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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid (and Surroundings!) This Weekend

It’s me again!

And I want you all to picture me right now, sitting in the sun, having a glass of Chardonnay in a vineyard outside Bordeaux, France, and… writing this newsletter. The AI-generated image doesn’t do justice to the real picture. That’s how much we love you here at The Bubble.

• We're good people! Even though right now we’re all scattered around the globe trying to forget about the dumpster fire of a world we’re living in, we don’t ignore those we’ve left behind in the trenches, melting in the streets of Madrid like a half-eaten Frigopie that’s been discarded on one of the cement benches in the Puerta del Sol.

• Stranded friends, we salute thee. And remind you that, in just four days, the new month kicks in and things return to normal. Coffee shops reopen, traffic increases to its natural level of madness, and political leaders ditch their aestivation status and reenter the city, ready to complain about whatever happened in the last month.

• Oh, and your friends (including us) are also back, which is nice.

In the meantime… Happy weekend!

1. 🎉 San Sebastián de los Reyes is throwing a massive party, and you should stop complaining and just go

Contrary to popular belief, there is a world beyond Madrid’s M-30 beltway. Sure, in some areas there be dragons (you know which ones), but some others remain authentic, impervious to the unstoppable forces of gentrification. San Sebastián de los Reyes is… neither (it’s just aight).

• But if you want to see what a proper Spanish town festival looks like when absolutely everyone commits to it, head north this weekend to attend the Fiestas del Santísimo Cristo de los Remedios, which sounds religious but it’s actually a fun verbena with some Catholic iconography thrown around to please the pious.

• It’s one of the biggest celebrations in the Madrid region, and San Sebastián de los Reyes spends an entire week turning itself into a mix of religious festival, street party, concert series, bull-running spectacle and neighborhood reunion. There are processions, Mass in the morning, charangas and tapas by lunchtime, bull runs, DJs, orchestras and pop concerts by night.

• The religious heart of the festivities is today, with a solemn Mass and the evening procession of the Santísimo Cristo de los Remedios through the old town, followed by fireworks.

• But this is also a seriously big music weekend: Cali y El Dandee headline Friday night, Malú takes over the main stage on Saturday, and Siloé closes Sunday with another free concert at the Adolfo Conde amphitheater. As usual, all people you don’t know, but that’s OK; just go with the flow.

• Expect the atmosphere to be much more traditional if you go during the day. There are encierros (the town’s famous running of the bulls) every morning at 11 a.m., along with brass bands, children’s versions of the runs (hopefully no gore!), food stalls, neighborhood peñas, foam parties and dancing.

• Saturday is probably the strongest all-round day if you want the full experience: morning bull run, daytime parties, a bullfight in the evening and Malú performing free at 11 p.m.

• Sunday keeps the momentum going with another bull run, a lunchtime Modestia Aparte concert, the traditional Baile de las Higueras (complete with figs, naturally) and Siloé at night.

Basically, it’s not like you have a lot of choices this weekend. Be thankful we sent you this newsletter today.

🎉 What: Fiestas del Santísimo Cristo de los Remedios

📍 Where: San Sebastián de los Reyes, with major events around Plaza de la Constitución and Anfiteatro Municipal Adolfo Conde

📅 When: Aug. 28-30 for this weekend’s main events

🎟 Tickets: Most concerts and street events are free until capacity is reached

2. 🎡 Alcalá de Henares is also throwing a party (in case you’re not into San Sebastián de los Reyes)

If San Sebastián de los Reyes is too mainstream for you, Alcalá de Henares (don’t try to recall, you’ve never been) is simultaneously celebrating its Ferias y Fiestas, and having a UNESCO-listed historic center as the backdrop.

• Alcalá’s Semana Grande grew around the medieval celebration of San Bartolomé, and today it has evolved into nine days of festivities involving the entire city. The old traditions are still everywhere (peñas, charangas and the amazing/terrifying Gigantes y Cabezudos parade through the streets) but they’re now mixed with concerts, theater, dancing, food, fairground rides and roughly 300 different activities scattered around town.

• This weekend is actually the grand finale, so it’s a particularly good time to go. Today, things get weird eclectic: there’s a competition to see who can spit an olive pit the farthest, another to crown Alcalá’s best croqueta, and a huge concert inside the old city walls featuring Fangoria, Chenoa, Nancys Rubias, Raúl, Coyote Dax and Zapato Veloz.

• Saturday is another full day, beginning with the traditional Gigantes y Cabezudos making their way through the city from 10 a.m. There’s also everything from a Catan tournament to a fascinating guided tour about medicine in Renaissance Alcalá, while Vanesa Martín performs that night at the spectacular Huerta del Obispo beside the medieval walls.

• But you don’t really need an itinerary. The best way to experience the Ferias is probably to arrive in the historic center in the evening and wander. Plaza de Cervantes becomes one giant social hub, with food and drink stalls open until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday, while the Recinto Ferial beside the Henares has rides, bars and the tents of the local peñas running until 5 a.m.

In other words, you get a very Spanish town fiesta inside one of the prettiest historic cities near Madrid and it’s only about 40 minutes away by train (Cercanías).

🎡 What: Ferias y Fiestas de Alcalá de Henares 2026

📍 Where: Alcalá de Henares — mainly Plaza de Cervantes, the historic center, Recinto Ferial and Huerta del Obispo

📅 When: Aug. 28-30 for the final weekend

🎟️ Tickets: Most stuff is free. Check website.

3.🌅 The Weeknd brings the biggest R&B tour ever to Madrid

We usually try to avoid mainstream artists when they perform in Madrid because chances are you already know they are here. But right now it’s not like you have a lot of options. So why not go see The Weeknd?

• The Canadian superstar brings his enormous After Hours Til Dawn Tour to the capital after more than 40 sold-out shows across North America. And “concert” somewhat undersells what you’re getting here: the tour has become the highest-grossing R&B tour of all time, built around huge stadium production and a setlist pulling from more than a decade of hits.

• That means Blinding Lights, Starboy, Save Your Tears and songs from After Hours and Dawn FM, alongside material from his latest album, Hurry Up Tomorrow.

• If you’ve somehow avoided The Weeknd for the past decade, this is essentially your opportunity to hear one of the defining pop catalogues of the 2010s and 2020s blasted through a stadium sound system with tens of thousands of other people.

Three nights also means you technically have three chances to get in. Whether your bank account agrees is a separate matter.

🎤 What: The Weeknd — After Hours Til Dawn Tour

📍 Where: Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Avenida de Luis Aragonés s/n, Madrid

📅 When: Aug. 28, 29 & 30

🎟️ Tickets: €177 (If you think that’s too expensive go on the internet and complain)

4. 👑 Party like it’s 1649 at Navalcarnero’s Golden Age market (yes… another town outside Madrid)

Are the options I’ve presented so far not good enough for you? Get ready, because I have one more out-of-town recommendation. Look… you were complaining about having to stay in the city, so here I am, doing everything in my power to get out. And I mean out out, not Pozuelo de Alarcón. It’s time for you to get to know the real pueblos outside of Madrid and this is your chance.

• Navalcarnero, a town you’ve never heard of, is spending the weekend pretending the past 377 years never happened. From Friday through Sunday, the town celebrates its Real Mercado del Siglo de Oro, transforming its historic center into a recreation of 17th-century Spain. (They do it every year).

• The festival commemorates a genuinely important episode in Navalcarnero’s history: King Felipe IV married Mariana of Austria here in 1649, with the royal wedding taking place at the town’s Casa de la Cadena. It was sort of like the Swift-Kelce wedding of the time, so it was a pretty big deal.

• The streets around Plaza de Segovia fill with period characters, street theater, historical performances, old music, artisans demonstrating traditional crafts and stalls selling everything from ceramics and leather goods to cheeses, cured meats, bread, sweets and, yes, Pumpkin Spice Latte, because they may be period characters but they are also business people.

• It’s essentially a medieval market with a slightly more historically sophisticated wardrobe (and iPhones). The whole historic center gets dressed up to recreate the atmosphere of Spain’s Golden Age, the incredibly wonderful cultural period that gave us the colonization of the Americas Velázquez, Cervantes, Lope de Vega and Calderón de la Barca.

Oh, and unlike most opportunities to attend a Spanish royal wedding, you don’t need to be invited.

👑 What: Real Mercado del Siglo de Oro

📍 Where: Historic center of Navalcarnero

📅 When: Aug. 28-30

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission

5. 🍬 Take a piece of art home with you at the Reina Sofía

The Reina Sofía is staging Madrid’s first major exhibition devoted to Félix González-Torres, the Cuban-born American artist whose deceptively simple installations turned love, loss, politics and identity into some of contemporary art’s most moving works. Basically what we all have been trying to do unsuncessfully since 2016.

• There’s also a fascinating Madrid connection. González-Torres briefly lived here in 1971 after leaving Cuba as a child, returning almost 20 years later to exhibit his work. Among the pieces he presented was “Untitled” (Revenge), an installation made from a pile of blue sweets.

• Of that return, he wrote: “I have come back to Madrid after almost twenty years: sweet revenge.” That phrase now gives this exhibition its title.

• Expect an exhibition built around contradictions: personal and political, permanent and temporary, private and public, presence and absence. González-Torres often deliberately allowed his works to change over time, famously creating piles of sweets or stacks of paper that visitors could take away, gradually altering the artwork itself.

• That participatory quality becomes particularly powerful given his biography. González-Torres was a queer artist working during the height of the AIDS crisis and the conservative political backlash of the 1980s and 1990s, and his work transformed intensely personal experiences into understated meditations on love, mortality and power.

It’s conceptual art, yes, but it’s time for you to stop complaining and start embracing the sort of art you don’t like.

🍬 What: Félix González-Torres: Sweet Revenge

📍 Where: Museo Reina Sofía, Calle de Santa Isabel 52, Madrid

📅 When: Through Oct. 12

🎟️ Tickets: €12

📺 What to watch if you still don’t want to leave the couch this weekend…

📺 Movie: The Devil Within (Caminando con el Diablo) | 2026

📍Where to watch: Prime Video

❓What’s it about: In 1980s rural Spain, French boy Philippe and his parents seek tranquility but encounter Miguel, a local whose son has vanished mysteriously, sending him into turmoil.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it‘s a dark, brutal rural thriller about two parents pushed toward madness after their young son disappears without a trace. At just 84 minutes, it’s tense, visually striking, and unsettling enough to stay with you long after the credits roll.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🇱🇧 Em Sherif: A Lebanese feast worth sharing

What’s it about: Em Sherif has finally arrived in Madrid, bringing sophisticated Lebanese cooking to Calle Alcalá with a menu made for sharing: cold and hot mezze followed by beautifully grilled meats, with standouts including the traditional hummus, fattet batenjen with eggplant and yogurt, marinated samkeh nayyeh, and exceptionally tender beef skewers.

Why you should go: Because with operations in multiple countries in Europe and the Middle East, it’s considered one of the best of the best. The ingredients and execution are excellent, the service is polished, and the whole experience is designed around ordering far too many small plates, passing them around the table and discovering what Lebanese cuisine can actually do.

Bottom line: One of Madrid’s most exciting recent openings built around the recipes of mother-and-daughter duo Mireille and Yasmina Hayek. It’s elegant Lebanese food and seriously good cooking in a prime location.

📍 Address: Calle de Alcalá, 54, Madrid

☕ Maanna: Where your coffee actually comes from matters

What’s it about: MAANNA is a specialty coffee and chocolate spot built around one obsession: origin. Everything is organic and traceable, from its rotating selection of single-origin coffees to its bean-to-bar chocolates, with an emphasis on sustainable farming.

Why you should go: Because this is coffee for people who want to taste (and understand) the difference. Its permanent Colombian coffee comes from AMUCC, a project created by Indigenous, Afro-Colombian and mestiza women farming small plots in Cauca, while other origins rotate seasonally.

Bottom line: Come for excellent coffee and chocolate; stay for a refreshingly nerdy lesson in why great flavor begins long before the beans reach Madrid.

Address: Calle de San Lucas 15, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

🦖 A new dinosaur is discovered - or something like it

🎾 Not a meme, really. It’s just that Carlos Alcaraz is back and he’s looking hot af. So here you go.

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok!

@thebubblecom5 myths about the Ceuta crisis. #ceuta #spain #españa #ceuta🇪🇸 #migration

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If you’re not following us on TikTok yet, you’re missing out. We’re posting exclusive content with our collaborators across Spain, breaking news updates, and pop culture coverage. Click on the post above and come hang with us!

🙏 Once again, please remember to share this newsletter with your friends on social media. The more we grow, the more information we’ll be able to offer each week.

🇪🇸 The Bubble is Spain's #1 English-language, bestselling newsletter. We offer paid subscriptions, and we’d be thrilled to have your support!

🏝️ While the rest of The Bubble Newsletter’s team is out of office this month, this weekend guide will continue to reach your inbox every Friday.

Become a paid or free subscriber

Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s me again!

That’s right, you’re not getting rid of my emails. I don’t care how much fun you’re having on whatever ugly beach you’re on. If I’m stuck in Madrid this week, then you get to vicariously experience my suffocating misery (at least until next week, when I’m also gone to the luscious, dewey-sweet vineyards of Southern France).

• For those of you who, like me, are currently wandering in desperation on the vacant roads of the Spanish capital because your favorite coffee shop is closed until god knows when and who suffer the inescapable maladies of climate terror, I say repent. Help is not coming.

• However, and while I understand how tempting it is to lock yourself at home with a bucket of gelato and endless doomscrolling on Instagram (those early memes about Mariah Carey starting to defrost may trick your brain into thinking the cold weather is closer than it really is), I am here to make a series of unhinged proposals that may help you pass the time, even if you’ve given up hope.

• So get off the couch, throw on whatever clothes you can find (you will not run into anyone you know, guaranteed), and step into the tumbleweed-infested streets of Madrid. You’ll thank me later.

Happy weekend!

1. 💃🏻 Get into some trouble with the barber of Lavapiés (now with AC!)

Alright, the video above is not from the production happening at Teatro La Latina this weekend, but I posted it for informational purposes so you know what you’re getting into. Also, the theater has great AC, so it’s a (literally) cool option for you if you want to escape the endless heatwave we’re living in. Last but not least, zarzuelas are fun, so it’s not a bad option for you.

• El barberillo de Lavapiés (The Little Barber of Lavapiés) is one of the great classics of the genre, first performed in Madrid in 1874, with music by Francisco Asenjo Barbieri and a libretto by Luis Mariano de Larra, son of the legendary journalist Mariano José de Larra. You don’t know any of those people, and that’s OK; I just still need to mention them because it’s damn time you start learning.

• For the uninitiated, zarzuela is essentially Spain’s answer to operetta: a distinctly Spanish form of musical theater that mixes spoken dialogue with singing, orchestral music, comedy and drama. It’s like opera meets 70s sitcom (1870s, that is).

• This one is set in Lavapiés and follows Lamparilla, a quick-witted neighborhood barber with a talent for getting himself into trouble, and Paloma, a young seamstress who joins him in helping the Dukes of Medina de Rioseco after they become caught up in a political conspiracy.

• What follows is a very Madrileño collision of high politics and street life: gossip, misunderstandings, romance, scheming and music.

You’ll be watching a 19th-century musical comedy about Lavapiés in La Latina, barely a walk away from the neighborhood where the story takes place (before it was gentrified, of course).

🎭 What: El barberillo de Lavapiés

📍 Where: Teatro La Latina, Plaza de la Cebada 2, Madrid

📅 When: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 7 p.m.

🎟 Tickets start at €24.50

2. 🎨 Mercadillo de Pintores: Buy some art in central Madrid

I know what you’re thinking. “An outdoor activity? In this weather?!” And yes, you’re right. But maybe it’s time to get off the couch and start posting Instagram stories so your beach-ridden friends can also think that you’re having fun. Think about it: you can grab a couple of tourists and take a selfie with them, making everyone else think these are your new cool friends and that, unlike the rest of the sheeple, you can leave Madrid any time of the year you want. You just choose to be here now. See? It’s all about believing your own delusions, like I do.

• But I digress. Turns out that Madrid has plenty of markets where you can spend a Sunday browsing for vintage clothes, 4K Blu-rays (physical media is making a comeback!) and Belgian chocolate. But how about an original painting?

• Every Sunday, the lovely Plaza del Conde de Barajas becomes the Plaza de los Pintores, an open-air art market where around 40 Madrid artists exhibit and sell their original work.

• The good news is that this isn’t some TikTok-era pop-up. The tradition dates all the way back to 1984, when the Centro district gave the Taller Abierto association a space near the Arco de Cuchilleros to exhibit and sell paintings.

• More than four decades later, it has low-key become one of those beloved city traditions that you can easily walk past without realizing how much history is behind it.

• You’re browsing paintings outdoors in one of the city's oldest parts, just steps from Plaza Mayor, with the artists themselves on hand displaying their work. Plus, there’s a Five Guys nearby, in case you need to counterbalance your cultured outing with a greasy burger.

So if you’re looking for a Sunday plan that involves art but doesn’t involve opening Filmín to watch The Saragossa Manuscript, go for a wander. Worst-case scenario, you pass out from the heat. Best-case scenario, you go home with an original piece of art painted by (maybe) the next Picasso.

🎨 What: Mercadillo de Pintores

📍 Where: Plaza del Conde de Barajas, Downtown Madrid

📅 When: Sundays

🎟 Tickets: Free

3.🚂 Madrid’s Railway Museum: at least you’re not watching paint dry

Oh, I’m just being dramatic. You’ve probably been to the Mercado de Motores at the beautiful old Delicias railway station. Well… great news, weirdos train fans! Throughout August, the museum is running its summer program for those of us left behind, with special activities celebrating 175 years since Madrid’s first railway opened in 1851, an event that feels prehistoric by now.

• But since I’m sending you there this weekend, there’s an added reason to go: Saturdays and Sundays are devoted to the station’s surprisingly impressive relationship with cinema.

• The themed “Delicias, una estación de cine” tour explores how this 19th-century station became a filming location for Spanish and international productions. And we’re not talking about obscure movies nobody has heard of like The Saragossa Manuscript. Nah… David Lean’s Doctor Zhivago (google it, kids!) filmed here, as did Nicholas and Alexandra, Travels with My Aunt, Tormento, Amantes and, much more recently, David Trueba’s Saben aquell.

• Families can also tackle a self-guided treasure hunt devoted to Madrid’s 175 years of railway history and see Territorio Ferroviario, the largest model railway in Spain, in action.

• There are also two temporary exhibitions worth catching: La mirada de Wyrsch, featuring Swiss photographer Karl Wyrsch’s images of railways during the 1950s and ’60s, and Viajar en el tiempo, which uses 85 years of Renfe advertising to show how both train travel and Spain itself have changed.

Honestly, stop being a snob. You’re complaining about spending a Sunday looking at vintage train ads, but if you were in, I dunno, Cinque Terre, you’d be buying a damn copy for €35. Just go and enjoy.

🚂 What: Verano en el Museo del Ferrocarril

📍 Where: Museo del Ferrocarril de Madrid, Paseo de las Delicias 61, Madrid

📅 When: This Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission

4. 🏃 Run from a 300-kilo ball in the mountains. Because apparently that’s a thing.

Growing up in the ’80s, television taught children like me that there were three very real and pervasive threats to our daily survival: lava, quicksand, and a giant round ball chasing us out of a lost temple in the Peruvian jungle.

Fast forward to 2026 and, as it turns out, adulting unfortunately doesn’t involve any of those things (unless you live in, like, Indonesia or something). Except… maybe it does? Turns out that the town of Mataelpino, in northern Madrid, each year offers intrepid adventurers the opportunity to be crushed to death chased by a giant ball, just like Indiana Jones would have wanted.

• I’m not kidding. If Pamplona’s running of the bulls has always sounded exciting but the actual bull part scares the shit out of you gives you pause, a little town in the Sierra de Guadarrama has come up with a very Spanish solution: replace the animal with a gigantic ball hurtling down the street.

• Welcome to the Boloencierro de Mataelpino, the centerpiece of the town’s San Bartolomé festivities. The tradition started more than 15 years ago when Mataelpino couldn’t afford to organize a conventional bull run. Instead of canceling it, someone had the inspired idea of rolling a giant ball through town while people ran ahead of it.

• DO NOT underestimate the ball. The adult version (yes, there’s also a child version 💀) now weighs around 300 kilos, measures more than 2.7 meters across and can reportedly reach speeds approaching 50 km/h.

• Participants run along a roughly 700-meter course beginning on Calle de la Iglesia and ending near the bullring. In other words, being flattened by a giant red ball is unlikely to improve your weekend, so participation is restricted to adults and the safety rules should be taken seriously.

• This weekend you actually get two chances to see it. Both Saturday and Sunday begin with the children’s run at 11 a.m., using smaller balls and supervision, before the considerably more unhinged adult version starts at noon.

And since these are proper village fiestas, the giant ball is only part of it. There will also be DJs, food, bingo, theater, and plenty of late-night partying throughout the weekend.

🔴 What: Boloencierro at the Fiestas de San Bartolomé

📍 Where: Mataelpino. The Boloencierro starts on Calle de la Iglesia.

📅 When: Saturday, Aug. 22 & Sunday, Aug. 23 at noon

🎟️ Tickets: Free to watch. Adults must be 18+ to participate.

5.🏎️ EPIC Racing Weekend Jarama: Pretend you’re at the Spanish Grand Prix for €21

Disclaimer: Look, I have no freaking idea what a Formula 4 is, nor do I care to learn about it at 46 years old. But a few basic, straight friends people have been recommending this, so after reading about it, here’s why it’s so cool, even though I still don’t personally care.

• The Circuito de Madrid Jarama-RACE is hosting the EPIC Racing Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, turning one of Spain’s most historic racetracks into two days of racing, overtaking (whatever that means), and pit-lane action.

• More than 40 young drivers will be competing in Formula 4 single-seaters, one of the key entry points into professional formula racing and the category where some future F1 hopefuls begin making a name for themselves.

• And if you’ve only ever watched motorsport on television, seeing it live is a very different exper-zzzzzzzzzzzz— Sorry, I just fell asleep writing that.

• There’s also a covered grandstand, food around the circuit (the best part of this whole thing, at least for me) and a more luxurious option if spending an August afternoon outside sounds slightly insane: tickets for Sala y Terraza Edificio 3 give you access to an air-conditioned room and private terrace overlooking the track.

Basically, it’s your chance to spend the weekend pretending you’re at a Grand Prix without paying Grand Prix prices — or having to wait until Madrid’s actual F1 race comes around next month.

🏎️ What: EPIC Racing Weekend

📍 Where: Circuito de Madrid Jarama-RACE, Vía de Servicio A-1, exit 26, San Sebastián de los Reyes

📅 When: Saturday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 23, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

🎟️ Tickets start at €21

📺 What to watch if you still don’t want to leave the couch this weekend…

📺 Movie: To the Max (La Fiera) | 2026

📍Where to watch: Netflix

❓What’s it about: Three skydivers died in similar accidents within five years. Director Salvador Calvo wanted to tell their stories with the sole survivor, Carlos Suárez.

🤩 Why you should watch: Mainly, for its spectacularly shot BASE-jumping sequences and its surprisingly dark look at the obsession that drives people to keep risking their lives even after watching friends die. It’s an adventure movie that understands the thrill of extreme sports while also asking an uncomfortable question: when does chasing adrenaline stop being passion and start looking like addiction?

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

📺 Movie: Calle Málaga | 2025

📍Where to watch: Movistar+

❓What’s it about: An aging Spanish woman in Tangier resists her daughter's decision to sell her home. Determined to stay, she does everything she can to keep her place and reclaim the belongings of a lifetime. Along the way, she rediscovers love and desire.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it features a superb Carmen Maura as an older woman fighting for her right to love, companionship and sex on her own terms. It’s a warm, intimate celebration of the little things that make a life worth living.

💬 English Subtitles: No.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🥩 La Hípica: Come for the horses, stay for the steak

What’s it about: Escape Madrid without actually going very far. La Hípica pairs countryside views and horses with a wood-and-charcoal grill specializing in premium cuts of mature beef, from chuletón and tomahawk to vaca vieja and rubia gallega.

Why you should go: Because it’s a proper change of scenery just 15 minutes from the city, with great meat, classic sides like homemade potatoes and Padrón peppers, and a creamy cheesecake to finish.

Bottom line: La Hípica is an easy countryside escape built around three very compelling things: fire, steak, and views.

Address: M-612, KM 3.5, Fuencarral-El Pardo.

🌿 Brownie Club: Salamanca’s best new café is hiding in plain sight

What’s it about: Hidden at the back of Brownie’s Salamanca store, Brownie Club is a surprisingly lovely café built around a leafy secret patio, serving specialty coffee, matcha and very Instagram-friendly creations like Sparkle Lattes and Coconut Clouds.

Why you should go: Because finding a peaceful, plant-filled courtyard in the middle of Salamanca feels like discovering a cheat code. There’s also proper food, from avocado toast with spicy maple to croissant sandwiches, chicken wraps and Japanese-style egg sandwiches.

Bottom line: Brownie Club turns an afternoon of shopping into an excuse for coffee, cake and an unexpectedly charming escape from the streets outside.

Address: Calle Hermosilla, 26, Madrid.

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

🪈 The Pied-Piper or Spain

🛥️ Brays Efe’s (aka Paquita Sálas) rant against people who post stories on a boat (that’s not theirs) will never get old

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok!

@thebubblecom5 myths about the Ceuta crisis. #ceuta #spain #españa #ceuta🇪🇸 #migration

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If you’re not following us on TikTok yet, you’re missing out. We’re posting exclusive content with our collaborators across Spain, breaking news updates, and pop culture coverage. Click on the post above and come hang with us!

🙏 Once again, please remember to share this newsletter with your friends on social media. The more we grow, the more information we’ll be able to offer each week.

🇪🇸 The Bubble is Spain's #1 English-language, bestselling newsletter. We offer paid subscriptions, and we’d be thrilled to have your support!

🏝️ While the rest of The Bubble Newsletter’s team is out of office this month, this weekend guide will continue to reach your inbox every Friday.

Become a paid or free subscriber

Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

• And I have great news: The city has shaken off its peaceful slumber and come alive this weekend to reaffirm its Christian traditions by honoring the Virgin of La Paloma with endless beers, tinto de verano, and questionable, greasy pizza at 4 a.m.

• So come to La Latina this weekend for some drunken shenanigans. Who knows… You may even run into me there! (If you do, please say hello).

• And one more reminder about our podcast. We’re taking a break this month, but we’re back in September. In the meantime, in our latest episode we discuss what it really means to belong in Spain today and explore one of the country’s biggest identity debates, alongside Sweden’s ambassador to Spain and writer Elizabeth Duval.

Happy weekend!

1. 🎉 Verbena de la Paloma: Madrid’s biggest summer street party takes over La Latina

If you only do one thing this weekend, make it the Verbenas (street parties) de la Virgen de la Paloma. If you thought last weekend was crazy, get ready for this one, because these verbenas, which kicked off last night, are Madrid’s biggest and most beloved summer celebration, the grand finale of the city’s traditional August parties.

• The streets of La Latina, Las Vistillas, and Plaza de la Paja transform into one giant open-air party for four days, where tradition and nightlife collide, and the streets are decorated with colorful lanterns and drunk people.

• There will be locals dressed as chulapos and chulapas and couples dancing the chotis, as well as brass bands and organ grinders while people sip chilled tinto de verano from cheap plastic cups.

• Still want more? There will also be limonada (aka lemonade spiked with white wine), food stalls, neighborhood competitions, and free concerts that keep the party going until the early hours.

Friday is arguably the liveliest night to join the celebrations. Head to Las Vistillas for Regreso a los 80, featuring Los Refrescos, Modestia Aparte and Fernandisco, while Plaza de la Paja hosts a ‘90s party.

• More fun before the music starts! The neighborhood fills with wonderfully eccentric traditions, from waiter races (fun!) and high-heel races (dangerous and fun!) to chotis dancers, and pasodoble competitions.

The highlight comes Saturday, when Madrid celebrates the day of the Virgin of the Dove, the “popular” patron of the city (not the same as a patron saint).

• For devout Catholics: The day’s events begin at the Church of the Virgin of the Dove with floral offerings and a solemn Mass before one of the city’s most emotional traditions: Madrid’s firefighters bring down the Virgin’s iconic portrait from inside the church, after which thousands of people accompany the procession through the streets of La Latina.

• For devout heretics: Once the procession ends, the party shifts back into full swing and the neighborhood goes from holy mass to unholy mess. DePol headlines the main stage at Las Vistillas, while Plaza de la Paja hosts DJs, traditional performances, family activities, and plenty of opportunities to embrace your inner castizo.

The celebrations continue on Sunday (of course), closing with another packed day of festivities, including a free concert by indie-pop favorites Miss Caffeina, live music on multiple stages, vermut, limonada, neighborhood games, and some weird competitions—from drinking out of a botijo to the classic porrón challenge.

You may be stuck here, but it doesn’t mean you can’t have the time of your life.

🖥️ What: Verbenas de la Virgen de la Paloma

📍 Where: La Latina, Plaza de la Paja, Calle de la Paloma and Jardines de las Vistillas

📅 When: Aug. 13–16 (main procession on Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m.)

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

2. 🇵🇹 Teresinha Landeiro: Portugal's most beautiful soundtrack comes to the city

While much of the city will be drinking dancing in the streets this weekend, Veranos de la Villa is offering something altogether different: an intimate evening of Portuguese fado with one of the genre’s brightest new voices, Teresinha Landeiro.

• Landeiro at just 30 has become one of the leading figures of a new generation of fado artists, blending the melancholy and storytelling that define Portugal’s national music with subtle contemporary influences.

• The concert takes place in the beautiful Cloister of the Well at the historic San Isidro Institute, an atmospheric setting that feels tailor-made for the emotional intensity of fado.

Even if you’ve never listened to fado (Portugal's traditional music), this is the kind of performance that can win you over.

🖥️ What: Teresinha Landeiro live

📍 Where: Claustro del Pozo, Instituto San Isidro, Calle de Toledo 39, Madrid

📅 When: Aug. 14, 9 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: €15

3.🦜 One of Casa de Campo’s greatest hidden treasures is its wildlife. Go stalk it.

Just a few minutes from the city center, there’s Casa de Campo, Madrid’s other park that you never go to because Retiro is classier and full of rich, hot people. However, did you know that Casa de Campo is home to dozens of bird species that many people walk past without ever noticing? (Of course you didn’t)

• Great if you’re hungover. This guided birdwatching tour is a fantastic opportunity to slow down, unplug, and discover a completely different side of the city. So grab a Red Bull, your favorite sunglasses, put your phone on DND, and get ready for the kind of morning you thought you’d be experiencing in your 80s.

• Over the course of a leisurely 2.5-hour walk, participants will explore the park’s diverse ecosystems (from wooded areas to lakeshores) while learning to identify birds of prey, woodland birds, and aquatic species through direct observation.

• August is an interesting time for birdwatching, as some species are year-round residents while others are only passing through during the season.

• The activity is led by guides from Casa de Campo’s Environmental Information Center, who will explain not only how to spot different birds, but also why this vast green space plays such an important role in Madrid’s biodiversity.

• If you own a pair of binoculars (lol, you don’t), you’re encouraged to bring them, though they’re not essential to enjoy the experience.

So yeah, all your friends may be in Mallorca, Marbella, Mykonos, Ibiza, Sicily, Bodrum, San Sebastián, Tuscany, Santorini, the French Riviera, Bali, Cozumel, Miami, the Bahamas, Malta, Croatia or Albania, but at least you’re watching birds in Madrid on a scorching Sunday morning while hungover. Congrats.

🖥️ What: Guided Birdwatching Walk at Casa de Campo

📍 Where: Casa de Campo Environmental Information & Education Center (here)

📅 When: Aug. 16, 9:30 a.m. (good luck if you’re hungover)

🎟 Tickets: Free, but advance registration by email is required.

4. 🩰 Billy Elliot: Because there’s always a good reason to watch this great film again

Fun fact: In Spain, the movie Billy Elliot is called “I want to dance”. Honestly, it’s not the worst adaptation of a movie title (that dubious honor goes to Die Hard, which in Spain is called Crystal Jungle).

Anyway, it’s been more than 25 years since Billy Elliot hit theaters, and this beloved British classic remains just as funny, moving and relevant as ever.

• Set against the depressing backdrop of the 1984 U.K. miners’ strike, it tells the story of an 11-year-old boy who discovers a passion for ballet, challenging stereotypes and expectations along the way.

• It’s a heartwarming reminder of the importance of self-expression, acceptance and finding the courage to follow your own path. Pretty much like Star Wars, but without light sabers. ❤️

• This special screening is part of an inclusive cinema series that pairs each film with a discussion right before the movie led by occupational therapists, exploring themes such as mental health, disability, neurodiversity and social inclusion.

The venue, CondeDuque, offers accessibility features including hearing loop technology, amplified sound and adapted access, making it a thoughtful and welcoming experience for all. Oh, and before you ask, CondeDuque says the movie is subtitled. So even if you can’t understand Spanish, you get to practice thanks to the subtitles.

🖥️ What: Billy Elliot - Inclusive Cinema Series

📍 Where: Centro Cultural CondeDuque, Calle de Conde Duque 9, Madrid

📅 When: Aug. 15 (Discussion at 8 p.m.; screening at 8:30 p.m.)

🎟 Tickets: Free but seats are limited. Get there on time.

5.💘 Venus & Cupid: Ever wondered what goes into restoring a 400-year-old masterpiece? (Probably not).

Listen up, losers! If you’re tired of those damn dating apps (polls say you are), then this is a great chance to ditch Tinder, Grindr, and the rest of the digital world and go back to the analog, OG way of meeting people: praying to Venus, the goddess of love, for sex “legitimate emotional connection”. Or to Cupid, the androgynous cherub that always looks like a 5-year-old girl that just entered a beauty pageant in Nashville.

But I digress. The Thyssen Museum is giving visitors a rare behind-the-scenes look at the painstaking work of art conservation with a special exhibition dedicated to the restoration of Peter Paul Rubens’ Venus and Cupid. (Not to be confused with Paul Reubens, the guy who played Pee Wee Herman).

• Rather than simply displaying the finished painting, the museum walks visitors through the technical study, scientific analysis, and restoration process that brought the artwork back to life.

• The project reveals how conservators uncovered the original colors, depth and perspective that had been hidden beneath centuries of aged varnish, while also shedding light on Rubens’ painting techniques and materials.

Anyway… It’s a great opportunity to see not just the finished masterpiece, but the invisible work that preserves it for future generations.

🖥️ What: The Restoration of Rubens’ Venus and Cupid

📍 Where: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza (Room 19)

📅 When: Through Sept. 13

🎟 Tickets: €7

📺 What to watch if you don’t want to leave the couch this weekend…

📺 Movie: All that we never were (Todo lo que nunca fuimos) | 2026

📍Where to watch: HBO Max

❓What’s it about: After losing her parents, aspiring painter Leah struggles to cope. When her brother moves away, he asks his best friend Axel to look after her, unaware of her longtime feelings for him.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because Maxi Iglesias is in it. Because if you're in the mood for a sweeping rom-dram (that’s a thing), this movie delivers exactly that, pairing two charismatic leads with an emotional story about grief, healing, and unexpected love.

💬 English Subtitles: No.

📺 TV Series: The Tribute (El Homenaje) | 2026

📍Where to watch: Amazon Prime & SkyShowtime

❓What’s it about: At his 80th birthday party, powerful patriarch Adolfo Novak gathers family and friends. Behind smiles lie decades of secrets, betrayals, and vengeance. The evening explodes, revealing a truth more shocking than anyone suspected.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because Manu Ríos is in it. Because it’s perfect if you love family sagas packed with secrets, betrayals, and shifting loyalties. The show blends the intrigue of The Godfather with the mystery of an Agatha Christie whodunit, making it an easy binge for fans of character-driven thrillers.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🍽️ Armando: There's comfort food, and then there's the kind of comfort food that deserves its own restaurant.

What’s it about: Take one of Spain's greatest breaded cutlets (escalope), fry it to golden perfection, and let diners build their dream combination with indulgent toppings like truffle eggs, melted raclette, steak tartare, or even macaroni with chorizo.

Why you should go: Because there's no pretension, no reservations, and no complicated menu—just a lively, retro-inspired space where everything revolves around sharing good food with friends.

Bottom line: Armando delivers exactly what it promises (an iconic escalope, playful comfort food, and a meal that's impossible not to enjoy).

Address: Calle Carranza, 9, Madrid

🍦 La Romana: When the summer heat becomes unbearable, there's one place we keep coming back to.

What’s it about: Founded in Rimini, Italy, in 1947, Gelateria La Romana has built a loyal following thanks to its traditional, small-batch gelato made with high-quality ingredients and recipes that have stood the test of time.

Why you should go: Because nearly 80 years later, it remains one of the best places in Madrid for authentic Italian ice cream. Part of the fun is choosing from its huge selection of flavors, from timeless classics like pistachio and hazelnut to seasonal creations.

Bottom line: There are plenty of ice cream shops in Madrid, but few are as consistently excellent as La Romana.

Address: Multiple locations around Madrid (and Spain)

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

🐅 If plush tiger not friend, why friend-shaped?

🌚🌝 The sun and moon during this week’s eclipse

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok!

@thebubblecom5 myths about the Ceuta crisis. #ceuta #spain #españa #ceuta🇪🇸 #migration

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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

• Guess what! The city is dead. Everyone’s gone until September (aren’t you glad you live in Europe?) and you are stuck here with us losers. Fret not, our fellow plebs! Madrid still has tons a few things to offer that work as a perfect excuse for you to stop watching reruns of The Office on Netflix and leave the house.

• And FYI, episode 4 of our podcast is out! We discuss what it really means to belong in Spain today and explore one of the country’s biggest identity debates, alongside Sweden’s ambassador to Spain and writer Elizabeth Duval.

Happy weekend!

1.🥳 Experience Madrid's most authentic summer tradition: San Cayetano and San Lorenzo

Ready to party? You better be, because even though there are plenty of festivals in Madrid all year round, none of them feel quite as local as the city’s August verbenas (aka open-air festivals).

• Three neighboring barrios take turns celebrating their patron saints every summer with street parties, live music, dancing, food, and community events that transform some of Madrid’s oldest neighborhoods into one giant open-air fiesta.

• This weekend is a particularly good time to go because you’ll catch the end of San Cayetano today, right before San Lorenzo takes over Lavapiés on Saturday.

• It’s the perfect excuse to wander decorated streets draped with colorful lanterns, watch locals dance the chotis dressed as traditional chulapos, sip a glass of homemade limonada, and get shit faced soak up one of Madrid’s most beloved traditions.

• San Cayetano finale on Friday features the traditional procession, flamenco performances, neighborhood gatherings, and DJs keeping the party going late into the night around Plaza del General Vara de Rey and Embajadores.

• The celebrations move to Lavapiés on Saturday for the start of San Lorenzo. Highlights include the legendary neighborhood water fight in Plaza de Arturo Barea, a Sabina tribute concert, live DJs, and plenty of terraces and bars spilling into the streets.

• The festival continues throughout the weekend with concerts, workshops, family activities, and one of the liveliest atmospheres you’ll find anywhere this summer.

Our recommendation? Drop everything you’re doing and head over to La Latina. These are the fiestas where you’ll experience the city at its most authentic—and where you’ll quickly understand why locals look forward to August every year.

🖥️ What: San Cayetano & San Lorenzo Verbenas

📍 Where: Embajadores, El Rastro and Lavapiés

📅 When: San Cayetano ends Aug. 7; San Lorenzo runs Aug. 8–11

🎟 Tickets: Free

2.🏛️ Spend a night at the Thyssen museum—for free!

We recommended the Prado at night last week, but as you might have guessed, Madrid has no shortage of great museums, so here’s another cool option: every Saturday night, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum opens its temporary exhibitions for free.

• It’s the perfect excuse to swap a crowded bar for world-class art and experience one of Madrid’s finest museums in a much quieter, more intimate atmosphere.

• This summer’s lineup is particularly strong. You can explore masterpieces by two of the 20th century’s most influential artists; immerse yourself in stunning multimedia installations; discover the technical secrets behind some of the greatest artists who invented modern painting.

If you’re looking for a different way to spend a Saturday evening, this is one of Madrid’s easiest recommendations. Just be sure to arrive early, as free entry makes Thyssen Nights one of the museum’s most popular weekly events.

🖥️ What: Thyssen Nights (free access to temporary exhibitions)

📍 Where: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Paseo del Prado 8, Madrid

📅 When: Every Saturday, 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Free

3. 🇲🇽 Alejandro Cartagena’s Ground Rules: A powerful look at the Mexico few tourists ever see

Looking for an exhibition that goes beyond beautiful photography? Alejandro Cartagena: Ground Rules is one of the most thought-provoking shows in Madrid this summer.

• The Mexican-Dominican photographer has spent more than two decades documenting some of Mexico’s biggest issues—from migration and housing to urban sprawl and the U.S.-Mexico border—through striking photographic series that challenge how we see both people and places.

• Rather than focusing on a single iconic image, Cartagena builds stories through entire bodies of work, encouraging visitors to look at social issues from multiple perspectives.

• Highlights include his acclaimed Carpoolers series, featuring construction workers photographed from above as they ride to work in the backs of pickup trucks, alongside Suburbia Mexicana and his powerful trilogy on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Presented by Fundación MAPFRE in collaboration with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the exhibition feels especially relevant at a time when migration and borders dominate the headlines not just in Spain but around the world.

🖥️ What: Alejandro Cartagena: Ground Rules

📍 Where: Fundación MAPFRE, Paseo de Recoletos, 23, Madrid

📅 When: Through Aug. 30.

🎟 Tickets: €5

4.👙 Chill at Madrid's municipal pools

Madrid in August can be brutally hot, which is why locals know there’s only one sensible plan: head for the pool (or burn, but the pool is the better option).

• Want to swim? You can. Want to read a book by the water and engage in water games with the gays? You can. Want to cool off after a morning of sightseeing? You also can!

• There are 25 outdoor municipal pools from Casa de Campo and José María Cagigal to Hortaleza, Aluche, Moratalaz, and San Fermín, making it easy to find one no matter where you’re staying.

• Most have large swimming pools, grassy areas for sunbathing, cafés, and plenty of space to spend an entire afternoon relaxing.

• Of course, if you prefer something a little more upscale (i.e., not municipal because you don’t want to hang out with the plebs), many of Madrid’s rooftop hotels also offer pool access, although usually at a much higher price.

There’s honestly no better way to recharge before heading back out to enjoy Madrid’s nightlife.

🖥️ What: Madrid’s municipal outdoor swimming pools

📍 Where: 25 locations across Madrid

📅 When: Daily through Sept. 7 (most operate from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.)

🎟 Tickets: Paid admission (online or at the door)

5.🗽 Manhattan: Fall in love with New York all over again.

Listen up, people! There are classics, and then there’s Manhattan. Woody Allen’s 1979 masterpiece is remembered for its witty dialogue, complicated love stories, and because it’s one of cinema’s most iconic portraits of New York. Fortunately for you, it’s playing at Cibeles de Cine this Sunday.

• Shot in breathtaking black and white, accompanied by George Gershwin’s unforgettable score, the film transformed the city into a character of its own and cemented itself as one of the defining romantic comedies of all time.

• The story follows Isaac Davis, a middle-aged television writer stuck in a job he hates, dating a 17-year-old (yeah, that’s… not OK) he doesn’t truly love, while dreading the publication of a tell-all book by his ex-wife. Everything changes when he falls for Mary, the sophisticated, complicated girlfriend of his best friend, forcing him to confront his career, his relationships, and the kind of life he actually wants. Sounds toxic AF, but it was a different time.

• Manhattan is funny, neurotic, romantic, bittersweet, and filled with conversations that feel as relevant today as they did nearly five decades ago.

• This special screening is part of TCM Nights, Cibeles de Cine’s Sunday series celebrating timeless classics on the big screen.

There’s no better place to watch Manhattan than inside the spectacular Crystal Gallery of Palacio de Cibeles, with a drink in hand and Madrid’s summer evening unfolding outside.

🖥️ What: Manhattan at Cibeles de Cine (TCM Nights)

📍 Where: Galería de Cristal, Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid

📅 When: Aug. 9, 10:00 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: €7

📺 What to watch if you want to escape the heat this weekend…

🖥️ What: Ágata and Lola (Ágata y Lola) | TV Series | 2026

📍Where to watch: Atresplayer

❓What’s it about: Outgoing, impulsive Inspector Lola Castro partners with brilliant documentalist cop Ágata Díaz, who is autistic. Ágata excels at forensic analysis and crime-solving; Lola offers intuition and empathy. They combine logic with sensitivity.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because the show proves there's still life left in the crime procedural, thanks to the brilliant chemistry between the two leads. Smart, character-driven, and refreshingly grounded, it's the kind of series that keeps you coming back as much for the partnership as for the mystery.

💬 English Subtitles: No.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🍽️ La Embajada de Serrano: A fresh take on classic Spanish comfort food

What’s it about: La Embajada de Serrano takes familiar Spanish dishes and gives them a subtle contemporary twist without losing what made them classics in the first place. Helmed by chef Nico Reyes, the restaurant serves seasonal, crowd-pleasing food in a lively, casual dining room that’s quickly become one of Salamanca’s hottest tables.

Why you should go: Because you should try the famous tortilla, the excellent gilda, or the sobao topped with anchovy and cheese, and standout mains like the slow-cooked beef cheek or the creamy cockle rice.

Bottom line: One of the best new openings in the Salamanca area, offering refined Spanish comfort food.

Address: Calle de Serrano 118, Madrid

☕️ Santa Kafeina: A tiny coffee shop with a big reputation

What’s it about: Tucked away on a quiet corner in Chamberí, Santa Kafeina is one of Madrid’s original specialty coffee pioneers. Run by Venezuelan couple Yessika Pacheco and Javier Castillejo, the café has built a loyal following thanks to its expertly brewed coffee and warm hospitality.

Why you should go: Because you should try their perfectly calibrated espresso from the La Marzocco machine. Or maybe get a hand-brewed filter coffee? You can pair it with one of their homemade cakes or freshly baked cookies. It’s heaven.

Bottom line: One of Madrid’s essential specialty coffee stops—a tiny café with exceptional coffee and friendly service.

Address: Calle de Viriato 37, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

⚽️ The party continues, Part 2 (Ferrán makes it to the Today Show)

🥳 Promises kept (Gavi promised he’d dye his hair pink if his team won the World Cup)

🤣 This grandma’s infectious laughter

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok!

@thebubblecom5 myths about the Ceuta crisis. #ceuta #spain #españa #ceuta🇪🇸 #migration

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🙏 Once again, please remember to share this newsletter with your friends on social media. The more we grow, the more information we’ll be able to offer each week.

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🏝️ While the rest of The Bubble Newsletter’s team is taking a much-deserved break this month, this weekend guide will continue to reach your inbox every Friday. Because we love you that much. 🫶

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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

Look, we gotta be honest here. Since everyone living in Madrid is leaving this month, the entertainment offer in the city drops drastically. Bars and restaurants close for a full month (gotta love Europe), the streets are hot and sorta dead (except for the occasional guiri), and it’s only at night when people leave the house armed with a fan that says “Puto Calor” (you know the one) to brave the heat with a tinto de verano in hand.

• Yet, we still have the verbenas starting next week (those are fun!), but this buffer weekend is usually a weird one. Don't worry, though. It’s our job to turn every stone and find the perfect thing for you to do if you’re stuck in town.

• And FYI, episode 4 of our podcast is out! We discuss what it really means to belong in Spain today and explore one of the country’s biggest identity debates, alongside Sweden’s ambassador to Spain and writer Elizabeth Duval.

Happy weekend!

1. 🩰 World-class ballet and live music come together for a one-of-a-kind summer premiere

One of the highlights of this year’s Veranos de la Villa summer program is also one of its most exclusive. For this weekend only, the courtyard of Conde Duque will host the world premiere of a brand-new production that brings together some of Spain’s finest dancers with live music performed by the Covent Garden Soloists in an unforgettable open-air setting.

• The show is directed by Joaquín de Luz, widely regarded as one of the greatest Spanish classical ballet dancers of all time. After spending nearly three decades performing with the New York City Ballet and later leading Spain’s National Dance Company, De Luz has become one of the country’s most influential figures in contemporary dance.

• Joining him is internationally acclaimed violinist Vasko Vassilev, whose career has taken him from London’s Royal Opera House to concert halls around the world.

• Featuring performances by dancers including Sergio Bernal, Estela Alonso, Patricia Donn, and Héctor Ferrer, this new production promises an elegant blend of classical ballet and live orchestral music beneath the stars.

Looking for one of the most sophisticated cultural events of the weekend? This is it.

🩰 What: ConcertDanza

📍 Where: Patio Central, Conde Duque, Calle del Conde Duque 11, Madrid

📅 When: Aug. 1–2. Doors open at 9 p.m., show starts at 10 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: €18

2.🏛️ Visit the Prado Museum at Night (they have AC!)

This is one of our long-time favorites.

There’s something magical about being in a museum at night. From A Night at the Museum to The Da Vinci Code, we’re all drawn to the possibility of unexpected hijinks (or a murder mystery, if you’re lucky) taking place under the judgmental gazes of Saturn or one of the meninas (more specifically this diva).

• But we digress. The Prado Museum is opening its doors again this Saturday night, and this is an opportunity you can’t miss (especially because it’s free). It takes place on the first Saturday of every month, when visitors can explore select exhibits.

• This once-a-month event offers an immersive blend of art, music, and technology, making it a must-see experience for both locals and tourists.

• For the August edition, The Prado is running “Valeriano D. Bécquer’s: Los cuadros de costumbres,” a newly opened exhibition that brings together, for the first time, all eight paintings the artist made as part of a commission for the old Museo de la Trinidad — a rare chance to see this complete body of work in one place.

• Pair that with the museum’s permanent collection on the ground floor of the Villanueva building, which takes you from Romanesque and Gothic painting through the Renaissance and all the way to the 19th century, and you’ve got a full sweep of art history under one roof (and under the stars)

Beyond the art itself, the Prado is also offering “Photo Prado,” a mobile app that uses AI to blend your own silhouette into the museum’s most iconic spaces and works, creating a personalized, date-stamped photo memory of your visit.

If you plan on going, make sure you make it as early as possible, as there will surely be a line.

🖥️ What: The Prado Museum at Night

📍 Where: Paseo del Prado s/n, Madrid.

📅 When: Aug. 1, 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

3. 🐎 Madrid’s summer night horse races are almost over, so maybe you should give them a try

Here’s your chance to feel like you’re in a James Bond film! Not the gritty, depressing, and soon-to-be-ruined-by-Amazon current era, but the more elegant, misogynistic, classier, Roger-Moore-wearing-a-top-hat era. You know… this one.

• If you think horse racing is all fancy hats, ascots and afternoon champagne, Madrid’s summer night races might change your mind. Since June, the Zarzuela Hippodrome has been transforming into one of the city’s most unique summer hangouts, where exciting horse races are just one part of a much bigger night out.

• Luckily for you, there is one more week of this. Yes, you get to watch horses thunder down the track under the stars, but that’s only the beginning. Between races, you can grab dinner from a lineup of food trucks, sip cocktails with friends, enjoy live music and DJs, and look cool on your Instagram stories. It’s also an easy, fun way to spend a warm summer evening without leaving the city.

The races themselves start around 10:00 p.m., with three this Saturday (the last edition this year is next Thursday, with five races), making this one of those rare Madrid experiences that you should check out.

🐎 What: Zarzuela Hippodrome Summer Night Races

📍 Where: Hipódromo de la Zarzuela, Avenida Padre Huidobro s/n, Madrid

📅 When: Aug. 1. Doors open at 8:30 p.m.

🎟 Tickets start at €20

4. 🎸 Dani de Morón: One of flamenco’s greatest guitarists is playing a magical summer concert tonight

Don’t know much about flamenco? This is the kind of non-tourist trap concert that can turn you into a fan. Acclaimed guitarist Dani de Morón brings his unmistakable style to the beautiful courtyard of Madrid’s historic Instituto San Isidro for a one-night-only performance. And it’s tonight.

• One of the most influential flamenco guitarists of his generation, Dani de Morón blends deep Andalusian tradition with influences from jazz and world music to create a sound that’s both rooted in history and refreshingly modern.

• Having collaborated with legends including Paco de Lucía, Estrella Morente, Rocío Molina, and Patricia Guerrero, he’s become one of Spain’s most celebrated flamenco musicians.

• His latest show, CUADRO, has already earned praise for its intimate, contemporary take on flamenco, showcasing the virtuosity that has taken him to prestigious venues such as Madrid’s Auditorio Nacional, Barcelona’s Liceu, and London’s Sadler’s Wells.

Looking for a real cultural experience on a warm summer night? This promises to be one of the standout concerts this weekend.

🎸 What: Dani de Morón

📍 Where: Instituto San Isidro, Calle de Toledo 39, Madrid

📅 When: July 31, 10 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: €15

5. 📸 A powerful photography exhibition documents everyday life in Palestine

Here’s an exhibition at Casa Árabe that stays with you long after you leave. The latest exhibition by Palestinian-Canadian artist Rehab Nazzal is an intimate and extremely moving photographic and audiovisual journey through the occupied Palestinian territories, documenting landscapes and daily life that are rarely seen beyond the region itself.

• Created over more than 15 years, the exhibition traces Nazzal’s travels across the West Bank between 2010 and 2026, capturing roads, checkpoints, warning signs, and everyday scenes that reveal the realities of life under Israeli military occupation.

• Rather than focusing solely on moments of conflict, her work paints a broader picture of how geography, movement, and ordinary routines are shaped by decades of political tension.

• Working across photography, video, and sound, Nazzal combines documentary storytelling with artistic expression to create an exhibition that is both visually striking and thought-provoking.

It doesn’t matter where you stand politically. This is a rare opportunity to experience the work of an internationally recognized artist whose long-term project offers a personal perspective on one of the world’s most enduring conflicts.

📸 What: Rehab Nazzal: Occupied Palestine

📍 Where: Casa Árabe, Calle Alcalá 62, Madrid

📅 When: July 31 (Cása Árabe closes on August).

🎟 Tickets: Free entry

📺 What to watch if you want to escape the heat this weekend…

🖥️ What: The Truthers (Los Creyentes) | Film | 2026

📍Where to watch: Netflix

❓What’s it about: Ruth returns to her hometown after her mother's unexpected death and reconnects with her father, whose strange behavior leads her to suspect he’s hiding something.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it grounds conspiracy-theory paranoia in something painfully ordinary: a recently retired father lost in internet rabbit holes. The plot isn't groundbreaking, and the ending stumbles a bit, but it's a rare mainstream thriller that treats family-level conspiratorial thinking as something extremely relevant these days.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🏭 Tramo: This former industrial warehouse is one of Madrid's hottest restaurants

🍽️ What’s it about: Tramo combines seasonal Spanish cooking with one of Madrid’s most impressive dining spaces. Housed in a beautifully restored industrial building in Prosperidad, the restaurant focuses on top-quality ingredients with a menu that ranges from creative vegetable dishes to expertly cooked meat and fish.

⭐ Why you should go: Beyond the excellent food, Tramo is a destination in its own right. The striking architecture, sustainable design, and relaxed atmosphere make it feel special without being overly formal.

💬 Bottom line: One of Madrid’s most exciting modern restaurants, where thoughtful design, seasonal cooking, and sustainability come together to create a dining experience that’s worth crossing the city for.

Address: Calle de Eugenio Salazar 56, Madrid

🥞 Mr.Way Brunch: One of Madrid's most reliable brunch spots is hiding in plain sight

🥐 What’s it about: Just a couple of blocks from Calle Mayor, Mr. Way Brunch has built a loyal following thanks to its generous brunches, specialty coffee, and relaxed atmosphere. The menu covers all the classics, from Eggs Benedict to pancakes and hearty breakfast plates, making it an easy choice whether you’re starting your day or easing into the afternoon.

⭐ Why you should go: The portions are generous, the prices are fair for central Madrid, and the cozy setting makes it a great place to catch up with friends or enjoy a slow weekend breakfast.

💬 Bottom line: A dependable brunch spot in the heart of Madrid that delivers exactly what you want: good coffee, satisfying food, and a laid-back atmosphere.

Address: Calle de la Morería 11, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

⚽️ The party continues

🥳 And us too…

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok!

@thebubblecomOkay, let’s start a fight… 🍿 @Marti Buckley #spain #spanishfood #food #croquetas #lifeinspain

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If you’re not following us on TikTok yet, you’re missing out. We’re posting exclusive content with our collaborators across Spain, breaking news updates, and pop culture coverage. Click on the post above and come hang with us!

🙏 Once again, please remember to share this newsletter with your friends on social media. The more we grow, the more information we’ll be able to offer each week.

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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

And while you’re still recovering from Monday’s massive, city-wide party welcoming our champions and (admit it) you’re still humming Spain’s unofficial World Cup anthem, Aitana’s Superestrella, it’s time to start planning this weekend’s activities.

• If your voice is still recovering from Sunday night, don’t worry. We’re going for something a little more relaxing this week, whether that’s discovering a new art exhibition, escaping the afternoon heat inside a museum, catching an immersive experience, or enjoying live music under the trees in El Retiro.

• Last but not least, Episode 3 of The Bubble Podcast is out! We talk about how the far-right may be part of the next national government and how to make friends in Spain. Enjoy!

Happy weekend!

1. 💃 A flamenco show that proves Spain's most famous dance can also be ridiculously funny

When people think of flamenco, they usually picture tourist traps dramatic singers, and lots of serious expressions. FlamencOh! flips that idea on its head.

• Spain’s legendary physical theatre company Yllana has taken one of the country’s most iconic art forms and transformed it into a pretty funny show that mixes live music, comedy, dance and visual theatre into something that feels both distinctly Spanish and refreshingly modern.

• Created in collaboration with London’s prestigious Sadler’s Wells Theatre, the show revisits some of flamenco’s most memorable moments while throwing in impossible choreography, absurd characters and Yllana’s trademark visual humor.

• Rather than making fun of flamenco itself, the production celebrates it, introducing audiences to its rhythms and traditions through comedy that’s accessible even if you’ve never seen a flamenco performance before. The result is a fast-paced show that constantly surprises, blending traditional music with unexpected dance styles and theatrical moments that keep the audience laughing from beginning to end.

FlamencOh! is a great option both for locals and foreigners visiting Madrid this summer.

💃 What: FlamencOh!

📍 Where: Gran Teatro CaixaBank Príncipe Pío, Cuesta de San Vicente 44, Madrid

📅 When: Through July 26

🎟 Tickets: From €28,50

2. 🎺 Catch Madrid's next generation of musicians live in El Retiro

Stop what you’re doing and grab your running shoes, literally right now because this is happening in a couple of hours. It’s one of those low-key plans that’s well worth adding to your list if you want to take it easy after a week of celebrations.

• After spending the week rehearsing alongside the musicians of Madrid’s Municipal Symphonic Band, dozens of young music students are taking to the stage for two free open-air concerts at the park’s iconic bandstand this Friday morning and afternoon.

• The performance marks the end of an intensive workshop in which aspiring musicians have worked shoulder to shoulder with members of one of Spain’s oldest and most prestigious musical ensembles, learning directly from its soloists and professional players under the direction of conductor Sergio Casas Santos.

• Today’s concert is their chance to showcase everything they’ve learned. If you’re looking for a relaxing way to spend an hour in one of Madrid’s most beautiful parks listening to classical music, it’s a perfect excuse to slow down, grab an ice cream, and sit under the trees.

🎺 What: Closing concert of the Municipal Symphonic Band Student Music Workshop

📍 Where: Templete del Parque de El Retiro, Madrid

📅 When: July 24, 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Free

3. 🖼️ One of Madrid’s newest art spaces is quietly becoming a must-visit for contemporary art lovers

If you’ve already ticked off the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen museums, we’re offering something that’s a little more under the radar. SOLO CSV, which opened last summer, is quickly establishing itself as a hub for cutting-edge creativity, bringing together experimental installations and artists from Spain and around the world under one roof.

• The venue is led by the private art initiative SOLO, known for championing contemporary artists and emerging creative talent. Its main exhibition space, Bowman Hall, hosts a year-round program featuring both Spanish and international artists, while collaborating with galleries and institutions across the globe.

• Beyond traditional exhibitions, the center embraces digital and experimental art and research initiatives, making it a place where visitors can discover works that push well beyond the boundaries of conventional gallery spaces.

• One of its most interesting projects is Movimiento 37, an initiative designed to connect artists with new audiences by inviting galleries and private collections from around the world to showcase their work in Madrid.

The result is a constantly evolving program, meaning there’s usually something new to see every time you visit.

🖼️ What: SOLO CSV

📍 Where: Cuesta de San Vicente 36, Madrid

📅 When: Tuesday to Saturday. Check website for opening hours.

🎟 Tickets: Must book via website.

4. 🏛️ Madrid’s smartest way to survive the summer heat is back, and it involves museums, flamenco and theatre

Walking around Madrid between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. in July or August can feel like volunteering to be roasted alive, so, instead of fighting the heat, the city has come up with a much better idea. Refúgiate en la Cultura (”Take Refuge in Culture”) turns the hottest hours of the day into the perfect excuse to explore some of Madrid’s best museums and cultural venues, all while staying comfortably indoors.

• This program transforms the city into a giant cultural refuge with a packed program of activities taking place between 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

• This year’s edition introduces 21 short theatre performances as part of the new Clásicos a Refugio series, bringing Spain’s Golden Age literature to life through 20-minute performances that combine theatre, live music, poetry, improvisation and audience participation.

• There’s also a strong flamenco program, with 44 performances, workshops and demonstrations celebrating one of Spain’s most iconic art forms, alongside activities designed to introduce visitors to its history and evolution.

• The best part is that it isn’t limited to just one venue. Madrid’s biggest cultural institutions (like the Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen, the Royal Collections Gallery, the Archaeological Museum, Museo de Historia, Museo de San Isidro, CentroCentro and Matadero Madrid) are all taking part, alongside libraries, cinemas and other cultural spaces across the city.

• Some activities are included with your museum ticket, while many of the theatre and flamenco performances are completely free until capacity is reached.

So if the thermometer is pushing 40°C, you might as well spend those hours surrounded by masterpieces instead of melting on Gran Vía.

🏛️ What: Refúgiate en la Cultura

📍 Where: Multiple venues across Madrid

📅 When: Throughout July and August (activities generally run from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m)

🎟 Tickets: Many activities are free until full capacity (check website)

5. 🤖 Step inside Black Mirror and get murdered by your own AI assistant or something like that

We’re not sure why the people in that image look so happy. Have you guys ever seen Black Mirror? It’s the one show that makes you want to crawl under a blanket and never leave again, afraid of the dystopian nightmare that is our current timeline. But we digress.

• Madrid is hosting The Black Mirror Experience, an immersive virtual reality adventure that drops you straight into the unsettling universe of Netflix’s hit dystopian series, where technology always starts out helpful... before things go spectacularly wrong.

• The experience begins inside Phaethon Labs, a futuristic tech company that’s eager to introduce you to LifeAgent, an advanced AI assistant designed to learn everything about you, anticipate your needs, and help you make better decisions. Sounds convenient, right? Of course it does—that’s exactly how every Black Mirror episode begins.

• Together with a group of up to six people, you’ll explore the company’s facilities, solve challenges, and make decisions that shape the story as the line between reality and simulation slowly disappears. Without giving too much away, things quickly become much darker than they first appear, forcing you to answer one final question: who’s really making the decisions—you or your AI?

Running for about an hour, the experience combines virtual reality, interactive storytelling, and live-action elements to make you feel like you’ve stepped inside an episode of the show.

🕶️ What: The Black Mirror Experience

📍 Where: Espacio Delicias, Paseo de las Delicias 61, Madrid

📅 When: Wednesday through Sunday, until August 2

🎟 Tickets: €17.20

See what you’ve missed!

🍷 We had a blast at our very first Friends of The Bubble event: Wine & Ceramics in Madrid!

It was such a pleasure to finally meet so many of the subscribers and supporters who’ve been with us from the very beginning (and who turned out to be pretty talented artists, too!)

We spent the evening getting creative with clay, sharing wine, and making new friends at Senda Cerámica Studio with our teacher and host Felipe Ponce. Thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a special night. We can’t wait to do it again.

This is just the beginning. What kind of Friends of The Bubble events would you love to see next? Let us know in the comments!

📺 What to watch if you want to escape the heat this weekend…

🖥️ What: Olivia| TV Series | 2026

📍Where to watch: Disney+

❓What’s it about: The nation's most famous weatherman seeks refuge from a media storm at his estranged father's olive grove with his daughter Olivia. After 30 years of silence, reconnecting with his roots proves challenging.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s perfect if you’re in the mood for a warm, easygoing family comedy about old grudges, second chances, and three generations trying to save their olive grove in Jaén. It’s predictable and occasionally too tidy, but the setting, cast, and shameless devotion to olive oil make it charming enough to carry you through six breezy episodes.

💬 English Subtitles: No.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

☕️ Nolita: The brunch spot that had people lining up is now in Chamberí/Malasaña

What’s it about: One of Madrid's fastest-growing brunch spots (with three locations now!), the most recent one opening right by Malasaña. Founded by two brothers inspired by years of brunch-hopping in New York, LA, and Bali, Nolita specializes in all-day brunch built around specialty coffee, creative eggs Benedict, brioche sandwiches, French toast, and homemade matcha and chai drinks.

Why you should go: If you're serious about brunch, this is one of the hottest new places in the city. The menu is packed with comfort food favorites, there are plenty of gluten-free options, and everything is served from breakfast until closing time—meaning you don't have to wake up early to enjoy it.

Bottom line: One of Madrid's best all-day breakfast menus. Just be prepared to queue, as they don’t take reservations and the place has become popular enough to attract lines almost since day one.

Address: Calle Monteleón, 27, Madrid

🍺 The coolest place to hang out before and after Noches del Botánico

What’s it about: If you're heading to Noches del Botánico, don't make the mistake of arriving just in time for the main act. Zona Momentos Alhambra has become a festival within the festival: a laid-back outdoor space where live music, DJ sets, cold beer, and good conversation keep the atmosphere going before and after the headline concerts.

Why you should go: Part of the fun is discovering artists you probably wouldn't have seen otherwise. The lineup focuses on up-and-coming talent across a wide range of genres, with live performances and DJ sessions creating the perfect soundtrack while you relax in hammocks, grab something to eat, or sip an ice-cold Alhambra Reserva 1925.

Bottom line: One of Madrid's best summer hangouts, where great music, a relaxed atmosphere, and excellent beer make the perfect warm-up—or encore—to Noches del Botánico.

Address: Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

⚽️ We just had to relive it

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok!

@thebubblecomSpain did it again. 🇪🇸 #spain #fifaworldcup

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If you’re not following us on TikTok yet, you’re missing out. We’re posting exclusive content with our collaborators across Spain, breaking news updates, and pop culture coverage. Click on the post above and come hang with us!

🙏 Once again, please remember to share this newsletter with your friends on social media. The more we grow, the more information we’ll be able to offer each week.

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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

Well, the unthinkable has happened. The World Cup final this Sunday is Spain vs. Argentina, and Jesus Christ, we really hope Spain wins, or we can guarantee that we will never hear the end of it. Of course, may the best one win, etc, but this weekend our heart is with La Roja.

• Yes, yes. Technically, The Bubble started as a publication in Argentina (we operated there for eight years), and there will always be a special place for the albiceleste in our memories. But when forced to make a choice, we want Spain to win (besides, Argentina already has three. They should leave something for the rest.) We’re keeping our fingers crossed. Hope to see you at Cibeles this Sunday!

• Last but not least, Episode 3 of The Bubble Podcast is out! We talk about how the far-right may be part of the next national government and how to make friends in Spain. Enjoy!

Happy weekend!

1. ⚽️ Watch Spain vs. Argentina on Sunday night (and pray. Like, a lot)

This is it, people. The Grand Finale. The fate of the universe hangs in the balance with Spain and Argentina clashing on Sunday night in a historic World Cup final match. Will we get a second star? Will Argentina get its fourth and then brag about it annoyingly for decades? Unclear. One thing is certain, though: such a once-in-a-lifetime event cannot be enjoyed in the comfort of your living room.

• We live together; we die together. Air conditioners be damned, you need to leave your house on Sunday night and hold hands with a stranger as you suffer through those 90 minutes + plus two idiotic commercial breaks “hydration pauses” and one very infuriating “30-minute halftime show” featuring Shakira, Madonna, and God knows who else.

If you’re gonna suffer, better do it in public. So our recommendations are:

• Madrid Río. The city is again stepping up with giant screens at Puente del Rey, turning the riverbank into an open-air fan zone with two massive screens, placed right in the center of the bridge, so you can actually see what’s going on (a nice perk) while being surrounded by up to 15,000 people.

• Bring a flag (ideally a Spanish flag, not an Argentine flag unless you want to die get booed) and prepare to chant every time Spain gets near the goal. To trade insults with your Argentine/Spanish frenemies, here's a primer.

• Not near Madrid Río? You’ve still got the usual options: Plaza Colón (our fave with room for 20,000 people!), Rita’s, Oasiz, Retiro’s Florida Park, Movistar Arena and Autocines Madrid are all setting up big screens. If you’re looking for “I’m freaking out, please hug me” energy, we suggest Plaza Colón or Puente del Rey.

And if when we win? Well, two things: 1) Tell your boss you’re not going to the office on Monday, 2) head over to Cibeles with the rest of the country and celebrate until you pass out. See you on the other side!

🖥️ What: Spain vs Argentina (World Cup Final Match) on giant screens

📍 Where: Puente del Rey and Plaza Colón, Madrid

📅 When: July 19. Kick-off at 9:00 p.m. (arrive early)

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

2. 🎵 Free concerts, foam parties, and lots of fiestas hit Chamberí this weekend

Do you have time to think about anything other than football, aka soccer? Good! Chamberí is throwing its own little summer party this weekend with the Fiestas del Carmen, and it’s organizing free concerts with food and at least one very Spanish lineup. Never heard of them? Doesn’t matter! It’s all about the partying.

• Today is the official big start. Samantha Vallejo-Nágera kicks things off with the pregón at 8 p.m. in Plaza de Chamberí, which is basically the “okay, now the party has started” moment. Then comes The Music Show orchestra at 9 p.m., Siempre Así at 11 p.m., and DJ Mike Fajardo keeping things going from 12:45 a.m. So yes, expect Chamberí to be louder than usual.

• Saturday gets more local (and then nostalgic). The Decrolers play at 1 p.m., followed later by Grupo Grupo at 8:30 p.m. and Yacaré at 9:15 p.m. But the main event is Tam Tam Go at 10:45 p.m., for anyone (definitely not you) who enjoys a proper throwback and pretending they “just happened to know all the lyrics”. The night ends with Barce DJing from 12:30 a.m.

• Sunday is the wind-down, but not exactly quiet. Revlover, the official Revólver tribute band, plays at 8:30 p.m., and Los Inspectores close the fiestas at 10:30 p.m. with crowd-friendly covers. It sucks for all of these people because the game will be on, but… how could they know? Let’s try to support them, shall we?

• Someone please, think of the children: Sunday goes full summer mode on Calle de Fuencarral with magic and science at 11 a.m., foam parties at 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., plus a mini-disco musical at 12:30 p.m. So yeah, fun times for them too.

Pro tips. Go early if you’re bringing kids, check whether activities need prior registration, and remember: free neighborhood fiestas are best enjoyed with patience, comfortable shoes, and low expectations for personal space.

🖥️ What: Fiestas del Carmen de Chamberí 2026

📍 Where: Plaza de Chamberí, Centro Cultural Galileo and Calle de Fuencarral, Madrid

📅 When: July 17, 18 & 19

🎟 Tickets: Free (some activities require prior registration or ticket collection)

🍷 Create. Sip. Connect. An exclusive evening for Friends of The Bubble:

Want to get your hands dirty and explore your creativity? We’re hosting an exclusive Wine & Ceramics Night for all our subscribers, led by Senda Cerámica founder Felipe Ponce. (Our paid subscribers get priority access!)

• Forget copying a bowl from a pottery class. This evening is all about experimenting with clay, exploring your creativity, and meeting other members of The Bubble community over wine and cheese.

📍 Where: Senda Cerámica Studio, Calle Torrecilla del Leal 7, Lavapiés

📅 When: July 22, 7 p.m.

🎟️ Open to all subscribers · Paid subscribers get priority access · Limited spots · First come, first served.

To reserve your place, email social@thebubble.com.

3. 📸 Ouka Leele, the Movida and Madrid’s modern myths take over Alcalá 31

What better way to calm your nerves than an exhibit about the 80s? Sala Alcalá 31 has just opened Mitologías modernas: Ouka Leele & Co, a very Madrid exhibition about mythology and the kind of 80s creativity (including La Movida Madrileña) that made the city feel like it had no rules.

• The whole thing starts with Spanish photographer Ouka Leele. More specifically, with Rapelle toi, Barbara!, her iconic 1987 shoot at the Cibeles fountain, which somehow turned one of Madrid’s most photographed spots into a mythological stage set. From there, the show looks at how artists of the Nueva Figuración and the Movida used classical myths to make sense of a city changing very, very fast.

• And yes, the lineup is strong. There are more than 100 works by Ouka Leele, El Hortelano, Ceesepe, Carlos Franco, Sigfrido Martín Begué, Guillermo Pérez Villalta, Dis Berlin, Pablo Sycet, Carlos Alcolea, Costus, Patricia Gadea and many other names you never heard of (so you should get to know them).

• The exhibit includes paintings, photos, drawings, performance-related pieces, and a lot of that sweet spot between ancient gods, underground comics, fanzines, pop culture and post-Transition Madrid.

• The point is seeing how those artists borrowed from mythology, art history, romanticism, and street culture to build a new visual language for Madrid. Which sounds fancy, but also: it’s free, central, and indoors. A holy trinity in July.

And if you’re near Cibeles afterward, you’ll probably look at the fountain a little differently.

🖥️ What: Mitologías modernas: Ouka Leele & Co

📍 Where: Sala Alcalá 31, Calle de Alcalá, 31, Madrid

📅 When: Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Free

4.💦 ‘Get wet and disarm fascism!’: Vallecas’ legendary water war ‘Batalla Naval’ is back

Madrid may not have a beach, but Vallecas has never really accepted that. This Sunday afternoon, the Batalla Naval de Vallekas is back, turning the Bulevar de Vallecas into a full-on water war with buckets, water guns, soaked T-shirts, and the eternal neighborhood demand: a seaport for Vallecas (spoiler alert: that may never happen).

• Yes, this is exactly what it sounds like. A massive street water battle that started in 1981, when a few young people at the Fiestas del Carmen decided the only reasonable response to July in Madrid was to open the hydrants and drench everyone nearby (and this was even before climate apocalypse change!).

• It’s still one of the city’s weirdest, funniest, and most genuinely local summer traditions. And it’s not just chaos with water pistols. The Batalla Naval has always mixed party energy with protest spirit, so this year they are protesting against “fascist nations” around the world.

• Organized by the Cofradía Marinera de Vallekas, the event keeps that old utopian joke alive — Vallecas as a port city — while also using the day to make a neighborhood statement.

• Sunday is the big day. The battle closes the Fiestas del Carmen in Puente de Vallecas, alongside the final party atmosphere, concerts, and fireworks with big crowds, noise and water everywhere. Trust us, you will get wet.

Wear clothes you don’t care about, protect your phone and valuables like it’s a state secret, bring water to drink as well as to throw, and don’t show up expecting a cute little splash. This is Vallecas. They commit.

🖥️ What: Batalla Naval de Vallekas 2026

📍 Where: Bulevar de Vallecas / Calle Peña Gorbea, Puente de Vallecas, Madrid

📅 When: July 19, 4:30 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Free

5. 🖼️ The Thyssen opens late and free for your Saturday culture fix

Not sure what to do this Saturday night? The Thyssen Museum has the answer: Noches Thyssen is a Saturday night free-entry slot for temporary exhibitions, which basically turns “I’m nervous about tomorrow’s game” into a very easy win.

• The idea is simple. Every Saturday from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., the museum opens its temporary exhibition rooms for free, giving you two hours of art after dinner and before pretending you had bigger night-out plans. It’s central and air-conditioned so you can’t complain.

• This Saturday’s main excuse is Carmen Laffón. The Thyssen is currently showing Carmen Laffón. Variaciones, a retrospective of the Sevillian artist’s quiet, luminous world: landscapes, domestic objects, Doñana, Sanlúcar, salt flats, soft light, and the kind of everyday scenes that somehow make you feel like you should be whispering.

• Noches Thyssen feels like a grown-up Madrid plan without requiring grown-up levels of organization. You go late, you get in free, you see something good, and you still have time for a drink after.

Book or check availability in advance, arrive before 9 p.m. if you don’t enjoy queues, and don’t treat the two-hour window like Spanish punctuality is going to help you. It closes at 11 p.m. sharp.

🖥️ What: Noches Thyssen

📍 Where: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Paseo del Prado, 8, Madrid

📅 When: July 18, 9–11 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Free

📺 What to watch if you are too nervous to watch the game this weekend…

🖥️ What: Miguel Ángel Blanco: The 48 Hours That Changed Spain | Documentary | 2026

📍Where to watch: Netflix

❓What’s it about: In July, 1997, the terrorist group ETA kidnapped and murdered a young Basque politician after giving the authorities 48 hours to save him. The documentary follows the frantic two days that paralyzed the country, as thousands marched demanding his release and the government refused to negotiate with the kidnappers.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s a case that left a mark in Spain (ask a Spaniard what they were doing when the news broke; they all remember it) and it’s a part of Spanish history you should know. Journalist Jon Sistiaga narrates the documentary and includes statements from Blanco’s family, former PM José María Aznar and even King Felipe VI.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

🖥️ What: An Island Away From You | Movie | 2026

📍Where to watch: HBO Max

❓What’s it about: A heartbroken chef spends a vacation with his best friend in Gran Canaria. There he falls in love with the island, its people, its beaches, and its food - but what he didn't expect was to fall for his best friend's father.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it's a feel-good rom-com that treats its same-sex couple's love as just... love, no conflict required, which is still rare for the genre. It also doubles as a love letter to the Canary Islands, weaving real local culture and legend into the story instead of just using it as a backdrop. If you want something warm, breezy, and a little different from the usual rom-com formula, this delivers.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🇲🇽 El Bajío brings Michelin-level Mexican cooking to Madrid

What’s it about: A Salamanca outpost of El Bajío, the storied Mexican restaurant founded in Mexico City in 1972 by chef Carmen "Titita" Ramírez Degollado. This is its first European spot. It's traditional Mexican cooking done with real rigor: panuchos yucatecos, huarache con solomillo, mole Xico and empanadas de plátano macho.

Why you should go: Because it earned a spot in the Michelin Guide España 2025 within months of opening, and because Ferran and Albert Adrià have publicly admired this kitchen for years. The space itself helps, but the real draw is a menu that respects ingredients, cooking times, and generations of tradition rather than chasing trend-driven "Mexican" clichés.

Bottom line: One of the most authentic, well-regarded Mexican restaurants in Madrid, backed by serious pedigree and a genuinely warm setting.

Address: Calle Juan Bravo, 23, Madrid

☕️ Frutas Prohibidas: Where vegan brunch finally gets specialty coffee to match

What’s it about: A 100% plant-based brunch spot in Malasaña that's been running since 2016, pairing an all-day brunch menu with specialty coffee roasted in Madrid. Everything is made in-house, using mostly local, organic, and fair-trade ingredients. The kitchen stays open all day, so there's no rush to catch a "brunch window."

Why you should go: Because it manages the rare trick of being genuinely excellent on two fronts at once — the coffee (rotating beans from Spanish roasters, a confident flat white, an espresso with real body) and the food (creative, fully vegan dishes like the "huevos benedictinos," pulled pork sandos, and açaí bowls).

Bottom line: A standout for anyone who wants specialty coffee and serious plant-based cooking in the same sitting, without either one feeling like an afterthought.

Address: Calle del Conde Duque, 26, Madrid

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Here Are 6 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

Look alive, people! Spain is one game away from the World Cup semis, and the city is turning into a big, slightly anxious watch party today. On top of that, Mad Cool is taking over Villaverde with one of its strongest lineups in years. And when you need to refuel? We’ve found you spots that actually deliver. Just scroll down.

• Last but not least, Episode 2 of The Bubble Podcast is out! We talk about true crime (maybe), how to enjoy this summer’s verbenas, and mistakes foreigners make when moving to Spain.

Happy weekend!

1. ⚽️ Watch Spain vs. Belgium tonight (and root for La Roja, duh)

Alright, everyone. Spain is through to the World Cup quarter-finals after knocking out Portugal — and now shit is getting real comes a proper test: Belgium. Madrid is turning into a collective living room this evening, and it will be loud and hot. Have a few cold beers ready to calm your anxiety, and if you want the full emotional breakdown experience, skip the sofa and go outside.

• Madrid Río is again stepping up with giant screens at Puente del Rey, turning the riverbank into an open-air fan zone and adding two massive screens this time, placed right in the center of the bridge, so you can actually see what’s going on (a nice perk) while being surrounded by thousands of fans.

• Bring a flag (ideally a Spanish flag, unless you want to die get booed) and prepare to chant every time Spain gets near the goal.

• Not near Madrid Río? You’ve still got the usual options: Plaza Colón (our fave!), Rita’s, Oasiz, and Autocines Madrid are all setting up big screens. If you’re looking for “I’m freaking out, please hug me” energy, we suggest Plaza Colón or Puente del Rey.

Remember to light up a candle for la virgencita tonight. We’re getting close.

🖥️ What: Spain vs Belgium (World Cup quarter-final) on giant screens

📍 Where: Puente del Rey and Plaza Colón, Madrid

📅 When: July 10. Kick-off at 9:00 p.m. (arrive early)

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

2. 🎸 Mad Cool Festival takes over Madrid

Not into the football madness? Fret now, fellow weirdo… Mad Cool (aka Madrid’s coolest music festival of the year) is back for its 10th anniversary, and the city turns into a four-day music marathon this week (but let’s be honest, you’re reading this on Friday morning, so this is all about what’s happening tonight and tomorrow).

• Friday is packed with cool artists. You’ve got Twenty One Pilots and Kings of Leon headlining, which already guarantees a packed crowd screaming every lyric like it’s 2013 again. But the real problem? The clashes. Pixies, Halsey, Interpol, even A Perfect Circle — at some point, you will miss something you wanted to see, and you will complain about it later. Consider it part of the experience.

• Saturday, though, is when things get even cooler, darker, and more iconic. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are closing the whole thing, and if you’ve ever seen him live, you know this is more than just “a concert”. Add Pulp, The Black Crowes, Kasabian, and David Byrne, and you’ve got a lineup that looks great on the ‘gram.

Mad Cool is known for multiple reasons: the dust, overpriced beers, long walks between stages, and seeing your favorite band at 7:30 p.m. while waiting for someone else.

• Pro tips. Wear comfortable shoes, pick your non-negotiables in advance, and accept that everything else is improvisation.

🖥️ What: Mad Cool Festival 2026

📍 Where: Iberdrola Music, Calle Laguna Dalga and Avenida Real de Pinto Villaverde, Madrid

📅 When: July 10 & 11

🎟 Tickets: From €89 (day pass) — still available online

3. 🏺 Meet the artists shaping Madrid’s contemporary ceramics scene.

If your mental image of Spanish ceramics is a blue-and-white plate with “Madrid” written across it… this is your chance to completely reset it.

For one evening only, Senda Cerámica Studio is opening its doors for a pop-up exhibition that offers a glimpse into Madrid’s creative community. Established artists, emerging creators, and students will all be exhibiting together, surrounded by sculptural lighting, contemporary ceramics, flowers, music, and a glass of wine rather than a museum where you’re afraid to breathe too loudly.

• Felipe Ponce, the Chilean artist behind Senda Cerámica, presents a collection of lamps and sculptures inspired by the Atacama Desert, weathered minerals, and objects that look as though they’ve been unearthed after centuries underground. His work deliberately embraces cracks, erosion, and imperfection, turning brand-new clay into pieces that already feel full of history.

• This is where Madrid’s creative community comes together. Alongside Felipe’s work, you’ll find paintings by Isabel Moltó, a floral installation by Carlos Domínguez, bites by chef María Granda, music from DJ Zalo Gálvez, and sculptures by Senda Studio’s students — architects, designers, creatives, and first-time ceramicists learning to work with clay side by side.

• Unlike most exhibitions, you can actually take a piece home. Everything on display is available to buy, from Felipe’s sculptural lamps to one-of-a-kind ceramic works created by the artists and the studio’s community. So whether you’re looking for something unique for your apartment or simply an excuse to discover one of Lavapiés’ most creative corners, this is a pretty good way to spend a Friday evening.

Some of Madrid’s best creative events aren’t the ones with queues around the block — they’re the ones where you leave having met the artist.

🖥️ What: Senda Cerámica Studio - Pop-up exhibition & contemporary ceramics showcase

📍 Where: Casa Madre, Calle Esperanza 5, Lavapiés

📅 When: Saturday, July 11, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission

🍷 Create. Sip. Connect. An exclusive evening for Friends of The Bubble:

Want to get your hands dirty and explore your creativity? We’re hosting an exclusive Wine & Ceramics Night for paid subscribers, led by Senda Cerámica founder Felipe Ponce.

• Forget copying a bowl from a pottery class. This evening is all about experimenting with clay, exploring your creativity, and meeting other members of The Bubble community over wine and cheese.

📍 Where: Senda Cerámica Studio, Calle Torrecilla del Leal 7, Lavapiés

📅 When: July 22, 7 p.m.

🎟️ Paid subscribers only · Limited spots · First come, first served.

To reserve your place, email social@thebubble.com.

4.🎺 Whatever: Old-school jazz, Madrid-style (and it’s free)

If your idea of a perfect Friday isn’t a sweaty festival crowd but something a little cooler (literally and culturally), this one’s for you. Whatever Jazz Band is bringing their proper 1920s jazz energy to Madrid, to remind you of New Orleans, Chicago, smoky bars, and what good music is supposed to sound like.

• Before you ask, this isn’t a “modern jazz with a twist” situation. These guys are fully committed to the classics: Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Johnny Dodds. These guys not only play the kind of music that built everything that came after, but they also recreate it in the same style, same arrangements, and same vibe.

• The band is a mix of international musicians based in Madrid, all deep into traditional jazz, with backgrounds in different swing and dixieland projects (which means they know what they are doing). They play trumpet, clarinet, and banjo, which makes them sound like the kind of band that no longer exists (they do).

Oh, and good news: it’s outdoors; it’s free. Don’t miss it. You’ll likely go there for 15 minutes and stay there all night.

🖥️ What: Whatever Jazz Band (Dixieland)

📍 Where: Avenida del Presidente Carmona, 3, Madrid

📅 When: July 10, 9 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Free

5. 🎭 Las Que Gritan is a play about family therapy and what happens when it goes wrong

Have you managed to polish your Spanish yet? Because honestly, it’s time you started going to a play here. Especially because this one feels a bit too real (but still funny enough to handle). Las que gritan, at Teatro Maravillas, might hit closer to home than you’d like.

• The premise is simple. A mother decides to organize a weekend getaway with her three daughters so they can reconnect, talk things through, and, you know, get along. Except it all goes very wrong.

• What follows is a full emotional unpacking disguised as a comedy. Old tensions resurface, things that were never said finally come out, and suddenly this wholesome family retreat turns into absolute drama.

• The tone jumps all over the place — one minute it’s genuinely funny, the next it’s brutal, then it’s surreal, in an effort to reflect what family dynamics are actually like: messy and unpredictable.

Also worth noting: the cast is stacked, and the staging leans more experimental than your typical commercial comedy, so expect something a bit sharper than your average night at the theater.

🎭 What: Las que Gritan

📍 Where: Teatro Maravillas, Calle Manuela Malasaña 6, Madrid

📅 When: Through Aug. 30

🎟 Tickets: From €22

6. 🇵🇷 A colorful deep dive into Puerto Rico’s identity, pop culture, and its complicated relationship with the U.S.

Looking for something a bit more… intellectual (but still super-fun)? This one’s worth your time. Casa de América is hosting a new exhibition by Puerto Rican artist Bernardo Medina, and it’s 100% worth visiting.

• This exhibit plays with a very specific tension: Puerto Rico and the U.S. Not in a textbook way, but through irony, symbolism, and a lot of pop culture references that work on multiple levels. You’ll walk in thinking “this looks cool” and walk out quietly questioning history, identity, and the concept of cultural influence.

• You’ll see plátanos turned into cultural symbols, reworked Campbell’s soup cans (yes, Goya beans), and even traditional toy horses. Medina calls his style “jíbaro pop” (basically Caribbean pop art), and he mixes identity, politics, and culture into something that feels light on the surface but isn’t really.

Go, wander, think a bit, then grab a drink nearby and keep thinking about what you just saw.

🖥️ What: Bernardo Medina “Tengo un Coco Contigo” Exhibition

📍 Where: Casa de América, Plaza de Cibeles 2, Madrid

📅 When:Through Sept. 30

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

📺 What to watch if you are staying in this weekend…

🖥️ What: Torrente for President (Torrente Presidente) | Movie | 2026

📍Where to watch: Netflix

❓What’s it about: The sixth installment of a satirical comedy that pokes fun at Spanish social and political stereotypes, featuring parodies of real events and special guest appearances from the political sphere. Torrente is the typical racist, homophobic, misogynist “cuñao” who is suddenly tapped by far-right party “Nox” (lol) to run for office. Hilarity ensures.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s the perfect movie for those who follow Spanish politics and will get every single joke related to the current scandals affecting Vox, PSOE, PP and all the others. It includes multiple cameos from Spanish politicians, celebrities, journalists, a former Spanish PM (seriously), and even Alec Baldwin and Kevin Spacey (no, seriously).

💬 English Subtitles: Yes. (If you’re easily offended, skip this one).

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🦉 Gallobúho: Coffee by day, cocktails by night — and somehow both actually work

What’s it about: A hybrid café-bar in Madrid that pulls off the rare trick of being genuinely good at both. By day, Gallobúho leans into brunch territory (croissants, cinnamon rolls, yogurt bowls, solid toasts). By night, it flips into a proper bar menu with croquetas, jamón ibérico, mini burgers, and a full spread of shareable plates.

Why you should go: Because the morning menu is tight and actually appealing (the Nordic sandwich with salmon and egg is a standout, and the smoothies are legit), while the evening offering goes beyond basic bar food — there’s brioche de chipirón, and even a 600g entrecôte if you’re going all in.

Bottom line: A rare all-day spot that doesn’t feel like a compromise. Come for brunch, stay for drinks, or just pick your side. Either way, it delivers.

Address: Plaza de las Salesas 7, Madrid

☕️ Urbano: Where Madrid’s coffee snobs actually agree

What’s it about: A proper specialty coffee spot that takes its beans seriously, working with high-quality coffees from places like Colombia and Myanmar, and pairing them with homemade pastries from Sucre that are just as much of a draw as the coffee itself.

Why you should go: Because the coffee menu goes beyond your standard latte (cold brews, filter coffee, pistachio cappuccinos if you’re feeling adventurous), and the sweet side delivers — think almond flour orange cakes or dulce de leche + pistachio combos.

Bottom line: It’s just a very good café that does everything right.

Address: Calle de Santa Bárbara, 8, Madrid

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Here Are 7 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

And we have quite an explosive weekend ahead of us. It’s Madrid Pride, of course (and honestly, that should be more than enough), but if you need more, you have more! Katy Perry, the Offspring, and Garbage are in town.

• Plus, it’s the 4th of July! An important date for everyone as it’s another anniversary of the Battle of Mantinea, part of the Theban-Spartan war that took place like a million years ago.

• It’s also 30 years since the release of Independence Day, a movie about misunderstood aliens who come to visit our planet and the whole thing becomes an inconvenience. What a time to be alive!

• Last but not least, Episode 2 of The Bubble Podcast is out! We talk about true crime (maybe), how to enjoy this summer’s verbenas, and mistakes foreigners make when moving to Spain.

Happy Pride weekend!

1. 🌈 Madrid Pride returns with Europe’s biggest LGBTQ+ celebration

Ready for the biggest party of the year? You better be! More than a million people are expected to descend on Madrid this weekend as Madrid Pride (MADO) reaches its climax with three days of free concerts, drag shows, street parties, political activism and the iconic Pride March that has made it Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebration.

• While Chueca has been buzzing with events since late June (Pride Week started on the 25th), this is the weekend when the city truly comes alive. Four outdoor stages (Plaza de las Reinas, Pedro Zerolo, Sol and Plaza de España) host dozens of artists, thousands pack the streets around Gran Vía and Plaza de España, and rainbow flags transform the centre of Madrid into one giant open-air festival. It’s basically a Vox voter’s worst nightmare.

• This year’s edition carries an especially political message. Under the slogan “Orgullo Ciudadano” (“Citizen Pride”), organizers say the festival is not only a celebration of diversity but also a defense of democracy and civil rights, arguing that rising hate speech and attacks against LGBTQ+ people make this year’s march more important than ever.

Friday: Politics by day, partying by night.

• This morning begins with the Madrid Summit 2026, an international conference on LGBTQ+ human rights held at the offices of the European Parliament and European Commission in Madrid.

• The program features discussions on trans rights, migration, historical memory and the role of sport in inclusion, bringing together activists, policymakers and civil society organisations from across Europe. It runs from 9:30 a,m. until 6 p.m.

• By evening, the streets shift into celebration mode. The main stage at Plaza de España hosts the 19th Mr Gay España Gala, one of Pride’s flagship events, combining live performances with messages promoting equality and visibility. (And yes, the guys are hot, but don’t be frivolous!)

• Puerta del Sol becomes the city’s urban music hub with Proud Bling!, featuring artists including Bea Pelea, Naiara, Albany, Ouineta, Bella Kanela and DeArco, before the party continues well into the early hours with DJs and the ChaCha Sound System queer rave.

• If you’re in Chueca, Plaza de las Reinas (aka Plaza del Rey) showcases artists including Blanca Paloma, Pamela Rodríguez and Melani Santiler, while Plaza Pedro Zerolo hosts drag performances, comedy and variety shows that keep the neighborhood buzzing late into the night.

Saturday: The big day (March + Parade)

Saturday is the day Madrid Pride becomes one of the largest public gatherings on the continent. At 7 p.m., the Pride March + Parade sets off from Glorieta de Carlos V (by the Atocha station) before making its way north to Plaza de Colón in Salamanca, where organizers will read this year’s manifesto.

• This is the event to experience, even if you’ve never attended Pride before. Hundreds of organizations, associations, activists, international visitors, and elaborately decorated floats fill Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, and Paseo de Recoletos in a colourful procession that stretches for hours. Once the march reaches Colón, the celebrations continue across central Madrid.

• At Plaza de España, Orgullo Latino takes over the main stage with a star-studded line-up that includes Lali, Mon Laferte, Kany García, Monsieur Periné, Lucía Pérez, Yadam, Vicco, Natalia and many more.

• Over in Puerta del Sol, the night leans towards electronic music, with sets from Tokischa, Lesbianette, ØTTA, Hexboyfriend, and several international DJs.

• Chueca’s stages remain equally lively, with drag shows in Pedro Zerolo Square and concerts in Plaza de las Reinas, where performers include Nuria Fergó and Mariana Ochoa.

• 🚨 Important: Bring water and don’t expect the buses (aka floats) to appear before 9:30 p.m. So if you head over to Cibeles around 7 p.m., it will be hot, and you'd better be patient.

Sunday: One final celebration

If Saturday is the biggest party, Sunday is the time to hug, cry and say goodbye to the people you hooked up with, followed on Instagram and will never talk to again new friends you’ve made.

• The Closing Gala at Plaza de España brings together artists, organizers and special guests to officially close MADO 2026 after 10 days of celebrations. It’s a more relaxed atmosphere than on Saturday but still attracts thousands of people for one last evening of live music and performances.

• Concerts continue elsewhere too. Plaza de las Reinas hosts performances from Alba Morena, Lucía de la Puerta, Melani, Lara Taylor, Siria Malo and closes with Ptazeta, while Chueca’s bars and terraces remain packed throughout the afternoon before the city gradually winds down.

• If you’re not quite ready for Pride to end, the wider Muestra T cultural festival continues until 20 July, offering LGBTQ+ cinema, theatre, exhibitions and family activities across Madrid.

Download the official program here!

🖥️ What: Madrid Pride Weekend (MADO)

📍 Where: All around downtown Madrid

📅 When: July 3–5

🎟 Tickets: Official concerts, stages and the Pride March are free to attend.

2. 🎸 Katy Perry, The Offspring, and Bomba Estéreo arrive for Festival Rio Babel

Skipping Madrid Pride this year? Afraid of big crowds? Hate standing in the sun for hours? Well, we have another option for you. You will sweat, but at least you’ll have a beer in hand and a lineup that jumps from EMD to Latin beats to full-blown pop superstardom. In other words, it is literally just like Pride, but you have to pay for this one.

• Welcome to Festival Río Babel, the city’s most eclectic summer festival, which is back this weekend with one of its strongest lineups yet! Río Babel mixes things that don’t usually share a stage: Spanish indie, Latin American heavyweights, and global acts all thrown into one big music event.

• You’ll go from vibing to cumbia or reggae to suddenly screaming along to Last Friday Night.

• Friday leans more local and alternative, with Amaia (in her only Madrid show), La M.O.D.A., Chambao celebrating 25 years, and La Pegatina bringing the party energy.

• Saturday turns things up a notch with The Offspring and Molotov leading a louder lineup.

• On Sunday, things go full madness: Katy Perry (yes, her only concert in Spain this year), Bomba Estéreo, and La Casa Azul closing things out with what will almost certainly feel like a giant collective dance floor.

It’s a proper festival setup with food trucks, drinks and people wandering between stages. It’s less polished than some of the bigger European festivals, but honestly, who cares? If you’re looking for a perfectly curated experience, this isn’t it.

But if you want a weekend with the stars, this is definitely it.

🖥️ What: Festival Río Babel 2026

📍 Where: Auditorio Miguel Ríos, P.º Alicia Alonso, s/n, Rivas-Vaciamadrid

📅 When: July 3–5

🎟 Tickets: Check website

3. 🎭 A Royal Mess on Stage

Yes, yes. We know. Theater about 19th-century Spanish politics doesn’t exactly scream “I fully understand what’s happening.” But if you don’t learn about this country’s history, how do you expect to integrate? Unless you’re here for Pride and are hoping to find true love. In that case, skip this one entirely.

• Farsa y licencia de la reina castiza is a savage satire of Spain under Queen Isabel II by dramatist Ramón del Valle-Inclán, where politics, monarchy, and society collapse into one big grotesque carnival.

• This play has everything: corrupt elites, ridiculous power dynamics, and a whole lot of hypocrisy, just like our current horrendous timeline! And it’s all filtered through Valle-Inclán’s signature esperpento, where everything is exaggerated just enough to feel… a bit too real.

• If you’re into dark humor and biting political commentary, this is very much your thing. Director Ana Zamora’s adaptation leans into mixing historical events with theatrical absurdity to create something that feels both old-school and weirdly current.

• The result is fast-paced and visually playful, making you laugh and then immediately wonder if you should be laughing because it reminds you of your Twitter feed.

Yes, it’s set in the 1800s, but it feels like 2026.

🖥️ What: Farsa y licencia de la reina castiza

📍 Where: Teatro Español, Calle del Príncipe 25, Madrid

📅 When: Through July 26 (Tuesday to Sunday)

🎟 Tickets start at €18

4. 🌴 Yann Gross’ Drift: an exhibition that will change how you see nature

Oooohhhh… an exhibit about plants! We know. It doesn’t exactly sound like your go-to weekend plan. But Drift isn’t really about plants. It’s about deeper stuff… like power, history, and how something as innocent-looking as a palm tree can tell a much darker story.

• Swiss artist Yann Gross takes the humble palm — that universal symbol of vacations, wealth, and “good vibes” — and flips it on its head. Through photography, installations, and a multi-screen video setup, the exhibition explores how plants have been moved across the world for centuries, often tied to colonial expansion, economic exploitation, and the reshaping of entire landscapes.

• At the center of it all is the Wardian case — a 19th-century glass box that made it possible to transport plants across continents. Sounds harmless, but trust us, it wasn’t. It helped fuel global trade networks and colonial economies, turning nature into something that could be packaged, shipped, and monetized.

• Gross uses this as a starting point to ask a bigger question: what do our landscapes actually say about how the world works?

The result is immersive and very much in line with La Casa Encendida’s vibe. An exhibit where you walk in expecting something chill and leave questioning palm trees, globalization, and your last beach holiday.

🖥️ What: Drift by Yann Gross

📍 Where: La Casa Encendida, Ronda de Valencia, 2, Madrid

📅 When: Through July 26

🎟 Free admission

5.🗑️ Garbage is here to lighten up your post-Pride Sunday

Nostalgia concerts can go either way. But when it’s Garbage, it’s less about nostalgia and more about how many absolute bangers you forgot they had. Fronted by Shirley Manson (who will never not be cool), Garbage helped define the sound of the late ’90s by blending alternative rock, electronic beats, and just enough pop to make everything stick.

• Songs like Only Happy When It Rains, Stupid Girl, and I Think I’m Paranoid still hit — and yes, you will know more lyrics than you expect. And don’t even get us started on the amazing Bond theme The World Is Not Enough from 1999.

• This isn’t just a greatest hits set, though. The band is still putting out new music (their latest album dropped in 2025), and they’ve built a reputation for evolving without losing what made them stand out in the first place. So expect a mix of old songs and newer material that proves they’re not just coasting on legacy.

• And btw, the Noches del Botánico is easily one of Madrid’s best summer concert series (an open-air stage surrounded by trees, warm night air, and a crowd that’s there to actually listen (and drink, obvi).

If you need a break after partying all weekend with the LGBTs, this may be your best choice.

🖥️ What: Garbage at Noches del Botánico

📍 Where: Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII (Complutense), Madrid

📅 When: July 5, 10 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Check website (and hurry, there aren’t many left)

6. 🇺🇸 4th of July in Madrid: Stars, Stripes & Rooftop Drinks

The 4th of July is around the corner, and even though the 🍊 Menace is destroying the reputation of what was once the beacon of freedom, it’s only natural that some Americans living in Madrid may be feeling a little nostalgic this weekend (and non-Americans just want another excuse to party). Well… good news.

• The American Club of Madrid is throwing a full-blown Independence Day celebration today, and yes, it’s exactly what you would expect: flags, drinks, music and (hopefully?) tons of burgers.

• The event takes place at Talent Garden, a rooftop space that mixes indoor areas with AC and outdoor areas with, well, the sun (it’s Madrid in July — what did you expect?)

• There will be music and games mixing all sorts of people, locals, and a national holiday that’s basically an excuse to party. Oh, and it’s also a pretty family-friendly setup.

Prices are on the higher side if you’re not a member, but you’re paying for the setting and the atmosphere as much as anything else. And if you’ve ever wondered what an American-style 4th of July looks like in Madrid, this is probably as close as it gets. Happy fourth (on the third)!

🖥️ What: Independence Day Rooftop Party (American Club of Madrid)

📍 Where: Talent Garden, Calle Juan de Mariana 15, Madrid

📅 When: July 3

🎟 Tickets: €65 (non-members), €55 (members), €35 (kids 6–14), free for kids under 5

7. 🛍️ The Salesas Festival & Street Market is back, and it’s a great place before brunch

Remember when the gals in Sex and the City would go shopping and then brunch at some cool NYC restaurant (before the show was problematic)? Those were the days, amirite? So why not replicate that by going to a cute street market à la Notting Hill with your friends and, for a fleeting moment, forget about the impending doom heading our way thanks to the combination of rogue AI and sociopathic tech bros?

• The Festival Street Market in the Salesas neighborhood (north of the Chueca) is back! The festival usually takes place on the first Saturday of every month, and, just between us squirrels, it will probably be full of curious gays browsing and shopping for some cool design product they can take back to their West Hollywood apartment to claim they, too, partook in Madrid Pride. (Trust us, Grindr is about to experience a user spike not seen since the last Republican convention).

• But we digress! This self-described “crazy, cosmopolitan and unique” street market is a place where you can buy modern art, listen to cool music, try on some hipster hand-made clothes and sample chocolate from Papua New Guinea.

• Artisans, fashion designers, bartenders, and poets are all mixed together here. And the best part is, once you’ve made your purchase (trust us, you will), the area is filled with cool cafés and restaurants in the area where you can sit down and cruise hang out.

Check their official website for more information on what to expect.

🖥️ What: The Festival Street Market

📍 Where: Near the Alonso Martínez metro station

📅 When: July 4, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Free admission.

📺 What to watch if you hate football and big crowds are staying in this weekend…

🖥️ What: Kraken: The Black Book of Hours (Kraken: El Libro Negro de las Horas) | TV Series | 2026

📍Where to watch: Prime Video

❓What’s it about: A crime thriller series based on the bestselling novel The Black Book of Hours by Eva García Sáenz de Urturi. A former inspector of the Basque police receives a terrifying call: he has seven days to find an ancient and valuable book or his mother dies. The problem? His mother has been dead for forty years.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because the story hooks you immediately with strong performances, a moody visual style, and a mystery that blends family secrets, rare books, historical intrigue, and a race against the clock. It’s the kind of binge-worthy crime drama that gives its twists and characters enough room to breathe.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🍕 Pizzeria Baldoria: What world-class pizza looks like

What’s it about: A top-tier Neapolitan pizzeria that’s quietly become one of the best in Europe — literally. Baldoria, led by Ciro Cristiano, just ranked as the #2 pizzeria in Europe (again) according to the 50 Top Pizza guide, and it’s holding the crown as the best in Spain.

Why you should go: Because this isn’t hype. In a city flooded with decent pizzas, Baldoria plays in a different league with its perfectly blistered crusts, high-quality Italian ingredients, and that ideal balance between chew and crunch that most places never quite get right.

Bottom line: If you’re even remotely into pizza, this is a must. One of Europe’s best, sitting right here in Madrid — and yes, it lives up to it.

Address: Calle de José Ortega y Gasset, 100, Madrid

🍽️ Urruti: Escape Madrid without leaving it

What’s it about: A hidden terrace just 10 minutes from Chamartín that feels nothing like Madrid. Urruti Madrid is an intimate outdoor space surrounded by its own vegetable gardens, where the menu is literally built from what’s growing a few meters away.

Why you should go: Because this is as close as you’ll get to a countryside dining experience without leaving the city. The experience actually starts in the garden, with an aperitif among the crops, before moving into a 15-dish menu driven by whatever’s in season (sardines, piparras, zucchini flowers, and properly sourced seafood).

Bottom line: Quiet, seasonal, and genuinely different — but you’ll need to book ahead.

Address: Gran Vía de Hortaleza 46S, Madrid,

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

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Here Are 6 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

And nothing says “World Cup excitement” like setting an alarm for 1:55 a.m. and questioning every life decision that led you there. Spain plays Uruguay tonight, and yes, we will all watch it. Sleep? Optional. Regret? Guaranteed. Celebrating a potential win by Spain at 4:30 a.m.? We guess.

• Of course, you could always go out with your friends for a fun night of drinks and then get home inebriated just in time to see Lamine Jamal score, but that’s up to you.

• So yeah, this weekend is basically a test of endurance: late-night football, early-morning regret, and somehow still finding the energy to go out and enjoy everything else Madrid is throwing at you.

• Open-air cinemas, piano concerts, zarzuela, exhibitions, and whatever early glittery activities Pride week brings, staying in is simply not an option. Sleep is temporary. This weekend isn’t. (Although remember to save your energy for Pride Weekend next week. Now that’s intense).

• Last but not least, Episode 2 of The Bubble Podcast is out! We talk true crime (maybe), how to enjoy this summer’s verbenas, and mistakes foreigners make when moving to Spain.

Thank you and happy weekend!

Happy weekend!

1. 🎹 This weekend, just follow the sound of a piano

If you thought Madrid couldn’t get any more extra in summer (Pride Week has officially just started, after all), here’s the city turning itself into one giant piano concert.

Piano City Madrid is back for its fifth edition, and for three days straight, you’ll find pianos (and very talented people playing them) scattered across some of the city’s most iconic and unexpected locations.

• There will be 50 free concerts across venues like CentroCentro, Condeduque, Matadero, Serrería Belga, and even places like Hospital La Paz or boutique spaces around La Latina.

• The program is… pretty eclectic: one second it’s Chopin and Bach, the next it’s jazz, flamenco, electronic sets, or ambient piano sessions. Classy stuff!

• The festival was created by German pianist Andreas Kern and has already taken over cities like Milan and Naples, but Madrid has fully embraced the concept.

Best part? It’s completely free. So you can build your own musical itinerary: start with a classical set in CentroCentro, catch some jazz in Condeduque, and end the night with something experimental in Matadero. Or just wander around and let a piano find you. Whatever you decide, make sure you check the official program!

🖥️ What: Piano City Madrid 2026

📍 Where: Multiple locations across Madrid

📅 When: June 26–28

🎟 Tickets: Free (although some venues require registration)

2. 🍷 Cénate Las Ventas: the only time you’ll go to a bullring for the food first

We know. Bullfighting isn’t exactly everyone’s thing (definitely not our thing), but if you’re curious (or just here for the food), this might be your moment. Las Ventas is once again hosting Cénate Las Ventas, a summer series that mixes nighttime bullfights with a full-blown food market showcasing some of Madrid’s best local products.

• The concept is pretty simple. On Thursday evenings, you show up early, grab a drink, and wander through stalls featuring wines from Madrid, cured meats, cheeses, and other “M Producto Certificado” specialties — basically a curated snapshot of the region’s food scene. It all takes place in the upper terraces of the bullring, which, at sunset, feels more like a summer rooftop and less like a bloody historic arena.

• Then, at 9 p.m., the novilladas kick off — a series of nighttime bullfights featuring young matadors, building up to a final on July 23. You can stay for the full spectacle or just soak up the pre-show atmosphere and then get the hell out; that’s up to you.

• A lot of people, frankly, are there for the social part: drinks, food, and that magical hour when the sun sets in the Madrid summer. (You missed the first one last night, but if you’re interested, you can try next week).

Doors open at 8 p.m., giving you plenty of time to eat (and drink) before anything starts. And the market stays open until 1:30 a.m., which tells you everything you need to know about what the real main event is for most attendees.

🖥️ What: Cénate Las Ventas (food market + night bullfighting series)

📍 Where: Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Calle de Alcalá 237, Madrid

📅 When: Thursdays through July 23 (8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)

🎟 Tickets start at €6 (check website)

3. 📸 The exhibition uncovering America’s forgotten Latino history

When you think of the Great Depression in the U.S., this iconic photo probably comes to mind. What you probably don’t know is that many more were taken by a diverse group of talented photographers featuring Latinos that didn’t get the same kind of attention. Fortunately, you can now see some of them (and their protagonists) right here in Madrid.

• Casa de América is hosting American Latinos 1935–1945, a powerful and moving exhibition that tells the story of Hispanic communities in the U.S. — long before the term “Latino” was a thing.

• The show brings together nearly 300 photographs from the U.S. Library of Congress, capturing everyday life across the 1930s and 1940s — from Spanish families in New Mexico to Mexican farmworkers in California and Basque shepherds in Idaho.

• It’s a beautiful history lesson and a reminder that despite the current racial tensions, the Hispanic footprint in the U.S. runs way deeper than most people think.

• The exhibit is curated by filmmaker Alberto Ferreras (who directed HBO’s Habla), and mixes photography with music and narrative to create a genuinely immersive experience.

With legendary names like Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans, documentary legends behind the lens, this is one of those exhibits that actually sticks with you. Don’t miss it.

🖥️ What: American Latinos: 1935–1945 Photography Exhibition

📍 Where: Galería Casa de América, Calle de Marqués del Duero 2, Madrid

📅 When: Through September 30

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

4. 🎭 Madrid brings back zarzuela (and a 19th-century drama) for summer nights

Rejoice! Madrid is getting a healthy dose of drama and live music this summer, as the Fernán Gómez Cultural Center launches Estivales, a new cycle dedicated to zarzuela (aka Spanish comedic opera-ish) and musical theatre.

• The opening act, Zarzuela en la Villa (through July 5), is a slightly cheeky celebration of the genre’s greatest hits in which zarzuela and copla are reimagined with humor, live musicians, and a hilarious cast that manages to bring the genre back to life.

• From July 9 to 19, things take a darker, more dramatic turn when El trovador lands in the main hall (a full-blown romantic tragedy about love, jealousy, and revenge, performed with live music and blending prose and verse.

• The twist? This is the original Spanish work that inspired Verdi’s Il trovatore, now revived nearly 190 years later with its original musical elements restored. Consider it cultural justice.

If you’re looking for comedy or drama, this cycle gives you both, in one of Madrid’s most iconic cultural venues.

🖥️ What: Estivales en el Fernán Gómez (Zarzuela & live music)

📍 Where: Fernán Gómez Centro Cultural de la Villa, Plaza de Colón 4, Madrid

📅 When: Through July 19

🎟 Tickets start at €22

5.🍿 ‘Here’s some money, go see a Star War’: Your summer movie plan starts here

Look, we’ll be honest — it probably doesn’t get any more authentic Spanish experience than this. If your idea of a perfect summer night involves a dubbed movie, a cold tinto de verano, and zero air conditioning, Madrid’s most iconic open-air cinema is back.

• Cine de Verano de La Bombilla returns for its 42nd edition, turning Parque de la Bombilla into a go-to outdoor movie spot all summer long, where you’ll probably be joined by grandmothers wearing flowery dresses and tweens running around.

• This weekend’s lineup is stacked. Tonight, you get Michael — the big-screen biopic of one of the most influential pop icons ever — paired with Reminders of Him for a more emotional, slower-burn vibe.

• Saturday leans more blockbuster: The Mandalorian & Grogu brings the Star Wars universe outdoors, followed by Bugonia, Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest weird (and brilliant) sci-fi comedy with Emma Stone.

And that’s just the start. The full program runs through September with everything from Oscar contenders to cult classics (The Goonies, Volver), plus animation and Spanish cinema. So in the immortal words of Lucille Bluth: “Here’s some money, go see a Star War”.

Opening night (tonight) even comes with a full-on folkloric show before the screening (because of course it does).

🖥️ What: Fescinal: Cine de Verano de La Bombilla 2026

📍 Where: Parque de la Bombilla, P.º de la Senda del Rey, 82, Madrid

📅 When: June 26 – September 5

🎟 Tickets start at €6

6. ⚽️ Spain vs. Uruguay: no sleeping or late partying tonight, thanks to the World Cup

Spain’s group stage is about to get real, people! After a horrendous 0-0 draw against Cape Verde and a confidence-boosting 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, La Roja now faces Uruguay in their final group match, and this one actually matters.

• Spain currently sits at the top of Group H with four points and only needs a draw to secure first place and cruise into the knockout rounds. Not bad, but not exactly job done either.

• Uruguay, meanwhile, is coming in desperate. A chaotic 2-2 draw against Cape Verde left them in a tricky spot, meaning they pretty much have to win to stay alive.

Not sure where to watch it? You’ve got options:

• At home with your friends is probably the best option. RTVE is broadcasting the match for free on La 1 and RTVE Play, so you can watch from your couch, your bed (weird if you bring your friends, but we don’t judge), or wherever you plan to suffer through a 2 a.m. kickoff.

• Sports bars. Madrid will be full of them showing the game, even at that ungodly hour. If Spain scores, you’ll hear it across the city.

• Sadly, no giant screens in Plaza Colón this time because the Salamanca residents would probably not be happy.

🖥️ What: FIFA World Cup 2026: Spain vs. Uruguay

📍 Where: Guadalajara, México.

📅 When: June 27, 2 a.m. (Madrid time, so basically you have to wait until 2 a.m. tonight)

🎟 Tickets: You’re not flying to Guadalajara. Stay in bed.

📺 What to watch if you hate football are staying in this weekend…

🖥️ What: 33 Days (33 Días) | TV Series | 2026

📍Where to watch: Atresplayer

❓What’s it about: The escape of two dangerous criminals from the Lleida Penitentiary Center in 2001 triggers a 33-day manhunt, marked by violence, sacrifice, and loyalty. Based on a true story.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s a tense, character-driven story based on a real prison escape that gripped Spain for over a month. It’s created by investigative journalist Carles Porta, and it blends sharp reporting with gripping drama, following both the fugitives and the Mossos d’Esquadra officers chasing them, at a time when the police force itself was under scrutiny. It’s a story full of tension, moral ambiguity, and real stakes, making it a compelling watch from start to finish.

💬 English Subtitles: No.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🌯 Madrid’s hottest new shawarma spot is doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing

What’s it about: A no-nonsense shawarma spot bringing authentic Iraqi and Armenian street food to Lavapiés — and doing it properly. Ungentrified but none of that “elevated kebab” bullshit. Just traditional Mesopotamian recipes and spice blends imported from across the Middle East.

Why you should go: Because Madrid is clearly starving for it. Open for just a few weeks and already going viral (ugh, we know, but what can you do), Shawarma Capital has lines out the door thanks to its mix of juicy local meat, tangy amchur, rich tahini, and a punchy pomegranate sauce.

Bottom line: If you think you’ve had good shawarma in Madrid, go here and reset your expectations, all for around €8.

Address: Calle del Mesón de Paredes, 5, Madrid

☕️ Coffea: This Madrid café is selling specialty coffee for €0.70 (yes, for real)

What’s it about: A specialty coffee shop that’s basically calling bullshit on Madrid’s €4 flat whites. Coffea’s whole pitch is simple: great coffee shouldn’t be expensive. So they’re serving properly sourced, well-roasted specialty coffee — starting at just €0.70.

Why you should go: Madrid is overflowing with specialty coffee shops, but Casa Kavi is aiming for something deeper than a good flat white. The café serves as the social heart of the project, offering a carefully curated menu of wellness-focused drinks such as the Mushi Matcha, Detox Latte, Spicy KaiCao, anti-inflammatory Ayurvedic toast, and calming chia bowls.

Bottom line: Specialty coffee for less than €1 sounds fake, but wait until you try it.

Address: Calle de O’Donnell, 36, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

💎 Diamonds Are a Girl's Ex-President's Best Friend

🔥 It's getting hot in here!

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Here Are 6 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday summer again!

The warm season arrives this Sunday, and Madrid is determined to celebrate it all at once.

• The city is buzzing, and staying home this weekend feels like a missed opportunity. So join us on our lofty quest for the best tinto de verano and patatas bravas.

• Terrazas, Aperol Spritz, music festivals, Hollywood classics under the stars, and one verbena after the other. Yes, you’ll be broke. But you’ll also be happy.

• And FYI, our podcast is back for season 2, and we’re as chaotic as ever. Politics and pop culture, all in one place. We’d love it if you could recommend us to your friends. 🥹

Thank you and happy weekend!

1.🇪🇺 European Music Day: one of the best free music festivals is back this weekend

Summer is officially two days away, which means that for the next three months you’ll spend part of your weekends standing in a plaza with a cold drink while someone else provides the soundtrack. And to kick things off, here comes Matadero.

• This weekend marks the return of the Día Europeo de la Música, a three-day festival that, even though you probably didn’t know it existed, has quietly become one of Madrid’s most reliable summer traditions.

• Since launching in 2009, this para-Eurovision event has evolved into a showcase for some of the most interesting names in Spain’s indie, electronic, flamenco and alternative music scenes, all without charging a cent for admission (which, let’s face it, is awesome).

• This year’s lineup is stacked. Among the biggest names are pablopablo (yes, that’s Pablo Drexler, son of Jorge Drexler), electronic-pop heavyweight Alizzz, post-punk sensation Depresión Sonora, experimental artist María Arnal, and flamenco singer Ángeles Toledano. All people that you will pretend to know but you don’t, and that’s fine because their music is great anyway.

• Jazz fans can also catch Rita Payés and Lucía Fumero, who will be bringing their blend of jazz, folk and Mediterranean influences to Madrid for the first time. Honestly, nothing sounds more sophisticated than Mediterranean jazz.

The whole thing kicked off today, and tonight leans more heavily into contemporary pop and electronic sounds, with pablopablo, Alizzz and Depresión Sonora leading the charge before DJ Akazie closes the night. The atmosphere is great, the crowd is diverse, and there’s plenty of room to wander around between sets. So go drink and have fun. The summer has just begun.

🖥️ What: Día Europeo de la Música 2026

📍 Where: Matadero Madrid, Plaza de Legazpi 8, Madrid

📅 When: June 19–21

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

2.🤤 We’re celebrating croquetas this weekend (and they cost just €1.50)

If you’ve been reading The Bubble for a while, you probably know we love croquetas. We’re, like, obsessed with them. And it’s not just us. If there’s one thing capable of uniting Spain’s fiercely divided political tribes, football rivalries, and regional identities, it’s probably the iconic, delicious Spanish original croquette. So how about a full weekend to worship it?

• Lavapiés is once again celebrating World Tapas Day by turning this elegant fried béchamel bite into the star of the show. Until Sunday, more than 20 bars and restaurants across the neighborhood are serving their own signature croquetas for just €1.50 each, giving all of you self-proclaimed “foodies” a perfectly legitimate excuse to spend an entire evening wandering from bar to bar in the name of culinary research.

• Some of the participating chefs take inspiration from Spain’s regional cuisines, while others borrow flavors from around the world. You’ll find a Brazilian-style coxinha stuffed with shredded chicken and melting cheese at Tapioquería, a Japanese-inspired sushi croqueta filled with surimi and cream cheese at Kaldi Café, and a Syrian-Lebanese kibbe interpretation at Darbuka Bar. Café Barbieri pays tribute to Italy with a pesto Genovese version. And La Lata de Cascorro offers a spicy combination of goat cheese and jalapeño that sounds dangerously easy to order five times in a row. There are even vegan and vegetarian options!

• Not into experimenting? There are still plenty of boring traditional Spanish options filled with Galician zorza sausage, León-style black pudding, or Iberian ham.

Our recommendation? Skip dinner, wear elastic trousers, and get ready to nom nom.

🖥️ What: World Tapas Day - Croqueta Festival

📍 Where: Participating bars and restaurants across Lavapiés

📅 When: Through June 21

🎟 Price: €1.50 per croqueta

3. 🎭 Want to understand Spain? Start with this satire about corruption, elites, and hunting trips

We get that many of you can’t follow an entire play in Spanish. But we’ll keep insisting, especially when it comes to must-see works that are an essential part of 20th-century Spain. That’s certainly the case with La Escopeta Nacional (The National Shotgun), the legendary satire by Rafael Azcona and Luis García-Berlanga that has returned to Madrid’s Teatro Español under the direction of actor Juan Echanove.

• Originally released as a film in 1978, the story follows a Catalan businessman who travels to Madrid hoping to secure lucrative deals. His big opportunity comes when he’s invited to an exclusive hunting weekend attended by politicians, aristocrats, bankers and businessmen connected to Spain’s ruling elite.

• What follows is a parade of backroom favors, hidden agendas, influence-peddling, and absurd situations that expose how power really works behind closed doors. What’s great is that it never feels preachy. Instead, it lets its cast of opportunists do the work. Aristocrats cling to status, politicians cling to power, businessmen chase profits, and everyone seems to be looking for a shortcut.

The setting may be different 50 years later, but many of the dynamics feel surprisingly familiar. That’s what makes this revival so entertaining: it’s a hilarious comedy and a reminder that some political habits never really go out of style.

🖥️ What: La Escopeta Nacional (The National Rifle)

📍 Where: Teatro Español, Calle del Príncipe 25, Madrid

📅 When: Through July 26

🎟 Tickets start at €6

4. 🪩 David Guetta is back in Madrid, and he’s headlining A Summer Story 2026

See? Summer mode, activated! If you’ve had your share of croquetas and dramas and are looking for lasers, giant stages, and thousands of people collectively losing their minds to a bass drop, then clear your calendar: you’ve got a date with David Guetta.

• A Summer Story, one of Spain’s biggest electronic music festivals, returns to Arganda del Rey this weekend for its 10th anniversary edition. Over the past decade, the festival has become a pilgrimage site for EDM, house, trance, and techno fans, transforming this sleepy town 35 km outside Madrid into the unofficial capital of electronic music for two days.

• The biggest draw this year is undoubtedly David Guetta, who will take the stage on Saturday. The French legend, whose collaborations with Rihanna, Sia, Usher and the Black Eyed Peas helped define an entire era of dance music, is returning to Madrid for his first major show in the city in a decade.

• Want more? We got more. Trance legend Armin van Buuren will headline the opening night tonight, bringing with him the melodic sound that made him one of the most influential DJs in the world. Fans of progressive house can catch British duo Third Party, while Ukrainian DJ Korolova will deliver her signature blend of melodic techno and house.

Since it’s far away, organizers run special shuttle buses from Madrid, making it relatively easy to get there and back (though don’t expect the trip home to be quick).

If you’ve ever dreamed of spending a weekend surrounded by thousands of electronic music fans while some of the biggest DJs on the planet soundtrack the beginning of summer, this is probably your must-attend event.

🖥️ What: A Summer Story Festival ft. David Guetta

📍 Where: Ciudad del Rock, Arganda del Rey (35 km outside of Madrid)

📅 When: June 19–20

🎟 Tickets start at €70

5. 📸 A photo exhibit that wants you to question what you’re actually seeing

Most photography exhibitions ask you to look at something. This one asks you to look twice. As part of PHotoESPAÑA 2026, Fundación Casa de México is hosting a fascinating collective exhibition featuring seven acclaimed Mexican photographers whose work blurs the line between documentation and imagination.

• Instead of simply capturing reality, the artists use technical and optical manipulations to create images that feel mysterious, dreamlike, and sometimes disorienting. The result is an exhibition that challenges viewers to slow down and question what they’re actually seeing (honestly, a refreshing change in an era when we’re just passive consumers of shit “content”).

• Among the featured artists is Humberto Ríos, whose work explores memory, perception, and the passage of time. One of the exhibition’s highlights is Suspending Time (2016), a series that creates the sensation of moments floating somewhere between reality and imagination. The images feel almost impossible to place, as if time itself has briefly stopped working.

• There aren’t any dramatic landscapes, celebrity portraits or Instagram-friendly photo opportunities. This is a more contemplative experience — one that rewards patience and curiosity.

If you’ve ever looked at a photograph and wondered whether it reveals reality or invents it, this exhibition might be for you.

🖥️ What: Espectros, Enigmas de la Mirada - PHotoESPAÑA 2026

📍 Where: Fundación Casa de México en España, Calle de Alberto Aguilera 20, Madrid

📅 When: Through Sept. 13

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

6. ⚽️ Spain vs. Saudi Arabia: Where to watch (and suffer)

Spain will be looking for its first win of the 2026 World Cup this Sunday when Luis de la Fuente’s side takes on Saudi Arabia in Atlanta. After a pretty underwhelming 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in their opening match, La Roja cannot afford another slip-up if they want to avoid making their path to the knockout rounds unnecessarily complicated.

• Saudi Arabia arrives as a dangerous opponent with a history of upsetting football’s giants. The team famously stunned Argentina at the 2022 World Cup and will be led by star forward Salem Al-Dawsari. However, history favors Spain, which has won all four previous meetings between the two nations.

Not sure where to watch the game? We’ve got options:

• Plaza de Colón. The city has installed a massive screen that will turn the square into ground zero for fans watching La Roja this Sunday.

• Movie theater. Cines Yelmo will be screening the match across multiple locations in Madrid, from Ideal and Palafox to Plenilunio and La Vaguada. It’s a surprisingly great option: big screen, decent sound, and snacks. Tickets start around €8.30 with popcorn and a drink.

• Sports bars! Or just regular bars, whatever. Madrid’s bars will basically turn into unofficial fan zones, especially in neighborhoods like Chamberí, Malasaña, and La Latina. Not sure where to go? Try James Joyce Irish Pub, FRATINA Sport Bar, La Fontana de Oro, O’Connell St. Pub, Knockout! Sports Bar (this one’s far away but cool).

• And if you hate people and want to be by yourself, RTVE has you covered. The public broadcaster is going all in this year, with matches on La 1 and multiple digital streams on RTVE Play, plus extra content, highlights, and even influencer-driven commentary. Rolls eyes, but OK.

🖥️ What: FIFA World Cup 2026: Spain vs. Saudi Arabia

📍 Where: Technically in Atlanta, but you’ve got options (see above)

📅 When: June 21, 6 p.m. (Madrid time)

📺 What to watch if you hate football are staying in this weekend…

🖥️ What: Oasis | TV Series | 2026

📍Where to watch: Netflix

❓What’s it about: 'Oasis' is Spain's most luxurious vacation resort. A paradise for wealthy families with private beaches, VIP facilities, and impenetrable security located in Tenerife. It’s the place for the best summer ever. But everything crumbles when someone goes missing, the police arrive, and the resort goes into lockdown mode.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s about damn time we found a new guilty pleasure. Think Elite meets The White Lotus. If you’re expecting moving performances and a solid plot, go watch something else. This is about rich, hot people in ridiculous situations and zero social commentary. Just beautiful locations and an excuse to look at someone’s abs. And that’s exactly what we all need when all that surrounds us is football and extremism.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🐟 SAU is Madrid’s new love letter to coastal cuisine

What’s it about: Tucked away in Lavapiés, SAU is a new contemporary seafood tavern inspired by the coastal bars and ports where people gather for a quick bite, a glass of wine, and a moment of calm. Founded by friend-of-The-Bubble chef Wagner Rusca, the restaurant celebrates everything that comes from the water (from fresh fish and shellfish to carefully selected conservas).

Why you should go: Because the menu features dishes such as Cádiz-style fried anchovies, Portuguese bacalao à Brás, oysters served with an unexpected beef consommé, and inventive seafood preparations that make use of every part of the ingredient.

Bottom line: Go to SAU if you’re looking for a restaurant that combines excellent seafood, thoughtful sustainability, and genuine character.

Address: Calle Santa Isabel 12, Madrid

🧘‍♀️Casa Kavi: a Madrid café that feels like a mini escape to Bali

What’s it about: Casa Kavi is part yoga studio and part wellness café, the kind of place that feels more Bali than Madrid. Founded by Kathi Rüd, a yoga teacher who drew inspiration from wellness retreats in Indonesia and her training in therapeutic yoga in Greece, the space was designed as an urban sanctuary where people can slow down and reconnect.

Why you should go: Madrid has no shortage of specialty coffee shops, but Casa Kavi is aiming for something deeper than a good flat white. The café serves as the social heart of the project, offering a carefully curated menu of wellness-focused drinks such as the Mushi Matcha, Detox Latte, Spicy KaiCao, anti-inflammatory Ayurvedic toast, and calming chia bowls.

Bottom line: Go if you’re looking for a yoga class, a healthy breakfast, an excellent matcha, or simply a quiet corner to reset.

Address: Calle de Albuquerque, 14, Madrid

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Here Are 6 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

And if you’re reading this, that means you survived last weekend’s clash of the titans (Pope Leo and Benito, aka Bad Bunny). This weekend is not that different (Bad Bunny is still in town), but at least the Pope is island-crawling in the Canaries.

• If you thought this meant calmer times, you'd be wrong. The World Cup just started, which means that no matter where you look, you’ll see footballs and people wearing red jerseys. At least there are a few things you can do before the big day on Monday. Buckle up; we’re in for an intense few weeks.

Happy weekend!

1.🍷 San Antonio Fest is back! Madrid’s first verbena of the summer features DJs, churros, and a hermitage

Another week, another party involving a saint that is used to get drunk and pass out! And introspection, of course. Don’t forget introspection. Say hello to the Fiestas de San Antonio de la Florida, a hyper-local, deeply traditional (and yet full of alcohol) celebration that feels both old-school and super fun at the same time. It’s also the first verbena of the summer!

• The area around Parque de la Bombilla (near Argüelles) and the Ermita de San Antonio (aka Saint Anthony of Padua’s hermitage) transforms into a full-blown verbena: loud music, people dancing, drinks flowing, and, of course, actual religious rituals happening just a few meters away. Because we’re all there for atonement, obviously.

• 19th-century Tinder. The roots of the festival are very Madrid: devotion, superstition, and a bit of, ahem, “romantic desperation” thanks to the quirky and famous ritual de los alfileres, in which, if you are single, you drop 13 pins into holy water, place your hands in it, and however many stick to your palm is how many suitors you’ll have that year. Hey, it’s scientifically proven. Shut up.

• The blessed bread of San Antonio is also still very much part of the experience. And don’t worry, you don’t need to be religious (or looking for love) to enjoy it! The real magic is in the mix: grandmothers in flowery dresses, groups of friends drinking vermú at noon, annoying delightful kids running around, and DJs taking over by night.

• You’ve got live concerts (Modestia Aparte, La Mole), DJ sets (DJ Nano, DJ Fonsi), vermú sessions, mini verbenas, and late-night dancing that feels like a throwback to pre-gentrification Madrid.

• Saturday is the big one: mass, procession, and then straight into music and partying, exactly what Jesus would have wanted.

• Sunday wraps it all up with paella, chocolate con churros, and fireworks.

Check the official program (link below) for schedules! Go for an hour, stay all weekend.

🖥️ What: Fiestas de San Antonio de la Florida

📍 Where: Parque de la Bombilla & Ermita de San Antonio, Madrid

📅 When: Through June 14

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

2. 🎭 Chronicle of a Bad Spaniard: Spain’s century of chaos, comedy, and contradictions

If you think verbenas and mingling with the populace is below you (shame on you), then here’s something Your Majesty (that would be you) can enjoy, as it involves relatively more substance and a lot more irony.

• This new play at Teatro Español takes the life of renowned Spanish film director Luis García-Berlanga and turns it into a sharp, funny, and very on-point reflection of Spain itself, told through the eyes of his own son.

• Jorge García-Berlanga leads the cast in a staged tribute that mixes biography with allegory and draws parallels between the patriarch’s life and a country that spent the 20th century navigating wars, political chaos, a dictatorship and a permanent identity crisis.

• If that sounds intense or solemn, don’t worry—this is Berlanga we’re talking about. Expect tons of humor, absurd moments, and that uniquely Spanish ability to laugh at everything.

• The show leans into that Berlanguiano spirit: chaotic, clever, and full of contradictions, creating a living collage of moments and emotions that capture why Berlanga remains one of the most important figures in Spanish cinema.

If you’re a film nerd or just looking for something a bit more high-brow (without being boring), this is a solid excuse to swap the verbena for a theatre seat for a night.

🖥️ What: Crónica de un Mal Español (Chronicle of a Bad Spaniard)

📍 Where: Teatro Español, Calle del Príncipe 25, Madrid

📅 When: Through June 28 (Thursdays to Sundays)

🎟 Tickets start at €10

3.🍔 Dear god, another food festival arrives: Ñam Ñam is taking over Madrid Río (and your figure)

(Before you ask: ñam ñam is the Spanish equivalent of saying nom nom. You’re welcome).

Not into reliving the horrific years of the Spanish dictatorship? Fortunately, we have an alternative that’s good for your palate and bad for your weight: Madrid just dropped the first edition of the Ñam Ñam Festival, turning Paseo Puente del Rey into an open-air playground for food, creativity, and quite possibly more food.

• Beware: This isn’t your typical food market. Ñam Ñam is positioning itself as an “international gastronomic experiences festival”, which basically means: street food, but more expensive “immersive”.

• There will be live cooking demos, talks, workshops, music, and even podcasts and monologues happening in real time. It’s not just about food but also about the culture around food.

• There’s a central bar for drinks and bites, a “mesa infinita” for shared experiences, and different zones where things are constantly happening. Overall, the vibe is pretty chill and dynamic. It’s also really bad if you’re on a diet.

• The festival taps into the city’s network of 45 mercados municipales, showcasing small-scale producers and homegrown culinary talent. So while it feels like a shiny new event, it’s actually rooted in something very traditional: neighborhood food culture.

If you’re sick and tired of eating patatas bravas and croquetas, try this one for a change.

🖥️ What: Ñam Ñam Festival

📍 Where: Explanada Puente del Rey, Madrid Río, Madrid

📅 When: June 13–14

🎟 Tickets start at €32.50

4. 🪩 Soundset returns to Conde Duque and becomes Madrid’s coolest open-air electronic playground

Are you now feeling guilty for eating those chimichurri-soaked empanadas? Do you need to burn those calories off? Maybe getting slightly lost in experimental beats is the answer, and we have the perfect suggestion for it!

• Soundset Festival is back at Conde Duque, and this year it’s gone fully open-air—taking over the Patio Sur for two nights of forward-thinking electronic music that leans more Berlin than Ibiza. (Berlin nightlife = sophistication, Ibiza nightlife = Kim Kardashian. Sorry, not sorry).

• Don’t expect the usual, run-of-the-mill DJ. Soundset a much more interesting space: there’s dubstep, Latin mutations, hyperpop colliding with bass and DJs who actually take risks.

• Friday kicks off strong with DJ Python going back-to-back with Loidis (aka Huerco S), followed by Brazilian rhythms from RHR and a rare Madrid appearance by Mala, a foundational figure in dubstep. If these are all people you’ve never heard of, you may not be cool enough (again, sorry not sorry).

• Saturday shifts gears but keeps the energy high. There’s a mix of local and international names pushing boundaries: Carne_kddo with the Lágrima collective, Tracey’s hyperpop-infused sound, and a live set from Nick León exploring new Latin electronic textures.

• The whole thing closes with CCL, whose sets are basically a journey—jumping between post-punk, techno, house, and everything in between without losing the thread. (Boomers, look away!)

This event is about discovery, experimentation, and actually listening to what’s happening on stage, so for the love of all things sacred, keep your damn phone in your pocket and start living in the moment.

🖥️ What: Soundset Festival 2026

📍 Where: Patio Sur, Centro Cultural Conde Duque, Calle del Conde Duque 11, Madrid

📅 When: June 12–13

🎟 Tickets: €20/day

5.💃🏻 Israel Galván brings (non-tourist trap) flamenco to the edge (and then breaks It)

Israel Galván is one of the most boundary-pushing figures in Spanish dance, and he is back in Madrid with a show that twists tradition and turns it into something deeply personal and unique. If you’re looking for the type of flamenco show that the locals want to see, this is it.

• This new piece dives into his childhood memories of the Feria de Abril in Sevilla, where he used to compete in sevillanas contests… and never win. Why? Because even back then, his style didn’t fit the rules.

• That tension (tradition vs. rebellion, recognition vs frustration) sits at the heart of the show. It’s flamenco, but filtered through Galván’s signature experimental and ironic lens.

• He performs in a short flamenco dress with a retro twist, accompanied by a charanga band, live guitar, and vocals, creating a scene that’s half street party and half avant-garde performance.

If you’re a flamenco purist (like we are) or someone who usually avoids tourist traps (like we are), this is the kind of show you should see.

🖥️ What: Israel Galván’s Sevillanas Solteras

📍 Where: Centro Danza Matadero (CDM), Paseo de la Chopera 14, Madrid

📅 When: June 12–14

🎟 Tickets start at €27

6. ⚽️ World Cup mania: Where to watch Spain’s games

Haters of soccer football, beware: our long national nightmare has officially just begun. You don’t have to like football to feel it. Because like it or not, trust us, you will feel it, with or without your consent.

• Madrid is about to go full World Cup mode. That’s right! Apparently, the guys who think that Donald Trump somehow deserves a peace prize have somehow gotten away with not getting canceled and have organized a championship that’s been making the headlines due to its dystopian dynamic prices and questionable immigration policies. Oh, and then there’s also Canada and Mexico. But we digress.

The 2026 tournament kicked off yesterday, and with Spain among the favorites, the city is turning into one giant viewing party! So let’s conveniently ignore FIFA’s history of moral (and literal) corruption and focus on being number one, shall we? If you want to watch the games (Spain’s first match is on Monday afternoon against Cape Verde, a country that totally exists), you’ve got options.

• Let’s start with the big one: Plaza de Colón. The city is installing a massive screen that will turn the square into ground zero for fans watching La Roja (a communist-sounding name for the Spanish national football team). That will be fun! There will be thousands of people, flags, beers, collective anxiety, and that very specific Madrid energy that only shows up during big tournaments. If Spain scores, you will feel it. If it doesn’t, you will also feel it. One catch: It will only be for matches taking place before 10 p.m. (The residents of Salamanca are rich, and rich people like silence, peasants.)

• If crowds aren’t your thing (or you want air conditioning and a seat), cinemas are stepping in. Cines Yelmo will be screening Spain’s matches across multiple locations in Madrid, from Ideal and Palafox to Plenilunio and La Vaguada. It’s a surprisingly great option: big screen, decent sound, and snacks. Tickets start around €8.30 with popcorn and a drink, scaling up if you want the full “Luxury” experience. Watching football in a movie theater is a thing now.

• Then there’s the classic route: bars! Madrid’s bars will basically turn into unofficial fan zones, especially in neighborhoods like Chamberí, Malasaña, and La Latina. Just find a place with a screen, order a beer, and you’re in. The louder the crowd, the better the experience. Not sure where to go? Try James Joyce Irish Pub, FRATINA Sport Bar, La Fontana de Oro, O’Connell St. Pub, Knockout! Sports Bar (this one’s far away but cool).

• And if you hate people and want to be by yourself, RTVE has you covered. The public broadcaster is going all in this year, with matches on La 1 and multiple digital streams on RTVE Play, plus extra content, highlights, and even influencer-driven commentary. It’s the easiest way to follow everything without leaving your couch.

The World Cup is here; it’s unavoidable, and for the next few weeks, this city will be living match by match. Resistance is futile.

🖥️ What: FIFA World Cup 2026

📍 Where: Plaza de Colón, Cines Yelmo (multiple locations), bars across Madrid, RTVE

📅 When: Through July 19 (Spain debuts June 15)

📺 What to watch if you’re staying in this weekend…

🖥️ What: The Marked Woman (La Desconocida) | Movie | 2026

📍Where to watch: Netflix

❓What’s it about: An unconscious woman is found inside a container at the Barcelona docks. She suffers from amnesia, and someone wants her dead. Two cops embark on a race against time to discover her identity and the secrets she holds.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it builds a dark, fast-paced mystery led by the fantastic Candela Peña, who brings real emotional weight as a dishevelled detective chasing both the case and her own personal demons. The Marked Woman is not trying to reinvent the genre, and that’s exactly why it works. If you want an easy-to-binge thriller night, go with this one.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🍽️ La Gloria de Carabanchel is the kind of taberna that makes you rethink the neighborhood

What’s it about: La Gloria de Carabanchel is Sol Pérez-Fragero taking everything that worked in Malasaña and Conde Duque—and bringing it outside the M-30. The result is a small, no-frills taberna with real soul: a handful of tables and a focus on Andalusian classics.

Why you should go: Because this is comfort food done right. The lomo de orza, croquetas de puchero, albóndigas de choco, and solomillo al whisky all hit that perfect balance between traditional and seriously craveable.

Bottom line: Proof that some of Madrid’s best spots are no longer in the center.

Address: Calle del General Martín Cerezo, 3, Madrid

🍫 Balbisiana: The pastry box that took over Madrid (and then opened a store)

What’s it about: Balbisiana is what happens when a viral dessert brand turns into a full-on lifestyle bakery. It started as those iconic blue boxes seen at every chic Madrid event, and now it is a physical café on Calle Velázquez.

Why you should go: Because this place gets the balance right: aesthetic and actually good. The best-seller is still the classic “tarta de la abuela” (chocolate and biscuit), which is basically impossible to mess up. The “balbisianas” (bite-sized fried brioche with different fillings) are also dangerously easy to devour.

Bottom line: It’s polished, it’s Instagrammable, but this time it’s not just hype. Balbisiana delivers.

Address: Calle de Velázquez, 55, Madrid

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Here Are 6 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

There’s no easy way of saying this; this weekend is gonna be a mess. Pope Leo XIV is in town for a series of religious events. And so is Bad Bunny (although not for religious events).

• Millions of people from all over Spain and Europe are expected to descend on downtown Madrid this weekend, so traffic will be a nightmare, there will be massive crowds everywhere, and long lines for literally everything.

• If you live outside the M-30, chances are your life will be a little easier. But if you live in Centro/Justicia/Chamberí/Salamanca, don’t leave the house. If you do because you need the blessing of the Holy Spirit or want to dwerk/twerk sluttily with Benito, bring some lorazepam. You will need it.

• El País has been kind enough to put together a guide with streets to avoid this weekend. Traffic will be shut down. Multiple metro stations in downtown Madrid will be closed, so plan ahead.

• Oh, and if you’re not interested in religions like catholicism or reggaeton, we have a few other options for you heathens.

Happy weekend!

1.🇻🇦 Put on your Sunday clothes, people! Pope Leo XIV is in Madrid this weekend with a busy agenda

Holy mackerel! Pope Leo XIV is landing in Spain for his Lift Your Eyes tour, and he’s ready to paint the town red yellow, and white. Madrid is his first stop, marking the first papal visit to the city in 15 years. As we mentioned above, expect big crowds, food stands, and security everywhere. Consider this Catholic Coachella. Let’s go over his very busy agenda!

• Saturday, June 6: The pope lands at Barajas airport to a full-on state welcome with King Felipe VI, followed by a formal reception at the Royal Palace with politicians, diplomats, and half the Spanish establishment. Before you ask, no, peasant, you cannot attend.

• 6 p.m.: That afternoon, he’ll visit a Cáritas center supporting homeless people (yes, he’s putting social issues front and center from day one) before things take a more unexpected turn with a Niña Pastori performance. You also cannot join.

• 8:30 p.m.: Then comes the first big crowd moment (which maybe you can attend if you push some children out of the way): the pope cruising down Castellana in the Popemobile before a massive youth vigil near the Bernabéu Stadium. Thousands are expected, with live music (Hakuna, Siloé, Besmaya), prayers, and a late-night Eucharistic adoration. If you’re a youth, then you can probably attend, but you need to register here immediately. (If you’re asking if you qualify as a youth, you’re probably not a youth).

• Sunday, June 7, 10 a.m.: The main event! Cibeles transforms into the epicenter of Catholic Spain, hosting a huge open-air Mass for Corpus Christi, followed by a procession through nearby streets. Expect your news and Instagram feed to be bombarded with stories from this event, featuring the same people who the night before were probably slutting around at Bad Bunny’s concert. (Hey, no judgement here, as both things are not mutually exclusive and this is a sex positive safe space.) Warning: you also need to register for this!

• 6 p.m.: Later that day, the Pope heads indoors to the Movistar Arena for Tejer Redes, a more curated event bringing together figures from culture, art, and business to talk about… well, networking, we guess.

• Monday, June 8, 10:30 a.m.: Monday shifts gears again, this time into full political and institutional mode. In the morning, the pope meets Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, delivers a historic address to Parliament (a first in Spain; you can watch it on TV), and sits down with Spanish bishops. Unless you are Pedro Sánchez (or a bishop), you can’t attend.

• 6 p.m.: In the evening, things swing back to spectacle with a prayer at Almudena Cathedral.

• 7 p.m.: It’s gonna be a short prayer, because one hour later he will be at a massive event at the Bernabéu featuring a 1,000-person choir, dancers, and guest artists like David Bustamante. That’s right, the freaking pope. At the Bernabéu. With a choir and choreography. Epic.

• Tuesday, June 9, 10:20 a.m.: Pope Leo bids adieu to Madrid with a final event at IFEMA with volunteers before heading off to Barcelona and the Canary Islands. Not a volunteer? Not invited.

But wait, there’s more! Because Madrid is pulling a cultural all-nighter. On the night of June 6, 15 museums across the city will open late and for free for the “Yellow and White Night”. Because a papal visit is the perfect excuse for a spontaneous 2 a.m. museum crawl.

🖥️ What: Visit of Pope Leo XIV to Madrid

📍 Where: Multiple locations (Cibeles, Bernabéu, Almudena, IFEMA, Movistar Arena)

📅 When: June 6–9

🎟 Tickets: Free (registration recommended for closer access)

2.🐕 I Love Reggaeton Madrid 2026: If you know all the lyrics to Gasolina, this festival is for you

No tickets to Bad Bunny and no interest in receiving the blessings of Baby Jesus? Fret not, we have a consolation prize for you! The I Love Reggaeton festival is back in Madrid this weekend, turning IFEMA into a massive, open-air throwback to the golden years of reggaeton and electrolatino.

• We’re talking about 30+ artists, three outdoor stages, and a lineup we don't know, but if you like reggaeton, you probably do: Tito El Bambino, Henry Méndez, Cali & El Dandee, Lorna, Juan Magán, De La Ghetto… and many more.

• The concept for this is simple and effective: pure nostalgia. The festival is designed as a tribute to the early days of reggaeton (remember Gasolina?), before it became the global monster it is today, with a fully synchronized audiovisual show and back-to-back hits that defined an entire generation.

• There are two main stages running in parallel (so yes, you will have to make tough decisions), plus food trucks, chill areas, and enough perreo energy to power the city for a week and make you forget that you couldn’t afford Bad Bunny tickets.

Reggaeton might dominate the world now, but this is about where it all started; the era that made it mainstream and gave us the songs everyone still knows by heart. Dale con dale ✌️.

🖥️ What: I Love Reggaeton Festival Madrid 2026

📍 Where: IFEMA Madrid, Av. del Partenón 5, Madrid

📅 When: June 6

🎟 Tickets start at: €51,90 (hurry up, tickets are selling fast)

3. 🎭 La Loba: Bette Davis is back (and she’s not here to be ignored, losers)

What happens when one of Hollywood’s most iconic divas walks into a newsroom and places a classified ad… for herself? That’s the pretty absurd (and quietly devastating) premise of this play now running at the Fernán Gómez.

• A magnetic Mélida Molina embodies Bette Davis with bite and vulnerability, delivering a performance that feels both like a tribute to this undying Hollywood legend (at least for the boomers).

• The setup is simple: A veteran actress (three kids, decades in the industry, and a certain reputation) demands work in a system that has already decided she’s past her prime.

• What unfolds is a sharp, often funny, sometimes uncomfortable look at how the film industry treats women once they age out of desirability, even the ones who helped define it in the first place.

• The play leans into its love of classic cinema while pulling back the curtain on its darker dynamics: ego, power, rejection, survival.

• Did you know? In 1989, Bette Davis came to Spain to receive the Donostia Award at the San Sebastián Film Festival. It was her final public appearance, her last performance.

So trust us, it’s worth watching a character like Bette Davis refuse to fade quietly into irrelevance in this stylish homage to classic Hollywood that doubles as a critique of it.

🖥️ What: La Loba

📍 Where: Fernán Gómez Centro Cultural de la Villa, Plaza de Colón 4, Madrid

📅 When: June 4–21

🎟 Tickets start at €20

4. 🩰 No tutus, no rules: SACRESIZE is the dance show redefining what a body can do

What if ballet, one of the most rigid, body-obsessed art forms out there, suddenly stopped caring about “ideal” bodies? Alberto Velasco offers a bold, unapologetic answer to that question that puts non-normative bodies front and center.

• The evening opens with SIZE, a short but striking piece where Velasco turns the “non-normative” body into something poetic, powerful and deeply expressive.

• Instead of treating size as a limitation, the choreography reframes it as a space of sensitivity and expansion, supported by an immersive audiovisual setup.

• Then comes SACRE, a reimagining of The Rite of Spring that leans into its original themes of tension and ritual but flips the narrative entirely, becoming intense and quietly subversive.

Velasco has built a career around challenging aesthetic norms (and literally wrote the book on it with Pobre, gordo y maricón), and continues to use dance as both an artistic and political tool. It forces you to rethink what dance and beauty are supposed to look like.

🖥️ What: SACRESIZE

📍 Where: Teatros del Canal, Calle de Cea Bermúdez 1, Madrid

📅 When: Through June 7

🎟 Tickets start at €20

5.🎬 FILMADRID: The coolest film festival you’ve probably never heard of is back

Tired of the Netflix algorithm feeding you the same crap over and over? Then you need FILMADRID. The city’s most quietly influential film festival is back for its 12th edition, taking over venues like La Casa Encendida, Cine Doré and Cineteca Madrid with a lineup that leans into auteur-driven cinema.

• What makes FILMADRID different is its obsession with discovery; with films that have been making waves in international festivals but haven’t yet landed in Spain. There will be experimental formats, unusual narratives, and directors who are still shaping their voice. In other words: cinema that’s actually good.

• The festival’s competitive sections, including the Official Selection and the return of SMART7, double down on that idea. SMART7, in particular, is worth keeping an eye on: a curated selection of seven European films by emerging directors that push boundaries in form and content.

• One standout this year is As liñas descontinuas (The Dashed Lines), a debut feature that brings together a 50-year-old woman navigating divorce and a 28-year-old trans man in a moment of personal instability.

FILMADRID has quietly built a reputation as one of the city’s most important cultural events by becoming that place you go to if you want to see what cinema might look like in five years.

🖥️ What: FILMADRID International Film Festival

📍 Where: Various venues across Madrid

📅 When: June 5–14

🎟 Tickets: Check website

6. 🎸 Blockparty Arganzuela: an indie, garage, and punk-fueled festival is the most fun you’ll have this weekend

Not into Catholic Coachella and trying to escape the downtown area? We have one final option for you! It involves guitars, beers, and zero religion. We give you… Blockparty Arganzuela! An open-air festival that returns to Madrid Río with a great lineup.

• Set in the Explanada Negra, this is one of those festivals where you’re close to the stage, there aren’t any barriers (literal or emotional), and a crowd that actually cares about the music.

• This year’s lineup brings together a mix of indie, garage and punk energy with acts like Die Spitz, Mujeres and Uni Boys leading the charge, alongside Fast Kinds and Sandré, all of them known for turning live shows into something unpredictable. What’s that? You’ve never heard of them? Even better.

• Oh, and there’s also food, drinks, and that great Madrid summer vibe in which the sun goes down over the river, people sit down on the ground between sets, and that feeling that you’ve stumbled into something a bit cooler than you expected.

Note: capacity is limited, which keeps things manageable, and if you’re under 16, you’re getting in for free - not a bad way to get your first proper festival experience.

🖥️ What: Blockparty Arganzuela

📍 Where: Madrid Río, Puente de Segovia s/n, Madrid

📅 When: June 6, 3:30 p.m.

🎟 Tickets start at €40

📺 What to watch if you’re staying in this weekend…

Idols (2026)

🖥️ What: Idols (Ídolos) | Movie | 2026

📍Where to watch: HBO Max

❓What’s it about: A reckless young motorcycle racer gets a chance to compete in Moto2, but must train with his estranged father, a former racer with a dark past. As he pursues his dreams, an unexpected romance challenges his focus. Think Gran Turismo with motorcycles.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s great if you’re in the mood for an easy, entertaining sports film with just enough emotional weight to keep you invested. Yes, it’s full of cliches (the talented but reckless young rider chasing his dream, the reluctant reunion with an estranged father who might be the only one who can help him get there), but hey, it works. It’s the kind of film you put on, enjoy, and don’t overthink.

💬 English Subtitles: No. You can probably get the gist of it, though.

Abandoned (2026)

🖥️ What: Abandoned (Abandonados) | TV Series (Documentary) | 2026

📍Where to watch: Disney+

❓What’s it about: In 1984, three children were abandoned at a Barcelona train station with no memory of their identity or past. Unclaimed, they were adopted into loving homes. As adults, they now search for their biological parents.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s perfect if you’re tired of true crime that’s all about killers and want something deeper, more human and gripping. The series starts with a mystery and quickly becomes something much more powerful: a story about identity, memory, and the lifelong need to understand where you come from. It’s about people trying to fill a void that has defined their entire lives.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

☕️ La Florida Cafe Bistro: where brunch turns into wine and “just one coffee” turns into hours

What’s it about: A laid-back specialty coffee spot with a sunny terrace overlooking a park, this is one of those places that quietly becomes your go-to. Natural light, good music, and a team that actually remembers your order.

Why you should go: Because it nails the basics, and then some. The coffee is properly done (yes, the flat whites are legit), the focaccia is a standout, and the rotating plato del día makes it a solid lunch option too.

Bottom line: Easy, cozy, and reliably good.

Address: Paseo del Pintor Rosales 70, Madrid

🥂 Splurge! Club Metrópolis is actually worth it

What’s it about: Club Metrópolis has landed exactly as promised: big, bold and unapologetically over the top. Part private club, part boutique hotel, one of Madrid’s most iconic buildings is now a full-on experience.

Why you should go: Because, surprisingly, you can. While some areas are reserved for members, the ground floor, basement, and even the suites are open for bookings. Start upstairs with Tasca Fina, a polished take on the classic Spanish taberna, or go straight to the Barra de Oricios, a seafood-forward counter that feels like a hidden gem in plain sight.

Bottom line: It’s flashy and a little excessive, but that’s exactly why it works.

Address: Alcalá 39, Madrid

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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

And boy, are we in for a busy weekend. First of all, Bad Bunny is in town. (No tickets? Join the club!). Not only that, but La Oreja de Van Gogh is back (No tickets? Also join the club!). Ah, and there’s also Hernán Cattaneo at Brunch Electronik. It’s hard to keep up.

• Those of us who haven't pawned our grandma’s wedding ring to pay for those tickets (she’s still alive, btw) still have a ton of events to choose from.

• So grab a water bottle (it’s hot outside) and your cold wallet, and get ready to spend your hard-earned 0.00000001% of a bitcoin because why the hell not.

Happy weekend!

PS: The Pope is coming next week. Repent!

1. 📖 The Madrid Book Fair is back to decorate your bookshelf (and take your money)

Fun fact: Before the rise of the performative male, people used to read books for real! While such an activity is now considered uncool and passé (or is it?), some people here in Spain continue to enjoy it for some reason. If you’re one of those romanticizing the past by writing on typewriters and drinking regular Coke, we have great news… Madrid’s Book Fair is back!

• The city is once again entering its most dangerous season — when people pretend they’ll “just browse” at the Feria only to leave Retiro Park carrying €140 worth of books they absolutely did not plan to buy (or even read).

• The iconic Feria del Libro returns for its 85th edition, and it’s looking very interesting. After last year’s New York-themed edition, 2026 is all about humor, because apparently, we’ve looked around at the state of the world and decided laughing was the only reasonable response (either that or moving under the sea).

• And this isn’t just “haha funny.” The fair is diving into satire, irony, graphic humor, podcasts, stand-up humor, absurdism, literary comedy, and the increasingly blurry line between intellectual discussion and people wearing tin foil hats.

• Big names this year include Jonathan Coe, David Safier, Maitena, Ignatius Farray, Eva Hache, Joaquín Reyes, Pantomima Full, Bob Pop, Liniers, Kevin Johansen, Camila Sosa Villada, and Rodrigo Cortés, among many others (if you know at least one of them, congrats! You’re smart).

• There’ll also be live podcasts, debates about humor and politics, tributes to Les Luthiers and Kurt Vonnegut, and maybe (just maybe) you may run into Queen Letizia, who loves to support independent publishers and attends every year (she’s, in fact, officially opening the fair this morning).

Even if you don’t read much, the Feria del Libro is still one of the best events Madrid produces all year. It’s crowded, yes, but attending is a great act of resistance in the age of TikTok.

🖥️ What: Feria del Libro de Madrid 2026

📍 Where: Parque del Retiro, Paseo de Fernán Núñez, Madrid

📅 When: May 29 to June 14

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

2. 💔 Love, death, and dramatic teenagers: Romeo and Juliet opera is a magnificent spectacle for the eyes

Wait, never mind. Why read when you can actually see Shakespeare? Honestly, this is probably what he would have wanted. Romeo and Juliet, the timeless story of two dumb teenagers making catastrophically bad decisions after knowing each other for, like, 14 minutes, is hitting the Teatro Real this week, and you can tell there’s a big budget for this one because holy shit, that looks good (check video above).

• We’d die to see this. The Teatro Real is bringing back Charles Gounod’s lush, dramatic, and emotional opera adaptation of arguably Shakespeare’s best-known work, directed by French theater star Thomas Jolly and conducted by Carlo Rizzi.

• This production intends to impress you. The cast is stacked too, with opera superstar Nadine Sierra leading the production alongside Javier Camarena, Ismael Jordi, and Laurent Naouri.

• If you think opera is all stiff people singing near curtains, then you'd better go see Bad Bunny. This is pretty much the opposite of that. Trust us, you haven’t seen this much tension since that rattlesnake scene in Euphoria season 3 (we’re joking, this season sucks).

Even if you’re not usually an opera person, this is one of those productions that feels worth seeing just for the spectacle.

🖥️ What: Romeo and Juliet (Opera)

📍 Where: Teatro Real, Plaza de Isabel II, Madrid

📅 When: Through June 13

🎟 Tickets start at €18

3. 🇵🇷 No tickets to Bad Bunny? Sad! But if you’re into Puerto Rican culture, we have an alternative for you.

Yes, yes. We know. Madrid is going into full Bad Bunny mode. The reggaetón playlists are locked in, and all over the city, thousands (millions?) of people are crying over the fact that they will not get to see the biggest artist in the history of humanity (after Leticia Sabater, obvi).

• But while Benito prepares to unleash 10 (10!) concerts at the Metropolitano stadium that we won’t see, Malasaña is giving us peasants an alternative — a full-on Puerto Rican cultural takeover.

• This weekend, Calle Noviciado will host La Placita, a free Puerto Rican cultural festival bringing salsa and plena classes, cocktails, street food, art, coffee, workshops, DJs, and enough to make us forget that we won’t be able to come close to el conejo malo.

• The idea behind La Placita is to go beyond Bad Bunny fandom and introduce Madrid to Puerto Rico itself, not just the reggaetón, but the island’s broader culture, identity, and traditions, which makes sense, because Bad Bunny’s latest album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, basically turned Puerto Rico into main character mode this year after his performance at the Super Bowl.

And shoutout to whoever decided Malasaña was the perfect place for this, because, well, it is.

🖥️ What: La Placita Puerto Rican Cultural Festival

📍 Where: Calle Noviciado 4, Malasaña, Madrid

📅 When: May 29 – 31

🎟 Tickets: Free (but registration required, click on link above)

4. 🎬 Documenta Madrid Film Festival returns for people who love cinema and mild existential crises

There are film festivals where people show up to drink cava and pretend they understood a Serbian three-hour experimental movie about silence. And then there’s Documenta Madrid, where people also do that, but at least the films are usually pretty good.

• This international documentary festival returns this week for its 23rd edition, once again transforming the city into a paradise for lovers of documentaries, arthouse cinema, and political filmmaking.

• This year’s theme (there’s always a theme) is Tomar el pulso (“Taking the Pulse”), focusing on documentary cinema’s ability to capture reality in real time socially, politically, and emotionally. It’s incredibly intellectual. Just be aware that you are going to leave at least one screening emotionally devastated.

• The program includes international and Spanish documentary competitions, unfinished film showcases, retrospectives, and live performances. There’s even a live reinterpretation of lost footage from an unfinished Pier Paolo Pasolini documentary about sanitation workers’ strikes in Italy

Since you can’t make it to sing Titi Me Preguntó with Bad Bunny (a song that’s a late-capitalist anthem about infinite choice, emotional consumption, and the ancient Greek realization that pleasure without meaning is emptiness), then here’s your chance to sit in a dark room watching stuff about social collapse and human fragility. You’re welcome.

🖥️ What: Documenta Madrid 2026

📍 Where: Cineteca Matadero and multiple venues across Madrid

📅 When: Through May 31

🎟 Tickets: Check website

5.🎉 Aluche’s neighborhood festival turns 50

Dust off your Metro card, kids! We’re going outside the M-30 beltway for this one. If you’ve never been to a proper Madrid neighborhood festival (i.e., not for tourists), let us explain the vibe: locals running around drunk (sounds great so far), grandparents dancing better than you, someone carrying a giant beer at 1 p.m., random techno at 2 a.m. and at least one guy aggressively singing along to songs you’ve never heard of.

• Sounds fun? Great. This weekend, the legendary Fiestas de Aluche kick off their 50th anniversary celebrations, transforming the Parque de Aluche fairgrounds (in Latina, which is not the same as La Latina) into 10 straight days of concerts, folklore, dancing, DJs, fireworks, and wholesome neighborhood chaos.

• This opening weekend alone is stacked. Friday starts with the official pregón, Celtic street music, and a big orchestral dance party. Saturday brings Zumba, clown magic shows for kids (we’ll skip that one), live pop-rock concerts, and a late-night techno session for the people who miss Berghain.

• Then Sunday goes fully international, with Brazilian batucadas, folk dance festivals, and performances from groups representing Ireland, Peru, China, Paraguay, and Ecuador.

The best part of fiestas like this is the deeply local atmosphere. If you want to feel like a local, be prepared to leave Chamberí for once.

🖥️ What: Fiestas de Aluche 2026

📍 Where: Recinto Ferial del Parque de Aluche, Madrid

📅 When: May 29 to June 7, 2026

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

📺 What to watch if you’re staying in this weekend…

🖥️ What: Ravalear: Not for Sale | TV Series | 2026

📍Where to watch: HBO Max

❓What’s it about: A family business under threat in Barcelona's central (and touristy) Raval neighborhood explores how to survive an imminent buyout by an investment fund, blurring the line between resistance and criminality.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because critics say it’s one of the best TV shows of the year. And because it’s painfully relevant. Ravalear turns Spain’s housing crisis and the brutal reality of gentrification into a feverish thriller. The atmosphere, its raw realism, the pounding techno soundtrack… they all capture the feeling of modern urban Spain better than almost anything released in recent years.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🇲🇽 La Xida: where Asturias meets Mexico

What’s it about: La Xida is one of those wonderfully unhinged Madrid concepts that somehow works really well: a restaurant combining Asturian and Mexican cuisine under one roof. That means sidra, guacamole, cachopo, and mole sharing the same menu.

Why you should go: Because the menu alternates comfortably between classics (Asturian chorizo cooked in cider or homemade guacamole) and hybrids like mole rojo with pitu caleya or the “Xidu” cachopo torta.

Bottom line: If you ever wonder what Asturias would look like if it had better weather and more tequila, this is your place.

Address: Calle de López de Hoyos, 11, Madrid

🍸 Grupeta is basically a Wes Anderson fever dream

What’s it about: Grupeta Bar is an all-day café and neighborhood hangout in Chamberí that feels like a combination of a vintage 1970s coffee bar and a cyclist clubhouse. The venue mixes retro aesthetics with a menu designed for sobremesa: brunches, sandwiches, torreznos, fondue, coffee, and beers. You name it, they got it.

Why you should go: Because we desperately need places like these. Good coffee in the morning, great vermú in the afternoon, and amazing beers at night.

Bottom line: If you enjoy looking like the kind of person who owns a bicycle, this is the kind of neighborhood spot you end up returning to constantly.

Address: Calle de Raimundo Fernández Villaverde 30, Madrid

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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

And Madrid is back to doing what it does best — hot weather! Which means your weekend plans just got way (literally) cooler.

• We’re leaning all the way into it this week, either cooling off at the city’s public pools, eating your way through Madrid Food Fest (Michelin chefs!) or going full techno at Maudes Festival.

• If you’re feeling more refined, there’s a surprisingly fun Hamlet remix, a low-key marimba recital, and enough cultural options to pretend you’re balanced. If all else fails, there’s always Netflix and (again, literally) chill.

Happy weekend!

1. 🍔 Madrid Food Fest: Where street food goes Michelin

You know what? We really should promote more the long-lost art of eating and sobremesa. We’re so glued to our phones all the time, when instead we should be talking to our (possibly inebriated) loved ones. Maybe it’s time to change that, and we have the perfect activity for you and your friends.

• The Madrid Food Fest offers the unique opportunity of eating like a Michelin inspector but paying like a poor normal human. This event is what happens when some of the country’s top chefs decide to ditch their fancy tablecloths and go full street food. It’s their version of sluming.

• The Museo del Ferrocarril turns into a playground for food people (aka all of us) for one week only. There will be chefs with Michelin stars and Repsol suns, such as Miguel Carretero, Dani Ochoa, Lucía Grávalos, and Juan D’Onofrio, serving scaled-down, street-style versions of their signature dishes.

• So instead of having to make a reservation, plan logistics, and commit a sizable amount of money to an overpriced meal, the MFF offers the chance to taste the same meal while standing up, probably with something dripping down your hand. Glamorous? Nah. Cheap? Def. Delicious? Fuck yes.

• But wait, there’s more. The whole thing is designed as an experience: a market packed with artisan producers (cheeses, Madrid wines, kombucha startups, even zero-waste products), live showcookings, podcasts being recorded in real time, music, DJs, and workshops (let’s be honest, you don’t care about those unless there’s, like, samples.

There you have it. High-end cuisine, stripped of its pomp and dropped into a setting where you can try a bit of everything without committing to a full tasting menu. Madrid’s top culinary scene in one go.

🖥️ What: Madrid Food Fest

📍 Where: Museo del Ferrocarril, Paseo de las Delicias 61, Madrid

📅 When: May 23–24, 11 a.m.

🎟 Tickets start at €12.50

2. 💀 Stand-up tragedy: Hamlet, now with punchlines

Now that your belly is full and you’ve recovered from your post-San Isidro drunken stupor, maybe we could do something highbrow for a change? If you’re into it, here’s an interesting option: Hamlet, but without the existential dread and a slightly… funnier.

• The Teatro Español is staging a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic that does something borderline sacrilegious: it turns the Prince of Denmark into a stand-up comedian.

• Written and directed by Sergi Belbel, the play takes just the first act of Hamlet and rebuilds it as a one-man show starring Catalan actor Enric Cambray. And when we say one-man show, we mean it: Cambray is alone on stage, breaking down the text, commenting on it, questioning it, and, at times, straight-up roasting it.

• The innovative part is that it lowers the barrier to Shakespeare without dumbing it down. You’re still getting all of the play’s dilemmas, but filtered through humor, irony, and a very 2026 sensibility.

Instead of treating Shakespeare like a sacred, untouchable relic, this show treats it like something you can poke, question, and laugh at with. That balance is hard to pull off, and yet Belbel does.

🖥️ What: Hamlet.01

📍 Where: Teatro Español, Sala Margarita Xirgu, Calle del Principe 25, Madrid

📅 When: May 22 – June 21

🎟 Tickets start at €12

3. 🪩 Maudes Festival: Madrid’s biggest techno weekend of the year

Attention, music fans! Do you prefer basslines, lasers, and a crowd that looks like it hasn’t slept since yesterday super hot to pretentious Shakespeare stuff? Then we have great news: Maudes Festival is back! And it’s going all in.

• Taking over Parque Enrique Tierno Galván across three dates, this open-air electronic festival is becoming one of Madrid’s most immersive music experiences.

• This year’s theme (The Green Nation) leans into a kind of retro-futuristic, industrial aesthetic where techno meets environmental consciousness. Yes, it’s a rave and many people there probably don’t recycle, but it’s the thought that counts.

• The lineup is stacked with big names in the electronic scene: Fisher, Âme, The Blessed Madonna and Argy, alongside local favorites like Les Castizos. It’s a mix of heavy-hitting international sets and crowd-pleasing energy that will carry you well into the early hours.

BTW, Maudes isn’t just about techno music. There’s also art installations, branded spaces, interactive activities, and a social/environmental angle that tries to give the festival a bit more depth than your average “stand in a field and dance” situation. Have fun!

🖥️ What: Maudes Electronic Music Festival

📍 Where: Parque Enrique Tierno Galván, Calle Meneses 4, Madrid

📅 When: May 23 (Additional dates: May 30 & 31)

🎟 Tickets start at €39,95 (€32,95 if you get in before 5:30 p.m.)

4. 🪇 Conrado Moya gives classical music a marimba makeover

If techno/EDM is not for you because you think you’re better than that, fair enough. Lucky for you we have a musical option that is probably a bit more refined (read: no bass drops, no crowds, no hangover). Get ready, this is your chance to watch someone absolutely shred a marimba.

• A what now? If you thought marimba was just an annoying iPhone ringtone, you’d be wrong. And if you thought it was just a fancy xylophone, you’d also be wrong! (Although they are part of the same mallet percussion family, so points for trying.) If you’re still wondering what a marimba sounds like, think of the first few seconds of The Little Mermaid’s Under the Sea. That’s it.

• But we digress. Conrado Moya, one of the instrument’s top international performers, is taking over the Salón del Ateneo with a recital that turns the marimba into the center of a full classical experience. And not just any program; this one jumps from Bach to Gershwin to contemporary compositions, all filtered through an instrument most people still think belongs to a singing crab with a Trinidadian accent.

• What makes this interesting is that this is a kind of personal map of Moya’s artistic journey. The pieces he’s chosen are the ones that shaped him, the ones he’s grown with, and in some cases, the ones written for him. It all builds toward a Madrid premiere, Las ninfas de Nisa, which closes the night.

Want niche? This is niche. Solid cultural flex.

PS: Is Under the Sea stuck in your head now? It is in ours and can you blame us? It’s a bop.

🖥️ What: Conrado Moya’s Reminiscencias

📍 Where: Ateneo de Madrid, Calle Prado 21, Madrid

📅 When: May 23, 7:30 p.m.

🎟 Tickets start at €14,28

5. 💦 It’s officially pool season in Madrid!

Pool season is here! And it means two things: the city is about to get unbearably hot, and everyone suddenly becomes very strategic about where to cool off. The lucky ones will flee to Mallorca or Marbella, while the plebs (i.e. us) will stay in the city. The good news? The municipal pools are back, and there are lots of them.

• 22 of Madrid’s 25 public outdoor pools are already open, with the remaining three joining in early June. Prices are staying the same, with full-day tickets at €4.50 for adults—or €2.25 for a tactical half-day escape from the heat. (You’ll need to plan ahead: most tickets are sold online in advance, and the good spots go fast.)

• The system is the usual controlled chaos. You pick your slot—morning, afternoon, or full day—scan your QR code, and try to claim a decent patch of grass before someone else does. But once you’re in, it’s peak Madrid summer energy: people swimming, friends pretending they’ll “just stay an hour” and leaving at sunset.

• This year there’s also a bit more going on beyond just floating in water. The city is rolling out free “express classes” like aquafitness and stretching sessions, plus even CPR workshops if you’re feeling unexpectedly productive mid-heatwave.

If the municipal pools are packed, you’ve also got the regional ones—slightly pricier, same idea, equally necessary.

🖥️ What: Madrid Municipal Pools 2026 Season

📍 Where: Multiple locations across Madrid

📅 When: Through Sept. 6

🎟 Tickets start at €4.50 (even cheaper for kids!)

📺 What to watch if you’re staying in this weekend…

🖥️ What: Many People Need to Die (Se tiene que morir mucha gente) | TV Series | 2026

📍Where to watch: Movistar+

❓What’s it about: Don’t be misled by the title. This is actually a comedy about three women in their forties who deal with midlife chaos: addiction, career struggles, and marriage to a wealthy older man. As one friend's life unravels, their longtime bond faces its biggest challenge.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because, if you’re tired of polished, feel-good comedies where everyone learns a lesson and hugs it out, this show is your antidote. Comedian and screenwriter Victoria Martín goes full savage here, delivering a brutally honest (and often uncomfortable) look at friendships, mental health, and the quiet chaos of everyday life, where people are messy, selfish, and occasionally unbearable. It’s not here to make you feel good, it’s here to make you laugh at how bad things can get.

💬 English Subtitles: No.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

👨🏻‍🍳 ABYA: Fine dining turned all the way up

What’s it about: ABYA is simply a full-blown spectacle set inside the Palacio de Saldaña in Madrid’s Golden Mile. Add caviar and luxury ingredients sitting comfortably next to a very well-executed burger, and it feels more like an art gallery than a restaurant.

Why you should go: Because it’s theatrical, over-the-top, and unapologetically extravagant, without losing sight of the food. Even if you need to splurge (seriously), and the project screams luxury, there’s a clear attempt to make it feel like more than just a place for the ultra-rich.

Bottom line: ABYA is big, bold and expensive, but it’s absolutely worth checking out at least once, if only to see what happens when ambition runs wild in a kitchen.

Address: Calle de José Ortega y Gasset 32, Madrid

☕️ WOLFØX: The Chueca coffee spot worth stopping for

What’s it about: WOLFØX is one of those places you don’t plan to find but once you do, you kind of want to keep it to yourself. Tucked away on Calle Pérez Galdós, it’s a tiny specialty coffee spot with barely any indoor space and a small terrace.

Why you should go: Because the coffee is seriously good. It’s one of those rare espressos that actually makes you stop mid-sip and go, “damn!”. Credit goes to the baristas behind the machine, who treat coffee like a craft, not a routine.

Bottom line: It’s small, it’s simple, and that’s exactly the point. Go, order an espresso or a latter, enjoy it, and leave feeling like you just discovered one of Madrid’s better-kept coffee secrets

Address: Calle de Perez Galdos 2, Madrid

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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again! And guess what… It’s a long weekend. Again!

• Before you complain about our lack of productivity and other stereotypes, let us just say that we need to save energy for San Isidro this weekend, which is taking over the streets.

• There’s so much stuff to do, so little time. As in, outdoor concerts, vintage book hunting, photography festivals, lamb bocadillos that have somehow become a cultural movement, and enough cocktails, jamón, and late-night plans to keep you busy until Monday.

Trust us, you may need another long weekend next week to recover from this one.

Happy weekend!

1. 🌺 Madrid throws its biggest street party of the year: San Isidro

Madrid in mid-May is basically one big, city-wide party, and this weekend is your chance to get to know this place like never before.

San Isidro is when the city leans fully into its castizo identity. Think: chulapos, chulapas, rosquillas, limonada (the Madrid version of “lemonade”, with wine, obvi), and a mix of tradition and chaos that keeps getting better.

• 🧙🏻‍♂️ At the heart of it all is San Isidro (Isidore the Laborer) himself, Madrid’s patron saint and, apparently, a bit of a water wizard who sounds like a character from Dungeons and Dragons. Legend has it he could find water anywhere, which is why one of the key rituals this weekend is drinking from the Fuente del Santo (the Saint’s water fountain, which already existed before the 12th century) near the Ermita. Consider it a holy pilgrimage, except you may or may not be drunk.

• 🍷 Where it all began. The Pradera de San Isidro is ground zero. This is where Madrid shows up: families, groups of friends, people dressed as if they’ve stepped out of a Goya painting. You grab your rosquillas—tontas, listas, Santa Clara, take your pick—pour yourself some “lemonade” (wink, wink), and settle into the grass while concerts play in the background. Oh, and fireworks!

• 🎵 Live music everywhere. San Isidro has become one of the most interesting music lineups in Madrid’s calendar. You’ve got Fangoria, David Otero, and Demarco Flamenco playing in the Pradera, indie acts like Triángulo de Amor Bizarro taking over Las Vistillas, and a whole city-wide program (Sonido Madrid en Vivo) spreading concerts across venues. We’re pretty sure you have no idea who any of those people/bands are, but it’s time you start learning.

• 🙏 Feeling religious? There are several Catholic ceremonies for you too! (Please don’t show up drunk)

• 💃🏻 Experience castizo identity. If you don’t know what chulapo/a are, then a) shame on you, and b) it’s time you learn how to dance the chotis. There are countless locations throughout the city where people will be dancing the traditional madrileño dance, so go at least see one.

• 👹 You’ve never seen a street party like this. Gigantes and Cabezudos (see above) roam around like slightly terrifying mascots from another century, Plaza Mayor hosts big open-air concerts and so do the Jardines de las Vistillas, Matadero turns into a verbena playground, and if you need a break from the crowds, you can wander into the Feria de la Cacharrería or duck into the Museo de San Isidro to remind yourself this all has actual historical roots.

Trust us, if you want to feel like a local, then this is all you need to do this weekend.

🖥️ What: Fiestas de San Isidro 2026

📍 Where: All across Madrid (check the links above!)

📅 When: Through May 17 (main celebrations today and tomorrow)

🎟 Tickets: Free admission (most events)

2. 🏰 Not into a Castizo weekend? Candlelit movie music night in a hidden castle in Barajas

If San Isidro is too chaotic for you, fret not, we have a slightly more magical escape plan involving a castle. Did you know there’s one just a few minutes from downtown Madrid? Well, now you do. The Parque del Castillo de la Alameda de Osuna is becoming an open-air cultural stage with Las noches del castillo, a new series that blends music, cinema, and live performance at one of Madrid’s most underrated spots.

• Tomorrow, May 16, the cycle leans fully into cinematic nostalgia with “La lírica en el cine”, a candlelit concert by Matritum Cantat that takes some of the most iconic opera and classical pieces ever used in film soundtracks and brings them back to life—live, outdoors, and surrounded by a historic setting.

• It’s that sweeping, emotional music you recognize instantly but can’t quite place… until it hits you. The whole thing is designed to feel intimate and atmospheric. No massive crowds, no chaos, no chotis. Just music, candles, and that surreal feeling of watching a performance in the middle of a park next to a historic castle.

The broader program runs through mid-June with flamenco, jazz, cinema nights, and even circus shows, but if you’re picking one moment to go, this Saturday is the one that hits that sweet spot between culture and experience.

🖥️ What: Las noches del castillo: “La lírica en el cine”

📍 Where: Parque del Castillo de la Alameda de Osuna, Barajas, Madrid

📅 When: May 16, 10 p.m.

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

3. 📸 PHotoESpaña kicks off the summer season with two must-see shows that just landed in the city

It’s baaaaaack! Every summer, Madrid quietly turns into one of Europe’s photography capitals, and PHotoESPAÑA is the reason why.

• For the next four months, the city becomes a giant, walkable exhibition: museums, galleries, cultural centers, and unexpected spaces all syncing up to showcase some of the most important names in photography.

This year’s edition comes with a theme that feels particularly timely: Volver a imaginar. Translation: question everything. Reality, images, authority, the way we see the world. And nowhere is that more obvious than in two of the standout exhibitions that opened yesterday, both very different, both worth your time.

• Opening this week. At Fundación MAPFRE, Richard Avedon’s In the American West lands as one of the big headline shows of the festival. Originally published in 1985, it’s considered one of the most important portrait series ever made. But don’t expect romantic cowboy imagery. Avedon strips everything back—white background, harsh light, no context—and lets his subjects do the talking. Workers, drifters, oil field laborers. Faces that feel raw, uncomfortable, and completely unfiltered. It’s America, but not the version you usually see.

• Also opening this week. You get something much closer to home—and arguably just as powerful. Azkarate vs Azkarate, at the Serrería Belga, dives into the work of Isabel Azkarate, a pioneer of Spanish street photography and photojournalism. The exhibition plays with the idea of duality—public vs private, observer vs participant. It’s Madrid, it’s Spain, it’s everyday life—but seen through a lens that constantly questions what’s being captured.

Together, they set the tone for the entire festival: two different worlds, two different ways of seeing, both asking one question—how much of what we’re looking at is actually real?

🖥️ What: PHotoESPAÑA 2026

📍 Where: Multiple locations across Madrid

📅 When: Through Sept. 13

🎟 Tickets: Varies by exhibition (many free, others from €5–€10)

4.🥪 Ruta del Paquito: everyone’s favorite lamb sandwich takes over San Isidro

Madrid’s most unapologetically local food trend takes over the Tirso de Molina Market in Latina (which, fyi, is not La Latina) with the Ruta del Paquito (Paquito Food Route), a celebration of the city’s favorite underdog sandwich: the lamb bocadillo (aka sandwich) that’s quietly become a cult classic. You like burgers? Well, this is juicier, messier, and with actual castizo roots.

• The market turns into a full-on San Isidro scene starting on Saturday: free tastings of Paquitos, eight different stalls serving their own versions, and, because this is Madrid, a tuna roaming around playing live music while you eat. (Fyi, a tuna is a traditional musical group of university students dressed in 13th-century costumes who sing and play instruments.)

• The Paquito itself is simple in theory (lamb in a sandwich, duh), but wildly creative in practice. This year, it’s everywhere—more than 300 bars across Spain are participating, and dozens in Madrid alone are putting their own spin on it. If you’ve never tried it, this event is the perfect entry point: one place, multiple takes, zero commitment.

There’s also a bigger story here. The whole idea behind the route is to bring lamb back into everyday eating—especially for younger crowds—while quietly pushing the sustainability angle. But honestly, none of that matters once you’re holding one. Trust us, you’ll get it.

🖥️ What: Ruta del Paquito

📍 Where: Mercado de Tirso de Molina, Doña Urraca 15, Latina, Madrid

📅 When: May 16 (from 12:30 p.m.)

🎟 Tickets: Free (tastings while supplies last)

5. 📚 Antique Book Fair: Recoletos’ best book treasure hunt is back

Attention, fans of books and horror movies involving Lovecraftian stuff like The Necronomicon! If your idea of a perfect weekend includes finding a cursed book getting lost in stacks of forgotten books, this is your moment.

• The Paseo de Recoletos by Cibeles has quietly turned into one of the most charming corners of Madrid with the 48th edition of the Feria del Libro Antiguo y de Ocasión—a long-standing tradition that feels like a treasure hunt and a time machine.

• Rows of stands, run by specialist booksellers from across Spain, are packed with everything from €1 paperbacks to rare first editions from the 14th century that cost much more than you can probably pay for.

• You can go in with zero expectations and walk out with something completely unexpected: an out-of-print novel, a vintage magazine, or an old map. Something is exciting about flipping through pages that have clearly lived a life before you got to them.

🖥️ What: 48ª Feria del Libro Antiguo y de Ocasión

📍 Where: Paseo de Recoletos (by Cibeles fountain), Madrid

📅 When: Through May 17

🎟 Tickets: Free admission

📺 What to watch if you’re staying in this weekend…

🖥️ What: Band Together (Rondallas) | Movie | 2026

📍Where to watch: Movistar+

❓What’s it about: A small town on the coast of Galicia is shaken by the shipwreck in which seven of its nine crew members died. After two years of mourning, the town’s inhabitants form a rondalla and rehearse to compete against other neighbouring villages and heal themselves.

🤩 Why you should watch: If you’re in the mood for something genuinely uplifting, Rondallas is exactly that rare kind of film: a “crowd-pleaser” that actually earns the title. Daniel Sánchez Arévalo returns with a warm, beautifully written story set in a Galician town where music, grief, and community collide, weaving together small human stories about guilt, forgiveness, and healing without ever forcing the emotion.

💬 English Subtitles: No.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🥓 Restaurante Cinco Jotas: Where jamón stops being food and starts being a religion

What’s it about: Cinco Jotas Madrid is a temple to one thing: jamón. Not just any jamón, but that jamón—100% ibérico de bellota, sliced, showcased, and treated like the celebrity it is.

Why you should go: Because the recently revamped space leans into the experience, building a menu around the product with dishes that range from classic (croquetas, cured cuts) to slightly more playful (panipuri Cinco Jotas, steak tartar with camembert and anchovies). Bonus points: it’s near the Bernabéu Stadium, so yes, it’s dangerously easy to justify.

Bottom line: If you like jamón, you’ll love it. If you don’t, it may be time to reconsider your life choices (sorry, vegans!).

Address: Calle del Padre Damián 42, Madrid

🐍 Snake Bar is where your afterlunch turns into a full-blown night out