Bob Travel

Madrid Spain is well known for its great architecture and culture significance. It has a progressive arts scene that represents much of the country holds a status of international recognition. Many tourists chose Madrid as their primary Spanish vacation destination, there are many attractions, landmarks and events that continue to draw them in. The best Madrid hotels offer services and information related to the most popular attractions and city guides and tours.

While the city itself is an major institution, the culture and residents incorporate many festivals into their daily lives and experience. These also serve as one of the essential participation encounters for many of the city’s visitors. Carnival is one of the major festival events that is celebrated not only in Madrid, but throughout Spain and many parts of Europe, as well as the rest of the world. Festival days are full of parades, costume parities and general festivities that culminate on Ash Wednesday of every year. There are plenty of outdoor concerts and restaurant thematic participations. The traditional burial of the sardine is also a significant tradition and marks the beginning of Lent.

The Fiestas de San Isidro is another major event in Madrid, which honors its patron saint. The month long series of events and minor inclusive singular festivals begins on May 15 of each year. One of the major elements is a tradition that demands that individuals participate in the Romeria, which is a pilgrimage. It consists of a journey to the saint’s meadows where one drinks from the fountain of hermitage. The waters there are believed to possess miraculous and healing elements, and this is done both as an honorary ritual and personal needs and spiritual endeavor. It is also the time of year when the famous bullfighting fairs begin. They are known in Madrid as the Feria Taurina, which also honors the patron saint. These events take place from the middle of May through the middle of June.

The range of artistic venues in Madrid is vast, from the archaeological sites to the architecture of the Gothic cathedrals and churches, and the museums and the galleries themselves, this city showcases not only art, but the history of various periods as well.  The Madrid best hotels are located next to some of the Renaissance style architectural marvels of the world.  Just walking the streets of the city gives one a look into the styles of the cultures that have influenced the entire city over the years.  Much of the ruins that are still well preserved are the remnants of the two hundred year period of Arabic rule.  Many of the monumental structures and sculptures located in Madrid are the works of the Austrians, and one area of the city, is titled Madrid de Los Austrias due to the abundance of the work in the region.  This is one of the finest neighborhoods for sight-seeing exploration, as along with the main plaza there are many convents, churches and buildings that fill the streets with beauty and works of art from the Baroque time period.

There are many structures from the Neo-classical period of the eighteenth century, including the Sabatini Gardens, the Campo del Moro, as well as one of the most famous museums in the world, the Prado.  Located within the Prado are examples of some of the finest Spanish painters throughout history, such as Picasso, Goya, Velazquez, and Miro.  Located between two of the main roads in the city, the Paseo de la Castellana and the Gran Via, lies the newest district in Madrid, one filled with modern and avant-garde structures of some of today’s most innovative new architects.  The construction of this area has been taking place for the last one hundred years, and is now the center of activity, with many market places, eating and drinking establishments, theaters and hotels.  One can not fully appreciate the art of this city however, without entering one the three famous museums, the previously mentioned Prado, the Sofia Nat. Art Center, and the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum.  All the museums house not only the most famous artists of Spain, but those from around the world.  In all, the city of Madrid will leave one forever, with memories and insight into the amazing legacy and the world of art.

Traditional dance of the gypsies in Madrid, and throughout all Spain, is the Flamenco. Originally from the southern part of the country, Andalusia to be specific, this art form has Moorish roots, as well as gypsy and Andalusian. What started as entertainment on the streets and cafes and five star Madrid hotels, this dance of music, ‘baile’ has become one of the most popular forms of expression and music. The song, or the canto, is the soul and the core, meant to express and to evoke passion. The music is often exuberant and lively, with a bit of seriousness thrown in for good measure and balance. Songs are either light, or grand, depending on the style of the musicians. Thought to have roots from East India, the more rhythmic and danceable tunes often employ the use of castanets, which are not from Spain, but most times associated with the music from this region.

Many people choose to experience the music and the dance of Flamenco at a “tablao”, which is a bit like a cabaret style of theater. Shows in venues such as tablaos are very intimate ways to take in the traditional shows. Seated at a table one can enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine, most restaurants offer a food menu, and the show is performed on a small stage. Some say this is more of a tourist attraction, but it is the traditional prototype for how shows have been put on for years. These tablao restaurant shows are also a bit on the expensive side. There are many neighborhood bars that feature Flamenco shows as well, often times much more casual and inexpensive. The shows put on in the various bars and cafe range from improvisational to authentic to performance art fusion. More likely as well, these are not the touristy type venues and are often at out of the way joints. There are also big theatrical productions put on in the grand theaters such as Teatro Albeniz or Teatro Real. The Corral is a theater located in the middle of the city, and is the most famous spot around the world for Flamenco, often called the Heart of Madrid. Performances here happen nightly with shows starting at 10 PM. This has been a draw for many years, attracting not only the locals and the tourists, but the rich and famous as well. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary and shows will be more spectacular than ever before.