available. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Reina Sofia National Art Centre Museum) This museum in the former Hospital de San Carlos is almost entirely dedicated to 20th-century Spanish art and was designed to give Spain a museum to equal France’s Pompidou Centre and London’s Tate Gallery. In 1986, Queen Sofía opened the museum, British architect Ian Ritchies’ glass lifts were installed in 1990 and, in 1992, the star attraction – Picasso’s Guernica – added the final flourish. The painting depicts the horrific Nazi bombing of the Basque country’s traditional capital in April 1937 (in support of Franco’s cause in the Spanish Civil War). Drawing hundreds of visitors daily, Guernica has not ceased to attract controversy. Dalí, Miró and Juan Gris are among the other artists on show. Calle Santa Isabel 52 Tel: (91) 467 5062. Fax: (91) 467 3163. Website: http://museoreinasofia.mcu.es Transport: Metro Atocha; bus 9, 14, 27, 34 or 37. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-2100, Sun 1000-1430. Admission: €3 (concessions available); free Sat 1430-1900 and Sun. Palacio Real (Royal Palace) With the opulence of Versailles in mind, Philip V commissioned Italian architects Giambattista Sacchetti and Francesco Sabatina to build the Royal Palace. The present king, Juan Carlos, resides in the more subdued Zarzuela Palace outside Madrid, so Philip’s 3000-room extravaganza is now only used for state functions. The rest of the time, the startling white building in granite and Colmenar stone is open for tours and individual visits. Highlights include the Hall of Halberdiers and Hall of Columns (with their splendid frescoes), the Throne Room (with its 17th-century sculptures) and the lavish private apartments of Charles II. Just off the courtyard is the Royal Armoury and Pharmacy – among Europe’s oldest. Visits take about two hours – but for those who do not enter the palace, there are spectacular views over Madrid from the surrounding gardens. Plaza de Oriente and Calle Bailén Tel: (91) 542 0059. Website: www.patrimonionacional.es Transport: Metro Opera; bus 3, 25, 39 or 148. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0930-1700 and Sun 0900-1400; closed during official ceremonies. Admission: €6 (concessions available). Plaza Mayor (Main Square) Once the location of an exotic marketplace, where Arab merchants came to sell their wares, this beautifully proportioned, cobbled courtyard was begun by Philip II and completed by Philip III in 1619 – his statue stands proudly in the middle. The plaza was intended to serve as a marketplace and showplace – heretics were burned at the stake, saints canonised and bread was sold. Today, tourists outnumber the locals but the Plaza Mayor is still lively as it was in the past. Plaza Mayor Transport: Metro Sol; any bus route to Sol. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Further Distractions Parque del Buen Retiro (Retiro Park) This lush 118-hectare (292-acre) park in the heart of Madrid was formerly the private garden of Philip IV. Visitors can enjoy a stroll among the trees and rose garden, a boat ride on the lake near the towering 1902 monument to Alfonso XII, tarot readings from hovering fortune-tellers or a game of chess. Art buffs may seek out exhibition spaces Palacio de Cristal, Palacio de Velázquez and the Casa de Vacas or the notorious Angel Caído (Fallen Angel) statue on the south avenue of the Palacio de Cristal. Puerta de Alcalá, Plaza de la Independencia Transport: Metro Retiro, Atocha or Ibiza; any bus route to Retiro. Opening hours: Daily 0600-2200. Admission: Free. Convento de las Descalzas Reales (Convent of the Royal Barefoot Sisters) Founded by Joanna of Austria, the daughter of Charles V, in 1564, the Convento de las Descalzas Reales has housed royal and aristocratic nuns over the centuries. Still a functioning convent, it is also a superb example of 16th-century Baroque architecture, containing a magpie’s hoard of rich tapestries and jewels, Italian and Flemish art and a superb display of Spanish religious artefacts. One tiny painting has been attributed to Goya. The convent is open for guided tours only. Tours are in Spanish, although questions are taken in English. Plaza de las Descalzas Reales 3 Tel: (91) 454 8800. Transport: Metro Callao or Sol; bus to Puerta del Sol. Opening hours: Tues-Thurs and Sat 1030-1245 and 1600-1745, Fri 1030-1245, Sun 1100-1330. Admission: €4 (concessions available). Fauna Parque Biológico (Environmental Park) The theme of this new, attractively landscaped theme park is bio-diversity. Each of the ten pavilions has been specially designed to recreate a different natural environment, with the aim of demonstrating how life – animal life in particular – has learned to adapt to a variety of ecosystems. Thanks to the latest high-tech wizardry, visitors can ‘experience’ a tropical storm, take a stroll through the rain forest or watch rivers of molten lava flowing 1000m (3281ft) beneath the earth’s surface. Avenida de la Democracia 50 Tel: (91) 301 6210. Fax: (91) 301 6229. Transport: Metro Valbernardo or Cercanías Vicálvaro; bus 8, 71, 130 or E. Opening hours: Daily 1030-2000 (1 Apr-16 Sep); daily 1030-1800 (17 Sep-31 Mar). Admission: €16 (concessions available). Faro de Moncloa (Light of Moncloa) The Faro de Moncloa observation tower, in the university district, is open to the public, offering visitors panoramic views of Madrid from the flying-saucer-shaped viewing deck. The tower was designed by architect Salvador Arroyo, in 1992, to monitor traffic congestion. Avenida de los Reyes Católicos/Plaza del Arco de la Victoria Tel: (91) 544 8104. Transport: Metro Moncloa; bus 1, 16, 44, 46, 61, 82, 83, 132, 133 or C Opening hours: Tues-Fri 1000-1400 and 1700-1900, Sat-Sun 1030-1730. Admission: €1 (concessions available). Tours of the City Walking Tours During July, August and September the Oficina Municipal de Turismo (tel: (91) 588 1636) organises a number of 90-minute walking tours (in English), costing €3 each (concessions are available). Two of the more popular tours are Hapsburg Madrid – including the Royal Palace, major churches and monasteries – and Legends of Old Madrid – an informative and entertaining introduction to the city. Both depart from the Oficina Municipal de Turismo, Plaza Mayor. On Monday morning (during summer only), a tour of Retiro Park sets out from the imposing Monument to Alfonso XII within the grounds (Puerta de la Independencia). Tours on artistic themes are also available. Bus Tours Madrid Vision (tel: (91) 779 1888; fax: (91) 383 0766; website: www.trapsa.com/mvision/pagweb/indexengland.htm) bus tours depart daily from Calle Gran Vía 32, and run every ten to 25 minutes, depending on the season, 1000-2100 (summer) and 0800-1500 (winter). Cassettes with English commentary are provided on the tour, which runs for approximately 75 minutes. There is now a choice of three routes – Historic Madrid (the main sights of the Hapsburg and Bourbon city), Modern Madrid (including the Paseo de la Castellana and Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Real Madrid’s football ground) and Monumental Madrid (the length of the Gran Via, including the Puerta del Sol). The hop-on-hop-off trip costs €10-12 (concessions are available) and tickets are valid for one or two consecutive days (depending on the option chosen). Excursions For a Half Day Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial: The monastery lies just 50km (31 miles) northwest of Madrid, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The extraordinary rectangular edifice with four spired towers was built by Philip II, as a memorial to his father, Charles V, and merges monastery, church and palace. It contains Philip’s secret stash of El Greco and Hieronymus Bosch art, as well as a library with about 50,000 volumes and a vaulted, painted ceiling. Trains depart from Charmartín Station to El Escorial, from where a two-minute bus trip leads to the monastery. Buses also leave from outside metro Moncloa (in Madrid), going directly to El Escorial monastery. The road route is along the NVI motorway – turning off on the A6 at 50km (31 miles). The monastery is open Tuesday to Sunday 1000-1700. Admission costs €3. Information is available from the Tourist Office, Calle Grimaldi 2 (tel: (91) 890 5313), and the Cultural Centre, Calle Floridablanca 10 (tel: (91) 542 0059). For a Whole Day Toledo: Often described as the ‘soul of Spain’, Toledo lies 70km (43 miles) south of Madrid and is easily reached by bus (from Estación Sur de Autobuses), car (along the N401) or train (regular departures from Atocha Station). The capital of Visigoth Spain (AD567-711), Toledo was famously depicted in the dramatic cityscape by El Greco (painted in 1597 and currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York). The Crete-born painter, Domenikos Theotocopoulos – whose Spanish appellation, El Greco, has stuck – settled in Toledo in 1577, remaining there until his death in 1614. Regarded as the first great genius of the Spanish School, some of his most famous paintings are jealously guarded here – El Espolio (Christ Stripped of His Garments) in Toledo Cathedral and The Burial of Count Orgaz in the medieval church of Santo Tomé. The hilltop city is not much changed since its depiction in El Greco’s painting, with its golden spires and heavy Gothic structures spread across the Tangus Gorge. Mudéjares Muslim, Sephardic Jewish and Mozarabes Christian communities each have contributed to the city’s architectural richness. Visitors should look out for the Moorish gate, Puerta de Bisagrai, which allows access to the city. Other gems include the Sinagoga del Tránsito, built in the 1360s and now a museum to Sephardic culture and the Diaspora of the Spanish Jews, and the Gothic convent of San Juan de los Reyes, originally built for Ferdinand and Isabella. The Tourist Office, Puerta de Bisagra (tel: (92) 522 0843; website: www.jccm.es), provides further information. Hotels Spanish VAT (IVA) is 7% and is added to all hotel bills. The prices quoted below are the starting prices for double rooms, excluding breakfast and IVA, unless otherwise specified. Business Hotel Eurobuilding Located in a modern high-rise in the north of the city, the Eurobuilding is a large hotel (469 rooms) catering specifically for business travellers. The facilities include 20 conference rooms, a business centre and interpreting services, while individual rooms have their own Internet and fax-modem connection, satellite TV and video. The multilingual staff are both friendly and efficient. While the lobby area and lounges are spacious, airy and well suited to informal meetings, they are somewhat lacking in atmosphere (the piped music doesn’t help). The Eurobuilding is just a few minutes’ walk from the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones on Paseo de la Castellana and a short drive to Juan Carlos I Trade Fair Centre and Barajas airport. Calle Padre Damián 23 Tel: (91) 353 7300. Fax: (91) 345 4576. E-mail: nheurobuilding@nh-hoteles.es or euroreser@nh-hoteles.es (reservations). Website: www.nh-hoteles.com Price: From €180. Hotel Opera A short walk from the Puerta del Sol and the shops of the Gran Via, this modern, medium-sized hotel (79 rooms) is just across the street from the Opera House, hence the name. The hotel is comfortable, with traditional, slightly old-fashioned furnishings. The business facilities include fax, interpreting and limousine services and conference rooms for small meetings. All rooms are equipped with video and satellite TV, some have balconies with views of old Madrid. The English-speaking staff are friendly and helpful, while in the café-restaurant evening meals are accompanied by live performances of classical and light opera. Cuesta de Santo Domingo 2 Tel: (91) 541 2800. Fax: (91) 541 6923. E-mail: hotelopera@sinix.net Website: www.bestwestern.com/es/hotelopera Price: From €101. Hotel Santo Mauro This small luxury hotel (37 rooms), in a leafy corner of the historic Chamberí neighbourhood, is located in a 19th-century palace that once served as an embassy. It was reconstructed in 1990 in a tasteful combination of neo-classical and avant-garde styles. The lounges, ornamented with stucco mouldings, mirrors and fluted pilasters, evoke the refinement of a bygone age and are the perfect setting for entertaining clients. Other facilities include business services, six conference rooms (in the former ballrooms), interpreting services, multilingual staff and a fitness centre to unwind or re-energise after a taxing day. All bedrooms are individually designed and have satellite TV, video and 24-hour room service. Calle Zurbano 36 Tel: (91) 319 6900. Fax: (91) 308 5477. E-mail: santomauro@itelco.es Website: www.ac-hoteles.com Price: From €70. Suecia As the plaque outside explains, the Suecia’s claim to fame is that the writer, Ernest Hemingway, stayed here in the 1950s, commending it for its proximity to the Prado and the Café del Bellas Artes on Calle Alcalá. The facilities, which include a café-restaurant (afternoon tea served daily), meeting rooms and a secretarial/translation service, are good value for the price and location. Fitted out in Swedish style (Suecia is Spanish for Sweden), the 128 rooms, including nine ‘junior suites’, are cramped or cosy, depending on one’s point of view. To compensate there is a seventh-floor terrace where guests can stretch their legs. Calle Marqués de Casa Riera 4 Tel: (91) 531 6900. Fax: (91) 521 7141. E-mail: hotelsuecia@genio.infor.es Price: From €75. Luxury Hotel Ritz Designed along the lines of its Paris counterpart by architect Francis Mewes, the Ritz opened in 1910 in the presence of King Alfonso XIII. (He had previously bemoaned the paucity of luxury accommodation in the city.) Only a stone’s throw from major cultural attractions, such as the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museums, the Ritz also appeals to business travellers because of its proximity to the Madrid Stock Exchange and the financial district. Rooms are individually designed, with embroidered linen sheets, handwoven carpets and marble bathrooms. Facilities include fax, telephone, satellite TV and 24-hour room service. Meeting and conference halls cater for up to 500 people with a simultaneous translation service available. There is also a gym, solarium and sauna. The restaurant, sumptuously decorated in the Belle Epoque style with lashings of marble and gilt, serves a spectacular Sunday brunch, as well as Spanish and International cuisine. The terrace and gardens are the perfect setting for meeting friends and business colleagues. Plaza de la Lealtad 5 Tel: (91) 701 6767. Fax: (91) 701 6776. E-mail: reservas@ritz.es Website: www.ritz.es Price: From €300. Palace Hotel Since first opening its doors in 1913, the Palace has been vying with the Ritz in its claims to be Madrid’s premier hotel. Built on a grand scale (455 rooms), it has been restored to a level of opulence almost in excess of the original. As well as 18 conference and banqueting rooms, a business centre and interpreting service, there are individual bedroom-offices equipped with desk, fax/printer and hands-free telephones. The fitness suite is open 24 hours. Although unashamedly glitzy, the Palace is less stuffy than the Ritz and its restaurants and bars are less pricey than one would expect. Plaza de las Cortes 7 Tel: (91) 360 8000. Fax: (91) 360 8100. E-mail: reservations.madrid@westin.com Website: www.palacemadrid.com Price: From €350. Moderate Ingles This hotel, founded in 1853, enjoys an excellent location in the old part of the city, less than 100m (328ft) from Puerta del Sol and equally convenient for cultural attractions like the Prado and the bars and restaurants around Calle Huertas. While the modern decor is a little uninspired, all 58 rooms are kept in pristine condition and service (24 hours) is attentive. Rooms overlooking the street may be noisy late at night; those at the back are quieter. Other facilities include a gym, a café and a garage, which is invaluable, considering that parking spaces are at a premium in central Madrid. Calle Echegaray 8 Tel: (91) 429 6551. Fax: (91) 420 2423. Price: From €85. Trafalgar Less than ten minutes from the centre of town by metro (Iglesia or Bilbao), the Trafalgar is a modern hotel that was completely refurbished a couple of years ago. It lies in a residential neighbourhood, well provided with shops, restaurants and other amenities. The 48 rooms, while unexceptional, are air conditioned and have direct-dial telephones and TV. There is also a laundry service and currency exchange. The English-speaking staff are friendly and helpful but the real plus – surprising given the price – is the indoor swimming pool. Calle Trafalgar 35 Tel: (91) 445 6200. Fax: (91) 446 6456. Price: From €87. Other Recommendations Hotel Aristos The location is the main attraction of this small modern hotel (23 rooms) at the expensive end of the three-star range. Tucked away in a pleasant residential district in the north of the city, the Aristos is about 15 minutes’ drive from the centre. It is equally convenient for Barajas Airport and the Juan Carlos I Trade Fair Centre, while the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones, on Paseo de la Castellana, is even closer. A tad soulless, all the rooms have air conditioning, satellite TV, a mini-bar, a bath with a hydromassage shower and laundry service. The restaurant (with terrace) serves Mediterranean dishes. Avenida de Pío XII 34 Tel: (91) 345 0450. Fax: (91) 345 1023. Price: From €145. Hotel Monaco In the heart of the lively Chueca barrio (neighbourhood), once home to Madrid’s blacksmiths, the Monaco was originally a brothel much in vogue with the Spanish nobility, including King Alfonso XIII. Renovated as a hotel in the 1950s, the Art Deco interiors now appear the height of kitsch. Most of the 30 rooms have retained at least some of the original décor – a moulding here, a marble pillar there. The pièce de resistance is Room 20 with wall mirrors and a raised central bathtub. The leather booths in the breakfast room are also original – was this where the courtesans entertained their clients, one wonders? Facilities include a ticket agency, fax service, laundry and bar, while rooms have safes, telephones and TVs. Staff are English-speaking. Calle Barbieri 5 Tel: (91) 522 4630. Fax: (91) 521 1601. Price: From €70. Restaurants We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. Spanish VAT (IVA) is 7% and is included in all menu prices. If not, it will be stated that prices are exclusive of IVA. Tipping is not a widespread practice but, of course, should one wish to leave a gratuity, it is always appreciated. In the upscale restaurants, it is customary to leave a few hundred Pesetas, never usually more than €3. Occasionally, a cover charge of about €1 is added to the bill – the menu should mention this. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and for a bottle of house wine or equivalent; they do not include a tip. Gastronomic El Amparo El Amparo’s deserved reputation as one of Madrid’s top gourmet restaurants owes a good deal to the creative partnership of culinary consultant Martín Berasategui and head chef Iñigo Pérez, and their flair for giving traditional Basque recipes the nouvelle cuisine treatment. Recommended dishes include mille feuille of apples with smoked fish and foie gras, hake in a parsley sauce with clams, and for dessert, cinnamon ice cream with dark chocolate and pistachios. Another plus for the restaurant is its setting, a former coach-house in Madrid’s smart Salamanca district. Callejón de Puigcerdá 8 Tel: (91) 431 6456. Fax: (91) 575 5491. Price: €54. Wine: €19. El Cenador del Prado Chef Tomás Herranz has won numerous accolades for his imaginative menus, which showcase the best of Spanish regional cuisine. Salted cod in breadcrumbs with garlic and grape garnishing, medallions of venison with cheese ravioli and quince, beef carpaccio with pig’s trotters in a mushroom sauce – all the dishes here are prepared with virgin olive oil and dressed with fresh herbs. The prices are reasonable, the ambience is cool and refined, the service impeccable. The trellised garden room is another plus. Calle del Prado 4 Tel: (91) 429 1561. Fax: (91) 369 0455. Price: €27. Wine: €10. Jockey Patronised by the rich, famous and discerning, Jockey has earned a reputation for itself as one of Madrid’s top-flight restaurants since opening in 1945. The restaurant is quite small and intimate, with dark wooden panelling and framed prints of jockeys and their mounts. Fish, wild fowl and game in season are all to be found on an ambitious, often exciting, menu. The wine cellar is also excellent. Typical dishes include lobster ragout with truffles and fresh pasta, marinated partridge in jelée of thyme and lamb à la Provençale. Amador de los Ríos 6 Tel: (91) 319 1003. Fax: (91) 319 2435. Price: €60. Wine: €16.50. La Broche Sergi Arola One of the brightest stars in Madrid’s culinary firmament, La Broche's master chef, Sergi Arola, has been awarded two Michelin stars for his original interpretations of traditional Catalan and Spanish recipes. The menu changes monthly but signature dishes include turbot con patas de puerco, where pan-fried turbot is sprinkled with coriander and served with a jelly of pig’s feet wrapped in onion, and solomillo de buey, ox steak stuffed with goats’ cheese, anchovies, cherries and pine-nut puree. The stark, uniformly white decor helps to create a relaxed and surprisingly informal ambience. Miguel Angel 29-31 (next to Hotel Miguel Angel) Tel: (91) 399 3437. Price: €85. Wine: €19. Zalacaín One of Europe’s finest restaurants, Zalacaín has gathered just about every gastronomic award, including the coveted three Michelin stars. Master chef Benjamín Urdaín has spent nearly 30 years fine-tuning a menu that combines classic French recipes with those of his Basque homeland. Only a culinary master with a refreshing unpretentiousness can give humble dishes like pig’s trotters and smoked fish equal prominence with oysters, caviar, truffles and foie gras. Some may find the formality of Zalacaín a touch overdone, with its various dining areas, some of which are well suited to tête-à-tête, subdued lighting and dark red decor. Jacket and tie are de rigueur. Alvarez de Baena 4 Tel: (91) 561 4840. Fax: (91) 561 4732. Price: €108. Wine: €19. Business Berceo-Le-Divellec This gourmet temple in one of Madrid’s more exclusive hotels opened in 1998 and has become a by-word for sophisticated eating. Much of its reputation rests on the shoulders of Parisian master chef, Jacques Le-Divellec, whose culinary métier is seafood. However, anyone averse to dishes like sea bass in rum or baked tuna with curry sauce will not be disappointed with the tournedos or the succulent young lamb. The restaurant is formal in style, with a plush, oak-panelled interior, and its garden terrace is in great demand during the hot summer months. Hotel Villa Magna, Paseo de la Castellana 22 Tel: (91) 587 1234. Fax: (91) 431 2286. E-mail: hotel@villamagna.es Website: http://madrid.hyatt.com/magna Price: €42. Wine: €15. Cabo Mayor This superb gourmet restaurant, hidden among the office blocks of the Chamartín district, is a showcase for fish dishes from Spain’s Cantabrian coast. Hake with clams in parsley sauce, grilled turbot, sea bream with thyme – there is hardly an item on the menu that does not entice. The atmosphere is pleasantly informal; the main dining area (downstairs) is fitted out in nautical style with brass portholes, wood panels and ship’s rigging. Juan Ramón Jiménez 37 Tel: (91) 350 8776. Fax: (91) 359 1621. Price: €42. Wine: €12. Café Gijón A Madrid institution, this famous literary café first opened its doors in 1888 and is still going strong. Patrons over the years have included the poets Federico García Lorca and Pablo Neruda, the film director Orson Welles and the Nobel prize-winning novelist Camilo José Cela. The restaurant boasts a well-lit salon and large, street-facing windows, a terrace and a basement. There are several menus availalble. The menu del dia, comprises dishes such as Spanish omelette, stuffed pepers and hake. A tapas menu contains items such as sirloin sandwich, prawns in garlic and anchovies. The a la carte menu boasts Spanish specialities. While the Spanish cooking is not outstanding, the set lunch at €9 is good value and the location, a few minutes’ walk from Cibeles and the Banco de España, can hardly be bettered. Paseo de Recoletos 21 Tel: (91) 521 5425. Price: €9. Wine: €10. Las Cuatro Estaciones Rated one of the finest restaurants in Madrid, ‘The Four Seasons’ celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2001, less than a year after master chef Francisco Ariaz and his team were awarded the Premio Nacional de Gastronomia. Situated to the northwest of the city centre, near the university, Las Cuatro Estaciones’ floral decor, reflecting the changing seasons, is breathtaking. The cooking is perhaps best described as Mediterranean with a pronounced French accent – mille feuille de foie gras or blanquette of monkfish. General Ibáñez Ibero 5 Tel: (91) 553 6305. Fax: (91) 553 0523. Price: €39. Wine: €14. Lhardy This august establishment, less than a minute’s walk from Puerta del Sol, was founded by Frenchman Emile Lhardy in 1839 after being told that there were no decent restaurants in Madrid. The restaurant specialises in traditional Castillian fare, with typical dishes including solomillo (entrecôte), roast beef, cocido (stew) or tripe cooked Madrid style in a tomato and wine sauce. The tapas bar and delicatessen downstairs preserve the original gilded mirrors, marble counters and brass fittings – the bar is a cheaper option than the plush restaurant on the first floor with dishes such as soups, paella, tortilla, fish and shellfish dishes, sausages or hams. Carrera de San Jerónimo 8 Tel: (91) 522 2207. Fax: (91) 523 1171. Website: www.lhardy.es Price: €54 (restaurant); €10 (tapas bar). Wine: €17. Trendy Champagnería Gala Gala is currently one of Madrid’s trendier eating places and diners should book ahead to be sure of a table on the canopied garden patio. The Spanish sparkling wines are the ideal accompaniment to the paellas, risottos and Catalan noodle dishes (fideuàs) that are Gala’s stock-in-trade. There are more than a dozen of these wines to choose from. The set menu includes a glass of wine, as well as a starter and dessert – a bargain at €11. Calle Moratín 22 Tel: (91) 420 1950. Website: www.paellas-gala.com Price: €11. Wine: €6. Divina La Cocina A great location on the fringes of trendy Chueca is one reason why this restaurant, owned by Spanish chef José Luis Castanedo and American Chad Kenyon, is such a hit. Together, they have created their own special brand of Spanish fusion – for example, salted cod in a soya and ginger sauce, seaweed salad with shrimps and eggs of sea urchin or prime beef steak with pâté de foie gras in port. Designer Carlos Mayoral’s powder blue and terracotta tones add a dash of refinement and sophistication. Calle Colmenares 13 Tel: (91) 531 3765. Price: €21. Wine: €7. Las Cuevas de Luís Candelas While many of the eating places around Plaza Mayor are touristy and overpriced, Las Cuevas offers better value and a relaxed convivial atmosphere in the brick-vaulted cellar with tiled bar, wall paintings, wrought iron fittings and an open fire for the suckling pig speciality. Named after a 19th-century highwayman, said to have hidden in one of the cellars (cuevas), this bar-restaurant offers a typical range of tapas, as well as substantial main courses. Specialities include merluza (hake) and roasts cooked in a wood-fired oven, jamon serrano (cured ham), shrimps in garlic or cheese and grilled peppers. An English-language menu is available. Calle de Cuchilleros 1 Tel: (91) 366 5428. Price: €27. Wine: €14. Lombok The minimalist decor of this Chueca eatery (spotlights, bare white walls, steel counter) may look a trifle passé but Lombok is still very much in vogue. Its clientele is young and stylish – perhaps it helps that one of the co-owners is a Spanish TV presenter. The fusion cuisine draws on ingredients and recipes from the far-flung corners of the globe – Thai salad, samosas filled with apple and Roquefort cheese, carpaccio, monkfish kebab, kangaroo steak in port – it all looks as good as it tastes. Augusto Figueroa 32 Tel: (91) 531 3566. Fax: (91) 531 3566. E-mail: info@lombokmadrid.com Website: www.lombokmadrid.com Price: €21. Wine: €9. Robata Japanese cooking is still not quite as much in vogue in Madrid as in some European capitals but is catching up fast. Robata is Japanese for a grill, so grilled meats and fish (Spanish a la parrilla) are to the fore on an extensive menu offering combinations of tempura, sashimi, sushi and sukiyaki, and also soups. The bold black and red colour scheme is eye-catching, the ambience relaxed. Diners can sit at a table or around the central sushi bar. Calle de la Reina 31 Tel: (91) 521 8528. Fax: (91) 531 3063. Price: €24. Wine: €5 (sake). Budget Café del Círculo de Bellas Artes In its heyday in the 1920s, the Café del Círculo de Bellas Artes was the haunt of Madrid’s leading intellectuals. Designed by Antonio Palacios, the spacious salon, decorated with classical pillars, chandeliers and an enormous painted ceiling, is known as the goldfish bowl because of its outlook onto Calle Alcalá. The menu is wide ranging and includes everything from cakes, baguettes and ices to roast beef and smoked salmon. The terrace is a great place to watch the world go by. Calle Marqués de Casa Riera 2 Tel: (91) 531 8503. Price: €18. Wine: €7. La Galette One of the best things about this well-established vegetarian restaurant is that carnivores are catered for too. From the extensive list of imaginatively prepared vegetable, rice and pasta dishes, one might single out the delicious tartar de chicle (cauliflower cheese with a dusting of fresh herbs). Diners sit elbow-to-elbow in the two small rooms, decked out in an appealing country-kitchen style. Calle Conde de Aranda 11 Tel: (91) 576 0641. Price: €21. Wine: €8. Taberna Carmencita Once the haunt of artists, soldiers and bullfighters, this rambling inn has been around since 1850. The original hand-painted tiles and the check tablecloths create a homely ambience, appropriate to the Madrileño cooking. Croquettes, stuffed peppers, fillet steak, tripe, meatballs, eggs and the hotpot known as cocido are the mainstays. While eating à la carte is not especially cheap, the set menu (€9) is good value. It is a pity about the brusque service, however. Calle Libertad 16 Tel: (91) 531 6612. Price: €22. Wine: €5. Vips This branch of the well-known newsagent and restaurant chain has a great location, close to the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museums. Open seven days a week until the early hours of the morning, it is nearly always full, on account of the reasonable prices and the diverse menu – everything from ham and eggs to pizzas and bowls of tacos. The atmosphere is busy and bustling and the décor modern and functional. Breakfasts (American, English and continental) are served until midday. Plaza de las Cortes 7 Tel: (91) 429 4234. Price: €12. Wine: €5. Viuda de Vacas The name ‘The Widow Vacas’ alludes to the Cánovas Vacas family from Segovia, who founded the restaurant more than a century ago. This homely taberna, mainly patronised by young locals, preserves its faded wall tiles, marble-top tables and a spiral staircase leading to the upper floor. The menu, inspired by the Castillian countryside, is only available in Spanish – recommended are berenjenas (eggplants stuffed with breadcrumbs in a cream sauce), jamon al horno (roast pork), gallina en pepitoria (chicken in egg and almond sauce) and merluza (hake). Calle Cava Alta 23 Tel: (91) 366 5847. Price: €15. Wine: €6. Personal Recommendations Al-Mounia Ethnic restaurants are not Madrid’s strong point but Al-Mounia can be counted among the exceptions. Situated just off Paseo de Recoletas, the North African (Maghreb) specialities in this restaurant include sublime couscous dishes and tajines. The starters are equally tempting, if pricey – money is better spent on the sticky, finger-licking pastries. The decor, evoking a Moorish palace with ceramic wall tiles and lattice screens, is fun but unconvincing. Calle Recoletos 5 Tel: (91) 435 0828. Price: €36. Wine: €13. Botín Said to be the oldest restaurant in the world, Botín first opened its doors below the Plaza Mayor in 1725. The wonderful old dining rooms retain the original painted tiles, oak beams and wood-burning oven. Traditional Castillian dishes are the speciality here – the roast suckling pig and the tender Aranda lamb are delicious. Reservations are strongly advised as it is very popular. Calle Cuchilleros 17 Tel: (91) 366 4217. Fax: (91) 366 8494. Price: €31. Wine: €10. Café Saigon Café Saigon opened in February 2001 and consequently made waves among the city’s young sophisticates. The cuisine is best described as Oriental, although Vietnamese dishes do feature. There are shades of the ‘Paris of the East’ too in the lattice woodcarving, hessian drapes, sepia photographs and colonial bric-a-brac in the upstairs dining area. As there is no English-language menu, the safe option is the reasonably priced menú degustación. Paseo de la Castellana 66, corner of Calle de Maria de Molina Tel: (91) 563 1566. Price: €24. Wine: €13. La Dame Noire ‘The Black Lady’ has a great location in the heart of Chueca, one of Madrid’s most colourful neighbourhoods and now the gay quarter. A good deal of its appeal lies in the outlandish decor, a rococo travesty with trompe l’oeil ceiling, red drapes, gilded mirrors, classical statues and leopard skin chair covers. The cooking is French inspired, if a touch eccentric – salted cod in cider may not be to everyone’s taste. A safer bet might be the trout and almonds in an onion sauce or ox tongue in port. Calle Pérez Galdós 3 Tel: (91) 531 0476. Fax: (91) 522 2061. Price: €19. Wine: €10. Terra Mundi Galician home cooking is on offer in this delightful restaurant near Plaza Santa Ana. The restaurant has an informal ambience with rustic country-kitchen decor with pine wood furniture and check tablecloths. The tapas bar is popular with local office workers, while meals are served in the adjoining dining rooms. The menu is inspired by traditional Gallegan recipes. Fish and seafood dishes (including octopus) are to the fore, although meat also makes a strong showing – the roast pork in a plum and raisin sauce goes down a treat. Outstanding among the desserts is filloas (Galician crêpe). Lope de Vega 32 bajo Tel: (91) 429 5289. Price: €18. Wine: €7. Sport Nothing has as much power to lift Madrileños to the height of joy or drag them into deep depression as sport does – victories and tragedies are passionately recounted in the sports press, Marca and As. Football (fútbol) is the major obsession. Madrid has two vast stadiums that fill up on Saturday and Sunday afternoons/evenings during the September-May season. Atlético Madrid (website: www.clubatleticodemadrid.com), now promoted to the first division, plays at Estadio Vicente Calderón, Paseo de los Melancólicos (tel: (91) 366 4707), while the European champions, Real Madrid (website: www.realmadrid.es), play at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Calle Concha Espina and Paseo de la Castellana (tel: (91) 398 4300). Basketball (baloncesto) is second only to football in the hearts of Madrileños. The season runs from September to May, with April marking the climax. Madrid has two top teams – Estudiantes (website: www.clubestudiantes.com) and Real Madrid (website: www.realmadrid.es). The venue for the former is Palacio de los Deportes, Avenida de Felipe II (tel: (91) 401 9100), and for the latter, Pabellón Raimundo Saporta, Paseo de la Castellana 259 (tel: (93) 417 2404). September’s La Vuelta de España is the Spanish answer to the Tour de France. This cycle race whisks its way around Spain, before reaching Madrid, where five laps of the Castellana single out the winner. Meanwhile, the climax of the golfing year is the Open de España (Spanish Open), held from April to June at the Club de Campo, Carretera de Castilla (tel: (91) 555 2010). The annual Maratón Popular de Madrid (tel: (91) 366 9701) takes place on the last Sunday in April, finishing at Retiro Park or Plaza de Cibeles. An important sporting venue is the top-class Estadio de la Comunidad de Madrid, Avenida de Arcentales (tel: (91) 580 5180), one of the proposed venues for the 2012 Olympics, should the games be awarded to the city. Tickets to sporting events, including bullfights, are available for purchase at Localidades Galicia, Plaza del Carmen (tel: (91) 531 2732. The Madrid bullring (Plaza de Toros) is at Calle de Alcalá 237 (tel: (91) 356 2200). Fitness centres: Most gyms (gymnasios) are members only, however, many hotels have their own gyms or agreements with private health clubs. Madrid has some 45 city-run polideportivos (sports centres) offering wide-ranging facilities, including gyms, swimming pools and tennis courts. Polideportivo La Ermita, Calle Sepulvedo 3/5 (tel: (91) 470 0111), is one of these. Golf: Golf clubs tend to be expensive. Golf Olivar de la Hinojosa, Avenida de Dublin, on the metro Campo de las Naciones (tel: (91) 721 1889), charges approximately €24 for nine holes and €36 for 18 holes. Membership is not required and beginners and seasoned golfers are welcome. Facilities include tennis courts. Swimming: Open-air swimming pools (piscinas) are a necessity in Madrid’s summer heat, with the season running from the beginning of June to mid-September. The rooftop pool in the Hotel Emperador, Calle Gran Vía 53 (tel: (91) 547 2800), offers spectacular views over the city and is open to non-residents for €25 Monday to Friday or €35 at the weekend. One of the best outdoor municipal pools is Instalación deportiva del Canal de Isabel II, Avenida Islas Filipinas 54 (tel: (91) 533 1791), near metro Canal – open from 1100-2000, for €3. Information on Madrid’s other public swimming pools is available (tel: (91) 540 3939). Tennis: Madrid has many tennis clubs but most are private. Many polideportivos (see above) have tennis courts that are open to non-members. The standard fee per hour is €4. Shopping Madrid’s shops – most of which are friendly and air conditioned – are open from 0930/1000 to 1330/1400 and 1630/1700 to 2030/2100, with major stores open throughout the lunch hours. The Salamanca district, in the east of Madrid, and the area around Calle de Preciados, between Sol and Gran Vía, are the exclusive shopping areas. Designer names Chanel, Versace and Hermès and the fluid fabrics and elegant cuts of Spanish designer Adolfo Domínguez are concentrated on Calle Ortega y Gasset. The flattering but expensive designs of Sybilla are displayed in the charming little courtyard, Callejón de Jorge Juan 12. In western Madrid, exclusive brands cluster in the Calles Almirante and Conde de Xiquena in Chueca. Calle Serrano is the smartest street, although still contains the eminently affordable Purificación García, at number 28 and 92. Madrileños are canny shoppers and know how to give a cheap dress an expensive allure – one trick is to add an exquisite shawl. Casa Jiménez, Calle de Preciados 42, is famed throughout Spain for its lace and embroidered shawls (mantones and mantillas). Bargains are to be found not only in the sales, which take place in January and July, but also in the reasonably priced Zara, Gran Vía 32, and in Lefties, Calle Carretas 10, selling Zara rejects at half price. Something of everything is for sale in the vast department store, El Corte Inglés, with the largest branch at Calle de Preciados 1-4. The main area for antiques is Calle Ribera de Curtidores, with the Nuevas Galerías, at number 12, grouping a dozen shops in one arcade, and Galerías Piquer, at number 29, containing a whole cluster of antique shops. Bargains are more likely to be found at the Rastro, Madrid’s flea market, also along the Ribera de Curtidores. The market is open on Sunday mornings (closing at 1400) and the best bargains are found before 0700. Shoppers should always beware of pickpockets in this area. Away from the crowds, it is worth seeking out the Huertas area, where fine guitars are still made in workshops and sold alongside religious statuary, or paying a visit to Seseña, Calle Cruz 23, maker of traditional Spanish capes for dashing young men and women. Traditional, heavy cloth capes cost approximately €420. Sales tax stands at 13.8%. It is possible for visitors from outside the EU to claim a tax refund from many central shops – especially those around Calle Preciados and Calle del Arenal and in the Salamanca district. This service is only available for purchases over €90 – all receipts must be kept and presented at airport customs upon departure. Further information is available (tel: (900) 435 482; website: www.globalrefund.com). Culture Madrid has had its fair share of cultural icons – Surrealist genius Salvador Dalí lived in the city as a student, as did film-maker Luis Buñuel and Ernest Hemingway hung around for a while, to write his masterpieces. Today, Madrid’s cultural temperature is still high. With a distinctive dancing style (chotis) and music (zarzuela) of its own, as well as the best Spanish performers and directors, a gem of an opera house, cinemas like palaces, and year-long festivities, Madrid’s cultural scene is best described as ‘exuberant’. Ticket prices for cultural events vary from around €5 to €25, with discounts on certain days (dia del espectador), usually Wednesday and early Sunday performances. While most hotels are happy to book tickets for guests, they will charge for the service. It is cheaper to book directly at the box offices, not all of which accept credit cards. Keen theatregoers can also make advance bookings at savings banks – for example, Cajamadrid (tel: (902) 488 488). Tickets for sold-out performances are available for purchase (at a price) at Localidades Galicia, Plaza del Carmen 10 (tel: (91) 531 2732). Tickets for performances at the state-owned theatres (the Comedia, Maria Guerrero, Sala Olímpia, Teatro de la Zarzuela and Auditoria Nacional) are available from the box offices at each of the five venues. The English-language monthly publication, In Madrid, and the Spanish weekly, Guía del Ocio (website: www.guiadelocio.com/english), print listings on cultural events in and around the city. Music: Madrid may have been a City of Culture in 1992, however, at that time, it was without a functioning opera house. Nowadays, the Teatro Real, Plaza de Oriente (tel: (91) 516 0660), is one of the most modern opera houses in Europe. The Teatro de la Zarzuela, Calle de Jovellanos 4 (tel: (91) 524 5400), is the major venue for zarzuela – a genre loosely comparable to Viennese operetta but encapsulating the idealised castizo (authenticity) of working class Madrid. The zarzuela season runs from June to September. Performances, including classical music concerts by Madrid’s finest classical outfit, Coro y Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid (website: www.orfeoed.com/osm/osm.htm), are held at the Auditorio Nacional de Musica, Avenida Príncipe deVergara 146 (tel: (91) 337 0100), and outdoor (for six weeks only) at La Corrala, Calle del Meson de Paredes 65. On Sunday lunchtimes, during the summer, concerts are held at the bandstand in Retiro Park. Theatre: Madrid’s dramatic tradition can be traced back to the Golden Age – classical playwrights Lope de Vega (1562-1635), Tirso de Molina (1584-1648) and Calderón de la Barca (1600-81) are still at the core of Madrid’s programmes. The season runs from September to June – in summer, many performances are open-air, often part of the Veranos de la Villa festival (see Special Events). The Compañia Nacional de Teatro Clásico (website: http://teatroclasico.mcu.es), based in the Teatro de la Comedia, Calle Príncipe 14 (tel: (91) 521 4931), keeps the Spanish classics alive. International and contemporary Spanish drama is performed in the gracious Teatro María Guerrero, Calle Tamayo y Baus 4 (tel: (91) 319 4769), home to the Centro Dramático Nacional. Twentieth-century drama and international classics are performed at the stunning Teatro Español, Calle Príncipe 25 (tel: (91) 360 1480), built in 1745, on the site of a theatre dating back to 1583. Since its opening in 1995, the Teatro de la Abadía, Calle Fernández de los Ríos 42 (tel: (91) 448 1181), has met with great acclaim for its superb performances of international classics. A good introduction to alternative drama is provided by the Sala Triángulo, Calle Zurita 20 (tel: (91) 530 6891), which also hosts English productions by the ACT (American and Classical Theatre) and the Madrid Players. Most theatres are closed on Monday. Dance: The Teatro Real, Plaza de Oriente (tel: (91) 516 0660), and Teatro de la Zarzuela, Calle de Jovellanos 4 (tel: (91) 524 5400), juggle Spanish and international dance, along with their commitment to music and opera. Other venues include the Centro Cultural de la Villa, Jardines del Descubrimiento, Plaza de Colón (tel: (91) 575 6080), which regularly hosts seasons by visiting companies, and the modern Teatro de Madrid, Avenida de la Illustración (tel: (91) 740 5274 or 730 1750). Ballet Nacional de España (website: http://balletnacional.mcu.es) performs Spanish dance to full houses at the Teatro Albéniz, Calle de la Paz 11 (tel: (91) 531 8311), during the Festival de Otoño (Autumn Festival). Choreographer Nacho Duato has breathed new life into the Compañia Nacional de Danza (website: http://cndanza.mcu.es), which tours widely – brief appearances in Madrid’s principal venue, the Teatro Real, are hotly anticipated. Classical ballet is performed at the Teatro de Madrid and Albéniz by Victor Ullate’s Ballet de la Comunidad de Madrid. Flamenco dance has risen in the last 20 years, from an outdated genre to a living passion. Traditional flamenco vies with nuevo flamenco (new flamenco) and both are enacted at numerous venues around the city (see Nightlife). Madrid’s talented flamenco dancers and musicians perform at Teatro Albéniz (see above), during the Festival Flamenco Cajamadrid, in May. Film: Spanish films are on the up and up. International stars like Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz made their reputations with Spain’s leading director, Pedro Almodóvar, who first claimed the world’s attention with Women on the edge of a nervous breakdown (1988). Although Almodóvar is not a son of the city, he moved to Madrid when he was 16, where he studied cinematic art and made his now highly acclaimed films. His very first movie, Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Girls on the Heap (1980) was set and filmed in Madrid. All About My Mother (1999) won Almodóvar the Best Director award at the 1999 Cannes film festival and Best Foreign Language Film at the 2000 Oscars. His latest movie, Hable con ella, was released to critical acclaim in 2002. Madrileños are great filmgoers, especially on Sunday nights. Prior booking is not the norm, so queues are long. The most popular performances start at around 2200 and earlier screenings are less busy. Reduced tickets are available – usually on Monday or Wednesday (día del espectador). Most cinemas are clustered around Calle Gran Vía, including the vast Gran Vía, Calle Gran Via 66 (tel: (902) 333 231), which has seating under sparkling chandeliers, for 1000 spectators. Films are usually dubbed Hollywood fare and homegrown products but screenings in English – marked as ‘VO’ (versión original) in listings and local papers – are shown at the large multiplex, Ideal Yelmo Complex, Calle Doctor Cortezo 6 (tel: (91) 369 2518). Arthouse cinema is on show at Ciné Doré, Calle Santa Isabel 3 (tel: (91) 549 0011). Cultural events: Each season brings a wave of festivities and parades, where religion, tradition or just sheer energy provides the impetus. Perhaps the most intriguing festival is Carnaval (Carnival), accompanying the traditional masked ball, Entierro de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine), the week before Lent. In May, San Isidore is held in commemoration of Madrid’s patron saint, with open-air dance performances, theatre productions, zarzuela, pop and rock concerts and sports competitions. Summer (July-August) sees in Veranos de la Villa (Summer in the City), a season of theatre, dance, ballet, flamenco and concerts (pop and classical) featuring native and international performers. Autumn (October-November) in Madrid is just as lively, with Festival de Ontoño (Autumn Festival), a host of cultural events (film, concerts and theatre), including a number of premiers in English and Spanish. Literary Notes Madrid has drawn its share of literary talent. The great novelist, Cervantes, author of the classic 17th-century novel, Don Quixote de la Mancha (1605), is buried in Calle de Lope de Vega – named in honour of the great lyric poet of Spain’s Golden Age of theatre. (By a strange twist of fate, Lope de Vega’s house is located in Calle de Cervantes.). Madrid was also home to poet-dramatist Federico García Lorca. The literati would huddle together in the barrio literario in Old Madrid and drink together in the now famous Café Gijón (see Restaurants). Hemingway was to join the literary crowd as a reporter in Madrid during the Civil War. His ode to bullfighting, Death in the Afternoon, was published in 1932 and For Whom the Bell Tolls was published in 1940. The late 20th century has brought its own talent, including the 1989 Nobel Prize winner, Camilo José Cela, who died in 2002, and feminist writers, Ana María Matute and Adelaida Garcia Morales. Nightlife Madrileños tend not to make one plan for the evening but rather three or four. The result is a crazy zigzag itinerary, with the journey itself being the evening’s focus. Street life reaches rush-hour proportions at 0400 – hardcore hedonists revel on until the following afternoon. While the busiest nights are Friday and Saturday (with Thursday a close runner-up), the locals go out every night and miraculously manage to work or study during the day. Perhaps the secret to endless energy lies in the tradition of consuming tapas – snacks of olives, anchovies, chorizo sausages, gambas (deep-fried shrimp) and Madrid’s specialities of orejas (pig’s ears), callos (tripe), mollejas (sweetbreads), snails in hot sauce and bull’s testicles. Or it could be the thick hot chocolate, accompanied by sweet fried churros, downed after a long night out on the town. The only social let-up is during the August exodus, when only a few venues stay open. Nightlife centres on three major districts – Chueca (Madrid’s gay village – also a trendy location for straights), Calle Huertas (traditional Spanish music, smart clubs and bars) and around the Plaza del Dos de Mayo in the Malasaña district (favoured by a hip young crowd). Small streets off Gran Vía form the city’s red-light district. The scene is a varied one, with cafés, discos, nightclubs, cocktail bars and flamenco tablaos all playing a role. It can be hard to tell bars and clubs apart, since bars often have a dancefloor and not all clubs charge for entry. Where they do, €5-10 is the standard admission fee, which includes consumición (first drink). The legal drinking age in Madrid is 16 and the price of tipple ranges from €1.50 for a small beer or glass of wine to €4.50 for something stronger, such as a rum and coke. It is customary for patrons to pay on leaving and certainly worth noting that few bars accept credit cards. Tipping is discretionary (€1 will suffice). The weekly listings magazine, Guía del Ocio (website: www.guiadelocio.com/english), published in Spanish only, provides information about what’s on music-wise, while the monthly English language publication, In Madrid (available from tourist offices, Irish bars or Barajas airport), is hot on the latest club news, DJs, bars and other aspects of night-time entertainment. And it is free. Bars: Madrid’s bars range from dark, wood-panelled taverns to the fabulous Viva Madrid, Calle Manuel Fernández y Gonzáles 7, with its painted tiles of typical Madrid scenes from the 1900s. A former brothel run by gypsies, with a tiled interior depicting Velázquez’s The Drunkards, Los Gabrieles, Calle Echegaray 17, is now a respectable bar for a young chic clientele. The Garamond, Calle de Claudio Coello 10, has a castle-like interior and suits a smart older crowd. Chicote, Grand Vía 12, is Madrid’s most famous bar and has preserved its 1930s interior – it is easy to imagine Hemingway reclining here during the Civil War. Cocktails are the speciality. There are numerous tapas bars clustered in narrow central streets, such as Ventura de la Vega, the area around Plaza de Santa Ana and Plaza de Santa Bárbara, Cava Baja and Calle de Cuchilleros. One of the best is Taberna los Austrias, Calle Nuncio 17, near metro La Latina. As dawn breaks, revellers head for Chocolatería San Ginés, Pasadizo de San Ginés 11, a Mecca for those in search of hot chocolate and churros. Casino: Casino Gran Madrid, Autovía A6, Carretera de la Coruna (website: www.casinogranmadrid.es), is the only officially recognised casino in the area and is located outside the city, near Torrelodones – a free bus service leaves from Plaza Espana 6. The dress code is formal and ties must be worn, the age limit is 21 and passports are required for entry. Clubs: Although a little staid in its musical taste, Madrid moves to the sound of Latin American music, world music, mainstream disco, house, hip hop and underground. Most tourists converge on the clubs around the Sol and Gran Vía, although visiting hedonists may want to try out some of the local haunts instead. A typical night would begin at about 2300 at Serrano 41, Calle Serrano 41, Independencia, Puerta de Alcalá, or Sportsman, Calle Alcalá 65, before moving on to Fortuny, Calle Fortuney 34, Café del Foro, Calle San Andres 38, or Marmara, Calle Padre Damián (next to Hotel Eurobuilding). There are no admission charges here, although chic dress is recommended. If energy is still forthcoming, the locals dance to techno at Pacha, Calle Barceló 11. Gabana 1800, Calle de Velázquez 6, is another popular venue for stylish 20- and 30-somethings – if the bouncer allows admission. Live music: Madrid offers a wide choice of flamenco, salsa, jazz, African music and cantautores – Spanish singer-songwriters. The Café de la Palma, Calle la Palma 62, is the bar of the moment and venue for cantautores, flamenco and Cuban music acts. For more Latino sounds, fans should head for La Negra Tomasa, Calle Cádiz 9, for live music nightly from 2100. Moby Dick, Avenida de Brasil 5, in the Castellana district, plays live pop and rock on weekdays and hosts DJs (reggae and rap) at weekends. The clientele is a charming mixture of foreigners and locals. For an even more eclectic choice of music, Café Populart, Calle Huertas 22, is where punters can experience everything from live jazz to swing, salsa, blues, gospel, African and reggae. There are two shows nightly, at 2300 and 0030. The Irish Rover pub, Avenida de Brasil 7, imports Irish, folk and country music. International acts play regularly at the Café Central, Plaza del Angel 10, Madrid’s top jazz venue. Pop stars and the best salsa bands perform at La Riviera, Paseo Bajo de la Virgen del Puerto. City Statistics Location: Madrid region, central Spain. Country dialling code: 34. Population: 2,938,723 (city); 5,423,384 (Madrid province). Ethnic mix: Approximately 97% Spanish, 3% other (mainly North African and South American). Religion: 86% Roman Catholic, 14% other. Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October). Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard. Average January temp: 5ºC (41.5ºF). Average July temp: 24ºC (75.5ºF). Annual rainfall: 439mm (17 inches). Special Events Reyes Magos (Epiphany), marked by a procession of the ‘the kings’ with commercial floats, Jan, city centre Carnaval (Carnival), procession, masked ball and cultural events, culminating in the ritual Burial of the Sardine in the church of San Antonio de la Florida, Feb, Old Madrid Semana Santa (Holy Week), solemn religious processions and services throughout the city, late Mar, throughout the city Fiesta del 2 de Mayo (Festival of 2 May), marks the day when Madrid rose up against the French in 1808, with films, poetry recitals, concerts and dance, 2 May, various venues Festival Flamenco Cajamadrid, Flamenco dancing competition, May, Teatro Albéniz, Calle de la Paz 11 San Isidoro, commemoration of Madrid’s patron saint with procession to the church of San Isidoro, open-air dance performances, theatre productions, zarzuela, pop and rock concerts and sports competitions, May, Pradera de San Isidoro and various venues Gay Pride, festival culminates in a parade through the Retiro, Sol and Casa de Campo, last week in Jun, other events in Chueca district Veranos de la Villa (Summer in the City), cultural events, Jul-Aug, various venues Festival de Otoño (Autumn Festival), Madrid’s most important annual arts festival, late Oct-late Nov, various venues Feria de Artesania (Advent Craft Fair), 1-24 Dec, Paseo de Recoletos Natividad (Christmas), Christmas and New Year celebrations, 24-26 Dec, Plaza Mayor Nochevieja (New Year’s Eve), crowds gather to eat grapes and drink champagne, 31 Dec, Puerta del Sol Cost of Living On 1 January 2002, the Peseta was replaced by the Euro in Spain. One-litre bottle of mineral water: €0.90 33cl bottle of beer: €0.90 Financial Times newspaper: €2.50 36-exposure colour film: €6.50 City-centre bus ticket: €0.95 Adult football ticket: €20 Three-course meal with wine/beer: €15 1 Euro (€1) = £0.68; US$1.07; C$1.62; A$1.80; Pta166.39 100 Peseta (Pta100) = €0.60 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Business Services Business Contacts: Madrid Chamber of Commerce Calle Huertas 13, 28012 Madrid Tel: (91) 538 3500. Fax: (91) 538 3718. E-mail: cpd2@camaramadrid.es Website: www.camaramadrid.es Spanish Chamber of Commerce (UK) 5 Cavendish Square, London W16 0LH Tel: (020) 7637 9061. Fax: (020) 7436 7188. E-mail: spanishchamber@compuserve.com Website: www.spanishchamber.co.uk Spanish Chamber of Commerce (USA) Suite 2029, 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10118 Tel: (212) 967 2170. Fax: (212) 564 1415. E-mail: info@spainuscc.org Website: www.spainuscc.org Spanish Embassy Commercial Office (Canada) 151 Slater Street 801, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5H3 Tel: (613) 236 0409. Fax: (613) 563 2849. E-mail: buzon.oficial@ottawa.ofcomes.mcx.es Website: www.docuweb.ca/SpainInCanada Commercial Office of the Embassy of Spain (Australia) Suite 408, Edgecliff Centre, 203 New South Head Road, Edgecliff, NSW 2027 Tel: (02) 9362 4212. Fax: (02) 9362 4057. E-mail: buzon.oficial@sidney.ofcomes.mcx.es Business centre Hotel Crowne Plaza Madrid City Centre Plaza de Espana, 28013 Madrid Tel: (91) 454 8500. Fax: (91) 548 2389. E-mail: reservas@crowneplaza.es Website: www.basshotels.com/crowneplaza Business facilities include seven meeting rooms with a capacity for 10-800 people; technical services and a business and communications centre equipped with photocopiers, fax and computers. Business library Central Library of Madrid Chamber of Commerce and Industry Calle Pedro Salinas 11, 28043 Madrid Tel: (91) 538 3500. Fax: (91) 538 3803. E-mail: cpd2@camaramadrid.es Website: www.camaramadrid.es Convention and meeting planner Oficina de Congresos de Madrid Calle Mayor 69, 28013 Madrid Tel: (91) 588 2900. Fax: (91) 588 2930. E-mail: congresos@munimadrid.es Website: www.munimadrid.es/congresos Madrid’s Convention Bureau aids companies or individuals holding conferences or meetings in the city, and provides information on local venues and service companies. Convention and meeting venues Feria de Madrid (IFEMA) Parque Ferial Juan Carlos 1, 28042 Madrid Tel: (91) 722 5000. Fax: (91) 722 5801. E-mail: ifema@ifema.es or infoifema@ifema.es Website: www.ifema.es Madrid’s modern trade fair centre (inaugurated in 1991) is located to the northeast of Madrid, close to the airport. Facilities include an auditorium (capacity 600 theatre-style), catering and parking. The site includes the vast Palacio Municipal de Congresos conference hall (capacity 2000), home to the ARCO art fair and Madrid Fashion Week. Palacio de Congresos de Madrid Paseo de la Castellana 99, 28046 Madrid Tel: (91) 337 8100/1. Fax: (91) 597 1094. E-mail: castellana.palacio@tourspain.es Website: www.pcm.tourspain.es This centrally located conference centre is unmissable, thanks to the Miró frieze on the building’s façade. The venue is well equipped for the international conferences it hosts, with conference rooms, auditorium (seating 2000), offices and secretariat, restaurants, banquet hall and catering. Centro de Convenciones Mapre Avenida del General Perón 40, 28020 Madrid Tel: (91) 581 1627 or 1535. Fax: (91) 581 2597. Located in the heart of the Azca business district, the Mapre Convention Centre offers an auditorium with capacity for 400, a host of facilities (including simultaneous translation booth, interpreters, overhead projector and catering), car park, and the chic Moda Shopping Commerical Centre (with banks, travel agency, restaurants, bars and hotel services). Office equipment hire Data-Rent S.A Calle Mesena 18, 28033 Madrid Tel: (91) 759 6242. Fax: (91) 759 6421. Website: www.datarent.es Secretarial service Manpower Calle Génova 5, Bajos, 28004 Madrid Tel: (91) 319 7404. Fax: (91) 319 2566. Translation services CL Servicios Lingüisticos Torre Europa, Paseo de la Castellana 95, 28046 Madrid Tel: (91) 456 7100. Fax: (91) 597 0796. Polidioma Calle Espronceda 33, 28003 Madrid Tel: (91) 554 4700. Fax: (91) 534 4759. Unusual conference venue Círculo de Bellas Artes Alcalá 42, 28014 Madrid Tel: (91) 360 5400. Fax: (91) 523 2812. E-mail: exterior@bellasartes.com. Website: www.circulobellasartes.com Centrally located within the triangle of the major museums, this gracious palace provides a prestigious environment for business. Facilities include an auditorium, concert hall, ballroom, exhibition halls, cafeterias, press office, catering and full technical services. History c. 300-200BC Romans arrive in the Iberian Peninsula; their culture is adopted over two centuries AD409 Germanic tribes invade Roman Hispania, establishing a Visigothic kingdom from 419 to 711 AD711 Muslims defeat Roderick, the last Goth king 9th C Madrid, known as ‘Magerit’, is founded during the reign of Emir Mohammed I of Córdoba; the arts and sciences flourish, mosques and schools are built 1085-86 Alfonso VI of Castile conquers Toledo and Madrid, bringing the city under Christian rule (the Reconquista) 1469 Isabel, princess of Castila, marries Fernando, heir to Aragón, uniting Spain’s two kingdoms 1478 The Spanish Inquisition: Jews and other non-Christians are executed in their thousands 1492 Conquest of Granada: Muslim king surrenders, ending the Reconquista. Colombus reaches the Americas and Spain develops its empire in the New World 1561 Philip II declares Madrid the capital of Spain. Siglo de Oro (Golden Century) begins 1562 Lope de Vega is born in Madrid 1619 Completion of Plaza Mayor 1665-1700 Reign of Charles II 1702-14 War of the Spanish Succession; Philip V becomes Spain’s first Bourbon king 1734 Alcázar of Madrid destroyed by fire 1775-82 Creation of Paseo del Prado 1808-13 French occupation of Spain under Napoleon 1814-33 Fernando VII is granted the Spanish throne and re-establishes the Inquisition. The American colonies gain independence 1820 Military coup leads to three years of liberal rule 1823 Fernando VII is granted power once again, thanks to the French army 1868 Isabel II is ousted during the revolution 1871 Amadeo of Savoy takes the Spanish throne 1873 Amadeo abdicates and a Republic is formed before being overthrown in a military coup; finally Alfonso XII becomes king 1898 The Spanish-American war marks the disintegration of the Spanish Empire 1919 Creation of first metro line in Madrid 1923-30 Dictatorship established under General Primo de Rivera 1929 Construction starts on Barajas airport 14 Apr 1931 Second Republic is declared 1936-39 Civil War between the pro-democracy Republican government and the right-wing Nationalists 1 Apr 1939 Victorious Franco declares peace and imposes his dictatorship, which in later years would lead to Spain’s exclusion from NATO and the UN c. 1960 Madrid’s population exceeds two million 20 Nov 1975 Death of Franco 15 Jun 1977 Spain’s first democratic general election takes place against a backdrop of miraculous economic recovery: Spain has the fastest-growing economy in Europe 1978 Drafting of democratic constitution 1982 Socialist government is voted in 1 Jan 1986 Spain becomes a member of the European Community 1992 Madrid is the European City of Culture 1996 Conservative Partido Popular is the winning party in the general election Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.