Other attractions include the observation tower called Faro de Moncloa, the environmental park called Fauna Parque Biologico and the Retiro Park called Parque Del Buen Retiro.
Events
There are many different events happening in Madrid during the course of the year. Here is a list of just some of these:
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Reyes Magos (Epiphany), marked by a procession of the ‘the kings’ with commercial floats in January in the city centre.
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Carnaval (Carnival), procession of masked ball and cultural events, culminating in the ritual Burial of the Sardine in the church of San Antonio de la Florida during February in Old Madrid.
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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 on 2 May at various venues.
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Festival de Otoño (Autumn Festival), Madrid’s most important annual arts festival during late October - late November in various venues.
Food, drink and entertainment
There are over 25 popular restaurants in Madrid, all of which are split up into 5 categories: -
- Gastronomic
- Business
- Trendy
- Budget
- Personal recommendations.
The nightlife is also quite big in Madrid. There are various nightclubs and bars in the city centre. There is also a casino outside of Madrid; however, there is a free bus service to and from the casino. The age limit for that is 21 but the age limit to drink alcohol in Madrid is 16. There are various bars offering live music such as flamenco, salsa, jazz, African music and Spanish singer-songwriters.
Accommodation
There are a wide variety of accommodations in Madrid including hotels, apartment-hotels, hostels, hotels residencia and pensions. Most of the hotels are classed 3-5 starts by the government. The Westin Palace is an example of a 5* hotel. Below is some information regarding prices of the hotel and a little bit of information about the hotel.
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. There is a night bus service after 11pm at night for anyone who needs public transport at that time. There are many taxies and usually reasonably priced.
It is possible to hire a car from providers such as Avis and Europcar. Drivers must be 21 in Madrid. It is also possible to hire a limousine from many of the hotels in Madrid and also from Autos Chamartin. There are several places to rent bicycles and scooters from, however it is very difficult to travel round on a bike in the centre of Madrid due to the traffic problems.
Accessibility to Travel and Tourism gateways
Barajas airport, 13km (eight miles) from Madrid’s city centre, has three terminals. 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 shuttles.
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.
Transport to the city: The EMT airport bus departs every ten minutes, daily from 05.30-01.30, from 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).
Plan of the Airport
Red – Iberia Air Shuttle
Green – Domestic Flights
0range – International Flights