Cheap flights to Madrid

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

If you are going to Madrid from the states then it can be a very long and expensive trip. When going on a long trip then you may want to consider the three Cs Cost, Connection and Comfort.

A good way to save money on an all around trip is to go trough a travel agent or things like Expedia and Orbit. However if you rather find cheap good flights on your own then a good airline to look at is US Airways. With US Airways a one stop flight to Madrid would cost an average of $600. Some other flights Delta has a one stop flight that is an average $700. It may seem like the most obvious chose would be US Airways however sometimes the flight can offer more adequate traveling needs.

Connection can be a big deal if you don’t want to be stuck in the airport more then once waiting for you flight. My advice is to try and book a flight that doesn’t have any stops that you would have to get off on or at best none at all. You don’t want to have to be running around an airport trying to find a plane in a mysterious place. However these flights can be a little more expensive if they don’t have any layovers.

When it is your first trip to Europe you really want to take the time to look for the right airline and flight. To start a trip with a horrible plane ride is the worst possible idea because that is a sure way to be on edge for the rest of the trip. However if you start it off with a nice flight to Madrid then you are insuring that you will not be worried about the trip home which will allow you to relax and enjoy your trip.

Along those lings comfort is something you strongly want to look at when you are booking a flight. If you are able to spend the money I would suggest taking first class. It’s a really good way to start your trip out right. In first class you have lots of room to yourself, so you don’t feel like you are on the person next to you lap. It also has luxuries that are really hard to pass up.

On the other hand if you don’t have the money to ride first class, couch has accommodations that aren’t usually with flights that stay in the United States. You have more room and a dinner that isn’t as stylish as first class. They do this because flight that are 18 to 24 hours long it can become very dull and they don’t want you leaving the plane thinking it was a bad flight.

So the most important things to look at when you are looking for an airline to fly to Madrid with is Cost, Connection, and Comfort. If these three things are good in the airline then you should have a very exciting and fun trip to Madrid. However if you aren’t satisfied with all three of these things then you should look around at some more airlines. You might even consider going through a travel agent.

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Madrid

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

Madrid is the largest city in Spain and the capital, it also the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin. The city is located in the river Manzanares right in they center of the country. Madrid is also the political center of the Spain. The current mayor has been in office since 2003; Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon is also from the center right People’s Party. Madrid is really the center of Spain, because it is the capital it is the culturally and politically important. Due to the economic output, standard of living and market size Madrid is considered a major financial center of the Iberian Peninsula. Madrid often hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major Spanish companies. It is also the headquarters of three of the world’s 100 largest businesses; Telefonica, Repsol-YPE, and Endesa.

Madrid is also well known for its fun and exciting nightlife and night clubs. The youth are known to spend their weekends parting all night long and only going home to get ready for work. In past years the more popular things for the youth to do is get together in a small group and just hang out and drink at the park or even in the streets. Yet for the last few years it has been illegal for people to just drink in the streets. So they just find an excluded area so that they don’t get caught just hanging out and drinking. The neighborhoods of Bilbao, Tribunal, Alonso Martinez or Moncloa are the most popular places for the youth to just hang out and spend some time with their friends. Chueca, the gay district has recently become a big hot spot in Madrid’s nightlife, not only for gay people but also for straight people looking for fun in the crowded clubs.

Madrid is a melting pot for food all over the peninsula. Cooks sometimes argue whether Madrid’s cuisine exists or not. However the truth is that the capital of Spain is enriched cuisine that is mixed with things from Andalusian, Gailians and Asturain or even other immigrants that settled in Madrid. Their sweet treats are things like torrijas which is a type of French toast. The torrijas are a typical springtime treat and are very popular treat for Holy Week. Other dessert like food is barquillos which is a rolled wafer, bartolillos con crema, a type of pie with custard. There is even the buñuelos which is a fritter filled with custard and whipped cream. Madrid is a very cultured place that has an exciting nightlife and lovely wide range of food. Madrid being the capital of Spain is a great place to visit with all history.

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El cocido

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

When I think about Madrid the first thing that comes to my head is a salty flavour, the flavour of Serrano Ham and Manchego cured cheese.  Next is the smell of the Cocido, bubbling in someone’s kitchen and aromatizing the whole street.  A smell that makes you want to sit at the table and enjoy the warmth and richness of this soup.

That is Madrid for me, tapas bars where you can sit and enjoy a caña (beer) and a dish of thinly sliced ham and cheese.  Madrid is also hot thick chocolate taken with churros (long sticks of fried dough) for breakfast after dancing the whole night in a disco.  But during the day, when the time for serious eating comes, nothing beats a Cocido.  This is perhaps the most representative dish of Madrid.  It is between a soup and a stew prepared mainly of chickpeas.  According to the household or availability, the vegetables and meats in the soup can vary.  It is a dish perfect for winter.

Like with most recipes, there is no ONE Cocido.  But several versions.  My favourite is Carmen Balcells Cocido for orgies, from the book Afrodita.  I go with her recipe as she assures us that this aphrodisiac soup can bring back desire even to the most tired soul! And that is exactly what you need after dancing the night away if you want to continue touring around this cosmopolitan city.

If you are in Madrid, don’t be shy and ask the locals where is the best place to go for a Cocido.  And in the early morning just follow the crowds of youngsters to the “churreria”, they know where to get the best churros and chocolate to recover from a hangover!   If you are in Madrid visiting friends, be bold, and ask the Doña to prepare a Cocido for you.  The preparation is long but Spanish Doñas take pride on their cooking and they all claim that their recipe is the best of the region.  They will be more than happy to treat you to one of their specialities.

Once you have tried the cocido, please do not try to replicate this aphrodisiac soup at home for a “special night” of unleash passion.  More than likely you will collapse exhausted in your lover’s arms after the two days preparation.  If you want a Spanish night, back at home, better take a bottle of Rioja with you as a souvenir for that special date.  After all, no one can deny the aphrodisiac effects of wine.  I especially like one called Sangre de Toro. Just the name which means Bull’s blood seems to have an invigorating effect on men!  It is a wine that goes superb with traditional Spanish meat dishes.  Back at home, just the scent of its exuberant aroma and the sensual flavour of fine spices will bring you back to Spain. When in Spain, remember that food is more than just sitting and finishing your meal in 5 minutes.  Here, eating is a way of socializing.  From stopping for a coffee in the morning before you go to work to going out in the evening for some beer and tapas just for the sake of seeing your friends, relax and plan the long night ahead which undoubtedly will finish with chocolates and churros!

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Bullfighting

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

Whenever I think about Spain, I always think about its food, all-night and all-weekend parties, Rioja wine, Flamenco and Bullfighting. It is impossible to come to Madrid and not to encounter bullfighting.  In a way, the Bull is associated with Spain and its culture.  The road to the South is still ‘decorated’ with panels of enormous bulls, anatomically correct, of course.  They used to advertise a brand of drink but now they are only decoration – A symbol of Spain.    You will see images of bulls and Toreros on the walls in the form of posters advertising the next corrida (local name for a bullfight), in T-shirts, ornaments, tourist souvenirs,… You might even see bull’s mentioned on your menu in a restaurant!

Madrid hosts the largest bullring in Spain.  It is called Plaza de Toros Las Ventas.  The Madrileños called it only, Las Ventas.  But if Las Ventas is the largest bullring, it is not the oldest, as it only dates back to 1929.  Las Ventas is considered by many to be the world centre of bullfighting and has a seating capacity of almost 25,000.  Madrid’s bullfighting season begins in March and ends in October. Bullfights are held everyday during the festivities of Madrid’s Patron Saint, San Isidro.  Otherwise, bullfights are held on Sunday.

Bullfighting is a national emblem and everybody finds their place there.  Unlike other ‘entertainments’ bullfighting is for the rich and poor.  The price for a ticket varies a lot, from 13 euros to almost 400 euros for a seat in the shade in the place of honour.  Lots of people buy season tickets and it can get very crowded and difficult to find tickets for the big names near the Corrida date.

Whether you agree or not with the idea of Bullfighting, Las Ventas is worth seeing just for its architecture.  It is built in a Neomudéjar style.  That is, it combines the Spanish style with the Islamic influence.  This plaza de Toros is also used to host music concerts and other events outside of the bullfighting season.

I must admit that I have never been fascinated by Bullfighting and always thought that it was cruel.  But when a friend invited me to see her boyfriend ‘toreando’ I could not say no to temptation and even knowing that I usually faint at the sight of a cut finger I decided to go.  I was very apprehensive, but the thought of young men in skin-tight trousers kept me going.  There is something very sexy about a torero, perhaps their graceful movements or their elegant standing?

When the Corrida day finally arrived, we were one of the first in the Plaza.  As the girlfriend of the Torero, my friend had special privileged seats on the shady side of the Plaza.  I was astounded to find that the public was composed not only of blood-thirsty men, but also of beautiful young girls, older ladies and even families with very young children!

The spectacle started with a band playing Spanish tunes like the paso doble.  The ambiance was magnificent, the sound of the band, the show of the horses and toreros parading in their colourful costumes in the ring; the sun shining still strong but low on the sky.  I was really enjoying the show.  The first bull came out and the torero played around with him.  It was fair play, elegant and distinguished until the time for the real thing arrived.  I will spare you the details, all I can say is that I could not stay until the end and I had terrible nightmares for a whole week after.  The smell of blood and the sounds stayed in my mind for a long time, enough to put me off Corridas for life!!

My advice?  If you want to see Las Ventas, see it from the outside.  If you want to enjoy a spectacle in the bullring, better wait until they are having a pop concert!

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Madrid is the Capital of Spain

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

As the capital city of Spain, Madrid is a bustling modern city with a glorious and tumultuous past.  Madrid is centrally located in Spain on the high plains accounting for its mild winters and warm dry summers.  Spain is a democratic constitutional monarchy, with a monarch as head of state and a president as the head of the government.  The political system has a two parliament system with representatives elected from multiple parties.  Spain’s judiciary committee runs independently of the legislative and executive branches.

King Juan Carlos I has been instrumental in leading and keeping Spain a democracy for over 30 years.  On February 23, 1981 security forces tried to seize control and implement a military run government but King Juan Carlos I used his influence with the military to maintain the peace and put down the bloodless coup.

From 1982 through 1995 the Spanish Socialist Workers Party controlled both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, and made great strides in developing social laws and programs in the health, work, and education areas that were lacking before their control.  With the leadership of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, Spain became a respected world leader and was able to join both NATO and the European Community.

In 1996 the Peoples Party gained control of the government and led Spain into an economic boom.  During their reign the Peoples Party implemented privatization of much of Spain industry developed plans to increase competition which lead Spain to an economic boom like they had never seen before.  The Peoples Party leader Jose Maria Aznar was a supporter of transatlantic relations, primarily with the United States and felt obliged to have Spain participate in the war on terrorism, which lead to the Peoples Parties eventual downfall.  After the March 11, 2004 terrorist bombing in Madrid the Peoples Party was swept out of office and replaced once again by the Spanish Socialist Workers Party.

Since the 2004 elections the leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, Jose Luis Rodríquez Zapatero has been instrumental in setting up Spain’s first government to be led by and equal number of men and women.  Proving that, Madrid the capital of Spain, is poised to be a world leader in the near future.

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Hotel Madrid

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

There are about 250 hotels in Madrid, Spain. With so many different hotels in Madrid you have to take the time to find out exactly what you want to do while you are in Madrid so that you can later plan on where the best place is to get a hotel. This is important because if you have to spend money going far away from your hotel to do the things you want to do then you are only wasting your money when you can just do a little research and save a lot of money. One of the most popular and expensive hotel is the Ritz. However if you want a more authentic trip that will put you in the heart of Madrid you can check out the De Las Letras.

Hotel Ritz is located opposite the renowned Prado Museum, between La Lealtad Square’s magnolia trees and Neptune’s Fountain. King Alfonso Xlll built this hotel in 1910 as a great luxury hotel so that it can hold up next to Madrid’s finest. This beautiful hotel is six stories high with French windows and balconies. Even more gorgeous then the rooms is the lobby it has pillars, high ceilings, chandeliers and the most beautiful hand made carpet. To add to its elegance a piano player accompanies tea and scones in the lobby lounge and bar. In the hotel the Goya Restaurant take it residence it has delicious international and Spanish dishes. Velazquez Bar is a place to unwind and have a cocktail while chatting with some other people who are also vacationing at the Ritz. The hotel also offers five meeting rooms that hold up to 500 people, a business centre that offers high-speed internet, and onsite parking. It also has a fitness centre, and a spa retreat for the whole family.

The Petit Palace Posada Del Peine is located only two hundred metres of the Plaza Mayor and Puerto Del Sol. It’s also only five hundred metres from the Royal Theatre. Madrid Barajas Airport is 12 kilometres from the hotel. The Petit Palace Posada Del Peine is set up in a historical building that dates back to the 1610. All the public areas in the hotel are air conditioned and have complimentary wireless internet access. Breakfast is also available; guest can also relax and enjoy drinks in the Cafetech. Like the Ritz the Petit Palace Posada Del Peine also offers a business centre with wireless internet, laptops and printers. The guestrooms are designed with contemporary minimalist furnishings. Rooms have satellite television, mini-bars and safes. Bathrooms have hydro-massage showers and designer toiletries.

Both of these hotels have its own unique quilts that make it an amazing hotel for your vacation to Madrid. If you know what you want from a hotel and what kind of thing you want to do on your trip then you can choice the best hotel for you.

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Real Madrid Futbol Club

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol also known as Real Madrid FC, Los Blancos, and Los Merengues is Madrid’s soccer team. This team has amazing history dating back to 1902. They also have an amazing current status.

Professors and students of the Institución Libre de Enseñanza introduced football to Madrid. They then founded Football Club Sky in 1897 which played every Sunday Morning in Moncloa. In the 1920’s Spain’s king, King Alfonso XIII, granted the club the title Real (Royal), so the club was now named Real Madrid.

Finally in 1929 the first Spanish Football League was founded. The Real Madrid didn’t win the League title until the 1931-32 season because in the 1929-30 season they came just one point behind Barcelona, so they had to settle for runner-up. Then in the next season Real Madrid won the title becoming the first to have two championships.

In 1955 President Santiago Bernabéu Yeate met with Bedrignan and Gustav Sebes and created what today is known as the UEFA Champions League. Under Bernabéu guidance Real Madrid was established as a major force in both Spanish and European soccer league. Between 1956 and 1960 Real Madrid won the European Cup 5 times in a row, permanently awarding them the original cup and the right to wear the UEFA badge of honor. The team went on to hit a couple of rough spots but then recovered with Coach Fabio Capello who was fired just a month after winning the La Liga title in 2007 for the first time in four years. This team also set the UEFA Championship League record of having the most wins of nine and semifinal appearances of 21.

Real Madrid current team has a well diverse group of people. There are nine people from Spain, four from Argentina, five for the Netherlands, three from Brazil, one each from Germany, Portugal, Italy Mali, and Poland.

According to a study done at Harvard University in 2007 Real Madrid FC is the biggest and most popular soccer club in the world. They are also the richest based on revenue. FIFA also awarded the team on December 23, 2000 the “Best Club of the 20th Century”.

In current news soccerlens.com says that this weekend Real Madrid will be signing a new player named Rafael Van der Vaart. Rafael is currently playing for Manchester United and is the number one enemy of Madrid. He is said to be signed for only 10 million euros which is a little low for such a valued player.

The Real Madrid FC is a team that has so much history and is so good that everyone on the team will go down in history as being on one of the most well known and great team. With all the history and current events with a team like this nothing could get boring with them. Real Madrid FC is an awesome team that will make there mark on the world of soccer.

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Spain food

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

Spain food choices include everything from the freshest sea foods to cold vegetable soup called gazpacho.  While Spain is a peninsula as an outsider you may not think of seafood as being a mainstay in the Spanish diet, but much of the food in Spain is some derivative of sea life.  Specialties would include lobster, eel, squid, and delicious cod dishes.  Seafood is served in every city in Spain including inland areas, because Spaniards have always loved and made some of the most incredible seafood you have ever tasted.

Jamon Serrano is a country ham that is almost a national food in Spain.  Everywhere you go in Spain you are sure to find Jamon Serrano hanging in store fronts, bars, and residences.  This delicate ham has a very rich flavor and will surly become a favorite of yours upon your first visit to Madrid.

Dishes served in restaurants are very inexpensive with hearty portions that are sure to both please the pallets of even the most discerning eaters, and fill their stomachs.  While you travel you will find that in Spain food is as much an art as it is a meal.

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The population of Spain

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

The estimated (July, 2007) population of Spain of just over 40 million people is comprised of 97% Roman Catholic’s and only 3% Protestant, Jew, and Muslims.

With a density of 79 people per square Km or 206 people per square Mi. Spain is one on the more rural European countries, but compared to the United States population density of only 29 people per square Km Spain is fairly densely populated.

Madrid, the capital of Spain is by far the largest city.  Madrid with over 3 million people has twice the population of the next largest city Barcelona.

Madrid 3,093,000
Barcelona 1,583,256
Valencia 736,000
Sevilla 695,000
Zaragoza 601,000
Vigo 287,000
Granada 242,000
Cartagena 170,000
Pamplona 163,000
León 144,000
Castellón de la Plana 136,000
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Madrid Museums

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Admin

Prado

Open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays closed.

Museum Thyssen-Bornemisza

Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays closed.

National Museum Reina Sofía

Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday closed.

Museum of Contemporary Art

Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays closed.

Museum of Palacio Real

Open 9 a.m. to 6.15 p.m., Sundays and Holidays 9 a.m. to 3.15 p.m..

Museum of Horse Coaches

Open 9 a.m. to 6.15 p.m., Sundays and Holidays 9 a.m. to 3.15 p.m.

National Museum of Decorative Arts

Open 9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m., Mondays closed.

National Museum of Artistic Reproductions

Open 9.30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays closed.

Romantic Museum

Open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Holidays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays closed.

Museum Sorolla

Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays closed.

Museum Cerralbo

Open 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays closed.

Museum Lazaro Galdiano

Open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sundays closed.

National Archaeological Museum

Open 9.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m., Sundays and Holidays 9.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m., Mondays closed.

Museum of Natural Science

Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays and Holidays 10 a.m. to 2.30 p.m., Mondays closed.

Ethnological Museum

Alfonso XII, 68. Open 10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays and Holidays closed.

Geologic Museum

Open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays 9.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m., Sundays and Holidays closed.

Railway Museum

Open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sundays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays closed.

Museum of Coins and Bank-Notes

Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays closed.

Museum of the Town

Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., Mondays and Holidays closed.

Museum of Popular Art and Customs

Open Mo, Fri 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tue, Thu 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m.

Museum of Aviation

Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays closed.

Museum of Navigation

Open 10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., Mondays closed.

Army Museum

Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays closed.

Museum of Waxworks

Open 10.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m.

Angel Nieto Museum

Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 11.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5.30 to 8.30 p.m., Mondays closed.

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