Local Festivities, Madrid

Madrid, mid August. One half of the city's population is on vacation, fighting for the last portion of decent beach in Torremolinos. The other half enjoys a metropolis which has suddenly become a small village, where you can drive (and park!) everywhere, traffic jams are a fairytale and the street becomes a Verbena. A pessimist will say that Madrid is half empty during August. For me, it is definitely half full.

More text and pictures in the travelogue

Jazz , Blues and Gospel are the last fest of the year. Those events lock, in an unofficial way, the year. A minute before the X-mass Madrid host the music festival, so if you are in town during winter and just before winter vocation here is a nice thing for you to do.

1 more image

For me, the best time to visit Madrid is during September and October . It's not hot anymore as it used to be a month or tow ago. Weather inspire you to travel around and do more things, including take a part at the local fest at the end of the summer.
during this time the Fiesta de Otonio presents music and theatre performs that can last untill x-mass.

Lots of festivals in Madrid take a place during summer time (July-August).
Veranos de la Villa is the main one and the best way to learn more about it and about the fest locations is to check their web at:
www.esmadrid.com/veranosdelavilla

First tow weeks of August is a good opportunity to visit "La Latina" zone of Madrid, and enjoy there the local fest of Los Tres Santos.
The Tres Santos refer to (San Lorenzo, San Cayetano, La Virgin de laPaloma)

Dia de San Juan is a fest celebrated for John the Baptist.
Other cities in Spain use to celebrate it in more colorful way then Madrid.
If you are in Madrid on the 26 to June, then this is the date it takes a place.

The San Isidro fiesta, starts on the 15 of May and goes on for nine days.
That Fiesta is dedicated to San Isidro which is the patron saint of Madrid. San Isidro is Madrid's most melodious fiesta. The main stage is always in the Plaza Mayor and during every day and night of the 9 day festival, it is easy to find various concerts and traditional dancing.

A good reason to go and visit the Malasania zone and the bars over there, cuase the Fiesta de la Comunidad de Madrid is taking a place mostly there.
This fiesta is dedicated to the Madrid citizen while fighting Napoleon.

The semana Santa is one of the biggest parades in spain. I have seen many of them in different cities, I liked the one in Malaga and the one in Sevilla, and the Madrid one is impressive as well.
During a week , the parades presents Jesus Cristo and many religious images with heavy chains, men ans women with no shoes, with chains as well, walking around town.

The parade start at the Plaza mayor and ends at the Basilique de Nuestra Seniora del Buen Consejo ( The Seniora of the good advice)