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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

And I have great news: it’s a long weekend! Of course, if you work remotely and your office is in, I don’t know, Kisangani (a real place!), then I guess it makes no difference to you.

• There are so many things happening this long weekend. Mainly, we’re celebrating that Latin Americans are bringing all their wealth here Hispanic heritage, and the fact that everyone speaks Spanish there by some weird providential coincidence and not because we went, we saw, we conquered.

• So let’s all celebrate that many centuries ago, for a fleeting moment, we were the strongest and most influential country in the world (until King Philip II lost it all in some bad crypto investments or something).

Happy long weekend!

1. 🇪🇸 Fighter jets, tanks, and the King in military regalia: No, it’s not a coup… It’s Spain’s biggest parade!

Remember those fighter jets you’ve been hearing in the sky lately? The ones that made you grab your go-bag, cry, and suddenly think about how much you love your parents? That’s right, it wasn’t the Russians (or Trump)! It was just the Air Force pilots rehearsing for Spain’s biggest celebration of the year, the National Day Parade.

• Look, if you come from abroad, this may be difficult to swallow, but Oct. 12 is a big freaking deal here. Spain’s National Day, also known as Día de la Hispanidad, is the equivalent of France’s Bastille Day, or July 4th in the US.

• It’s the day we commemorate Christopher Columbus’s (aka Cristobal Colón) arrival in the Americas in 1492, an event that marked the beginning of Spain’s expansion across the Atlantic, so we celebrate the historical and cultural ties between our country and the Spanish-speaking world. We also don’t talk about the rest. Conquistadors and the indigenous peoples became friends, had a great time, and that’s all there is to it. End of story. Hurray, us!

• Anyway, every year there are thousands of soldiers on the streets — along with armored vehicles and fighter jets in the sky, some fireworks, and King Felipe VI (aka F6). It’s a pretty cool parade happening in the heart of Madrid.

And so, on Monday (a holiday in Spain, obvi), the Armed Forces will take over Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos for the country’s biggest annual military parade.

• Look up! The festivities kick off at 11 a.m. with the arrival of the King and Queen Letizia, followed by military honors, a spectacular parachute jump, the raising of the Spanish flag, and a tribute to fallen service members. Then comes the fun part: the aerial parade, featuring military aircraft flying over central Madrid. It’s just like Top Gun but less gay.

• And look down! Once the planes have done their thing, the ground parade begins. There will be soldiers from different branches of Spain’s Armed Forces, members of the Guardia Civil and National Police, military vehicles, and plenty of uniforms.

• Where’s the action? The parade starts at the Glorieta del Emperador Carlos V (near Atocha), travels north along Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos, and finishes at Plaza de Colón. That’s a pretty spectacular stretch of Madrid, although you should expect huge crowds, security barriers, and road closures throughout the area.

Our advice? Get there early, find yourself a good spot along the route, and remember to look up. If military parades aren’t your thing,

🇪🇸 What: Spain’s National Day Military Parade

📍 Where: Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos, from Atocha to Plaza de Colón, Madrid

📅 When: Oct. 12, starting at 11 a.m.

🎟️ Tickets: Free!

2. 🎉 But wait, there’s more: Four days, 150 events, and a whole lot of Hispanidad!

Turns out Monday’s military parade is just the cherry on top. We still haven’t mentioned what’s below the cherry!

You see, Madrid is wrapping up its annual Hispanidad festival with free concerts, flamenco, Mexican food, jazz, and a Colombian pop superstar, all of this in order to apologize for the sins committed during the conquest celebrate the Spanish language.

Lest you forget, more than 600 million people worldwide speak Spanish, and Madrid wants to celebrate that fact. The festival features more than 150 activities across the region, so take note.

Here’s what to put on your calendar:

Friday: Start exploring, just like Chris Columbus did (the explorer, not the film director)!

• The festival isn’t just about concerts. Cultural venues across Madrid, including Teatros del Canal, Alcalá 31, and the Casa Museo de Lope de Vega, are participating with theater, exhibitions, and events celebrating Hispanic history and culture.

• There’s also a special focus on the U.S., this year’s guest country, with programming exploring the historical connections between Spain and the US.

Saturday: Sebastián Yatra takes over Madrid

• The Colombian superstar headlines the festival with a free concert at Plaza de España. Join thousands of people singing Tacones Rojos, Vagabundo, Traicionera (songs I don’t personally know but I hear are pretty kewl). This is probably the weekend’s biggest musical attraction, so don’t arrive five minutes before the show.

Sunday: Marta Sánchez celebrates 40 years of pop!

• One of Spain’s biggest pop divas takes over Plaza de España for another free concert, celebrating four decades in the music business. Her playlist is basically a crash course in Spanish pop history. And yes, you’ll probably hear Desesperada.

Monday: Happy National Day!

• The festival concludes on Día de la Hispanidad, with celebrations across the capital. Besides the military parade (see above), check the festival’s final-day program for additional concerts, exhibitions, and cultural activities.

And there’s more than enough to keep you busy between concerts. Madrid’s municipal markets, including Barceló, La Cebada, Antón Martín, and San Isidro, are joining the celebrations with food tastings, live music, and folkloric performances.

• Meanwhile, the festival’s broader program includes Mexican gastronomy at Ágave y Maíz, jazz, Afro-Cuban funk, flamenco, and plenty of Latin American music. Check the official schedule before heading out.

Our advice? Yatra on Saturday, Marta Sánchez on Sunday, and a little food and culture in between.

🎉 What: Hispanidad 2026

📍 Where: Plaza de España and multiple venues across Madrid and the region

📅 When: Oct. 9-12

🎟️ Tickets: Free for both headline concerts.

3. 🎨 What do flamenco, colonialism, and an Argentine beer have in common?

Quite a lot, apparently. And a new exhibition in Madrid is here to explain why.

Continentes como semillas (Continents Like Seeds) brings together three artists: Argentina’s La Chola Poblete and Spain’s Niño de Elche and Pedro G. Romero, to explore how centuries of colonialism (kinda topical this weekend) continue to shape our identities, traditions, and even the objects we consider part of our national cultures. Sounds a little academic? Bear with us. There’s some genuinely fascinating history here. Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Flamenco has traveled more than you think. Experimental flamenco singer Niño de Elche and artist Pedro G. Romero trace the surprising connections between Spain, Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Samoa. Their work follows the colonial trade routes of the Manila Galleons, which connected Asia, the Americas, and Europe for more than 200 years. Expect music, sound installations, and some unexpected cultural connections.

• Meet La Chola Poblete. The Argentine artist explores how colonialism, religion, capitalism, and gender have shaped Latin American identities. Her drawings bring together the Virgin Mary, Pachamama (the Andean earth deity), Che Guevara, trans identities, and even the logo of Quilmes beer (Argentina’s Budweiser). It’s a provocative mix of sacred imagery, popular culture, and political commentary.

• Art that doesn’t give you easy answers. Through sculpture, drawings, sound, and performance, the exhibition challenges our assumptions about cultural ownership. Who gets to claim a tradition as their own? What happens when something travels across continents and becomes part of another culture? And how much of what we call Spanish actually came from somewhere else?

Our favorite part? The exhibition is also about how people adapted, resisted, and reinvented the cultures they inherited. And if you’ve ever wondered how a Chinese shawl became a flamenco essential, well, now you’ve got a reason to visit.

🎨 What: Continentes como semillas

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

📅 When: Check website for exhibition dates and opening hours

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission

4. 🎉 Fiestas de El Pilar: Free concerts, fireworks, and five days of partying in a neighborhood you’ve never been to

Grab your map, people! We’re going on an adventure to… El Pilar! For those of you who suck at exploring (unlike Chris Columbus), El Pilar is a neighborhood in northern Madrid (close to IE University), and this weekend it’s celebrating its annual neighborhood festival with free concerts, DJs, carnival rides, and probably alcohol, but you didn’t hear that from us.

Most of the action takes place around Parque de la Vaguada (look it up!), and the lineup is pretty impressive for a neighborhood party.

Here’s what’s happening this weekend:

• Friday: Spanish pop-rock band Despistaos (you don’t know them) performs at 10 p.m., followed by DJ Nano (you also don’t know him) at 11:45 p.m. Perfect if you’re in the mood for a Friday night out.

• Saturday: It’s Children’s Day, with circus shows, climbing walls, go-karts, and games. At night, there’s an Extremoduro (yup, you also don’t know them) tribute at 9 p.m. and Demarco Flamenco at 11:30 p.m. Skip this one if you hate children.

• Sunday: The festival’s Noche Joven brings Soge Culebra (10 p.m.) and Hermanos Martínez (11:15 p.m.), followed by a DJ session. Honestly, I don’t know any of these people.

• Monday: Celebrate Spain’s National Day with Latin American music and dance from 11:30 a.m., catch Tamara and Francisco at 8 p.m., and enjoy the fireworks finale at 10 p.m. in Parque de la Alcazaba. Well… great.

Our advice? Come for the food, stay for the neighborhood atmosphere, and don’t miss Monday’s fireworks!

🎉 What: Fiestas del Barrio del Pilar 2026

📍 Where: Parque de la Vaguada and surrounding venues, Madrid

📅 When: Oct. 8–12

🎟️ Tickets: Free concerts and main festivities

5. 🎭 Verborrea: Punk rebellion meets Madrid’s housing market.

What happens when punk rockers grow old? That’s the premise of Verborrea, a new play making its premiere at Madrid’s Nave 10 Matadero (as the spawn of former rock singers myself, I know the answer to that question and trust me, that wasn’t my experience).

• Written and directed by acclaimed Spanish playwright Pablo Remón, the production stars Javier Cámara (one of Spain’s best actors), Israel Elejalde, Marta Nieto, and Emilio Tomé, and takes us back to the glory days of a fictional 1980s punk band whose surviving members haven’t exactly aged gracefully.

• Segismundo Tóxico, the band’s former singer, now lives in a rundown house in the mountains north of Madrid. He makes ends meet selling badges outside Taylor Swift concerts and dealing small amounts of drugs.

• Meanwhile, his family wants him out so they can renovate the property and turn it into an Airbnb (in this political climate? That’s adventurous).

Beneath the humor, Verborrea explores something more universal: growing older and watching your dreams slip away.

Our advice? If you enjoy sharp Spanish theater with dark humor and a little social commentary, this one’s worth checking out.

🎭 What: Verborrea

📍 Where: Nave 10 Matadero, Paseo de la Chopera 14, Madrid

📅 When: Through Nov. 1 (Tuesday–Sunday)

🎟️ Tickets: €15.75

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

📺 TV Series: The Castle (El Castillo) | 2026

📍Where to watch: Movistar+

❓What’s it about: Liesa is a young inspector working for Spain’s police unit specializing in immigration and human trafficking. With his partner, he begins investigating suspicious changes in brothels across Spain. They soon uncover a network run by a criminal group involved in the sexual exploitation of foreign women.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it takes a disturbing look at Spain's sex trafficking industry through the eyes of a Colombian woman trapped in prostitution, a ruthless pimp, and a police inspector trying to bring down the operation. Starring Raúl Arévalo and Omar Ayuso, it's been praised as one of the year's best Spanish series, particularly for its almost documentary-like realism and its refusal to sensationalize violence or sexual exploitation.

💬 English Subtitles: No.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

☕ Copenhagen, New York, Madrid: La Cabra has arrived!

What’s it about? La Cabra is the Danish specialty coffee brand that’s made a name for itself in Copenhagen, New York, and beyond, and is opening its first Madrid location today right in the heart of Chueca.

Why you should go: Because La Cabra takes its beans seriously, offering everything from expertly prepared espresso drinks to seasonal coffees brewed by hand.

Bottom line: Madrid's specialty coffee scene just got another international heavyweight.

📍 Address: Calle de las Infantas 25, Madrid

🍳 Caja de Huevos: Madrid's new restaurant is putting all its eggs in one basket

What’s it about: Remember Caja de Cerillas, the Chamberí restaurant that's become one of Madrid's hardest tables to book? Well, its creator, Enrique Valentí, has opened a new spot in Chueca, and this time he's putting eggs at the center of everything.

Why you should go: Because the menu features six variations, including eggs with Iberian ham, chistorra sausage, eggplant and tomato, and even a carbonara-inspired version with guanciale and pecorino. Feeling extravagant? There's also lobster or imperial caviar. Prices range from €18 to €100, depending on how fancy you're feeling.

Bottom line: Come hungry, bring someone to share with, and prepare to reconsider everything you thought you knew about fried eggs.

Address: Calle del Pelayo, 35, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Videos of the Week

🤴🏻King Felipe VI tries to speak Finnish while Queen Letizia judges his performance in silence

🌧️ The rain in Spain can ruin your trip… or not!

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!

If you’re not following us on Instagram 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 you know it’s October when the military planes start rehearsing for the National Day military parade over Madrid on Oct. 12, but for a split second, the first time you hear them, you think the Russians are finally at it.

• No rest for the angry. This week has been an emotional rollercoaster. Between the exhaustion caused by protesting/camping at Puerta del Sol and the existential anguish caused by La Bola Negra, it really feels like we need a break.

• We have options. Yes, Guitarricadelafuente and Evanescence (Google it, kids!) are performing in Madrid this weekend, but tickets are sold out 😪. Maybe there are still tickets available for Shakira?

If that still doesn’t work for you, I have a few interesting options.

Happy weekend!

1. 🎷Madrid's biggest jazz festival is back (please don’t do jazz hands)

Does Gen Z like jazz? It’s one of those things I’m not really clear about. You know, like Uggs. Is it ironic consumption? Do they genuinely like it? Or is it cheugy? (Google it, boomers). Whatever the case may be, I think jazz is pretty cool (I even dabbled in it when my mother, a jazz singer, invited me for a duet. Fortunately, I didn’t quit my day job).

But I digress. If you like jazz, clear your calendar for the next two months! JAZZMADRID returns today, bringing some of the biggest names in international jazz to venues across the capital for nearly two months of concerts.

• The lineup is pretty amazing. Cécile McLorin Salvant, Paquito D’Rivera, Kenny Barron, Chris Potter, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Al Di Meola, Ibrahim Maalouf, Samara Joy, Lizz Wright and Richard Bona are among the dozens of international artists heading to Madrid, alongside a strong Spanish contingent including Rita Payés, Andrea Motis and Moisés P. Sánchez. All people you should know (and probably don’t because you’re more focused on Taylor Swift’s new ringtone song).

• Happy 100th, Miles and Trane. This year marks the centenary of the births of both Miles Davis and John Coltrane (Google them, kids!), so naturally JAZZMADRID is going big on both. Several concerts will reinterpret their music, including Emmet Cohen’s Miles & Coltrane at 100, James Carter’s Trane: A Centennial Supreme and Emma-Jean Thackray’s Dear Miles: A Love Letter.

• And it’s taking over the city. The main program spreads across Fernán Gómez, CentroCentro and Condeduque, but partner programs bring jazz to the Círculo de Bellas Artes, Teatro Albéniz, clubs, cultural centers and neighborhoods across Madrid.

Translation: If you want to know the real meaning of “farming aura” (Google it, boomers!), grab a glass of wine and head over to a jazz club.

🎷 What: JAZZMADRID 2026: Madrid International Jazz Festival

📍 Where: Multiple venues across Madrid

📅 When: Oct. 2 to Nov. 30

🎟️ Tickets: Check website.

2. 🎨 Cruza Carabanchel 2026: Get out of downtown Madrid, cross the river, and discover Carabanchel

If you think you’re cool because you and your friends go to brunch in Malasaña on a Saturday morning, think again. You are, like, basically sheeple. Real cool people cross the Manzanares River and go for some bitter torrefacto in Carabanchel, Madrid’s up-and-coming, artsy neighborhood that is claiming its own identity and rejecting the snobbish trend of comparing every grungy neighborhood to SoHo. So we’ll call it, I don’t know, Madrid’s Bushwick.

• As it fights gentrification and asks for it to be called Carabanchel, Madrid’s Bushwick is hosting the fourth edition of Cruza Carabanchel, which (seriously now) turns one of the city’s most interesting creative districts into a giant, neighborhood-wide cultural festival through Sunday.

• Basically, Carabanchel is the venue. Rather than concentrating everything in one place, the festival spreads exhibitions, theater, dance, concerts, literary events, workshops, and meetups across cultural spaces throughout the district. It’s a fantastic opportunity for you to see it, fall in love with it, buy an apartment there, and bring up property value so the people who have been living there their entire lives have to move somewhere else.

• Anyway, it’s fun! More than 100 established and emerging artists are taking part, with a program spanning visual arts and design, performing arts, crafts, literature, and music.

• And that’s sort of the point. The festival is organized by Carabanchel Distrito Cultural, a community of local artists, collectives, cultural organizations, and residents trying to put the neighborhood’s increasingly vibrant creative scene on Madrid’s cultural map.

• Our advice? Wander. Pick a couple of things from the program that look interesting and use them as an excuse to explore the neighborhood.

Also, don’t buy property there.

🎨 What: Cruza Carabanchel Cultural Festival

📍 Where: Various venues across Carabanchel

📅 When: Through Oct. 4

🎟️ Tickets: Free, but check website for individual activities

3. 💃 Nascencia: Fall down, get up, flamenco

If this week has left you feeling emotionally battered (you know it has), here’s some interpretive dance for that. Madrid’s Spanish Ballet is premiering a new show at Teatros del Canal about something we could probably all use right now: picking yourself up after everything goes to shit hell.

• From darkness to light. Conceived as a contemporary Spanish dance suite, the show follows a journey from pain and adversity to rebuilding and rebirth, combining Spanish folk traditions, flamenco, and contemporary dance.

• The drama. Live flamenco music accompanies the dancers, while lighting and color transform along with them as the piece moves from darkness toward something considerably more hopeful.

• They’re the new kids on the block (not the quintuagenery boy band, of course). The Ballet Español de la Comunidad de Madrid was only created in 2024, with the mission of keeping traditional forms like flamenco, escuela bolera, folklore, and stylized Spanish dance alive while also dragging them into the 21st century.

Anyway, whenever there’s a flamenco show that’s not a tourist trap, I like to mention it. This is one of those.

💃 What: Ballet Español de la Comunidad de Madrid

📍 Where: Teatros del Canal, Calle de Cea Bermúdez 1, Madrid

📅 When: Through Oct. 4

🎟️ Tickets start at €9

4. 👑 Cayetana, Grande de España: Inside the fabulous life of Spain’s most famous duchess

Yes, yes. I am aware. There are hundreds of tents at the Puerta del Sol, and people are rightfully angry. But as Dickens would say, it is the best of times, it is the worst of times. So why not take a break and go check out the lifestyle of one of Spain’s most talked-about aristocrats (and maybe get angrier while you’re at it)?

• No, I’m not talking about Belén Esteban (not this time, at least). I am talking about the iconic socialite and diosa total Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba, whose real name was María del Rosario Cayetana Paloma Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Fernanda Teresa Francisca de Paula Lourdes Antonia Josefa Fausta Rita Castor Dorotea Santa Esperanza Fitz-James Stuart y Silva. And no, I am not kidding.

• Just call her Cayetana. This new exhibition at the beautiful Palacio de Liria (unlike you, she was actually born there) celebrates her centenary by bringing together more than 200 objects, including works of art, haute couture dresses (obviously), photographs, personal letters and possessions, to tell the story of the duchess as patron, collector, painter, opera lover, animal advocate and custodian of the Alba family’s ridiculous artistic inheritance. She was also a Cayetana before it was synonymous with Spain’s young conservative movement (and covered by the NYT).

• And then there’s the house. The Madrid edition adds a section marking 70 years since the reconstruction of the Palacio de Liria. The palace was bombed and looted during the Civil War in 1936, leaving little more than its four façades standing. Cayetana and her first husband, Luis Martínez de Irujo, eventually completed the enormous reconstruction project begun by her father.

The exhibition has been designed specifically around the rooms of Cayetana’s former Madrid residence, so you’re essentially exploring her bougie life inside the place where much of it actually happened.

👑 What: Cayetana. Grande de España

📍 Where: Palacio de Liria, Calle de la Princesa, 20, Madrid

📅 When: Through Jan. 31

🎟️ Tickets start at €20 (you plebs thought it was free? Har, har. Peasants).

5. 📸 A matter of taste: See the world through Martin Parr’s wonderful (and weird) eyes

If you still need a dose of non-Spanish costumbrismo (Google it, foreigners), we’ve got an interesting option. And that’s because nobody photographed ordinary people quite like the legendary British photographer Martin Parr.

• He turned crowded beaches, cheap souvenirs, Kardashian-style tans, questionable fashion choices (not to be repetitive but aka Kardashian fashion), and the general weirdness of modern consumer life into an art form, usually with ridiculously saturated colors and an unforgiving flash worthy of making it to the cover of Vice.

• Now Madrid gets a taste. At Galería Marc Bibiloni, this exhibit brings together some of Parr’s most recognizable work, including images from The Last Resort, his unflattering portrait of 1980s British seaside life (pretty much Magaluf in 2026), and Common Sense, his close-up catalog of mass consumption: fast food, jewelry, painted nails and possible carcinoma sunburned skin.

• Another section explores his unlikely relationship with the fashion world. Parr freely admitted he knew basically nothing about designer labels, which may explain why his fashion photography looks so unmistakable. Instead of glamour, you get fur coats, bouffant hair and wrinkles (which is way more fun).

• Bittersweet timing. Parr died last December, making the exhibition an opportunity to revisit the unique visual language he left behind.

Spend enough time with his photographs, and you’ll start seeing Parr pictures everywhere: on the beach, at the supermarket, even in the mirror (I speak from experience).

📸 What: Martin Parr: A Matter of Taste

📍 Where: Galería Marc Bibiloni, Divino Vallés 12, Madrid

📅 When: Through Oct. 28

🎟️ Tickets: Free. Check website.

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

📺 Mini Series: Veneno | 2020

📍Where to watch: Netflix

❓What’s it about: A biographical story of Spanish TV personality and transgender icon La Veneno and those who surrounded her during the 90s and the 00s. Directed by Los Javis, it’s probably one of the best miniseries of this decade. You will laugh, and you will cry (a lot).

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s one of the best ways to understand a very particular piece of modern Spanish culture. It’s about queer and trans life before Spain became one of Europe’s most LGBTQ-friendly countries, exploitation, aging, and the difference between being seen and actually being accepted. It’s funny, filthy, campy and devastating.

💬 English Subtitles: No. But you’ll need the Spanish subtitles.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🥩 Meet your meat at Afuego

What’s it about? Upstairs at Mercado de Chamartín, Afuego is basically what happens when a serious butcher shop and a steakhouse decide to move in together. This place specializes in Spanish and international beef, with cuts ranging from ribeye to porterhouse.

Why you should go: Because choosing the meat is part of the experience. The team will walk you through the different cuts, breeds, and origins and help you figure out what you actually want before it hits the grill.

Bottom line: Come pick a beautiful piece of cow and let people who know considerably more about meat than you do take it from there.

📍 Address: Mercado de Chamartín, Calle de Bolivia 9, Madrid

☕ Círculo Coffee Studio: A little taste of Panama in Madrid

What’s it about: Círculo Coffee Studio is a specialty coffee shop built around Panamanian coffee, bringing carefully selected beans from Panama to Madrid. But the idea goes beyond caffeine: the space mixes coffee with art, culture, and music.

Why you should go: Panama produces some of the world's most sought-after specialty coffee, and Círculo wants you to actually notice what you're drinking rather than mindlessly inhaling an espresso on your way to work.

Bottom line: Come get your caffeine fix and leave knowing considerably more about Panamanian coffee than you did when you walked in.

Address: Calle de las Infantas 30, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Videos of the Week

🤩 This dude in San Sebastián casually running into Brad Pitt while jogging

🏀 Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez making big shots with NYC mayor Zoran Mamdani

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!

If you’re not following us on Instagram 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.

Become a paid or free subscriber

Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend

It’s Friday again!

And there’s no easy way to say this — fall (aka “autumn”) is here, and the dewy, sweet mornings of summer are now nothing more than a quasi-tactile memory.

• Welcome to another year of La Rentrée, a chicer, more French way of saying “la vuelta al cole” (aka back to school). Just like Satan, it’s got many names. And local bars and nightclubs struggle to find one that doesn’t convey the depression of summer’s ending. “Welcome Back Party!” or “Return to the City!” parties are everywhere to be seen. As if using English and exclamation marks made it less painful.

• Gone are the days of hanging out with your friends at Cibeles until dawn while singing Superestrella, or waking up to the foamy white noise of the Mediterranean splashing against the rocks below your rental apartment’s balcony. That gem of a gelato place by the beach you discovered with your friends? Gone forever (or at least until next summer).

• Face it, friend. The maladies of leading an adult life have finally caught up with us once more, and we march back towards Madrid not sad because it’s over, but joyous because it happened (especially before the rise of the AI overlords that will kill us all).

Anyway, happy weekend! (And welcome back!)

1. 🎭 Manon Lescaut: Watch Puccini ruin everyone’s life (beautifully)

Now that we’re all back to the good old routine, we may need some cathartic experience that feels like letting out a long, horrific internal scream. So why not check out the opera? It’s high-brow, and it makes you look like an intellectual in front of your date.

• Hear me out! There’s doomed romance, really bad decisions, and people singing very loudly (pretty much your summer 2026 experience). Puccini’s Manon Lescaut has returned to Madrid’s opera house for the first time in 102 years, opening the Teatro Real’s new season.

• This was the opera that made Puccini a star. His third opera and first major success follows Manon, a young French woman being sent to a convent who instead falls for the dashing Des Grieux and runs away with him to Paris. Unfortunately, love is nice, but poverty is not, and Manon eventually leaves him for the considerably richer Geronte. Things do not improve from there. (See? Never choose money over love.)

• The new production puts Manon on a literal merry-go-round. The action unfolds around a rotating carousel-like structure that transforms into a bar, prison, and other settings, turning her increasingly disastrous choices into an endless cycle she can’t escape.

The whole thing is in Italian (with Spanish and English subtitles), but honestly, who cares. It’s the opera.

🎭 What: Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini

📍 Where: Teatro Real, Plaza de Isabel II, Madrid

📅 When: Through Oct. 11, check website for hours.

🎟️ Tickets start at €19

2. 🎨 Estampa Contemporary Art Fair 2026: Pretend you’re a rich art collector for the afternoon

If Madrid Fashion Week left you wanting to stand around another enormous IFEMA pavilion looking sophisticated, we have good news: Estampa Contemporary Art Fair is back this weekend, bringing dozens of galleries and a frankly dangerous amount of art you may suddenly decide to buy even though your €3.99/month Revolut card just can’t take it anymore.

• Estampa is one of Madrid’s big contemporary-art market events, bringing together established Spanish galleries including Max Estrella, Espacio Mínimo, Cayón and VETA alongside younger galleries and emerging spaces from across Spain and abroad.

• This year’s guest artist is Esther Ferrer, one of the pioneers of performance and conceptual art in Spain. The 89-year-old artist (whose work spans performance, photography, collage, drawing and sound) will present her latest project at the fair.

• Don’t worry if you’re not actually buying anything. Beyond browsing gallery stands, Estampa includes talks, debates, curated sections and Ensayo Futuro, a program dedicated to emerging galleries and experimental spaces.

• But people definitely are buying. The number of artists whose work sold at Estampa nearly doubled between 2017 and 2025, from 120 to 233. So maybe practice thoughtfully staring at something before whispering, “Interesting use of space.”

And remember, you don’t need to understand contemporary art. Just tilt your head slightly and say, “This piece interrogates the liminal space between materiality and absence, while simultaneously destabilizing our relationship with the object as object,” or something like that.

🖼️ What: Estampa Contemporary Art Fair - 34th edition

📍 Where: Pavilion 5, IFEMA, Avenida del Partenón 5, Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 24–27. Check website for opening hours.

🎟️ Tickets start at €22

3. 🇯🇵 Spend the weekend in Japan without leaving Madrid

If you are interested in anime, manga, Pokémon, video games, or dressing up as, say, Punie Tanaka (Google her, kids!), Japan Weekend is back. The massive and extremely popular celebration of Japanese pop culture returns this weekend.

If you don’t speak Japanese, please know that うちらと一緒には座れないよ。!

• Anyway, a LOT is going on. There will be cosplay competitions, concerts, workshops, video games, board games, artists, creators, and stalls filled with handmade goods and tons of merch (prepare your wallet, peasant).

• Pokémon trainers get their own playground. The dedicated Pokémon Zone will host several official tournaments, so this is your opportunity to put all those hours you spent catching imaginary creatures in your late 30s to good use.

• Cosplay is serious business here. Competitions range from the Japan Weekend Cosplay Show and International Cosplay League to a cosplay catwalk, children’s competition, and the Japan Weekend Idol Festival. There’s also karaoke and an Asian Cover Dance competition for K-pop and J-pop. Too late for you to rehearse, probably. But you get to watch.

• And Love Live! fans have a particularly good reason to go. Sayuri Date, Nako Misaki, and Nagisa Aoyama from Liella!, the school-idol group at the center of Love Live! Superstar!!, will perform live. (If you need to read that line again to understand what the hell I’m talking about, that makes two of us).

Understand even half the words in this recommendation? You should definitely go to this.

🎌 What: Japan Weekend Madrid

📍 Where: Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Av. de Luis Aragonés, 4, Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 26–27. Check website for opening hours.

🎟️ Tickets start at €27

4. 💿 Dig for vinyl treasure at the International Record Fair

Now that it’s clear we’re navigating late-stage capitalism in which The Man expects you to own nothing and be happy (looking at you, Sony 😡), there’s never been a better time to give the middle finger to the digital era by buying physical media. Records, CDs, books, DVDs… even newspapers. Buy them. Buy them all. At least you know they’re yours forever and can’t be taken away.

• Are you tired of streaming services and the intangibility of their products? I have a great suggestion — spend the weekend buying music you can actually hold in your hand.

• Madrid’s International Record Fair returns to Casa de Campo for its 29th edition, bringing together record stores and specialist dealers from Spain, the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and beyond.

• Yes, I will be there on Saturday morning. As a physical enthusiast, I’ve got my ticket ready. Vinyl is properly booming again: 2.18m records were sold in Spain last year, accounting for around 70% of the country’s physical music market. We’re back, baby!

• There’ll be plenty to dig through. Around 130–140 exhibitors will be selling thousands of records, including first pressings, rarities and special editions, alongside CDs, cassettes, books and music memorabilia. (I am building my collection of original James Bond soundtracks, so if you come across a copy of the 1985 A View to a Kill LP, please let me know.)

• You can make a whole afternoon of it. There’ll also be DJs and live music throughout the weekend, including Natal Pride and Whitehole (the names sound bad, but the bands are good) on Saturday, plus an Elvis tribute and Trago Mortal on Sunday.

Come over and leave three hours later carrying a tote bag full of albums (and realizing you now need a turntable to play them).

💿 What: Feria Internacional del Disco de Madrid (29th edition)

📍 Where: Recinto Ferial de la Casa de Campo, Avenida de Portugal 1, Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 26 & 27. Check website for opening hours.

🎟️ Tickets start at €6,15

5. 📚 Now go relic hunting at the Autumn Fair of Old and Antique Books

Apparently, this is the weekend to rebel against digital media altogether. Now that you’ve got your vinyl, we’re sending you to Paseo de Recoletos, where Madrid’s annual Autumn Fair of Old and Antique Books returns for its 36th edition.

• This thing is basically one enormous outdoor secondhand bookstore. More than 30 booksellers from Madrid and across Spain will set up stalls containing over half a million books (that’s right), with prices starting at just €1.

• And “old books” covers quite a spectrum. You can rummage through cheap secondhand finds or go hunting for genuinely rare editions that have survived for centuries. Trust me, they will look amazing on your bookshelf. So much better than those Paulo Coelho books (if you go on a date with someone who reads them, run 🚩).

• The fair has been around since 1989, when the booksellers’ association LIBRIS began organizing it with Madrid City Hall. This year’s sellers are coming from as far afield as Bilbao, Barcelona, Valencia, Salamanca and Huesca.

• Even the poster is worth checking out. Madrid illustrator Fernando Vicente created this year’s artwork (see above), featuring a woman reading a first edition of Don Quixote with a Tower of Babel made from books rising from her head.

Your Kindle can’t make your apartment smell like a 200-year-old library. Buy a damn book (and read it too).

📚 What: 36th Feria de Otoño del Libro Viejo y Antiguo

📍 Where: Paseo de Recoletos, Madrid

📅 When: Through Oct. 12

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission.

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

📺 Mini Series: The Final Problem (El Problema Final) | 2025

📍Where to watch: Netflix

❓What’s it about: In 1959, 13 people are stranded on an islet near Mallorca during a storm. At their small hotel, English tourist Elisa Mander is found dead. When suicide seems unlikely, retired actor Basil, who once played Sherlock Holmes on screen, decides to investigate.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because if you like old-school murder mysteries, this is basically catnip. This four-part adaptation of Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s novel features José Coronado alongside Maribel Verdú and María Valverde. It’s “And Then There Were None” meets “Knives Out” with great period costumes and Hitchcockian touches. A must-watch.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

☕ Café Libre: Escape Gran Vía without actually leaving it

What’s it about? Café Libre is a café just off the chaos of Gran Vía, built around the very Spanish tradition of the tertulia: sitting around over coffee, reading and talking. Mornings mean espresso and pastries; later in the day, coffee gives way to wine, vermouth and small plates of Spanish delicacies.

Why you should go: Because finding somewhere around Gran Vía where you actually want to linger can be surprisingly difficult. Café Libre is designed as a little refuge from the crowds; somewhere equally suited to reading alone, meeting a friend for coffee, or transitioning seamlessly from afternoon caffeine to evening vermouth.

Bottom line: A stylish little pause button in one of Madrid’s busiest neighborhoods. Come for coffee, bring a book, and see how long it takes before you accidentally order a vermouth.

📍 Address: Calle de Gran Vía 11, Madrid.

🍕 Pizza Pagana: Get thee to a pizzeria

What’s it about: The chefs behind Insurgente have opened Pizza Pagana, a new pizza spot inside Mercado de San Leopoldo near Plaza Castilla. Genaro Celia and Agustín Mikielievich are working with homemade dough fermented for 72 hours, their own sauces, and a menu that mixes classics with considerably less orthodox creations.

Why you should go: Because this isn’t just another market stall selling slices. The pizzas play around with unexpected flavors and textures, while the menu also sneaks in empanadillas.

Bottom line: Long-fermented dough, creative toppings, and chocotorta. Consider us converted to paganism.

Address: Calle de San Leopoldo, 8, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Videos of the Week

🫣 Watch the moment World Cup star Ferrán Torres dies inside after being forced to experience the “Oh Ferrán!” meme live

💀 Whoopsie! Technical glitch at La Oreja de Van Gogh concert leaves Amaia Montero stuck on a platform beneath the stage

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!

If you’re not following us on Instagram 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 if you’re looking for a palate cleanser after last week’s insipid F1 race, have we got options for you!

• Yes, I understand your frustration. After all, paying €3,000 just to see a couple of cars driving around for a few hours (and by “see,” I mean sensing a colorful blur pass you by a few times for a fraction of a second) is probably not what you had in mind when you decided to spend a significant fraction of your monthly income on it.

• Fear not, peasant! The Bubble is here with more suggestions so you can keep throwing away your money (although this time the experiences should hopefully be more fulfilling).

• First of all, Shakira is in town for her Madrid Europe residency, and her first concert is today. Hurray! (If you have tickets). You also have multiple dance parties, plays, exhibits, and stuff that will leave you exhausted but happy (and poor). Come join us on our lofty quest for infinite hedonism as we bid adieu to the summer of 2026.

Happy weekend!

1. 👠 Madrid Fashion Week is back this weekend

You may have noticed an unusual concentration of extremely well-dressed people wandering around the city this week. That’s because this thing called Madrid Fashion Week is underway, with more than 60 designers, 45 runway shows, exhibitions, performances, and parties turning the city into Europe’s fashion capital through Saturday.

• The main event is Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid (a mouthful), which runs through Sept. 19 and showcases the Spring/Summer 2026–27 collections. And this year, organizers are making a bigger effort to take Fashion Week beyond the traditional IFEMA runway.

But wait… Now you don’t have to go to IFEMA to hang out with top models who barely acknowledge your existence or look at clothes you’ll never wear, even if you had the money to buy them, because… fashion is coming downtown! It’s all part of Madrid’s Semana de la Moda, with shows and events spreading into unusual locations around the city.

• Friday belongs to the big names. Universidad Nebrija hosts Maison Mesa, Custo Barcelona, Lola Casademunt by Maite and Yolancris throughout the day, before Alvarno takes over the Galería de las Colecciones Reales at 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday is for the new kids. The final day is devoted to EGO, MBFWMadrid’s platform for emerging designers, with shows from Apolineo Studio, Biyeyemete, Cotes, Isabel Is My Name, Karla Aguilar and Miss Take at Universidad Nebrija.

And yes, Madrid would very much like to sit at the cool kids’ table. The city’s stated ambition is to strengthen its position alongside established fashion capitals like Paris, Milan, New York and London (who, like the top models do with you, also barely register Madrid’s existence).

So put on something fabulous and pretend you’re supposed to be there. If Emily from Emily in Paris can (somewhat) pull it off, so can you.

👗 What: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid + Other fashion stuff

📍 Where: IFEMA Madrid (Avenida del Partenon 5, Madrid) + venues across the city

📅 When: Through Sept. 19

🎟️ Tickets start at €95 (belonging is not cheap, peasant)

2. 🎪 Brava and Jardín de las Delicias: Two great music festivals on the same weekend

Apparently Madrid has decided one major music festival a weekend isn’t enough. So now have to pick between two. Both Brava Madrid and Jardín de las Delicias take place Friday and Saturday, which means your choice essentially comes down to this: Are you team Vengaboys, or team Viva Suecia? Choose wisely.

🌈 Brava Madrid Festival: This one’s for the gays and the gay-adjacent (i.e. allies). More than 50,000 people attended last year (it was sold out!), so the festival returns this weekend to Caja Mágica with three areas devoted to hits, pop and electronic music, plus food trucks, fashion and a general commitment from the crowds to being fabulous.

• This lineup is all over the place (and will definitely make you feel old because it’s mostly late 90s and early 00s). You’ve got live performances from the Sugababes (remember them?), Natalie Imbruglia (remember her?), Fangoria, Inna, Vengaboys (Boom, boom, boom, boom… I want you in my room!), Leire Martínez, María Peláe and Soraya, plus an electronic stage featuring Sofía Cristo and a bunch of DJs. Basically, if you want to drunkenly scream along to all these late 20th century international hits, you’ll probably be fine.

🍑 Jardín de las Delicias Festival: You always say you want to be immersed in the local culture, so here’s your chance to ditch the international names and go very, very Spanish.

• Over at the Complutense University campus, this festival is definitely going more local indie/pop-rock with Dani Martín, Viva Suecia (this song is… ❤️), Sexy Zebras, Marlon, Marlena and Inazio.

• It’s also pretty massive. Jardín sold out last year too, drawing more than 55,000 people, and mixes the concerts with visual shows, performances, food, and other activities designed to turn the university grounds into something considerably more exciting than a campus.

So there you have it: two days, two giant festivals, two completely different vibes. Both of them are amazing.

🎤 What: Brava Madrid Festival / Jardín de las Delicias Festival

📍 Where: Caja Mágica / Cantarranas Campus, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 18 & 19

🎟️ Tickets: Brava starts at €40 / Jardín de las Delicias starts at €117.95

3. 🍸 Hotel Tapa Tour: Go bar-hopping through Madrid’s fanciest hotels

You know what? Screw Fashion Week. There’s nothing better than eating and drinking on a weekend. Also, if we’re gonna be judged by pretentious people who think they are better than us, why not do it at a fancy hotel instead? At least there’s food there.

• Welcome to the Hotel Tapa Tour, an event in which Madrid’s luxury hotels remind you that you’re allowed inside even if you can’t afford to sleep there. Back for its 11th edition, it’s turning some of the capital’s fanciest hotels into stops on a very glamorous tapas crawl through Sept. 27.

• The idea is to break down the barrier between luxury hotels and the rest of us. Participating hotels serve special tapas that anyone can drop in and try without a reservation, effectively turning high-end hotel cooking into what organizers call “informal haute cuisine.”

• There are four categories to hunt down: signature croquettes, traditional Spanish tapas, fusion creations, and (because this is a civilized society) dessert tapas, with optional drink pairings at each hotel.

• And these aren’t exactly your neighborhood pensión. Last year’s lineup included the Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental Ritz, The Madrid EDITION, Rosewood Villa Magna, The Palace, JW Marriott, Gran Hotel Inglés and BLESS, among more than 20 participating hotels.

• Want to make an evening of it? Four hotels (Rosewood Villa Magna, JW Marriott, Barceló Torre de Madrid and URSO Hotel & Spa) are also offering guided in-house experiences, where you explore the hotel’s different gastronomic spaces through a four-tapa tasting menu.

Basically, it’s your opportunity to enter those places without getting rejected at the door.

🍴 What: Hotel Tapa Tour Madrid

📍 Where: Participating luxury hotels across Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 17–27

🎟️ Tickets: No general admission or reservation required; tapas and pairings are purchased individually at participating hotels.

4. 📸 Fiebre Photobook: Judge a book by its cover

You know how reading books is no longer a thing? I know, right? Who reads anymore? But if for some weird reason you feel bad about not buying books, I have the perfect answer for you.

• Fiebre Photobook Fest takes over La Casa Encendida this weekend, bringing together photographers, artists, publishers and some extremely pretty books for three days devoted entirely to the art of telling stories through photography.

• This is photobook heaven. The centerpiece is a huge fair featuring more than 130 artists, collectives, publishers, bookstores and distributors from Spain and around the world, including Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, France, China, the U.S. and the U.K.

• Mexico gets the spotlight this year, with the festival’s 13th edition paying particular attention to the country’s diverse independent publishing scene and encouraging a more emotional, intuitive approach to photography and the physical book itself.

• There’s plenty to do besides buying beautiful books you’ll be afraid to read touch. The weekend also includes workshops, exhibitions and other activities aimed at everyone from curious newcomers to professional photographers and publishers.

• And apparently photobooks are having a moment. Fiebre has built an online catalog of more than 1,200 publications, while the festival itself has grown to its largest number of participants yet.

Come and buy a coffee table book that’s not TASCHEN, please. You probably already have enough of those.

📸 What: Fiebre Photobook Fest XIII

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

📅 When: Sept. 18–20

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission to the fair

5. 🤖 L.E.V. Matadero 2026: Get weird with art and technology

If none of the previous options are your cup of tea, maybe you’re just weird. So I have the perfect event for you!

• The L.E.V. Festival returns for its eighth Madrid edition this weekend, bringing together electronic music, digital art, robots, experimental cinema and extended reality for four days devoted to what happens when humans and technology get creatively tangled up (spoiler alert: the robots kill us all)

• This isn’t just an electronic music festival. L.E.V. combines live concerts, audiovisual performances, immersive installations, stage shows and XR experiences, with artists exploring everything from artificial intelligence to virtual worlds.

• There are some pretty big names involved. The festival opened Thursday with the Spanish premiere of Last and First Men, a stage adaptation of Jóhann Jóhannsson’s experimental sci-fi film featuring Tilda Swinton’s voice, contemporary dance, 16mm film and Jóhannsson’s rather haunting music.

• Saturday gets particularly trippy. Italian duo Schnitt joins Japanese calligrapher Aoi Yamaguchi for Calligraton, turning traditional Japanese shodō calligraphy into a live audiovisual performance, while Swiss artist Milian Mori brings an electronic show filled with stroboscopic visuals.

• Sunday ends with pianos and robots. New York composer Kelly Moran performs music from Don’t Trust Mirrors, mixing prepared piano with synthesizers, before Japanese artist NAO closes things out with the Spanish premiere of THE CLUSTERs, combining dance, robotics, sound and real-time visuals.

Not a bad option for those of us who understand that the rise of the machines is now inevitable.

🤖 What: L.E.V. Matadero

📍 Where: Matadero Madrid, Plaza de Legazpi, 8

📅 When: Sept. 17–20

🎟️ Tickets: Check website

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

📺 Movie: Wolfgang | 2025

📍Where to watch: HBO Max

❓What’s it about: A struggling actor suddenly has to raise his estranged 10-year-old son, an autistic piano prodigy with an IQ of 150, after the boy’s mother dies.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it takes a potentially common premise and handles it with considerably more intelligence and restraint than the typical family comedy. Director Javier Ruiz Caldera mixes humor with genuinely complicated subjects, including grief, depression, autism, parenthood, and insecurity, while classical music gives the story much of its emotional weight.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes (movie is in Catalan)

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🍝 Florentine: La dolce vita lands on Serrano

What’s it about: Madrid has a new rooftop Italian restaurant, and this one comes with Salamanca views and a healthy dose of 1970s Italian glamour. Florentine has taken over the seventh floor of WOW Concept on Calle Serrano after opening its first Spanish location in Marbella.

Why you should go: Because the menu leans heavily into indulgent Italian crowd-pleasers: carbonara finished tableside, slow-fermented Neapolitan pizza and profiteroles covered in hot chocolate, alongside vitello tonnato, tuna tartare and a spicy nduja-and-stracciatella pizza.

Bottom line: At around €50 per person, Florentine isn't cheap, but neither is pretending you’re spending the evening in 1970s Milan.

📍 Address: Calle de Serrano 52, Madrid.

☕ Lhardy gets a sequel (yup, we’re splurging this week)

What’s it about: After 187 years in a single location, Madrid institution Lhardy has opened a second outpost on Calle de Velázquez, beneath the Wellington Hotel. Lhardy Café is a more casual, all-day version of the 1839 original, open from breakfast through late-night drinks.

Why you should go: The café mixes original Lhardy pieces with the atmosphere of an old-school European café, while bringing over classics including its consommé, croquettes and soufflé. The famous cocido, however, remains exclusive to the original.

Bottom line: A more relaxed way to experience one of Madrid’s great culinary institutions without pretending something opened in 2026 has been there since 1839.

Address: Calle de Velázquez 8, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Videos of the Week

⚫️ Watch the moment Los Javis found out their movie La Bola Negra would be representing Spain at the Oscars

🚨 Cops kick out kids watching F1 race from bridge, then stay to watch the race themselves

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!

If you’re not following us on Instagram 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 I have good news and bad news.

• The good news? Madrid’s social life is back in full force, and the city’s agenda is packed with amazing things to do, which means if you want to have fun, you no longer have to travel outside of the city to some town with a name you can’t pronounce.

• The bad news? Many of the things are related to the F1 Grand Prix. It’s OK if you like it. No one (except for me) is judging here. And to be fair, Madrid hasn’t had an F1 race in over 40 years, so if that makes you happy, go for it. You do you; I’ll be at some art gallery in Chueca appreciating homoerotic art with a glass of Rioja. Chin, chin!

Happy weekend!

1. 🏁 After four decades, Formula 1 comes roaring back to Madrid

Attention, straight men (and probably others, although mostly straight men)! For the first time in more than 40 years, Formula 1 is racing in Madrid again. From Friday through Sunday, the city is hosting the Spanish Grand Prix at MADRING, the completely new circuit built around IFEMA and Valdebebas; and this isn’t a one-off: Madrid has signed up to host the race every year through 2035.

• The new circuit is 5.47 km long, with 22 turns, and organizers say the qualifying laps will average around 213 km/h, which apparently is, like, really fast.

• Its big showpiece is La Monumental, a banked curve that’s already become the circuit’s visual trademark, for some reason. Around 110,000 people are expected for the first edition, eventually rising to more than 140,000 as MADRING expands.

• Unlike most F1 circuits, you can get there by Metro, train, or bus. Because don’t forget: even though the cheapest tickets are like €300, this is an event for the people.

• Also, here’s some good news if you’re a pleb you don’t have a ticket: Madrid has basically turned itself into one enormous F1 fan zone! Williams has taken over Callao with historic cars, professional racing simulators, games, and an F1 replica; Audi’s La Monumental experience in Plaza de Colón has original racing cars and a real Formula 1 car perched on a recreation of MADRING’s signature curve; and Alpine has brought three cars (including a full-size F1 replica) to the corner of Alcalá and Gran Vía.

• You can all finally fulfill your dreams of taking a photo in front of one of these cars while leaning on the hood, thumb up, so you can post it on Tinder and impress all the ladies who’ll ask, “Oh, wow, do you own that?” You know… like this.

• And save Puerta del Sol for after dark. Tonight and tomorrow, the Real Casa de Correos becomes the canvas for an F1-themed videomapping show from 9:30 p.m. until midnight, combining Madrid history with Formula 1 and culminating with the sport’s famous five red starting lights spreading across the façade.

There are F1 installations on Serrano too (at the TAG Heuer store), so even if you couldn’t care less who gets pole position on Saturday, Formula 1 is going to be pretty difficult to avoid this weekend.

Surrender to the power of the vroom vroom.

🏎️ What: Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix + events

📍 Where: MADRING + multiple locations around Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 11–13

🎟️ Tickets: Race tickets start at €605 (💀). Events are free.

2. 🎤 Pop superstar Aitana takes over the Movistar Arena

If you need a palate cleanser after the previous post, here’s a pretty gay recommendation to balance things out. Aitana, one of Spain’s biggest pop stars, is basically moving into the Movistar Arena this weekend and is bringing her Cuarto Azul World Tour to Madrid for four shows, giving you two chances to catch her this weekend (and another two if your weekend somehow extends into Tuesday).

• If her name rings a bell, it may be because of her megahit Superestrella, which became Spain’s unofficial anthem during the World Cup. The song got so big that, when Spain won the tournament, Aitana ended up performing it live at the Disney-esque victory celebrations in Cibeles with members of the national team dancing alongside her. Remember? It was all pretty High School Musical.

• Still don’t know her? Shame on you. Aitana first became famous as the runner-up on Operación Triunfo in 2017 and has since gone from reality-show discovery to one of Spain’s biggest female pop stars.

• Her catalog now stretches from early hits like Teléfono and Vas a quedarte through the 2000s-inspired pop-rock of 11 Razones and the dance-pop era of Alpha, including Los Ángeles and the gloriously catchy Las Babys.

• This tour is built around her fourth album, Cuarto azul, with newer tracks including Segundo intento, Superestrella (obvi), Sentimiento natural, and 6 de febrero, alongside the songs that made her famous.

The album has also picked up two Latin Grammy nominations, including Best Contemporary Pop Album. So yeah, she’s BIG. And don’t forget it.

🎤 What: Aitana - Cuarto Azul World Tour

📍 Where: Movistar Arena, Avenida de Felipe II s/n, Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 11, 12, 14 & 15

🎟️ Tickets start at €55.

3. 🖼️ Go gallery hopping across Madrid with the 17th Edition of Apertura

Oh, are car racing and bubblegum pop too low-brow for you? Worry not, my fellow ascot-wearing snob, because Madrid’s art world is finally waking up from its summer slumber (about damn time, tbh).

• More than 60 galleries across the region are opening new exhibitions simultaneously for the 17th edition of Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend, essentially turning the city into one enormous contemporary art crawl.

• Organized by Arte Madrid, the idea is refreshingly accessible. Galleries extend their opening hours and throw open their doors so you can wander in and see what’s happening in Madrid’s contemporary art scene without needing to be a collector (or pretending you understand what you’re seeing).

• And this is a genuinely big event on the international gallery circuit. Organizers say Madrid’s Gallery Weekend now ranks second only to Berlin’s in visitor numbers. (Fancy!)

• There’s more going on than simply walking into galleries. Fundación ARCO is bringing back its ARCO GalleryWalks, with guided routes connecting participating spaces around the city. There’s also an open-air sculpture exhibition at the Museo Lázaro Galdiano, alongside dozens of individual exhibitions opening across Madrid.

• This year’s edition puts a particular emphasis on Latin American art and Madrid’s growing role as a bridge between Latin American artists and the European art market, with international curators, collectors and cultural institutions descending on the city for the weekend.

In other words, it’s probably the best weekend of the year to walk into all those intimidatingly minimalist galleries you’ve passed a hundred times and never quite dared enter because the owner will probably judge you.

🖼️ What: Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend

📍 Where: Multiple locations around Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 10–13

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission

4. 🎪 Lo que el cuerpo sabe: See what the next generation of circus looks like

Wait! It’s not what you think. Forget clowns and elephants. This is circus as contemporary performance art (so it’s high-brow circus!). The Teatro Circo Price hosts the latest creation from Proyecto CRECE, bringing together young performers who have recently graduated from some of the world’s leading circus schools.

• The show still has everything you’d expect from a circus (acrobatics and balancing acts), but director Marilén Ribot mixes them with theater and dance to create something considerably more intimate. Also, no terrifying clowns.

• The premise is that our bodies can hold memories and emotions that our minds haven’t quite figured out how to express (I think my childhood trauma expresses itself through crippling anxiety, but what do I know), so the performers use everything from spectacular physical feats to tiny gestures and embraces to tell their stories (probably better than anxiety).

• And the performers really are the point here. CRECE is an international laboratory for emerging circus artists, organized by Madrid’s Escuela de Circo Carampa, which brings young graduates together for several weeks to experiment with new ways of combining circus with other performing arts.

After 17 editions, it’s become a showcase for what happens when ridiculously talented young people are given permission to rethink what a circus performance can actually be.

🎪 What: Lo Que el Cuerpo Sabe

📍 Where: Teatro Circo Price, Ronda de Atocha 35, Madrid

📅 When: Through Sept. 12

🎟️ Tickets: €14

5. 📚 Back to the Book Festival: Go book shopping with Madrid’s indie publishers

If your bookshelves somehow still have room (lol, who are we kidding, you don’t even have bookshelves), Matadero Madrid is about to make that problem go away. Back to the Book returns to Casa del Lector this weekend, bringing together independent publishers, writers and readers for three days dedicated to books that can’t be found at FNAC.

• The idea is basically an alternative, slightly more relaxed version of the traditional book fair. Independent publishers set up shop with their latest releases, but you can also spend the weekend jumping between author talks, signings, workshops, live radio and podcasts; and there will be specialty coffee and beer (what’s the point of going if not?), which seems like a perfectly reasonable way to encourage literary purchases.

• And there are some pretty big names on the program. Singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas will talk about and sign her first book, Norteña. Memorias del comienzo, this afternoon; graphic novelist Paco Roca presents his new book El viaje on Saturday.

• The weekend also features writers including Sara Torres, Mónica Ojeda, Pilar Adón, Marta Sanz, Brenda Navarro and Jente Posthuma. Most talks are free, although some offer priority access with advance registration.

The program is pretty niche, too. You can hear PUTOCHINOMARICÓN discuss hyperpop, queer utopias, and internet culture, join a tour exploring the secret history of Matadero, learn how to bind your own hardcover book, attend a talk about human creativity in the age of AI, or finish Sunday with a literary beer tasting pairing texts with three different beers (apparently that’s a thing)

📚 What: Back to the Book Festival

📍 Where: Casa del Lector, Matadero Madrid, Paseo de la Chopera 14, Madrid

📅 When: Friday to Sunday, check website for opening hours

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission

BONUS: 🍑 La tentación vive en Mad: Give in to temptation in Chueca

OK, I lied: This was the gay(ish) recommendation. If Carlos Sainz Jr. the Formula 1 cars aren’t providing quite enough eye candy this weekend, Chueca has an alternative.

• Mad is Mad gallery is saying goodbye to La tentación vive en Mad, an exhibition dedicated rather unapologetically to the beauty, sensuality and desirability of the male body.

• The show brings together seven artists from Madrid, Cádiz, Vitoria, Lisbon, New York and Ukraine, approaching the male form through painting, photography and other visual work that ranges from tender and delicate to provocative and deliberately erotic.

• The gallery’s invitation is simple: embrace your inner voyeur and stop pretending you’re only looking at the brushwork.

• Mad is Mad has been part of Chueca for 20 years, and the exhibition was originally conceived around Madrid Pride and its celebration of sexual freedom and LGBTQ+ visibility.

Saturday is your last chance to see it, with the gallery throwing a three-hour closing party before temptation officially leaves Mad.

🍑 What: La tentación vive en Mad closing party

📍 Where: Mad is Mad, Calle de Pelayo, 48, Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 12, 6–9 p.m.

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission

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

📺 TV Series: The New Years (Los Años Nuevos) | 2024

📍Where to watch: Movistar+

❓What’s it about: Oscar, stuck with a crappy medical contract, is still hooked on his ex. Ana, without a partner or a job, feels lost and plans to move away. Over the next ten years, they will have to face the passage of time and the decisions they make.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it takes a brilliantly simple idea (10 episodes, 10 New Year’s Eves across 10 years of the same relationship) and uses it to show how love changes through all the funny and occasionally devastating moments that normally get skipped over in romantic fiction. It’s Spain’s answer to Richard Linklater and probably not the series to watch with your partner if your relationship is already going through a rough patch.

💬 English Subtitles: No.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🇦🇷 Sorry, Milei! Perón Perón in Malasaña is pretty awesome

What’s it about: Perón Perón is one of Buenos Aires’ most unusual restaurant concepts. Its location in Malasaña is the first outside Argentina. The food is unapologetically Argentine (fried empanadas, choripán, stuffed provoleta, milanesas, bife de chorizo, pastel de papas and chocotorta) while the dining room goes all-in on Peronist history.

Why you should go: Because this Madrid kitchen was trained by the restaurant’s Buenos Aires chef to reproduce the original menu. Dishes have hilarious, over-the-top Peronist names like La Gloriosa and Dos Potencias se Saludan. Plus, they have malbec.

Bottom line: Proper Argentine comfort food inside what is pretty much a Peronist theme park in Malasaña.

📍 Address: Calle del Pez, 6, Malasaña, Madrid.

☕ Cuatro Cafecito: A cozy coffee shop in Chueca

What’s it about: Cuatro Cafecito is a small, family-inspired café on Calle de la Libertad built around specialty coffee, homemade sweets, and a warm, neighborhood feel. The menu keeps things simple: espresso, cortado, flat whites, flavored lattes and matcha, alongside iced drinks and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Why you should go: Because sometimes you don't need an elaborate brunch menu - you just want a good coffee and something homemade to go with it. Here, that means budín, gooey brownies and cookies, with coffee starting at €2.50 and nothing on the drinks menu going above €4.50.

Bottom line: A sweet, affordable neighborhood coffee spot in Chueca for specialty coffee, matcha and homemade treats, and another very good excuse to say cafecito instead of coffee.

Address: Calle de las Infantas 9, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

🖕Desigual’s campaign featuring Elon Musk’s estranged daughter Vivian Wilson has won the internet

😡 Angry woman confronts Raphinha, who turns out not to be Raphinha

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

It’s Friday again!

Is summer over, or are we trapped in some kind of time loop endlessly repeating the unsettling nothingness of August?

• It’s getting hard to tell. Madrid is still surprisingly empty, which, admittedly, isn’t unusual for this time of year, and the city’s cultural calendar hasn’t exactly roared back to life yet. In other words: there’s still not, like, a lot to do.

• This weekend, squeeze in one last afternoon at the pool before they close for the season, wander through the Prado and Thyssen after dark for free, travel back to the Middle Ages, or join 30+ artists at Coca-Cola Music Experience.

Happy weekend!

1. 🎤 Coca Cola Music Experience: Two days, 30+ artists and one massive end-of-summer festival

Want to send summer off with something considerably louder than a day at the pool (more on that below)? Coca-Cola Music Experience is back this weekend. The two-day festival takes over Iberdrola Music for its 16th edition, bringing together more than 30 Spanish and international artists across pop, reggaeton, urban music and electronic music.

• The lineup is pretty ridiculous. Melendi, Wisin, Dellafuente, Milo J and Dimitri Vegas are among the biggest names, joined by Omar Montes, Natalia Lacunza, Lucho RK, Ruslana, Violeta, Dei V, YSY A, Taichu, Pepe y Vizio and plenty more. (If you don’t know who these people are, you’re probably an old).

• Hosted once again by radio personality Tony Aguilar, CCME is designed as a giant pop-music celebration, mixing established stars with emerging artists, plus activities and other surprises throughout both days.

If you want to confuse your Spotify algorithm, pick this event. It includes pop, reggaeton, rap, and EDM. And with two full days of music, it’s a pretty spectacular way to close out Madrid’s summer festival season.

🖥️ What: Coca-Cola Music Experience 2026

📍 Where: Iberdrola Music, Calle Laguna Dalga, Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 4 & 5

🎟️ Tickets start at €42 (for one day)

2. 🍷 Fiesta de la Caldereta: Get drenched in wine and eat stew

Yum! Or as you’d say in Spain, ñam! If you didn’t have a chance to escape Madrid last weekend, I have another option this week that’s waaaaaay out of your comfort zone. Not only because it’s, like, far away from central Madrid, but also because it involves eating from a stew that may or may not be Soylent Green (Google it, kids!).

• Kidding! Well, I’m kidding about the Soylent Green part, because this party is taking place in Hoyo de Manzanares, a small town that’s nowhere near Malasaña.

• The town’s Fiestas Patronales are taking place this weekend in honor of its patron saint, the Virgen de la Encina. The festivities officially start today with the traditional pregón, this year delivered jointly by the Peña el Huevo and Asociación de Belenistas, which are celebrating their 30th and 25th anniversaries.

• Sunday is the real reason to make the trip. It's the Día de la Caldereta (aka Stew Day), a local tradition big enough to have been declared a Festival of Regional Tourism Interest.

• The whole day turns Hoyo into one enormous village party, beginning with pasacalles through the streets and continuing with traditional games, a bull run and a bullfighting festival.

• Then comes the caldereta itself. The day culminates with the Gran Cena, a huge communal dinner serving a traditional Spanish stew of shepherding origins, made with meat (usually lamb), vegetables, olive oil and wine, followed by a verbena where the town keeps partying into the night.

• Then there’s the wonderfully chaotic Riego del Vino (aka Wine Spraying): a tradition in which wine is sprayed over the crowd during the celebrations. (Maybe don’t wear your favorite white shirt).

If you’re afraid of venturing outside the M-30 beltway, this is definitely not for you.

🥘 What: Fiesta de la Caldereta

📍 Where: Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid

📅 When: Sept. 4–9; Día de la Caldereta on Sunday

🎟️ Tickets: Free

3. 🏰 Travel back to the Middle Ages in a walled village

You guys remember the movie Timeline? No? Figures. It was pretty bad. It’s about a bunch of students who are sent back in time to medieval France, and everyone gets killed or something. I don’t recall; I think I fell asleep watching it.

• Anyway, if you’ve always wondered what it was like for Paul Walker to get teleported there, your dream is about to come true because this weekend, Buitrago del Lozoya (one of the best-preserved historic towns in the Madrid region) turns its old center into a sprawling medieval market, with the town’s walls, castle and narrow streets providing a considerably more convincing backdrop than your average collection of tents in front of the mall.

• The XXIV Feria Medieval de Buitrago del Lozoya runs through Sunday, filling the town with artisans, food stalls, musicians, jesters, storytellers and street performers.

• There are circus and fire shows from Rithual’s, folk music from Raebellion Folk, La captura del Dragón Rojo and, after dark, Demonium, a large-scale nighttime parade that should provide some appropriately creepy medieval atmosphere.

• The fair takes over several squares, with storytelling in Plaza del Gato, food, acrobatics and fire performances around Plaza del Castillo, and games and attractions in Plaza de Picasso.

• You can also use the occasion to explore Buitrago’s medieval walls and Torre del Reloj at a reduced price, which is probably the best way to appreciate just how perfect a setting the town is for the whole thing.

If you’re complaining about the fact that this activity is also outside of Madrid, gimme a break; it’s not London’s Whitechapel in 1888.

👑 What: 24th Medieval Fair of Buitrago de Lozoya

📍 Where: Historic center of Buitrago del Lozoya, Madrid

📅 When: Through Sept. 6

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission

4. 🖼️ Two museums, one very cultured Saturday night

Why choose between the Prado and the Thyssen when you can do both? This Saturday, two of Madrid’s greatest museums are opening their doors after dark, and you can turn the whole thing into a free nighttime art crawl along the Paseo del Prado.

• Get off the TikToks and start at the Prado (which, as you know, opens late on the first Saturday of every month). There’s something undeniably cool about wandering through one of the world’s greatest museums at night, when the daytime crowds have disappeared, and Velázquez, Goya, and company suddenly feel a little more atmospheric.

• The evening combines access to selected parts of the collection with cultural activities, music and other programming, and yes, admission is completely free.

• Then walk five minutes up the Paseo del Prado to the Thyssen. Unlike the Prado, Thyssen Nights happen every Saturday, opening the museum’s temporary exhibitions for free from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

• It’s a chance to see some of the museum’s most interesting rotating shows in a much more relaxed setting, and a pretty excellent alternative to immediately surrendering your Saturday night to a crowded bar.

Hit the Prado when it opens, wander up to the Thyssen afterward, and you’ve got several hours of world-class art for precisely €0. Just arrive early: free museum nights are not exactly one of Madrid’s best-kept secrets. (The city may be empty, but there are still tourists walking around).

🏛️ What: Prado Museum at Night + Thyssen Nights

📍 Where: Museo del Prado (Paseo del Prado) + Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (Paseo del Prado, 8)

📅 When: Sept 5 (Prado 8:30–11:30 p.m. / Thyssen 9–11 p.m.)

🎟️ Tickets: Free admission

5. 🏊 One last cruise dip before Madrid closes the pools

Summer is technically still hanging on, but Madrid’s public pools are about to call it a year, so if you’re into gay cruising swimming at the Complu or any of the other cool pools, you better hurry up.

• This Sunday marks the end of the 2026 summer season for the Madrid region’s outdoor pools. Among the options are Canal de Isabel II, San Vicente de Paúl and the enormous Parque Deportivo Puerta de Hierro, where you can swim, sunbathe on the grass, gay cruise, read a book or simply lie there pretending the end of summer isn’t approaching.

• The M86 swimming center is also included among the regional facilities, although conditions and prices vary depending on the pool.

• And there’s an especially good reason to go if you’re a youth: holders of Madrid’s Carnet Joven can swim for free at several regional pools through September 6, with special discounts available at others.

• Otherwise, admission remains remarkably cheap, topping out at around €5. Same-day tickets can be purchased online or through the DeportesCM app.

So consider this your warning: you have one final weekend to squeeze some summer out of Madrid before the gates close.

🍬 What: Madrid’s regional swimming pools

📍 Where: Multiple locations around Madrid

📅 When: Through Sept. 6

🎟️ Tickets: €0–€5

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

📺 Movie: The Righteous (Los Justos) | 2026

📍Where to watch: HBO Max

❓What’s it about: The 12 members of the jury in a high-profile case against an allegedly corrupt businessman receive a letter with a shocking offer: €1 million in exchange for finding him not guilty.

🤩 Why you should watch: Because it takes the 12 Angry Men setup and gives it a cynical twist, forcing ordinary people struggling with their own problems to decide exactly how much their principles are worth. The moral dilemma doesn’t always go as deep as it could, but a mix of tension and dark humor makes the experiment worth watching. Also, Carmen Machi is in it and she’s awesome.

💬 English Subtitles: Yes.

💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…

🇱🇧 TOÓM: Lebanese comfort food that gets it right

What’s it about: TOÓM is a relaxed Lebanese deli built around the idea that food is better shared: fresh mezze, creamy hummus, falafel, grilled meats and excellent shawarma, all rooted in traditional Lebanese flavors.

Why you should go: Because the chicken shawarma is a standout, the falafel is among the best you’ll find in Madrid, and the mezze make it dangerously easy to keep ordering. There are also plenty of genuinely good vegetarian and vegan options, plus the kind of warm service that makes the whole place feel totally welcoming.

Bottom line: Authentic Lebanese food and generous sharing plates. Go with friends, order far too much, and leave happy.

📍 Address: Calle del Conde de Peñalver, 31, Madrid

☕ The Miners: Eastern Europe’s specialty coffee favorite lands in Chueca

What’s it about: The Miners, the specialty coffee chain that started in Prague, has opened its third Madrid location and first in Chueca, just off Plaza Pedro Zerolo. Yay! They offer their own specialty coffee, properly whisked matcha (iced included), and the clean, contemporary atmosphere that has helped the brand expand across Europe.

Why you should go: Because this one feels particularly well suited to its neighborhood: one block back from the chaos of Gran Vía, with Plaza Pedro Zerolo essentially serving as Chueca’s living room. And they take the coffee seriously: their head of coffee, Boris Kalinin, was recently named Czech Roasting Champion.

Bottom line: A very welcome new addition to Chueca’s coffee scene and potentially your new spot for a flat white, an iced matcha and three hours of doing absolutely nothing around Plaza Pedro Zerolo.

Address: Calle de las Infantas 9, Madrid

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

😭 Belén Esteban crying over going back to work is all of us

🎶 How was El Fin de Semana’s concert?

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok!

@thebubblecomCan anyone still afford to live in Spain? 🫠 #crisisdevivienda #vivienda #housingcrisis #migracion #spain

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🏝️ 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.

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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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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.

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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.

🇪🇸 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 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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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

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⚽️ We just had to relive it

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

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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

👨🏻‍💻 Viral Memes of the Week

🤫 Wait, how are the 90s the "good old days"?

👋 Neighbors!

🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok!

@thebubblecomTwo very different Pedro Sánchezs. Interview with political scientist Pablo Simón on The Bubble Podcast. #Spain #PedroSanchez #psoe #noticias

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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,

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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

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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.