Staying in Madrid This Weekend?

Madrid is wonderfully connected to many charming towns and villages perfect for quick excursions. Whether you are into history, nature, or leisurely strolls, here are five great ideas, each easily accessible by public transport. You will see that the tickets are very cheap… but everything we are going to suggest you is free with your transportation card!

Alcalá de Henares

A UNESCO-listed city and birthplace of Cervantes, Alcalá is ideal for wandering its historic streets and university quarter.

How to get there: Take Cercanías (Renfe, the train system) C2 or C7 from Atocha or Chamartín. Trains run every ~15 minutes  (get off at Alcalá de Henares stop, not Alcalá de Henares Universidad, which is the modern campus, not the historic one) and the journey takes about 40 minutes. Tickets cost around €3.40.

Aranjuez 

Famous for its Royal Palace and lush gardens, Aranjuez now offers an extra treat: the Museum of Royal Barges, which has just reopened after nine months of restoration. 

How to get there: Cercanías C3 from Atocha, Puerta del Sol, or Nuevos Ministerios. The trip takes about 50 minutes and costs a little over €4. 

San Lorenzo de El Escorial

Home to one of Spain’s most impressive monuments (the Monastery of El Escorial) this mountain town is perfect for culture lovers.

How to get there: Take Cercanías C3 or C8 from Atocha, Sol, or Chamartín. Trains take just over 1 hour and cost about €4. 

Alternatively, buses 661 or 664 from Moncloa reach El Escorial in about 50 minutes. Without your transportation card it would cost around 3 euros.

El Pardo

A peaceful natural escape just north of Madrid, known for its forested landscapes (there are nice and eay trials around!) and royal heritage.

How to get there: Bus N31 from Moncloa goes directly to El Pardo in about 24 minutes. You can also go to Pitis metro station and walk to El Pardo (very nice easy trails!)

Cercedilla

A gateway to the Sierra de Guadarrama, perfect for hiking, fresh air, and mountain views.

How to get there: Cercanías C8 from Madrid Chamartín to Cercedilla. The journey takes about 1 hour to 1h05. Tickets start around €5–6. 

Theater Tickets for Only 6 Euros!!!

If you want to experience one of the most important works in Spanish theatre live, now is the perfect moment. Luces de Bohemia, written by Ramón del Valle‑Inclán, is currently on stage in Madrid... and tickets (super budget-friendly tickets) are starting to sell out!

This play tells the intense, tragicomic night‑time journey of Max Estrella, a blind poet wandering through the streets of Madrid. The play criticizes social injustice, corruption, and the harsh realities of early 20th‑century Spain. All through the unique style that Valle‑Inclán created: the "esperpento", a distorted mirror of society. It’s considered one of the most important works of the 20th‑century Spanish stage.

The play is in Spanish, and that makes it a challenge for those of you who wants to practice your skills. This is exactly the kind of experience that will push you forward. Be brave. Dive in. You’ll surprise yourselves with how much you understand!

🎭 Where?

Teatro Español (Sala Principal)

Address: Calle Príncipe, 25, Madrid

Metro: Sevilla (L2), Sol (L1, L2, L3), Antón Martín (L1).

📅 Dates

From January 23 to March 7, 2026

🕖 Time

Most performances start at 19:00

💶 Price

Tickets range from €6 to €22... a great deal for a major classic! 

Official website to buy the tickets (let us know if you need any help): https://tienda.madrid-destino.com/es/teatro-espanol/luces-de-bohemia-1

⭐ Extra bonus!

And if you go and you enjoy it, on another day you can join the guided tours that some guides offer in Madrid (available in both Spanish and English), showing the key locations that appear in the play: https://venamadrid.com/tour/luces-de-bohemia/ (let us know if you need any help).

Interuniversity Friendly Soccer League

We have received and initiative created by the Student Life Department at NYU Madrid: We are excited to invite you to participate in our interuniversity friendly soccer league, created for American students in Madrid. This initiative is designed to build community, promote physical activity, encourage teamwork, and provide opportunities for cultural exchange among US universities in the city.

Please contact me, Eva (eva.garcia@auspain.com) if you are interested.

Matches will take place on Sunday evenings from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Available dates (let us know which ones would fit you better):

• Sunday, February 1, 2026
• Sunday, February 8, 2026
• Sunday, February 15, 2026
• Sunday, February 22, 2026
• Sunday, March 1, 2026
• Sunday, March 8, 2026
• Sunday, March 15, 2026
• Sunday, March 22, 2026
• Sunday, April 12, 2026

Location:

Ocio y Deporte Canal fields 

Avenida de Filipinas, s/n

Metro:Islas Filipinas (L. 7) and also Canal (L.2 y L.7, not so close, though)

Free Activities for This Weekend

Free activities for this weekend! Enjoy them!

1) Every Wednesday and Saturday, you can watch the Royal Guard’s Changing of the Guard at the Puerta del Príncipe of the Royal Palace of Madrid. In addition, on the first Wednesday of each month (except January, August, and September), the even more spectacular Solemn Changing of the Guard takes place (next ceremony scheduled for February 4, 2026), provided that official events and weather conditions allow it.

The short ceremonies, held every 30 minutes, feature two foot sentinels and two mounted sentinels accompanied by fife and drum, all wearing full dress uniforms. The Solemn Changing of the Guard is longer and includes a larger number of participants as well as additional music.

Royal Palace

Calle de Bailén s/n

Metro: Ópera (L2, L5, R), Plaza de España (L2, L3, L10).

Wednesdays and Saturdays 11:00am-2:00pm 

Free

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2) Casa de América is hosting an exhibition on the memory of Spanish Republicans who were forced into exile during the Civil War: El cuerpo errante (The Wandering Body)

The exhibition is based on research by Jorge Moreno Andrés and Julián López García, and it brings together everyday objects—many of them previously unseen—such as photographs, recipe books, and even letters sewn into bed sheets.

Casa de América

Plaza de Cibeles, 2

Banco de España (L2)

December 17, 2025 – February 14, 2026

Monday to Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturdays: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Closed on Sundays

Free

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3) Did you know that every Saturday you can enter the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza for free, until full capacity is reached, from 9 pm. to 11 pm., as part of the “Thyssen Nights” initiative?

Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza 

Paseo del Prado, 8

Metro: Banco de España (L2).

Saturdays: 9pm. to 11 pm

Free

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Welcome To Madrid!

Hello guys!

We’ve already met in person, but welcome to AU Madrid online as well! You’ve been in Madrid for a few days now and have surely explored on your own, but here are some ideas for this weekend (January 17th and 18th):

The Mercado de las Ranas (Frogs' Market) is an open-door event in which shops in the Literary Quarter open all day long on the first and third Saturday of the month. The aim is to showcase and share the neighbourhood's commercial, tourist, cultural, and gastronomic offerings. At the same time, local restaurants and bars offer numerous attractions, providing a comprehensive experience for all visitors with promotions, discounts, and special menus. This event is similar in format to other world-renowned markets such as Portobello Road or Camden Town in London, or famous New York flea markets like Hell's Kitchen or the Soho Antiques Fair & Collectibles. The market starts at No 2 Calle de Huertas, and runs all the way till Calle del Príncipe. It then continues from the corner of Calle de las Huertas and Calle del León to the corner of Calle de las Huertas and Costanilla de las Trinitarias.

Metro: Antón Martín (L1). Sol (L1, L2, L3). Estación del Arte (L1)

Saturday January 17th, 12-7:00pm

(Text from the Official Madrid Tourism website and picture from Madrid Happy People website)

 

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The Museum of Romanticism presents an original exhibition curated by Stéphany Onfray that brings together calling cards, portraits, and 19th‑century photographic objects to show how photography studios became spaces of expression and freedom for women https://www.esmadrid.com/en/whats-on/women-portrayed-museum-romanticism

 

Metro: Tribunal (L1, L10), Alonso Martínez (L4, L10, L5), Chueca (L5)
Mondays closed. Tuesdays to Saturdays 9:30am-8:30pm. Sundays 10:00am-3:00pm

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Movies night! Many of the city's cinemas screen films in their original language with Spanish subtitles. In addition, cultural institutions, headed by Filmoteca Española, are organising activities that will turn Madrid into an ideal destination for movie-goers. More information in https://www.esmadrid.com/en/films-their-original-language  or in one of our old posts: https://exploringwithauspain.blogspot.com/2024/01/a-very-special-movie-theater-in-madrid.html or https://exploringwithauspain.blogspot.com/2025/02/little-secret-plans.html

Near Plaza de España you can find a wide variety of movie theaters (though not all of them are located there, as you’ve probably noticed in the previous links) that show films in the original version. How about watching Rental Family in English with some popcorn on Friday or Saturday afternoon at Cines Renoir Princesa? Movies here are much cheaper than in the U.S.! And in some theaters, if you keep a code that appears on your ticket, your second visit can be even cheaper!

Cines Renoir Princesa: Calle de la Princesa 3 ("Plaza de los Cubos", as people call it).

Metro Plaza de España (L3 y L10)

Showtimes for that movie in particular (it is different for others): 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:35pm, 10:40pm

Photo Contest Winner 2025

Congratulations Abigail! 

 

Thank you to all fifteen students who sent in beautiful photos from their time in Madrid. 

It was lovely to see the semester through your eyes. 

Holiday cheer has entered the city

 

✅ Free / Cheap Options

1. Encendido de las luces de Navidad en Cibeles
   📅 Saturday, 22 November 2025, 19:30 LaSexta+2Diario del Ayuntamiento de Madrid+2
   📍 Plaza de Cibeles, Madrid Diario del Ayuntamiento de Madrid+1
   💶 Price: Free (public event)
   ✨ Madrid officially kicks off its Christmas season with a spectacular light-show. There will be a live performance by Pablo López, a 3D videomapping projection on the Palacio de Cibeles, and fireworks. Cadena Dial+1
   💡 Tip: Arrive early to get a good spot — it's a very popular event.

2. Naviluz – Christmas Lights Bus Tour
   📅 From 23 November (runs daily per schedule) Time Out Global+1
   📍 Starting points vary; classic Madrid Christmas route (Gran Vía, Cibeles, Alcalá…) Time Out Global
   💶 Price: Tickets sold; check Naviluz website for current fares. La Guía Go+1
   ✨ A magical 50-minute bus journey through Madrid’s most iconic illuminated streets. Great for soaking in the holiday mood without freezing your feet off.
   💡 Tip: Book in advance — seats for evening rides fill up fast.

3. Festival de Otoño 2025 – Artes Escénicas
   📅 Runs until 30 November 2025 Madrid+1
   📍 Various venues: Teatros del Canal, Conde Duque, Teatro de La Abadía, etc. IFEMA Madrid
   💶 Price: Varies by show, but there are often more affordable tickets for student / reduced categories. web.comunidad.madrid+1
   ✨ This long-running festival features international theatre, dance, music, and performance art. It’s an excellent window into Madrid’s more experimental and cutting-edge cultural scene. Comunidad de Madrid
   💡 Tip: Look for less mainstream performances — they may be cheaper and more unique.

4. Medialab Matadero
   📅 Anytime (open cultural lab) Wikipedia
   📍 Matadero Madrid, Arganzuela Wikipedia
   💶 Price: Many talks, workshops, and installations are free or donation-based
   ✨ A participatory space for art, innovation, and digital culture. Even if you just drop in, it’s a cool spot to check out what local creatives are working on.

5. Espacio Solo – Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
   📅 Open most days (check their web) Wikipedia
   📍 Calle de Alcalá / Retiro area, Madrid Wikipedia
   💶 Price: Usually modest (check current ticket prices)
   ✨ A private but very accessible contemporary art collection. It’s a calmer alternative to the big museums and great for discovering modern artists.

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💶 Paid / Special Options

1. “My Fierce Ignorant Step” – Danza Contemporánea (Festival de Otoño)
   📅 21–22 November 2025 at Teatros del Canal (Sala Roja) Teatro Madrid+1
   💶 Price: Ticketed (check Teatro Canal for pricing)
   ✨ A powerful contemporary dance piece about youth, resistance, and human connection. A visually engaging show with deep emotional resonance.

2. “HÄXAN” – Teatro Performativo (Festival de Otoño)
   📅 22–23 November 2025 at Teatro Pradillo teatroscanal.com+1
   💶 Price: Ticketed
   ✨ A theatrical performance combining witchcraft, history, and myth. Perfect for a darker, more mystical evening out.

3. “Historia de Amor” – Teatrocinema
   📅 19–20 November 2025 (so it overlaps into your weekend) at Teatro Pradillo. teatroscanal.com
   💶 Price: Ticketed
   ✨ A poetic, cinematic-style theatre piece — like a romantic film brought to life on stage. Intimate, thoughtful, and artistically rich.

4. Teatro / Danza – Otra propuesta del Festival de Otoño
   📅 Check shows between 23–26 November (the festival runs through these dates) web.comunidad.madrid
   📍 Venues: Condeduque, Teatros del Canal, etc.
   💶 Price: Varies show to show
   ✨ There are multiple theatre and dance performances during this stretch — pick one that fits your mood (political theatre, poetry + movement, experimental work).